{"id":1998,"date":"2026-04-27T14:41:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T12:41:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/certipower.be\/kennisbank\/hidden-costs-of-public-charging-for-fleets\/"},"modified":"2026-10-07T21:14:23","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T19:14:23","slug":"hidden-costs-of-public-charging-for-fleets","status":"publish","type":"kennisbank","link":"https:\/\/certipower.be\/en\/kennisbank\/hidden-costs-of-public-charging-for-fleets\/","title":{"rendered":"Hidden costs of public charging for fleets"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cGive employees a charging card and it is sorted.\u201d A common oversimplification.<\/p>\n

In practice, public charging is full of hidden costs that push up the official kWh price considerably. Here is what to expect.<\/p>\n

Four hidden costs<\/h2>\n
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01<\/div>\n
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Roaming margin<\/h3>\n

When an employee charges with card X at a charger from operator Y, a roaming margin applies: typically 5 to 25 cents per kWh on top of the charger\u2019s standard rate.<\/p>\n

Key takeaway:<\/strong> on an average 30 kWh session, that is \u20ac1.50 to \u20ac7.50 of invisible margin per session.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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02<\/div>\n
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Idle fee<\/h3>\n

Many fast chargers charge \u20ac0.10 to \u20ac0.30 per minute when a car stays plugged in after charging.<\/p>\n

Key takeaway:<\/strong> if an employee plugs in at 12:30 and only returns at 14:00 after lunch, you quickly pay \u20ac15 to \u20ac20 extra.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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03<\/div>\n
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Session fee<\/h3>\n

Some operators charge a fixed fee per session, from \u20ac0.50 to \u20ac1.50. Harmless once.<\/p>\n

Key takeaway:<\/strong> 3 sessions per week \u00d7 50 weeks = \u20ac75 to \u20ac225 extra per employee per year.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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04<\/div>\n
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Price differences between apps and cards<\/h3>\n

The same charger can charge a different price depending on the app or card used. Differences of up to \u20ac0.15 per kWh are not unusual. More in public charging in Belgium<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Key takeaway:<\/strong> employees who choose the most expensive option for lack of information cost you hundreds of euros a year.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Worked example: a fleet of 50 electric cars<\/h2>\n

Assume 20% public charging on average. That is 1,000 kWh per car per year, or 50,000 kWh for the whole fleet.<\/p>\n

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Roaming margin<\/span>\u20ac4,000 per year<\/strong>Average \u20ac0.08 per kWh<\/span><\/div>\n
Session fees<\/span>\u20ac3,750 per year<\/strong>100 sessions per car \u00d7 \u20ac0.75<\/span><\/div>\n
Idle fees<\/span>\u20ac2,500 per year<\/strong>Estimated<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Altogether \u20ac10,250 per year in hidden costs. That is \u20ac205 per car, on top of the official kWh price.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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How much is your fleet overpaying?<\/strong>Our fleet specialist breaks down the savings per scenario.<\/span><\/div>\n
Get the calculation<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

How to control these costs<\/h2>\n
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  1. Choose one charging card provider<\/strong>With a transparent tariff structure and sufficient coverage. Not three different ones.<\/li>\n
  2. Set an internal guideline<\/strong>Home charging where possible, public charging only on the road, fast charging only when necessary.<\/li>\n
  3. Monitor the share of public charging per driver<\/strong>Do this monthly. Outliers usually come from charging habits, not necessity. With Certipower charging cards and reporting in Certitool, you see it per driver and per session, without manual work.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The structural alternative<\/h2>\n

    The more you shift to home charging with split billing, the less public charging and the fewer hidden costs. At 80% home charging, the average hidden cost per car is halved.<\/p>\n

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    Install<\/strong>At the employee\u2019s home, on the company site and on the road.<\/span><\/div>\n
    Measure<\/strong>Consumption per user and per location, without estimates.<\/span><\/div>\n
    Split billing<\/strong>Your employee pays nothing upfront and submits no receipts. How split billing works<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
    My.Certipower<\/strong>Home and public charging per driver and per session, without Excel.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    More about our public charging card<\/a>. Read also charging cards for companies in Europe<\/a> and the TCO of an electric company car over 4 years<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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    No obligation<\/div>\n

    How much can your fleet save on public charging?<\/p>\n

    We analyse your charging sessions and give you a concrete proposal.<\/p>\n