Experts: Constantly high charging prices hinder the switch to electric cars

Persistently high electricity rates at public charging stations could slow down the shift to electric cars from the perspective of industry experts. "For the ramp-up of electromobility, the quality, availability, and reliability of charging are crucial, but of course also the costs," said automotive expert Stefan Bratzel to the "Augsburger Allgemeine" (Thursday). Many providers evidently do not pass on falling electricity purchase prices to customers, said the head of the Center of Automotive Management in Bergisch Gladbach. An average price of 55 to 60 cents per kilowatt-hour among operators and charging card providers is too high, Bratzel explained.

"For regular charging at public stations in cities, measured in terms of today's prices, it should drop below 40 cents per kilowatt-hour."

Otherwise, the cost of charging often exceeds the fuel costs of comparable modern diesel vehicles. However, he pointed out that the American carmaker Tesla, with its Supercharger network, is an exception and has reduced its prices several times.

"Of course, the suspicion arises that at least some providers used the 2022 electricity price crisis for permanent price increases," said the transport expert of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), Wolf-Peter Schill. However, it is not clear whether the charging rates before the crisis were always cost-covering, he noted.