How much does it cost to recharge an electric car?

How much it costs to recharge an electric car is one of the first things you need to understand if you are considering changing from a vehicle that runs on fossil fuels to one powered by green energy. In such cases, it’s natural to try to find out more about how the market operates, because charging costs are among the most significant elements when it comes to choosing a vehicle. More and more cars registered in recent months are electric, indicating that more and more drivers need this kind of information.

Compared with conventional vehicles, where there is little variation in fuel costs between service stations, electrical energy costs can vary more widely, with prices depending on location, type of column and energy supplier, as well as the driver’s own choices, such as whether to recharge at home. This is why it is essential to look carefully into all the factors that determine the final cost.

Factors that influence the real cost of recharging

For a better understanding of how much it costs to recharge an electric car, we have to start with how the charging infrastructure functions. Not all charging stations are the same, and the difference between a slow, a fast and an ultra-fast charge can have a significant impact on how much you spend. AC charging columns are considered the cheapest, while the rates for DC charge points, posts designed for fast or ultra-fast recharging, are slightly higher, but performance is excellent. This is because the technologies required to deliver high power require greater investment on the part of operators.

Prices are also impacted by payment methods. Many operators apply a cheaper rate for customers using the dedicated app, especially on the fast charging columns. Another factor is where you’re driving. Some particularly busy or densely populated urban areas have higher rates than suburban areas. Competition also plays a role: where several operators are present, the price per kWh tends to be more competitive.

Charging types

Public recharging: price variability

To understand how much it costs to recharge an electric car, we need to look at the average prices charged on public infrastructures. In Italy, AC recharging is generally less expensive than DC recharging at this time, with a cost per kWh that can vary significantly. DC charging, used by drivers with limited time available, can be significantly more costly: convenience comes at a price.

Price differences can be even greater for the ultra-fast stations, which can recharge vehicles to a large extent in just minutes. These technologies offer a highly advanced service, and the ratio of price to speed and efficiency in filling the battery makes them an excellent value-for-money option.

Service stations: the specific example of IPlanet rates

The rates charged by IPlanet’s service stations cover both occasional use and the needs of regular refuellers. The Pay per Use rate, which allows drivers to pay only the energy they actually use, is €0.60/kWh for AC charging up to 22kW, while for the fast DC charging stations, the rate for users of the App or RFID is an extremely competitive