EV charging tariffs 2026: ADAC study reveals wide price gaps

Anyone who charges their EV at a public station faces very different tariffs in 2026 — depending on the provider, tariff model and type of charging. The ADAC has compiled the main offers in its latest market comparison (as of April 2026): according to the Federal Network Agency, there are now over 149,000 regular charging points and more than 51,200 fast-charging points in Germany — and it is precisely here that many EV drivers lose track of the prices.

The tariff models in detail

At their core, providers differ in three respects: base fee, billing model and type of charging. Some providers charge a monthly fee for access to their pillars across the whole network — others work without any base fee at all, such as the ADAC with its ADAC e-Charge offer: ADAC members pay no base fee there. Beyond that, tariffs differ by per-minute dwelling surcharges, by charging type (AC, DC, HPC) and by access route: charging card, app or pure ad hoc payment.

The key rule of thumb from the ADAC comparison: committing to a provider pays off. Whoever signs a contract with a provider pays the same price at all of that provider's partner pillars — and usually considerably less than in a spontaneous ad hoc charging session.

Prices compared: up to a 62 % difference

The gap is large: according to the ADAC's survey, ad hoc charging can be up to 62 per cent more expensive than a contract-based tariff without a base fee. Concretely, on motorways, that means 84 cents per kilowatt-hour where it could have been 52 cents.

Since electricity costs rose sharply in 2022, most providers have raised prices significantly — some by nearly a third. Under around 50 cents per kWh, EV drivers on the road very rarely get cheaper energy. The electricity price cuts of recent months are only slowly making their way to end consumers.

New field: dynamic charging prices

A trend has been clearly felt since mid-2025: more and more networks are experimenting with prices that follow the supply and demand of the power exchange — a bit like a dynamic tariff at home.

Roaming networks are merging

For everyone who charges far outside their region or abroad, something is happening: the four charging network operators Ionity, Fastned, Electra and Atlante have been working together since July 2025 — first as the "Spark Alliance", now as the Charge League. Registered drivers thereby get access to more than 1,700 charging stations with over 11,000 charging points in 25 countries. A contract with one (or several) roaming providers saves individual apps and cards and bundles the many networks under a single access.

Prices and billing: the rules in 2026

In addition to the prices themselves, the framework conditions have become consumer-friendly:

• Accurate measurement and billing in kilowatt-hours is mandatory; every charging session must be documented in a traceable way (measurement and calibration law).
• Ad hoc prices visible before charging: at public pillars that went into operation since 13 April 2024, prices must be clearly displayed before the charging session begins, as required by the Federal Network Agency.
• Extra fees cleanly separated: a blocking fee, dwelling fee or per-session flat rate may only be charged additionally and separately. Time-only or flat-rate billing as the sole charge is no longer compliant.

In summary: the tariff matters more than the pillar

The charging infrastructure is large, but the tariffs are what counts. Contract customers pay the least, ad hoc charging the most — and dynamic prices are coming to the fore for the first time. Anyone who doesn't want to work out the right tariff for their route themselves can find a suitable charging card recommendation with route suggestions in the LadeGuide app.