Is charging cheaper at night?

With a dynamic contract, often yes, and also around midday on sunny days. Prices move every quarter hour; a controller can pick the cheapest slots before departure.

Explained in

Energy and grid integration · Stop 05How do dynamic prices steer charging?Prices that change every quarter of an hour, a right to a dynamic contract, and a car that charges when electricity is cheap and plentiful.

Since 1 October 2025, the European day-ahead market couples all bidding zones with a market time unit of 15 minutes. Tomorrow's prices are known today, quarter hour by quarter hour, which suits charging well: a controller can pick the cheapest slots before departure.

From “Prices by the quarter hour”, stop 05

Terms

  1. Dynamic electricity priceA contract whose price follows the wholesale market, for example quarter hour by quarter hour; available to customers with a smart meter.
  1. Can the grid handle electric cars?Nationally, EVs used about 1% of the world's electricity in 2025. Locally, the issue is timing: spread into the night, most charging fits existing grids.
  2. How green is the electricity for charging?The EU's electricity was 49.9% renewable in 2025. Charging can follow hourly renewable data, drivers can choose green tariffs, and public operators state whether a charger's electricity is 100% renewable.
  3. Can I charge my car with solar panels?Yes, from the surplus the house does not use. Cars need a minimum of about 1.4 kW on one phase or 4.1 kW on three, so wallboxes that switch phases follow the sun best.
  4. How is a dynamic electricity price made up?The day-ahead price of the quarter hour, plus grid fees, levies and taxes and the supplier's margin, which do not move, plus VAT on the sum. In the deep dive, 7.0 ct wholesale at 2 AM became 27.7 ct retail.
  1. OKTE (nominated electricity market operator): 15-minute MTU in SDAC was implemented, 1 October 2025. https://okte.sk/en/information/news/2025-10-01-15-minute-mtu-in-sdac-was-implemented. Checked 09 Oct 2026.