Is the energy at a charger measured accurately?

Charger metering follows measuring law. From 10 October 2028, EU-wide accuracy classes of 2, 1 or 0.5% apply, measured where the energy passes to the car.

Explained in

Charging hardware · Stop 07What does a charger need before it may be used?Conformity, measuring law, grid connection, commissioning and data: the steps between a charger leaving the factory and its first public session in the EU.

Drivers pay per kWh, so the kWh must be right. Until now, the rules for metering at chargers have been national. The 2026 amendment of the Measuring Instruments Directive makes them European: the manufacturer states the class, the accuracy is measured where the energy passes to the car, and the result may be shown on the charger, remotely or on the driver's own device. Member States apply the new rules from 10 October 2028; chargers that meet national rules and were placed on the market before 10 April 2030 may still be put into use.

From “Measured for the invoice”, stop 07
  1. What is the difference between AC and DC charging?With AC, the car's onboard charger converts the current, which limits power, often to 11 or 22 kW. With DC, the charger carries the converter itself and can deliver far more.
  2. Which connector do public chargers in Europe use?AFIR requires at least Type 2 at public AC points and Combo 2 (CCS) at public DC points. One car inlet takes both: Type 2 above, two DC pins below.
  3. Why do fast chargers have such thick cables?A cable is sized for current, and heat grows with the square of it. At the highest currents, a liquid circuit cools cable and connector so the cable stays manageable.
  4. Why do two cars at one charger get less power?Many chargers divide their power modules between two outlets. A car that is fuller asks for less, so the modules move to the other car.
  1. EUR-Lex: Directive (EU) 2026/706 amending Directive 2014/32/EU as regards measuring systems for electric vehicle supply equipment, Annex Va (MI-011). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2026/706/oj. Checked 09 Oct 2026. © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
  2. EUR-Lex: Directive (EU) 2026/706 amending Directive 2014/32/EU as regards measuring systems for electric vehicle supply equipment, Annex Va (MI-011). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2026/706/oj. Checked 09 Oct 2026. © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.