Why do drivers pay different prices at the same charger?

Each commercial route prices the session differently: a contract with an eMSP, a subscription with a monthly fee, or ad hoc payment at the operator's own price.

Explained in

EV charging fundamentals · Stop 05Why do different drivers pay different prices?Same charger, same hour, three prices. How contracts, subscriptions and ad hoc card payment price one session differently, and where the money goes.
  • Contract with an eMSP (0.64). The everyday route: one app, one monthly invoice, valid in many networks through roaming. The eMSP's margin is the difference between its retail price, net of VAT, and the wholesale price it pays.
  • Subscription (0.54). The same route with a different structure: a monthly fee in exchange for a lower price per kWh, useful for frequent charging.
  • Ad hoc payment (0.69). No contract, the operator's own price, shown before the session starts. Every public charger must allow ad hoc payment. Those built since April 2024 must accept electronic payment: by card reader or contactless card at 50 kW and more, below that also by an online payment such as a QR code. From 2027, older chargers of 50 kW and more along the trans-European road network need a card reader or contactless reader as well.
From “Three routes to one charger”, stop 05

Terms

  1. RoamingCharging in another company's network with your own card or app.
  2. eMSPE-mobility service provider: issues the charging card or app, sets the driver's price and sends the invoice.
  3. Ad hocCharging without a contract, paid directly at the charger, for example by card or QR code.
  1. Can I charge without a contract?Yes. Since April 2024, every new public charger in the EU must allow ad hoc payment, by card at 50 kW and more. The price is shown before the session starts.
  2. What is a CDR?The charge detail record: the digital receipt of a session with energy, duration and tariff. It travels from the operator to the eMSP and becomes a line on the invoice.
  3. Why does public charging cost more than charging at home?The prices cover different things. A public charger's price includes hardware, grid connection, site, service, payment and a margin; a household tariff pays for energy on an existing connection.
  4. Why does charging involve so many companies?Three things spread the work: the grid connection, the location where people park, and contracts that work across many networks. One company can hold several roles, but the roles stay separate.
  1. EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure (AFIR), Article 5. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1804/oj. Checked 07 Oct 2026. © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.