The good news is that the Netherlands leads Europe with 117,000 AC charging points, averaging 10 chargers per EV. Dutch EV drivers have more choice than ever on where they can charge. It costs an average 40.4 eurocents per kWh to charge an electric car in the Netherlands using an AC charger – but drivers should be mindful that there are big price differences between these chargers.Â
Frequently asked questions
What's the average cost difference between AC chargers?
While the average price for AC chargers is 40.4 eurocents – you could be paying more depending on the charger you use.
For 8 to 12 kW chargers:
- The average price is 36.8 eurocents
- There’s a big variance between prices, two thirds of these chargers costing between 28.6 and 45.0 eurocents.
For 12 to 23 kW chargers:
- The average price is 40.6 eurocents
- There’s an even bigger variance between prices, with two thirds of these chargers costing between 30.9 and 50.3 eurocents.
There can also be a price difference between equivalent AC chargers within neighbourhoods. Our recent analysis shows an average price difference of 14.3 eurocents between the most expensive and cheapest equivalent charging points within walking distance of each other.
What's the difference between AC and DC chargers?
You can use both AC (alternating current) and DC (direct current) chargers for your EV, the main difference is their charging speed.
AC chargers generally have power ratings less than 23 kW, while DC chargers tend to start with a power rating at 50 kW, although you can find some below. The connector types are different too. AC uses a Mennekes/Type 2 connector, while DC chargers user connectors like CCS or CHAdeMO. The majority of new vehicles are compatible with Mennekes and CCS connectors, so can charge at most AC or DC chargers.
When you use an AC charger your EV converts power via an onboard charger to DC. Your EV batteries then convert electricity through electro-chemical processes for storage during your charge session.Â
Most EV drivers typically use AC chargers for their everyday charging needs and DC chargers for long-distance or to charge fast.
Why is pricing so different between charging points?
- More than one private company may be given the right to operate charging networks within a neighbourhood and they can set different pricing levels for similar infrastructure.
- Operator costs are impacted by energy price fluctuations.
- Operators usually buy energy in advance, so their pricing does not always reflect current energy markets.
- Business and individuals can now make their private chargers public using Tap Electric, and set their own tariffs.
How do I calculate my total cost per charge session?
The majority of tariffs are simple – you pay a price per kWh. But more and more complex tariffs are being used by charger owners and operators. For example, you pay a starting tariff (flat fee just to plug in); or, a parking/idle tariff that kicks in once your vehicle is fully charged but still plugged in.
On top of your session costs from the charger operator, check if the app or charge card you use invoices you for transaction or subscriptions fees as part of your charge session.
Tap only app where drivers see a detailed breakdown of how much it costs to charge their electric car every session using our Tariff Intel feature. This feature helps you estimate costs even on on complex tariffs. At Tap we believe every EV driver should know exactly where their money is going.
EV drivers can still find ways to save on their charging costs
Knowing how much it costs to charge your electric car in the Netherlands can help you decide on where to charge to get more value for your money.
Compare charger prices and save: Drivers can find out if they’re getting a fair price by checking the price range of chargers in any neighbourhood. Our charge map shows pricing for every charger on our map.
Lower your charging costs with a subscription plan: For drivers that charge often, it may make sense to sign up to a subscription plan. Even on a free subscription with Tap, our drivers get access to the operator cost and save on transaction fees every session.
Earn money every time someone uses your private charger: If you own a charger, you can start to subsidise your EV expenses by connecting it to the public charging network. With Tap you can manage your charger for free – set your own tariffs, location access and receive payments every time a driver uses your charger.
Research methodology
The data sample was taken from live tariff data of public chargers on 24 September 2023.
Only tariffs with solely a kWh were analysed for comparison. To get the average cost of all chargers under 23 kW, we analysed 5,101 post codes.
For all other analyses, tariffs were grouped based on the power range of the chargers, 8 to 12 kW from 1,676 post codes and 12 to 23 kW groups from 941 post codes.
Tariffs were grouped based on the first 4 digits of their location’s post code which in the Netherlands represents approximately one neighbourhood. In dense urban areas this certainly represents a walkable area; in less dense area, this are would more likely be driving distance.
Only post codes with at least 8 chargers were analysed (with the exception of the heatmaps, which include all data for complete visualisation).
All pricing analysed is CPO pricing, meaning the research did not consider MSP business models.