On the European main traffic arteries there is now mostly a solidly developed charging network with corresponding fast or even hyperchargers. But what about paying? Does the home charging card work and does the charging app on one’s own smartphone work? Because when reloading just before Paris, the family man doesn’t want to experience a nasty surprise any more than the daughter who doesn’t want to call her parents just over the German border on her way to a girlfriends’ weekend in Vienna.
The good news first: most charging cards also work reliably in other European countries – unfortunately not at every charging station and therefore not with every provider. It is therefore advisable to do a quick check beforehand as to where the charging stations are along the route and who operates them. This is particularly easy with the charging cards of the respective car manufacturers. Because many of the car manufacturers have included their own charging card in a so-called charging network such as Ionity. By 2025, there should be a total of 7,000 charging stations, where not only can you recharge, but you can also pay via app or charging card, just like in Germany. The prices depend on the charging tariff of the vehicle manufacturer and sometimes differ considerably in the individual countries. The prices of mostly between 0.39 and 0.89 euros per kilowatt hour plus a general charging fee of 0.49 euros per process are held quite normally via the app.
The situation is similar at competitor EnBW, which operates its charging stations in 17 countries. The prices of 0.39 to 0.61 euros per kilowatt hour differ depending on the charging tariff. Payment is made either by the EnBW app or the charging card. A special activation for abroad is not required. Electricity can also be recharged at more and more petrol stations using the Aral Pulse charging stations. The advantage here: most of the Pulse charging stations are not only very fast with 300 kilowatts, but you can also pay at them with a normal credit card. Simply hold it contactless in front of the charger and the charging process will be debited to your own credit card as usual. And that at prices that are set by the respective gas station and shown on the display of the charging station before the charging process begins. The prices for the 300 kW hypercharger are mostly 0.79 euros per kilowatt hour.
Not only Tesla models such as X, Y, S or 3 can now be recharged on more and more European superchargers, but also third-party brands can tap their power. Since these Tesla charging stations on the main traffic arteries are not only numerous, but also equipped with a correspondingly high charging speed of 250 kW, one or the other long-distance vacationer should consider whether the Tesla app could not be the right addition to their own charging card. Simply install the Tesla app on your own smartphone as a user of a third-party factory and drive to the charging station if it is displayed in the app or on the navigation map as usable for third-party brands. The costs depend on the location and time, but are usually below EUR 0.70 per kilowatt hour and are therefore often below those of EnBW or Ionity. Another advantage: you can use the Tesla app to charge anywhere in the world and thus also refuel the electric car if you ever drive an electric car in regions such as Asia or the USA.
Before you go on vacation, you don’t have to worry about whether there are enough charging stations and how you’ll be billed. In most cases, the normal charging app or the charging card that you use in everyday life is sufficient. If you want to be on the safe side, you should secure a second charging card/app to avoid any surprises. Then the holiday can begin as desired in your own driveway.
