How much does it cost to recharge electric vehicles?

Charging your electric car in France: how much does it really cost?

If you're thinking of going electric, or have just bought an electric vehicle, one question often comes up: how much does it really cost to recharge? The good news is that recharging an electric car is generally much cheaper than filling up a combustion vehicle. However, the cost depends very much on where and how you recharge your vehicle. At EVDataCompare.com, we've broken all this down for you in a clear and educational way.

Home recharging: economical and practical

Charging at home is the preferred option for most electric vehicle owners, because it's simple and economical. Currently, the average price per kWh for home charging varies between €0.17 (off-peak) and €0.25 (peak). This means that driving 100 km costs around €2.50 to €3.75 for an average electric vehicle consuming 15 kWh per 100 km.

Some offers, such as EDF's "Vert Électrique Auto", even offer a 50% discount at night, bringing the cost down to less than €2 per 100 km in some cases. By comparison, a combustion-powered car costs around €10 to €15 for petrol or diesel to cover the same distance, so recharging at home saves you a lot of money.

We recommend installing a private charging station (wallbox) at your home for safe, fast recharging (initial investment of around €800 to €1,500, subsidized by programs such as ADVENIR).

Fast charging on freeways: practical but more expensive

For longer journeys, fast charging stations are a must. In France, major players such as Ionity, Tesla and TotalEnergies offer rates ranging from €0.35 to €0.69 per kWh, depending on the operator and subscription chosen.

• For example, Ionity offers a recharge at €0.59/kWh without subscription, or €0.39/kWh with a monthly subscription (€5.99).
• Tesla offers average rates of around €0.45/kWh, or even less (€0.27/kWh) in off-peak hours for its subscribers (€9.99/month).

A 100 km fast charge costs between €7 and €12. Even in the most expensive case, this is still competitive with a combustion-powered vehicle, especially on freeways where the latter consume more fuel (around €12 to €15 per 100 km).

Charging in town: a practical choice at a moderate cost

French towns and cities are increasingly installing public charging stations accessible to all. Operators such as Bélib' (TotalEnergies in Paris) and Freshmile offer rates of between €0.30 and €0.50 per kWh.

In Paris, for example, recharging 100 km at the public Bélib' stations costs around €8.36 without a subscription, and €6.91 with a resident subscription. This is still a very good deal compared with a combustion-powered car in the city (around €14 to €15 per 100 km in fuel).

The use of applications or badges such as Chargemap greatly facilitates access to these urban charging stations, making recharging simple and accessible.

Recharging at work: often free and very advantageous

Many companies in France provide charging stations for their employees. The main advantage is that recharging is often totally free for the employee, with the employer covering the low cost.

Even when the employer asks for a small contribution, the rate is generally very low (€0.10 to €0.15/kWh), i.e. less than €2.50 per 100 km.

In short, if you're lucky enough to be able to recharge your electric vehicle at work, the cost per kilometer can become almost zero, a considerable advantage over conventional fuels.

Main players in the French recharging market

The French market is dominated by several key players that you will often come across on your travels:

• Tesla Superchargers: fast, reliable and now open to non-Tesla vehicles.
• Ionity: specialized in ultra-fast charging on freeways, ideal for long journeys.
• TotalEnergies: very present in cities and on freeways, notably via Bélib' in Paris.
• Allego: European operator with competitive rates and a broad presence.
• Freshmile: regional and interoperable network, appreciated for its ease of use via a universal pass.

Each of these operators has its own particularities and specific offers, but they all contribute to facilitating the daily use of electric cars in France.

Price trends and future prospects

In recent years, the cost of recharging has fluctuated considerably, mainly due to changes in electricity prices. Despite temporary increases due to the energy crisis, overall rates remain very advantageous compared with fossil fuels.

The trend in electricity prices, the massive development of charging stations (a target of 400,000 public charging stations in France by 2030), and the growing integration of renewable energies, should enable costs to stabilize or even fall in the future.

What's more, new solutions such as Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) will even enable electric vehicles to sell electricity back to the grid from time to time, further reducing their running costs.

Conclusion: why it's still economical to drive electric

Even allowing for differences in charging methods, one thing is clear: recharging an electric car is far more economical than using thermal fuel.

On average, driving 100 km electrically costs between €2 and €4 at home, €7 to €12 on the freeway, and around €5 to €9 in town. By comparison, a combustion-powered car costs between €10 and €15 over the same distance, all situations considered.

At EVDataCompare.com, we're convinced that these figures speak for themselves. Beyond the reduced cost of ownership, the electric car offers a smoother, quieter, greener experience.

So going electric isn't just good for the planet, it's also good for your wallet.

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