The Brussels government is introducing a new fee structure for the use of public charging stations for EV’s. Starting October 1, a 6-euro cents-per-minute rate will apply to vehicles that remain connected to a charging station for more than 6 hours between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m.

The fee is being introduced to address the problem of people hogging charging stations.

11,292

According to grid operator Sibelga, users remain connected to a charging station for an average of 6 hours and 30 minutes, while an 18-kWh charging session takes only about 2 hours and 20 minutes. The connection time is therefore nearly 3 times longer than the actual charging time.

Consequently, it is becoming more difficult for users to find an available charging spot, even though the number of public charging stations in Brussels is increasing year after year – there are currently 11,292.

€3.60/hour

To address the problem of too many cars remaining parked for unnecessarily long periods after they have already been fully charged, Brussels will introduce a rotation fee for charging stations starting in October, announced Brussels State Secretary for Energy Audrey Henry (MR).

Between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m., a car may remain at a charging station for up to 6 hours at no extra cost. Anyone who stays longer pays an additional €0,06 per minute, or €3,60 per hour, with a maximum of €25. At night, the time-based rate does not apply, so that residents can charge their cars overnight as usual.

Several Flemish cities, including Antwerp and Ghent, have already introduced such a rotating rate. In Ghent, you pay €3,60 per hour after 4 hours; in Antwerp, you pay €0,06 per minute once the car is fully loaded.