Charging an electric car in Belgium can cost more than twice as much at one public charger as at another. Belgian mobility organization VAB calls it the ‘Wild West’ and wants maximum tariffs.

Belgian Consumer Protection Minister Rob Beenders has responded by calling for stricter European rules to make charging prices simpler and more transparent, potentially as early as 2027.

But the EU already has legislation requiring charging providers to disclose their tariffs and additional fees. So why are drivers still confronted with unexpected bills?

A recent investigation by Belgian public broadcaster VRT NWS, covering more than 25,000 charging points, revealed striking differences. A comparable charging session could cost €24 in Hasselt but €64.20 in Zandhoven, a difference of almost 170%. Electricity tariffs ranged from €0.22 to more than €1.30 per kWh.

Charging whatever they want

Gert Verhoeven of VAB argues that public charging operators have too much freedom to impose additional charges, making it increasingly difficult for motorists to compare prices.

The problem is particularly acute at slower public chargers, commonly found in residential streets and municipal car parks. Besides the electricity itself, motorists may face connection fees, roaming surcharges, and time-based charges, sometimes even at night.

VAB is calling for greater transparency and maximum all-inclusive tariffs, similar to the regulated maximum prices Belgium applies to petrol and diesel.

Belgium cheaper than its neighbors?

Surprisingly, Belgium does not necessarily rank among Europe’s most expensive countries for public EV charging.

According to the European charging price database ChargeInsights, Belgian advertised ad-hoc tariffs average approximately €0.38/kWh for AC charging and €0.41/kWh for conventional DC charging. Comparable figures are around €0.45 and €0.54 in the Netherlands, and €0.56 and €0.57 in Germany.

However, the database covers only part of the charging network, and its Belgian sample is heavily concentrated among a limited number of operators. Crucially, these averages exclude additional charges and cannot be considered representative of motorists’ final bills.

This illustrates the fundamental problem: comparing advertised electricity prices tells drivers remarkably little about what they will actually pay.

Germany has the same problem

Belgium is not alone. A 2026 investigation by Germany’s Stiftung Klimaneutralität analyzed approximately 99,000 tariff observations from 375 charging-point operators and 412 mobility-service providers.

It found that drivers could pay substantially different prices at the same charging station depending on whether they paid directly, used the operator’s own contract or relied on a third-party charging card.

The median premium for third-party roaming was 34%, while ad-hoc fast-charging tariffs ranged from €0.39 to €0.94/kWh.

A European Parliament study published in May 2026 also highlighted the lack of transparency, limited comparability and potential competition problems in public charging across the EU.

Europe already has rules

Yet much of what Belgian consumer protection minister Rob Beenders wants to tackle is already addressed by European legislation.

The EU’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), applicable since April 2024, requires that public charging prices be reasonable, transparent, non-discriminatory, and easily comparable.

At charging stations of 50 kW or more, operators must display the ad-hoc electricity price per kWh and any applicable occupancy fee. At slower chargers, all components of the ad-hoc tariff must be clearly available before charging begins.

Charging-card providers must also disclose applicable roaming fees and other charges before a session starts.

However, the regulation does not establish a specific maximum price or prohibit most additional fees. Nor does it necessarily require an exact final bill in advance, since that depends on the energy consumed and time connected.

New rules or better enforcement?

In response to the VRT investigation, Beenders called for simpler, stricter European rules, potentially taking effect in 2027. He acknowledged that charging prices will inevitably vary between locations but insisted motorists must understand what they are paying.

The European legislation also requires national authorities to monitor compliance. Beenders says Belgium already carries out annual checks.

That raises an uncomfortable question: if transparency has been mandatory for more than two years, why do consumers still struggle to understand charging tariffs?

Newmobility.news has asked the minister’s cabinet how many operators were inspected in 2025 and 2026, whether infringements were established, and whether clearer all-inclusive price information could be preferable to regulated maximum tariffs.

Biggest losers are those without a driveway

For motorists able to charge at home, public charging prices may be an occasional annoyance. For apartment residents without private parking, electric driving can fundamentally change the economics.

At an annual consumption of 2,700 kWh, paying €0.80 per kWh instead of €0.38 increases electricity expenditure by €1,134 per year, even before additional fees.

Time-based charges can further complicate matters. They can legitimately discourage drivers from occupying chargers unnecessarily, but become controversial when applied to overnight charging or while vehicles are still charging.

A competitive market does not require identical prices. It does require consumers to understand them and compare alternatives.