Charging station price monitor: These German cities are the most expensive

Prices for fast charging of electric vehicles (DC charging points) have increased by an average of 4.45 percent nationwide, while the increase for AC charging is 1.71 percent. This is the result of a study by the energy company Enpal (www.enpal.de). For the study, data on charging processes at AC and DC charging stations, as well as the blocking fees for the public charging infrastructure operated by municipal utilities, were analyzed in 20 German cities in 2024 and 2025. The results show that in Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Leipzig, electric vehicle drivers sometimes pay significantly more, while comparatively low charging rates apply in Dresden and Wuppertal.

Price top: Stuttgart, Frankfurt am Main, and Leipzig: Refueling electric vehicles can be particularly expensive in Stuttgart: Here, the charge at fast charging stations (DC charging points) operated by municipal utilities is €0.79 per kWh. This puts the state capital in first place nationwide. In Frankfurt am Main, charging costs €0.76 per kilowatt hour, followed by Leipzig at €0.70 per kWh. Stuttgart and Frankfurt were already leading the price range last year. E-car drivers in Dresden pay significantly less for charging: using DC charging stations costs only €0.45 per kWh.

Frankfurt am Main and Leipzig also top the list for AC charging stations. Frankfurt leads with €0.64 per kWh, followed by Leipzig at €0.60. Bielefeld ranks third with costs of €0.56 per kWh. Those charging their cars in Wuppertal, on the other hand, can expect relatively low prices. At €0.39 per kWh, the city is the clear price leader. The differences are illustrated by the following example: Fully charging a Volkswagen ID.4 with a battery capacity of 52 kWh at a DC charging station in Stuttgart costs around €41, while in Dresden it costs just €23.

Good news: In 15 of the 20 cities examined, prices at fast-charging stations remain unchanged compared to 2024. Duisburg and Dortmund, however, recorded significant price increases: In both cities, costs increased by 5.45 percent and 4.92 percent (€0.03 per kWh), respectively. Prices in Leipzig also rose by 2.94 percent (€0.02 per kWh). E-car drivers in Nuremberg, on the other hand, can look forward to a price decrease of 3.13 percent (€0.02) per kWh.

Bielefeld recorded the largest price increase for AC charging, with an increase of 24.44 percent (€0.11). Duisburg followed at a considerable distance, where prices rose by 6.67 percent (€0.03). In Dortmund, however, the increase was 5.88 percent (€0.03). Nuremberg is the only city to once again exhibit a contrary trend: Prices there have fallen by 3.70 percent (€0.02) compared to 2024. On average, prices in the cities here have increased by around 4.45 percent.

Blocking fees: Frankfurt am Main remains the leader: E-car drivers in Frankfurt am Main must also expect comparatively high costs for blocking charging stations: The city continues to lead the study in terms of fees, with €0.12 per minute. Several cities follow in second place: Bonn, Bremen, Düsseldorf, Mannheim, Wuppertal, Nuremberg, and Stuttgart each charge €0.10 per minute for blocking. In Leipzig, e-car drivers pay €0.08 per minute.

In terms of trends, only in Frankfurt am Main have prices increased minimally by 0.09 percent (€0.01). Leipzig is particularly striking, where blocking fees fell from €0.83 per minute in 2024 to just €0.08 in 2025—a decrease of 90.40 percent. The cities of Münster, Nuremberg, and Stuttgart each charge different fees for AC and DC charging.

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