An electric vehicle is significantly cheaper to run than a petrol car, but there are still ways to reduce costs further. Here are 10 tips that can save you hundreds of euros per year.
1. Charge primarily at home
Home charging is 2–3× cheaper than public stations. A wallbox investment (€600–1,800) pays for itself within months. If you can charge at home, maximize it — ideally overnight during off-peak hours.
2. Switch to a two-tariff electricity plan
In Czech Republic, the D27d tariff offers low rates for 20 hours per day. At average consumption of 170 kWh/month, you save €12–20 monthly compared to single-tariff. Contact your electricity distributor — the switch is free.
3. Use free charging
Lidl, Kaufland, and IKEA offer free charging. Charge while shopping — an hour on AC 22 kW gives you ~100 km of range. Some shopping centers offer free DC charging with purchases above a certain amount.
4. Get a roaming card
Services like Plugsurfing, Chargemap Pass, or Shell Recharge often offer lower prices than direct card payment at the station. Compare prices across providers — differences can be €0.08–0.12/kWh.
5. Charge only to 80%
Charging above 80% is significantly slower and less efficient. At DC stations where you pay for both time and energy, slow charging of the last 20% costs unnecessary money. Exception: overnight at home where speed does not matter.
6. Watch operator apps for promotions
ČEZ, E.ON, and PRE regularly offer promotional deals — discounted kWh bundles, monthly subscriptions, or registration bonuses. Follow their apps and newsletters.
7. Optimize your driving style
Eco mode, predictive regeneration, and smoother driving reduce consumption by 10–20%. Less energy consumed means less charging means lower costs. Modern EVs have detailed consumption statistics — monitor them and learn.
8. Pre-condition while plugged in
In winter, pre-heat the cabin and battery while still connected to the charger. Heating draws 2–4 kW — that is €0.36–0.72/hour from the battery, but €0 from the grid. Most cars let you schedule pre-conditioning via the app.
9. Consider solar panels
If you own a house, solar panels combined with an EV are ideal. Solar surplus charges your car essentially for free. With battery storage, you can charge at night with solar energy stored during the day.
10. Compare prices along your route
Apps like NajdiNabíječku.cz show prices at individual stations. The difference between the cheapest and most expensive DC station on a route can be €0.16–0.20/kWh — on a 50 kWh charge, that is €8–10 difference. It pays to compare.