# Charging in the Netherlands and Germany: what's different?

> Driving your EV to the Netherlands or Germany: what your cable, card and bank card do, how to work out a trip and where costs can differ.

Published: 2026-07-14 · Language: en · Source: https://laadpaalvinden.be/en/blog/charging-in-netherlands-germany/

Plenty of Belgians drive to the Netherlands or Germany now and then, for work, a day of shopping or on the way further afield. The plug fits and the car charges. What differs is mostly how you pay, what it costs and how fast you drive. Sort these out before you leave.

## What stays the same

All over Europe you use Type 2 for AC and CCS for fast charging. Your cable and your car therefore work in both countries. You can read more about the plugs in [Type 2 and CCS connectors](/en/blog/type-2-and-ccs-connectors/).

## The Netherlands: lots of chargers, even in the street

The Netherlands has many public AC chargers in residential streets and car parks. That suits a day out or a weekend: you park, top up gently and drive on later. For motorway stretches there are fast chargers, including at petrol stations and restaurants.

A slow street charger is no use if you only stop for twenty minutes. In that case, pick a fast charger. Watch the parking rules too: in some places parking fees or a time limit can apply on top of the charging price. The sign by the charger will tell you more.

## Germany: long distances, many networks

Germany has a large network with fast chargers along the Autobahn. There are many different networks, and your card does not work equally well everywhere. Paying with a bank card or contactless is often possible, and that saves you when your card is not accepted. The ad hoc price is sometimes higher than with a card or subscription, so check the screen or the app first.

Are you driving on a stretch with no speed limit? Then you will use more energy than you are used to. Higher consumption means fewer kilometres per full battery, so you charge more often.

## Working out a trip

Take an example, with assumptions you adjust to your own car:

- A 60 kWh battery.
- Consumption of 20 kWh per 100 km on the motorway.
- A trip of 600 km.
- You start at 100% and do not want to drop below 10%.

The trip takes 120 kWh. A full battery gives you 60 kWh, and you keep 6 kWh of that as a reserve. So you need to add 120 + 6 - 60 = 66 kWh. If you charge from 10% to 80% at each stop, you get 42 kWh per stop. One stop is not enough, two stops will do.

Now the cost. Say you pay 0.60 euro per kWh on the way with your card, and 0.80 euro per kWh ad hoc. Those amounts were picked for the sum and are not real prices. For 66 kWh you then pay 39.60 euro or 52.80 euro. The difference is 13.20 euro on a single trip. How big the difference is for you, you can see in your provider's app.

## What to do before you go

1. Ask your charging card provider whether your card works in the country and what price applies. This can differ per network and changes over time.
2. Download the apps of a few big networks along your route. Sometimes the app works when the card fails you.
3. Take a bank card with you. Read how [paying by card or QR at the charger](/en/blog/pay-by-card-or-qr-at-charger/) works.
4. Plan your stops with a route planner. [Route planner apps for EVs](/en/blog/best-ev-route-planner-apps/) shows what they can do.
5. Keep a reserve. An occupied or broken fast charger should not wreck your plan.

## Common mistakes

- Leaving without knowing what roaming costs. You then discover the price on the invoice.
- Relying on the card alone. A card that is not accepted leaves you without power if you have no alternative.
- Calculating with your city consumption. On the motorway it is higher, especially at high speed.
- Choosing a fast charger just off your route, with a battery that is still almost full. You charge slowly and spend a long time there. See [why fast charging slows down](/en/blog/charging-curve-fast-charging-slows/).

## When this matters less

Just a short trip across the border and back? Then you charge at home, and there is little to arrange. Does your employer sit in the Netherlands or Germany and do you charge at work? Then the arrangements with your employer apply.

You can read more about paying and prices abroad in [charging abroad](/en/blog/charging-abroad-roaming/).