For most Danish and Norwegian EV drivers, Germany is the gateway to the rest of Europe, and happily it is one of the easiest countries to charge in. The network is dense, the power is high, and the fast chargers sit close together along the Autobahn. Understand the German operators and payment methods, and you drive through the country without fuss.
Charge at the Autobahn, not in the cities
The most powerful fast chargers sit at the service areas and the large hubs right by the motorway. Here you get 150 to 350 kW, so you fill from 10 to 80 percent in about 20 minutes while you take a break anyway. Turning off into a city to find a charger usually costs both time and a detour, and city chargers are often slow AC units. When passing through: stay by the motorway.
The major operators
- Ionity: powerful fast chargers up to 350 kW at most large service areas
- EnBW: Germany's largest public network, often a sharp price via the app
- Tesla Supercharger: many are open to all brands, stable and fast
- Aral pulse, Fastned and EWE Go: growing hubs, often at fuel stations and retail
Set up an app or a charge card for a couple of them from home, so you avoid creating an account at your first stop. With a roaming card you reach many of them with a single card.
Payment has become easier
Thanks to the EU rule AFIR, new fast chargers of 50 kW across the EU, Germany included, must accept card or contactless payment without a subscription. So you can always charge, even without the right app. Ad hoc with a card is typically more expensive per kWh than a subscription or roaming, though, so if you charge a lot a deal can pay off.
Plan your stops
Germany is large, and on a long trip it pays to know your stops in advance. Add a charging stop roughly every 200 to 250 km, aim for the large hubs with many stalls to avoid queues, and keep the battery in the fast range between 10 and 80 percent.
Find your German charging stops on FindCharger's charging map before you set off, so you know the power, number of plugs and operator before you cross the border.