EV Charging Guide
How to charge your EV. Fast and easy with E.ON Drive.
Everything you need to know about public EV charging — from charging speeds and connectors to payment options and finding stations across Europe.
Discover Public EV charging with E.ON Drive
E.ON Drive offers a variety of charging solutions to fit your lifestyle, whether at home, on the go, or at your destination.
Destination Charging
Charge while you shop, dine, or enjoy a day out. Find chargers at retail parks, hotels, and leisure venues.
Neighbourhood Charging
Convenient charging solutions right in your community. Perfect for those without home charging.
On Route Charging
Fast charging when you need it most. Located at service stations and key routes across the country.
eTruck charging
Ultra-rapid charging for your longest journeys. Get back on the road in minutes, not hours.
Discover Public EV charging with E.ON Drive
E.ON Drive offers a variety of charging solutions to fit your lifestyle, whether at home, on the go, or at your destination.
Destination Charging
Charge while you shop, dine, or enjoy a day out. Find chargers at retail parks, hotels, and leisure venues.
Neighbourhood Charging
Convenient charging solutions right in your community. Perfect for those without home charging.
On Route Charging
Fast charging when you need it most. Located at service stations and key routes across the country.
eTruck charging
Ultra-rapid charging for your longest journeys. Get back on the road in minutes, not hours.
How to Charge an Electric Car at a Public Charging Station
Find your next E.ON Drive charging point
With thousands of public charging points across Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Czechia and other European markets, E.ON Drive Infrastructure supports electric mobility wherever your journey takes you.
Find your next E.ON Drive charging point
With thousands of public charging points across Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Czechia and other European markets, E.ON Drive Infrastructure supports electric mobility wherever your journey takes you.
EV Charging Speeds Explained
Charging speeds are measured in kilowatts (kW). The higher the kW rating, the faster your vehicle can charge — depending on your car’s capability.
Fast
AC Chargers
Rapid
DC Fast Chargers
Ultra Rapid
HPC Chargers
How Long Does It Take to Charge an Electric Car?
Your charging time
100km ≈
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The calculated charging time is an estimate only. Use this result as a general guideline.
How Long Does It Take to Charge an Electric Car?
Your charging time
100km ≈
-- min
EV Charging Connectors in Europe
CHAdeMO
Primary use: DC fast charging (legacy standard)
Typical power range: Up to 50–100 kW
CHAdeMO is an earlier DC fast charging standard originally developed in Japan. It is primarily found on older EV models and at selected public charging stations.
While still supported at some locations, CHAdeMO is gradually being phased out in Europe in favour of CCS, which has become the dominant DC charging standard.
Drivers of older Nissan, Mitsubishi, or early-generation EV models should verify connector availability in the station finder before starting their journey.
Type 2 (AC)
Primary use: AC destination and neighbourhood charging
Typical power range: 11 kW to 22 kW
Type 2 is the European standard connector for AC charging. It is widely used for public charging in city centres, residential areas, workplaces, and destination locations such as supermarkets or hotels.
AC charging delivers power directly to the vehicle’s onboard charger, which converts AC electricity into DC to store in the battery. Charging speeds depend on the vehicle’s onboard charger capacity.
Type 2 connectors are standard across Europe and are compatible with nearly all electric passenger vehicles.
CCS (Combined Charging System)
Primary use: DC rapid and ultra-rapid charging
Typical power range: 50 kW to 400 kW
CCS (Combined Charging System) is the European standard for DC fast charging. It combines a Type 2 AC connector with two additional DC power pins, enabling significantly higher charging speeds.
CCS is used at rapid and high-power charging (HPC) stations along motorways, major travel corridors, and high-frequency destinations. It enables short charging stops and substantial range extension within minutes, depending on vehicle capability and battery state.
Most modern electric vehicles sold in Europe are equipped with a CCS port. For long-distance travel and motorway charging, CCS is the dominant and future-proof standard.
How to Pay at an EV Charging Station
Contactless Payment
Simply tap your contactless card or device to start charging. No app or account required.
RFID Charging Card
Use your E.ON Drive RFID card for seamless access to our charging network. We also accept most charging cards of other providers.
QR Scan to Pay
Scan the QR code on the charger to pay via our mobile-optimised web portal.
Why is there a pre-authorisation fee?
Before charging starts, a temporary amount is reserved on your card to confirm sufficient funds. The amount varies by country and charger type (e.g. €49 for DC, €35 for AC in Germany). It is automatically replaced by the actual charging cost after your session ends. Depending on your bank, the temporary hold may remain visible for a few days.
EV Charger Light Indicators Explained
Green
Charging point available and ready to use.
Blue
Charging point in use – vehicle is charging.
Red
Charging point unavailable or temporarily out of service.
White
Charging point in system status, for example during a restart or after a software update. The charger is temporarily not available.
Accessible Public EV Charging for Everyone
Electric mobility should be accessible to everyone, which is why our public charging stations are designed with intuitive user interfaces, optimized parking layouts and clear on-site guidance. We continuously enhance ease of access, visibility and safety to ensure a convenient and barrier-free charging experience in everyday environments. If you need assistance during your charging session, our support team is available to help at any time.
EV Charging FAQs
Do I need an app or account to use E.ON Drive charging stations?
No app or registration is required to use our public charging stations.
Why can’t I see E.ON Drive charging stations in the E.ON Drive app?
The E.ON Drive app is designed for home customers and does not display public charging stations. To find and use E.ON Drive public chargers, please download the E.ON Drive Comfort app.
Why does the charger display 'Not authorised' when I scan my RFID card?
This message usually means that your RFID card is either not supported at this charging station or there’s an issue with the card itself. Please contact your RFID card provider for further assistance.
Please click here for a list of our roaming partners.
What should I do if the app says the charger is already in use?
Sometimes the app won't let you start if you've already plugged your cable in. Its always best to follow the instructions on the app and plug in when prompted to do so. Try unplugging and start your charging session via the app before plugging in again.
How do I know which connector am I using?
Just above the socket we show a unique code. It usually starts with GB*UFC. This will be shown on the app you’re using and the charger's display.
