Driving an electric car (EV) in Europe

Start with route-planning and charging apps

1. Install a route-planning app and a charging map

The easiest starting point is an app that calculates the route and charging stops for your car. Charging maps add information about individual locations:

• A Better Routeplanner (ABRP) - plan your route, select charging stops and compare alternatives for your exact vehicle.
• PlugShare - a charging-station map with photos, comments and driver check-ins. Useful for checking access and recent experiences.
• AmpWhere - another map for finding chargers and reviewing locations along your route.

2. Prepare the charging-network apps

For a long European trip, check IONITY and the other networks on your route. Set up an account and payment method beforehand in the apps you will use:

• IONITY - find stations in the network, start charging and pay.
• Tesla - for Supercharger locations open to your vehicle.
• Fastned - find stations and charge in its network where suitable locations are available on your route.
• EnBW mobility+ - its own and partner networks in Germany and other supported European countries.

For Bulgaria

• Eldrive - a network in Bulgaria, Romania and Lithuania, also useful when driving through Romania.
• Fines Charging - a Bulgarian network with a map showing locations, connectors, charging power and availability. Start charging through the app, an RFID card or guest access.
• EVPoint - a map and app for finding stations in the network and checking location details.
• Electrip - check available connectors, start charging and pay through the app.
• Electrocharge - Electrohold’s network of AC and DC stations in Sofia and other Bulgarian towns and cities.
• GigaCharger - AC charging at public locations, hotels and commercial properties, suited to longer stays. Availability and payments are in the app.

Features and coverage checked on 30 October 2026 using the official service pages linked above. AmpWhere: official app description.

3. Select your exact car and version

In the app that calculates your route, such as ABRP, or in the car’s navigation, select the exact model and version with the correct battery capacity. Match the drivetrain and wheel size too if these settings are available.

4. Enter your departure charge and arrival reserve

Set the actual charge you expect to leave with and the charge you want remaining at your destination. Enter the precise destination, including your hotel or overnight stop, then review the suggested charging stops:

• Backup charger: identify another station you can reach with the remaining charge if your main stop is occupied or out of service.
• Motorway access: check the entrance, the detour from your route and the exit back onto the motorway in your direction, as well as the straight-line distance.
• Access conditions: a barrier, parking charge or restricted opening hours can change the plan.
• Overnight charging: ask whether the charger is accessible, whether it can be reserved and how payment works.

How much reserve should you leave? ÖAMTC recommends looking for a charger at around 20% charge remaining when travelling. This is a conservative guide for an unfamiliar route; the reserve you need depends on the distance and conditions to your backup station. Checked: 30 October 2026 · ÖAMTC

Know the car you are travelling in

The technical specifications for your version list the usable battery capacity and maximum AC and DC charging power. The owner’s manual explains battery preconditioning and how to display the predicted charge on arrival.

SoH (State of Health) describes battery health, often as the remaining capacity compared with the battery when new. Capacity gradually declines with age and use, including mileage. SoH may be available in the vehicle or through a diagnostic check. Checked: 30 October 2026 · ADAC - capacity, ageing and SoH

Peak power is only part of the picture. The charging curve shows the power the car maintains at different charge levels and temperatures. A compatible charger with a higher rating can still be convenient for a car with a lower limit; the car determines how much power it accepts.

Manufacturer example: for the Taycan described by Porsche, charging from 10% to 80% takes approximately 18 minutes with suitable 800 V infrastructure and up to 320 kW, versus approximately 33 minutes with 400 V infrastructure and up to 150 kW. These conditions apply to that car rather than giving a charging time for every EV. Checked: 30 October 2026 · Porsche

Precondition the battery before DC charging

On models with this feature, selecting a fast charger in the built-in navigation can trigger battery heating or cooling. Settings and operating conditions vary. Check your owner’s manual: using a route in a phone app does not necessarily prepare the battery. Cabin heating and battery preconditioning are separate functions.

Choose a charger that fits your break

When charging times are similar, favour a location with toilets, food and convenient access. You can combine charging with a normal break. Check the facilities’ opening hours separately from the charger’s.

The number of cables does not always equal the number of cars that can charge at once. Some stations share the available power between vehicles.

Charge for the next part of your journey

Aim to arrive comfortably with enough reserve. A shorter stop often provides enough energy for the next stage. Charging for longer can make sense before an area with few alternatives, when your overnight stop has no charger or when you want to combine charging with a longer break.

You do not need the same departure charge at every stop. Compare the expected charging time, detour, possible waiting and distance to the next dependable location.

Speed changes consumption and journey time

At motorway speeds, driving faster increases aerodynamic drag and energy consumption. The same charge takes you fewer kilometres and you need to buy more energy along the way. The size of the difference depends on the car and conditions.

The figures at 110 and 130 km/h were measured. ≈ marks calculated estimates at 100, 120 and 140 km/h using a quadratic curve calibrated to those measurements.

Baseline measurements checked on 30 October 2026: Automobile Propre - Tesla Model 3 and Hyundai Ioniq 5.

Which speed gives the shortest total journey?

Lowest consumption and earliest arrival are different goals. With fast DC charging, a higher permitted driving speed can save more time on the road than it adds at the charger. If actual charging power is low, or slowing down removes a whole stop, the result can reverse. The optimum depends on the charging curve, stations and route. Checked: 30 October 2026 · Schoenberg and Dressler - total EV travel-time optimisation (2019)

A real journey comparison: in 2023, ÖAMTC compared two identical Renault Megane E-Tech cars on a 650 km route at temperatures just above freezing. The strategy using up to 130 km/h finished around an hour earlier than the strategy using up to 100 km/h, despite more charging stops. The slower strategy also included charging to 100%, which affected the result. Checked: 30 October 2026 · ÖAMTC - two long-distance driving strategies

For your route: change Maximum speed in ABRP and compare plans capped at, for example, 110, 120 and 130 km/h, or 140 km/h only on sections where it is permitted. Keep the starting charge, arrival reserve and other settings the same. Compare total time including every charging stop, not just driving time. Reassess the plan if you encounter a slow charger, a cold battery or a queue. Checked: 30 October 2026 · ABRP - speed settings

Cold weather, hills and luggage

Follow the predicted arrival charge rather than only the remaining kilometres on the dashboard. Climbing uses more energy; regenerative braking on the descent recovers part of it. Smooth driving avoids unnecessary acceleration followed by braking.

A roof box and bicycles change the aerodynamics. ADAC reports a particular test with around 14% higher consumption from a roof box. That does not translate into the same percentage loss of range in every car. Account for the additional load in your route-planning app and compare the forecast with actual consumption. Checked: 30 October 2026 · ADAC

Where supported, bring the cabin to a comfortable temperature while the car is plugged in. During the trip, maintain comfort and clear windows; energy-saving settings should preserve visibility.

Payment: operator, app or RFID card

The same station can have different prices for direct payment, the operator’s app and a roaming provider. Before starting, check the price per kWh, any additional fees and the payment method you have selected.

Prepare the apps and payment details for the networks on your route. Check that your chosen RFID card is accepted at the specific stations. It is a useful backup if you have phone problems, although the station still needs to work and authorise the session. Checked: 30 October 2026 · EnBW - charging card and coverage

Some operators temporarily reserve an amount on your bank card before charging. This differs from the final bill. Also check whether occupancy fees begin after charging finishes, after a set time or at a busy location. Checked: 30 October 2026 · Tesla - additional fees

When can you pay directly by bank card?

AFIR is Regulation (EU) 2023/1804. Publicly accessible charging points rated at 50 kW or more and deployed from 13 April 2024 must offer ad-hoc payment using a card reader or a contactless device that accepts payment cards. One terminal can serve several charging points. This does not mean that every older station or station outside the EU has a payment terminal. Checked: 30 October 2026 · European Commission - AFIR

Charging costs and subscriptions

Use the amount of electricity you expect to buy from the chargers. It can differ from the energy shown by the trip computer because of charging losses and different starting and finishing charge levels.

Will a monthly subscription pay for itself?

Compare the same route and stations using two payment options. Where each option has a constant energy price across the comparison, the break-even point is:

Break-even kWh = subscription fee ÷ (price without a subscription − price with a subscription)

If the price difference is not positive, the subscription provides no energy-price saving in this comparison. When prices vary between countries, add up the savings from individual charging sessions. For IONITY, check the specific plan and when cancellation takes effect. Checked: 30 October 2026 · IONITY - plans and conditions

Two routes from Bulgaria: what to include in your plan

Sofia - Thessaloniki / Halkidiki

Select the exact car and destination in your route-planning app: a hotel on Halkidiki can be well beyond Thessaloniki. Check a charger along the way and an alternative near your overnight stop. For hotel charging, confirm access, the cable and the price.

For a passenger car using the described route from Kulata via Promachonas, Strymoniko and Lagkada, Greek road tolls total 5.05 EUR one way, calculated by adding the three published charges. This excludes the Bulgarian vignette and route variants passing other toll stations. Checked: 30 October 2026 · Nea Egnatia - station tariffs See our guide to road tolls in Greece.

Sofia - Vienna via Serbia and Hungary

Plan charging for the entire journey, then check card and app acceptance in every transit country. A roaming card’s coverage should be checked against your chosen stations.

For road charges, use the guides to Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary and Austria. Add charging at the applicable tariffs and subscriptions only for networks you will actually use.

The same route can need different stops depending on the car version, season, luggage and starting charge. Record these starting conditions when comparing plans, so that the comparison reflects your trip.

Vignettes, road tolls and EV exemptions

Check both whether you need a vignette and its price, including whether an exemption applies to foreign registrations. A fully electric car and a plug-in hybrid can have different conditions.

For other countries, use our vignette and road-toll guides. Ferry services have the conditions set by their individual operators.

Taking an EV on a ferry: plan your boarding charge

Declare the correct vehicle powertrain when booking and check the requirements for your ship and sailing. This also applies to plug-in hybrids where the operator’s rules include them.

Minoan Lines’ published instructions for the Piraeus - Milos - Heraklion service require the charge on boarding to be no higher than 40%. Checked: 30 October 2026 · Minoan Lines

Grimaldi publishes a corresponding requirement for selected Kydon Palace sailings between Brindisi, Igoumenitsa and Corfu. Its scope is specified by ship and sailing, so check the service you are booking rather than extending it to every Italian route. Checked: 30 October 2026 · Grimaldi Lines

Plan your final charge before the port so that you arrive within the permitted charge level. Identify a charger after disembarking too, with access at your arrival time. For the crossing, check the combined cost of the vehicle, passengers and selected onboard accommodation.

Cables and preparation for your stay

For AC stations without a tethered cable, bring a cable compatible with your car. With an older or imported model, check the actual charging port rather than relying solely on a Type 2 label in the station map.

A portable charger for a domestic socket can provide backup at a pre-arranged location. Check the electrical installation, permitted current and manufacturer’s instructions. Ordinary extension leads, multi-socket adapters and travel adapters are unsuitable as a universal solution for prolonged charging. Checked: 30 October 2026 · ADAC

Save the owner’s manual offline. Check what roadside assistance covers if the battery runs out and how the manufacturer requires the car to be transported.

If charging will not start or the cable stays locked

1. Check the selected charging point. The station and connector numbers must match your selection in the app. Read any error message and check whether a session has actually started.
2. If charging power is low, check the charge level, battery preconditioning and whether the station shares power. Moving to another charger may not help when the car is the limiting factor.
3. To release the cable, stop charging and use the normal unlocking controls on the car and station. Check that the session has ended.
4. If it remains locked, contact the operator and provide the charging-point number. Use an emergency manual release only as instructed for the exact model and after meeting its safety conditions. Do not pull unidentified levers or cables.

Volkswagen specifically describes a risk of exposure to live contacts during emergency release. Checked: 30 October 2026 · official Volkswagen safety information.

Quick answers before setting off