Public EV Chargers Surge in Price During Peak Hours, Adding Over $4 Per Charge

Recently, public EV charging stations across many regions in China have adjusted their pricing, with rates during peak hours rising significantly. In Shanghai’s popular commercial districts, for example, peak-time electricity prices at some stations have exceeded RMB 2 per kWh, and certain highway service areas have even surpassed RMB 2.8 per kWh. Service fees have generally increased from RMB 0.4–0.6 per kWh to RMB 0.9–1.2 per kWh—an average increase of about 120%, with core locations seeing hikes as high as 300%. For an electric vehicle with a 75 kWh battery, this means an additional cost of roughly RMB 0.5 per kWh during peak hours, translating to over RMB 30 extra per full charge. Notably, this round of price adjustments shows a diverging trend: the largest increases occurred during morning and evening rush hours, in prime commercial areas, and at highway service stations, while off-peak and overnight valley periods saw only modest increases of 10%–20%. Prices for home chargers have remained largely unchanged. Drivers can effectively manage costs by charging during off-peak hours.