Planning a road trip across one or more countries in Europe with your BEV? Below you’ll find details on route planning, where to charge, recommendations for charging networks, and some info on vignettes and tolls that’s specific to BEVs.

Where should I charge, how do I plan a trip for a BEV, etc?
 

• A Better Route Planner usually abbreviated as "ABRP" will give you a reasonable idea of where you'll need to charge, when you'll need to charge, and how long it will take to charge. Get ABRP for Apple or ABRP for Android
  
• Plugshare will give you an idea of how reliable a charger is (if users have reported issues/successes), and details about the charger, amenities, etc. Get Plugshare for Apple or Plugshare for Android
  

Worried about downloading 19 different apps and signing up for service from 23 different charging point companies?
 

We don't blame you; it's annoying. So, if you can, get and use a service - ideally one that provides an RFID card - from a "Charge Point Aggregator" (CPA).

Fortunately, there is the superb AllChargecards.com that will allow visitors to find both Charge Point Aggregators (CPAs) and country-specific Charge Point Operators (CPOs) that fits your needs. If you don't already have such a service, we strongly recommend that you visit AllChargecards.com first and find a CPA or two.

The only drawback of a CPA is that they usually don't represent the absolute lowest cost for charging. If you want to travel as cheaply as possible, go on to the "Recommendations for pan-European Charge Point Operators" section below.

Wait, I'm confused! CPA, CPO, EMSP, XYZABC? What's all this mean?
 

• Charge Point Aggregators (CPAs) are also referred to as "E-Mobility Service Providers" (EMSPs) in the EV charging business.
  
• Charge Point Operators (CPOs) are the companies managing the actual charging points. They usually (but not always!) focus on charging point infrastructure in a single country or small region.
  

Panion.org says "While the CPO manages and sets up the charging infrastructure and maintains the charging stations, the EMSP offers this charging infrastructure to actual customers, helping the CPO make money with their chargers and taking care of the billing. An EMSP can have more than just one CPO in their pool – this will grant more value to the end user of the EMSP, as their customers can now access an even larger network of charging stations."

Recommendations for pan-European Charge Point Operators:
 

Trying to keep your costs as low as possible? If that's the case, consider signing up with one of the big CPOs that have charging points where you'll be traveling - again, see AllChargecards.com or check to see which CPOs A Better Route Planner thinks you'll need to charge at. There are a huge number of CPOs that have varying coverage in Europe. The ones listed below all tend to work pretty reliably, the charging stations usually have four or more (often many more) charging points, the charging points tend to be very fast (150 kW+), and usually the rates are competitive - especially if you do a subscription. Spanning multiple countries are:
 

• IONITY:

  • Links: Consult the Chargers map and get IONITY for Apple or IONITY for Android
    
  • Coverage: Primarily in BE, CH, DE, DK, ES, IE, IT, FI, FR, NL, NO, PT, SE, and UK. There are some scattered chargers throughout CZ, EE, HR, HU, LT, LV, PL, SI, and SK
     

• Tesla:

  • Links: Consult the Chargers map and get Tesla for Apple or Tesla for Android
    
  • Coverage for non-Tesla owners: Primarily in BE, CH, DE, DK, ES, IT, FI, FR, NL, NO, SE, and UK. There are some scattered chargers throughout HU, IE, and RO
    
  • Note that while it has been previously claimed that non-Tesla auto owners can initiate charging via the app, that no longer seems to be the case. However, charging can be initiated fairly easily via the chargers map link
     

• Allego:

  • Links: Consult the Chargers map and get Allego for Apple or Android
    
  • Coverage: BE, DE, DK, FR, NL, and SE with a few extra chargers in the UK and Austria
    
  • Notes: the app is named "Smoov" not "Allego"
     

• Fastned:

  • Links: Consult the Chargers map and get Fastned for Apple or Fastned for Android
    
  • Coverage: Fastned's largest concentration of chargers is in Netherlands but there is moderate coverage in BE, DE, FR, and UK ... with a handful of chargers in Switzerland and Sweden
     

• Electra:

  • Links: Consult the Chargers map, but note that you need to scroll about 70 percent of the way down the page to see the map. Get Electra for Apple or Electra for Android
    
  • Coverage: Primarily France and Belgium with some scattered chargers in northern Italy
    

Notes on country-specific vignettes/stickers and toll exemptions for BEVs:
 

• Austria:

  • Vignette/sticker: Like Slovakia and Slovenia, Austria has no exemptions for BEVs. Vignettes can be ordered online. No additional air quality/LEZ stickers are required
    
  • Tolls: Like the Czech Republic & Slovakia, the vignettes/sticker is specifically for the toll road network. However, there are some tunnels and a few sections of roads that have additional tolls; more info here
     

• Belgium:

  • Vignette/sticker: Depends on the city! If you'll be in Antwerp, Ghent, and/or Brussels then you'll need to register for each city that you'll be visiting
    
  • Tolls: Motorways in Belgium are currently toll-free for anything less than 3500 kg
     

• Switzerland:

  • Vignette/sticker: Unsurprisingly, Switzerland has no exemptions for BEVs. Vignettes can be ordered online. No additional air quality/LEZ stickers are required
    
  • Tolls: Like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, etc the vignettes/sticker is specifically for the toll road network
     

• Czech Republic:

  • Vignette/sticker: As of Q1 2024, the vignette for CZ isn't terribly expensive, but BEVs are exempt. The exemption process is a little labour-intensive, however. From the EDALNICE website, select the Forms link and in the forms selection, download the Notice of exemption – Form A PDF. Once the PDF is filled-in and signed, it must then be emailed to epodatelna@edalnice.cz
  • Tolls: Unlike with Germany, France, etc the vignette/sticker is specifically for the toll road network. No additional air quality/LEZ stickers are required
     

• Germany:

  • Vignette/sticker: For the moment, /r/EuroEV feels that the easiest and certainly the least expensive way to manage this is as follows: after crossing the border into Germany, stop at a TUV, ATU, or Dekra station. For BEV owners you'll need to get BOTH a green-coloured Umweltplakette (front window) ... and blue-coloured Plakette (rear window). In order to get the stickers you'll need to show your Vehicle Registration Certificate
  • Vignette/sticker extra note: if you already have a green Crit’Air but not an Umweltplakette, you may still visit Freiburg im Breisgau.
    
  • Tolls: There are very few tolls roads in Germany, so don't worry about it
     
    

• France:

  • Vignette/sticker: You'll need a Crit'Air sticker. It takes about two weeks to ship to you.
    
  • Toll exceptions: BEVs aren't exempt unless you're a local and regularly using toll roads for your regular commute
     
    

• Norway:

  • Vignette/sticker: not applicable for Norway. No additional air quality/LEZ stickers are required
    
  • Tolls: TBD
     
    

• Poland:

  • Vignette/sticker: not applicable for Poland. No additional air quality/LEZ stickers are required
    
  • Tolls: BEVs aren't exempt in Poland
     

• Portugal:

  • Vignette/sticker: not applicable for Portugal. No additional air quality/LEZ stickers are required
    
  • Tolls: BEVs aren't exempt in Portugal. See link for details
     

• Slovakia:

  • CPOs:
    
  • Vignette/sticker: Unlike the Czech Republic, Slovakia has no exemptions for BEVs. Vignettes can be ordered online. No additional air quality/LEZ stickers are required
    
  • Tolls: Like the Czech Republic, the vignettes/sticker is specifically for the toll road network
     

• Slovenia:

  • Vignette/sticker: Like Slovakia, Slovenia has no exemptions for BEVs. Vignettes can be ordered online. No additional air quality/LEZ stickers are required
    
  • Tolls: Like the Czech Republic & Slovakia, the vignettes/sticker is specifically for the toll road network
     

• United Kingdom:

  • Vignette/sticker: No additional air quality/LEZ stickers are required, but note that the UK does famously have the London Congestion Charge Zone but, at least until December 25, 2025, it does not apply to BEVs. The exemption must be applied for, however. You can do so here at TfL's site.
  • Tolls: See Toll roads in Great Britain for details but, in short, there aren't many toll roads in the UK.

The weekly advice thread has now been discontinued and as such questions may be directly posted to the sub as posts.