Charging costs
What it actually costs to charge an electric car in Slovenia.
Cheaper than fuel in every scenario, and cheapest where you're already stopping anyway. Six Superchargers cover the country, and the car plans the stops itself.
How charging is priced
Three ways to charge, three different prices.
Public charging in Slovenia is billed per kilowatt-hour, and the rate depends on how fast the charger is. Slow AC chargers at hotels and car parks are the cheapest per kWh. Fast DC chargers and Tesla Superchargers cost more per kWh but return range in minutes rather than hours.
The practical consequence is that where you charge matters more than what it costs per unit. Filling the battery overnight at the place you're sleeping is the cheapest electricity you'll buy on the trip, and it takes none of your time because you're not standing next to the car.
A Supercharger stop is the opposite trade: more per kWh, but you're back on the road in the time it takes to drink a coffee. On a long driving day that's the right choice; on a week-long stay in one place it rarely is.
Against petrol, both come out ahead. A Model 3 carries 75 kWh and covers 576 km on it — filling that battery, even at fast-charging prices, costs less than the fuel a comparable petrol car would need for the same distance.
The Slovenian network
Tesla Superchargers, by distance from Ljubljana.
Six locations, the furthest 130 km from the capital — in a country 250 km across, that is effectively full coverage.
Beyond the Tesla network there is extensive public charging at hotels, car parks and tourist sites throughout the country. The car's navigation routes to chargers automatically and pre-conditions the battery on the way, so a stop takes minutes rather than planning.
The car does the planning.
Enter the destination and charging stops appear on the route with arrival percentages attached.
Spending less
Six habits that lower the bill.
Charge where you sleep
Overnight AC charging at a hotel or apartment is the cheapest electricity of the trip, and costs you no time at all.
Ask before you arrive
Many Slovenian hotels and apartments have a charger and don't advertise it. A message before booking often settles the whole question.
Top up rather than fill
Charging from 20 to 80 % is faster per kWh than the last stretch to 100. On a road trip, two short stops beat one long one.
Let the navigation decide
It knows the network state and battery temperature, and it optimises the stop length — usually better than a guess.
Precondition in winter
Warming the cabin while still plugged in uses grid power instead of battery, so you set off with full range.
Use regeneration
On alpine descents the battery recovers charge. Arriving at the bottom with more range than at the top is normal here.
Downhill puts charge back in.
On the Vršič pass regenerative braking does most of the work — and returns some of the energy the climb used.
Questions answered
Frequently asked questions.
How much does it cost to charge an electric car at a charging station?
In Slovenia, public AC charging is typically billed per kWh and Superchargers a little higher per kWh but far faster. A Model 3 with a 75 kWh battery costs meaningfully less to fill than a petrol tank covering the same distance — and charging overnight where you sleep is cheaper still.
Is charging cheaper than petrol?
Yes, consistently. The gap is largest when you charge overnight at a hotel or apartment and smallest at a fast Supercharger during a road trip — but even then it stays below the cost of fuel for the same kilometres.
Where is the cheapest place to charge?
Wherever you're already stopping for hours: a hotel, an apartment, a long-stay car park. Destination charging costs less per kWh than fast charging and takes no time out of your day because you're asleep or elsewhere.
Do I need an app or a card to charge?
For Tesla Superchargers, no — the car handles it. For other public networks in Slovenia an app or RFID card is usually needed. Message us before you set off and we'll tell you which ones are worth having for your route.
How long does charging take?
At a Supercharger, a stop long enough for a coffee adds a substantial part of the range back. On a normal AC charger overnight, the car is full by morning. Both are planned automatically if you enter the destination in the navigation.
How many Superchargers are there in Slovenia?
Six main locations: Kranj, Postojna, Novo Mesto, Celje, Koper and Maribor. The furthest is 130 km from Ljubljana, which in a country this size covers essentially everything.
Is charging included in the rental price?
No — electricity is yours, as fuel would be. The car is handed over at 80 % charge, and what you spend after that depends entirely on where you choose to charge.
Get in touch
Planning a route and wondering about charging?
Tell us where you're going. We'll say what's on the way, what's worth installing before you arrive, and whether you'll need to charge at all.