Charging costs and economic competitiveness of battery electric vehicles in Hungary
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Electromobility represents a central pillar of global decarbonization efforts; however, its actual economic feasibility strongly depends on local regulatory and market conditions. To reduce the carbon footprint of the transport sector, the adoption of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is gaining increasing attention worldwide. Nevertheless, the international literature offers a limited number of empirical studies that assess BEV cost structures in conjunction with country-specific electricity tariffs. This study aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of the specific energy consumption and charging costs of BEVs in the Hungarian context, across various driving and weather scenarios. The innovative contribution of the research lies in systematically integrating internationally recognized energy consumption indicators with the Hungarian tariff system and charging environment to evaluate BEV cost competitiveness. The findings reveal that residential charging – particularly within the discounted tariff range – ensures the lowest cost levels, while public AC, DC, and ultra-fast charging options are an order of magnitude more expensive. According to the results, home charging under discounted tariffs ranges between 1.1 and 2.9 EUR/100 km, whereas public charging modes are substantially more costly: AC charging ranges between 5.7 and 25.0 EUR/100 km, and ultra-fast DC charging between 7.1 and 24.0 EUR/100 km. The analysis also highlights the structural dilemmas of Hungary’s tariff system, which may constrain the economic advantages of home-based charging, emphasizing the critical role of regulatory design in shaping cost levels. The methodological framework presented here can be easily adapted to other national tariff structures, providing a foundation for comparative international analyses. Overall, the study concludes that the economic competitiveness of BEVs in Hungary depends primarily on access to residential charging, while tariff system development and PV integration play a crucial role in ensuring long-term sustainability. Residential charging, especially under discounted tariffs, is the most cost-effective option. Public AC and DC charging are relatively expensive, causing high driving costs, especially in cold and at high speeds. BEV economic competitiveness in Hungary is strongly shaped by regulatory tariff design and access to home charging.
Source: Discover Applied Sciences
Institution: University of Pannonia
Language: English
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Funder: Pannon Egyetem
OpenAlex ID: W7129499345