01.09.2025 23:32
As the number of electric vehicles in Turkey rapidly increases, the rising prices of charging stations have also caused an uproar among drivers. Consumers have criticized the fact that the units they prefer, especially the DC ones, provide power at AC speeds while the pricing policy is based on DC rates.
Leading company in the sector, Eşarj, announced its new pricing tariff, which will be effective from September 1, 2025. With the new regulation, prices for AC units will remain fixed, while different tariffs have been set for DC fast charging stations based on kW power.
- AC charging units up to 22 kW: 9.40 TL/kWh (unchanged)
- DC charging up to 90 kW: 13.50 TL/kWh
- DC charging 90-180 kW: 14.90 TL/kWh
- DC charging 180 kW and above: 15.80 TL/kWh (first separate tariff)
Thus, drivers will encounter different prices depending on the capacity of the charging station they use.
According to Eşarj's data, in the last year, prices at DC charging points up to 90 kW have increased by over 36%. In the 90-180 kW range, the increase rate exceeded 25%. The company cited its investments and service quality as the justification for these price hikes. It was also emphasized that there are more than 1,800 DC sockets operational across Turkey, that renewable energy is used at all stations, and that 24/7 user support is provided.
While the Market Settlement Price in the electricity market increased by only 11% from the beginning of the year to July, the rise in the dollar exchange rate remained around 8%. Nevertheless, the price increases at Eşarj's DC charging stations ranged between 25% and 36%. This situation revealed that cost increases and price updates did not go hand in hand.
CONSUMERS ARE REACTING
Electric vehicle owners have reacted strongly to the price increases, especially on social media. Users expressed their grievances by stating, "Despite paying for DC charging, the speed at most stations does not exceed the AC level."
Most of the charging units announced by companies as supporting 120 kW cannot provide this speed in new generation vehicles. Drivers often state that they are charged at the 120 kW rate while receiving a charge at the 90 kW level. Therefore, the extension of charging time and the increase in costs further amplify users' reactions.
For example, according to the table above, a consumer wanting to charge their vehicle at a 120 kW station has to pay based on the 90-180 tier, which is 14.90 per unit, while often being able to access a charging power below 90 kW when they plug in their vehicle. In this case, they should actually be paying a unit price of 13.50 but are forced to pay 14.90.
TRUGO IS IN A DOMINANT POSITION IN THE MARKET
TRUGO, which holds a market-making position in Electric Charging Stations, has not yet announced a price increase. The current pricing applied at TRUGO is as follows;
- AC charging units up to 22 kW: 8.49 TL/kWh
- DC charging units up to 150 kW: 10.60 TL/kWh
- DC charging units of 150 kW and above are applied at 11.82 TL/kWh.
TESLA HAS ALSO INCREASED PRICES
Until recently, TESLA kept the kWh price at 7.80 TL for TESLA brand vehicles and 9.70 TL for other brand vehicles. TESLA has raised the kWh price to 8.50 for its own brand vehicles and to 10.60 for other brand vehicles.
In June, TESLA topped the sales charts in Turkey with the Model Y, yet it has not yet expanded its charging infrastructure accordingly. Therefore, it has not significantly increased its position in terms of the percentage of electricity sold in the market.