Tel Aviv Electric Car Charging Fees Jump Over 50% in City Garages
Translated & summarized from Bizportal by baba
Tel Aviv has increased electric vehicle charging fees in municipal garages by over 50%, raising the price per kWh to 1.24 shekels. This change, effective from early October, means a 50 kWh charge now costs about 62 shekels, up from 40.5 shekels. The city's parking authority cited rising operational costs for the adjustment, which also removes previous time-of-day discounts. The increase exacerbates the cost savings gap for residents who rely on public charging due to a lack of home charging options.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Tel Aviv electric car charging fees in city garages have increased by over 50% to 1.24 shekels per kWh.
- A 50 kWh charge now costs approximately 62 shekels, an increase from the previous 40.5 shekels.
- The new uniform rate eliminates previous time-of-day discounts, impacting drivers who relied on off-peak charging.
- This charging fee hike follows a recent 20% increase in Tel Aviv's general parking rates.
- The rise disproportionately affects residents without private parking who depend on municipal garages for charging.
- The city cites increased operational, electricity, and maintenance costs as reasons for the tariff adjustment.
Electric car owners in Tel Aviv who rely on municipal garages for charging will now pay significantly more. Afikim Ha'Chof, the city's parking authority, has increased the per-kilowatt-hour (kWh) charging rate to 1.24 shekels, up from 0.81 shekels in early October. This represents an increase of over 50%, or 0.43 shekels per kWh. A full 50 kWh charge, sufficient for several hundred kilometers for most common electric vehicles, now costs approximately 62 shekels, compared to about 40.5 shekels previously. Drivers charging twice a month in city garages could see their monthly expenses rise by about 43 shekels, totaling over 500 shekels annually.
The previous tariff included a small differential based on time of day, with charging between 5 PM and 10 PM on weekdays costing 0.85 shekels per kWh. The new, uniform rate applies at all hours, eliminating savings previously achievable through timed charging. The charging stations are installed and operated by EV-Edge, which won a tender from Afikim Ha'Chof in 2020. By early 2025, the city had approximately 152 charging stations across 52 garages, mostly slower AC chargers with ten faster DC options, and plans for an additional 50 stations. At that time, EV-Edge offered tiered pricing between 0.77 and 1.52 shekels per kWh for slow charging.
This charging fee hike follows a roughly 20% increase in parking rates that took effect in early August. Non-residents now pay 24 shekels for the first hour, up from 20, while residents pay 6 shekels, up from 5. For an electric car driver who is not a city resident, two hours of parking combined with charging could easily exceed 100 shekels. The municipality has previously raised parking fees for visitors as part of a policy to reduce private vehicle entry into the city center.
Afikim Ha'Chof stated that the tariff adjustment was due to rising operational, electricity, and maintenance costs, and that the rate had remained unchanged since 2023. The company claims it reviewed rates in other cities and locations before the update, and that its current price remains lower than average. While public charging station prices in Israel are unregulated, EV-Edge's general network charged between 1.75 and 2.85 shekels per kWh last year. However, home charging costs around 0.60 shekels per kWh, meaning the gap between home and municipal garage charging has roughly doubled.
This increase is particularly impactful for Tel Aviv residents living in older buildings without private parking, who often rely on municipal garages as their primary charging solution. The higher cost directly diminishes the cost savings expected from owning an electric vehicle compared to gasoline cars. The cost per 100 kilometers for charging in a municipal garage has risen from approximately 12-15 shekels to 18-22 shekels, still cheaper than gasoline but with a reduced advantage. Drivers in this situation are advised to explore alternatives like workplace charging, private charging subscriptions, or off-peak charging with other providers.
