Abstract
Public charging points are crucial for the spread of electric mobility in Germany, and the price at which charging power is provided is also important. The level of charging prices is also determined by the level of competition at the charging points. Evaluations by the Monopolies Commission show that, particularly in local charging markets, there is often only one provider available, albeit with a downward trend. The latest official survey by the Federal Cartel Office found higher prices for fast charging than for normal charging and considerable price differences between charging points at the same charging level, at identical charging points and between ad-hoc-charging and charging under periodic contracts. Our evaluations of some tariffs indicate higher monopoly power for fast charging compared to normal charging, which, according to a microeconomic model, is accompanied by lower price premiums in monopolistic fast charging compared to more competitive normal charging when input prices rise. In terms of economic policy, it will be interesting to observe whether the measures to simplify ad-hoc-charging will lead to more competition in the future. Transferring the pass-through model in the electricity industry to the charging market could be an alternative, albeit with the pending but as yet unresolved issue of appropriate regulation of the usage fees for charging stations.

JEL-classification: K23, L12, L92

Keywords: Elektromobilität, Ladesäulenpreise, Marktmacht an der Ladesäule,
Ladestrommark