What Shell's Pilot Offers: Cross-Checking 5 Sites Across Germany

During the past week, I monitored Shell's Recharge App at various times across locations from Hamburg to Frankfurt to Baden-Baden. Here's how Shell's dynamic pricing is currently working:

Key Findings:

• All pilot sites had the same €0.06/kWh difference

• The discounted rate appeared only for a few midday hours and was identical on weekdays and weekends

• Outside those hours, the higher rate of €0.62 applied

• A non-pilot site maintained a flat €0.59/kWh

Current Pricing Structure:

• €0.56/kWh from 10:00–17:00 (7 hours/day) - 30% of the day

• €0.62/kWh during the remaining 17 hours/day - 70% of the day

• Previous flat rate: €0.59/kWh

• One exception: Königsstr. in Hamburg, where prices varied between €0.61-€0.67/kWh

While this meets the technical definition of dynamic pricing, it feels more like a two-tier model with a short discount window rather than a flexible, behavior influencing price signal.

Based on my experience, weekday daytime (10–17h) isn't the most active charging window. If Shell's discount window misses peak hours, many drivers will end up paying more, not less.

The Bigger Picture: Demand Is Rising Fast

According to elvah, Germany saw 46 million charging sessions in 2024, delivering over 1.07 TWh of energy. DC charging sessions make up nearly 50% of all these sessions, with Fridays and Saturdays emerging as peak DC charging days.

Benchmarking and Understanding the Costs

Shell is already one of Germany's largest DC fast charging providers, with over 1,500 charge points in operation. Impressively, nearly 70% of these chargers can deliver 300 kW or more, creating a strong foundation for handling high-throughput, time-sensitive charging.

To assess Shell's dynamic pricing impact, I analyzed publicly available data from Fastned across Germany, France, and the Netherlands:

Fastned Performance Metrics:

• 5 to 11 sessions per charger per day

• Each session averages 23–30 kWh

• This equals 115–330 kWh/day per charger

Assuming similar usage patterns for Shell and using conservative estimates:

• 8 sessions/day per charger

• 30 kWh per session

• 5 out of 8 sessions during higher-priced hours (€0.62/kWh)

• 3 sessions during lower-priced window (€0.56/kWh)

Financial Impact Analysis:

• Higher-priced sessions (5 × 30 kWh × €0.03 extra) = €4.50 additional cost for users

• Lower-priced sessions (3 × 30 kWh × €0.03 saved) = €2.70 in savings

• Net difference: €1.80 per charger per day in Shell's favor

Multiply that by a network of 750 chargers (1,500 charge points) and it adds up to €1,350/day in net gain. But here's the catch: that's not necessarily bad at this stage, as pilots are meant to explore models.

What Others Are Doing: The Cariqa Model

To better understand how dynamic pricing can work, I examined Cariqa, an app offering pricing transparency for partner operators like Pfalzwerke, Mer, and Ladegrün. The difference is stark and instructive. Their app shows hour-by-hour pricing spread across the week, serving as an excellent heads-up for drivers planning their charging.

1. Pfalzwerke: Simple, Predictable Two-Tier Model

• 9 PM – 8 AM: €0.55/kWh

• 8 AM – 9 PM: €0.59/kWh

• Applies 7 days/week, same structure daily

• A clear 4-cent incentive to shift to off-peak hours

While not truly real-time dynamic, it's a fair, structured approach. You always know what to expect, and there's a clear incentive to shift charging to overnight hours.

2. Mer: More Dynamic, Day-by-Day Flexibility

Still a two-tier model, but with more variation:

• The difference is usually 7 cents/kWh (e.g., €0.62 vs €0.69)

• Hours and price levels vary daily

• Monday: Only 3 hours priced higher (12–1 PM, 5–7 PM)

• Thursday: Higher prices stretch across 12 different hours, spread throughout day and night

This daily variation starts to feel genuinely dynamic, reflecting a more realistic picture of grid demand and spot prices. However, it remains expensive.

3. Ladegrün: The Most Transparent and Incentive-Friendly Model

• Three-tier pricing: €0.41 / €0.47 / €0.59 per kWh

• Maximum savings: €0.18/kWh

• Cheapest periods strategically distributed

As a driver, this feels empowering. You know when to plug in for the best rates. As a CPO, this allows you to influence grid load and shape demand curves intelligently.

Imagine driving 100 km for just €7.10 in summer or €8.60 in winter, thanks to Ladegrün's smartest rates. That's a significant win for affordability and electrification. Hats off to the Ladegrün team!

4. Tesla Superchargers

We can't discuss DC dynamic pricing without mentioning Tesla. Tesla has been applying time-based pricing at Superchargers quietly for years. Their approach isn't always transparent, but pricing clearly varies by time, location, and demand.

I didn't dive deep into Tesla's model for this edition because they've been doing it longer and deserve more detailed analysis. I'll be exploring their strategy and outcomes in an upcoming edition, so stay tuned.

Real World Proof: Why This Matters

Dynamic pricing isn't just about a few cents per kWh. It's about behavior, trust, and system efficiency. When done right, it makes EV charging more affordable, charging infrastructure more utilized, and the energy system more balanced.

The visual examples I'm sharing alongside this newsletter demonstrate this impact:

• Huge contrasts in utilization when dynamic prices are used correctly as shown in this Example by Steve Birkett.

• elvah data showing how Pfalzwerke saw a 280% increase in charging sessions after implementing lower pricing (while not truly dynamic, this shows what happens when charging becomes affordable)

My Suggestions for Shell Recharge Solution

This pilot is a good first step. It shows Shell Recharge Solution is thinking ahead. But for dynamic pricing to actually shift charging patterns, a few refinements are needed:

1. Shift the lower price window to late nights, early mornings, or intelligently plan weekends

2. Make the difference more significant—a 3-cent discount won't change habits

3. Show price forecasts in advance, as Cariqa does, to build trust and incentivize behavior change

4. Let behavior and spot pricing data guide the pricing hours, not just fixed workday windows

If done well, Shell Recharge Solutions can become a leader in transparent, intelligent, and user-friendly pricing. I'm rooting for that to happen and wish them success.

A Deeper Conversation: Why the Industry Needs This

If you're curious to hear more about dynamic pricing and why it's essential for EV charging's future, I had the chance to dive into detail with Sebastian Fleischhacker on my first podcast episode. The episode will go live in the coming weeks. Stay tuned, and I'll link it in the respective edition.

Open to Consulting & Collaborations

I'm currently open to:

• Consulting and advisory roles

• Strategic projects in eMobility

• Industry panels and data-driven content partnerships

If you're working on something where pricing strategy, charging infrastructure, or EV market positioning matters and you're looking for someone who combines industry insight with user-focused thinking, I'd love to hear from you.

Let's bring meaningful change to this space together.