How much does it cost to charge an electric car in the UAE?
Quick answer
Public charging in Dubai is reported at AED 0.70 per kWh + VAT on AC and AED 1.20 per kWh + VAT on DC fast chargers. Filling a 60 kWh battery from empty therefore costs roughly AED 42 on AC or AED 72 on DC, plus VAT. Home charging is cheaper. Prices vary by network, so check the tariff before you plug in.
Charging an electric car in the UAE is usually a small fraction of what the same distance costs in petrol, but the price you pay depends on three things: where you charge, how fast the charger is, and which network runs it. This guide explains each, shows the arithmetic so you can reproduce it for your own car, and tells you which numbers to double-check before you rely on them.
What do public EV chargers cost in Dubai?
Several consumer guides report the same DEWA public rates for 2026: AED 0.70/kWh on AC and AED 1.20/kWh on DC, plus VAT. The costs in this guide are calculated before VAT; add 5% to get the amount on your bill.
Charger type | Rate | Cost to add 40 kWh (before VAT) |
|---|---|---|
Public AC | AED 0.70/kWh + VAT | AED 28.00 |
Public DC fast | AED 1.20/kWh + VAT | AED 48.00 |
These rates come from secondary guides, not a DEWA tariff page. Confirm them in the DEWA Smart App, which is the place to see the tariff for the exact charger you are standing at.
Why is DC fast charging more expensive than AC?
DC fast chargers convert and deliver power inside the charger, so they are more expensive to build, connect to the grid and maintain. You are paying for speed: a DC session can add a large share of a battery in the time you would spend at a coffee stop, while an AC session suits a longer stay, such as shopping, a meal or work.
A simple rule of thumb: use AC when you will be parked for a couple of hours anyway, and DC when you are mid-journey and want to leave quickly.
What does it cost to charge at home?
Home charging is billed on your normal electricity tariff. Guides put residential rates at roughly AED 0.23-0.38/kWh depending on the consumption slab, so a 60 kWh refill at home is about AED 14-23. Your own utility bill is the authority, because slabs and surcharges can change.
Home charging also needs a suitable wall charger and, in apartments, permission from the building. If you cannot charge at home, public AC at your workplace or a nearby car park is the next cheapest option.
How much does a full charge cost?
Battery | Public AC (0.70 + VAT) | Public DC (1.20 + VAT) | Home (0.23-0.38) |
|---|---|---|---|
40 kWh | AED 28 | AED 48 | AED 9-15 |
60 kWh | AED 42 | AED 72 | AED 14-23 |
80 kWh | AED 56 | AED 96 | AED 18-30 |
Calculated as battery size × rate, before VAT. Real sessions usually cost less, because you rarely charge from 0% to 100%, and slightly more once losses between the charger and the battery are counted.
How do I work out the cost for my own car?
Find your battery's usable size in kWh (in the owner's manual or the car's settings).
Estimate how much you will add. Going from 20% to 80% of a 60 kWh battery adds 60% = 36 kWh.
Multiply by the rate. 36 kWh × AED 0.70 = AED 25.20 on AC, or 36 × AED 1.20 = AED 43.20 on DC, before VAT.
Add 5% VAT.
Is charging cheaper than petrol?
For most drivers, yes. The cost per kilometre depends on your car's efficiency. Use this formula: kWh per 100 km × rate ÷ 100. A car using 18 kWh/100 km costs about AED 12.60 per 100 km on public AC and AED 21.60 on public DC, plus VAT, and less at home. Compare that with your petrol car's litres per 100 km multiplied by the current fuel price.
Do other networks charge different prices?
Yes. ADNOC, Tesla, Charge2Moov and mall or hotel chargers each set their own tariffs, and some are free or bundled with parking. ChargeMigo shows a station's published price where the operator provides one, and says so when a price is not published. See EV charging networks in the UAE.
How can I pay less for charging?
Charge at home or work on AC whenever you can.
Use DC fast charging for journeys, not for daily top-ups.
Charge to 80% on a fast charger instead of 100%; the last stretch is slow, and you pay for the time at some sites.
Check for free or discounted charging at the venue before you pay on the network.
Watch for idle or parking fees, which can cost more than the energy.
What do drivers ask most often?
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