Charging is one of the nicer cost surprises of an Iceland trip. Petrol runs about 320 ISK/L (~€2.20/L) at list price, while a fast charger sits around 65 ISK/kWh. On a typical 60 kWh battery, a 0–100% charge costs less than one beer in a restaurant.
Per-kWh rates in 2026
- Tesla Superchargers: ~50–65 ISK/kWh for non-Tesla EVs (Tesla owners ~42–55 ISK/kWh). Open to any CCS2 car at Tesla sites in Keflavík, Reykjavík (Fossvogur, Vatnagarðar, Álfabakki), Hveragerði, Laugarvatn (Efstidalur II), Hvolsvöllur, Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Höfn, Egilsstaðir, Blönduós, Staðarskáli, Hólmavík and Akureyri. That's 14 sites as of mid-2026.
- ON Power: 65–75 ISK/kWh on DC fast chargers, ~30 ISK/kWh on AC. The largest network in Iceland, with chargers in nearly every town that has a petrol station.
- N1: ~70 ISK/kWh, contactless card or the N1 app. DC fast chargers at most N1 stations along the Ring Road.
- Orkan: ~60 ISK/kWh on Kempower units rated up to 600 kW. Currently the fastest, and the cheapest at peak power.
- Ísorka: ~70 ISK/kWh, at Olís stations and other partner sites.
- InstaVolt: ~75 ISK/kWh, fully contactless, no app needed.
- e1 (eONE): a community network, usually the cheapest at ~50 ISK/kWh when you can find one.
What a Ring Road costs
The Ring Road is 1,322 km. A modern EV at moderate speeds in Icelandic summer uses about 18–22 kWh per 100 km. Call it 20 kWh/100 km to keep the maths simple.
Total energy: 1,322 km × 0.20 kWh/km ≈ 264 kWh.
Say you get 80% of that from fast chargers (65 ISK/kWh) and 20% from hotel AC chargers that come free with the room:
- 264 × 0.8 × 65 ISK ≈ ~13,730 ISK (~€92) in fast-charging fees.
- The other 20% costs €0.
The same trip in a petrol rental doing 7 L/100 km: 1,322 km × 0.07 × 320 ISK ≈ 29,610 ISK (~€199). The EV saves you about €100 over the loop, and EV rentals sometimes have a cheaper day rate on top of that.
How to pay less
- Stay at hotels with free AC charging. Most Icelandair Hotels, Fosshótel locations and even some guesthouses offer free Type 2 charging overnight. A full overnight charge puts in 50–80 kWh you'd otherwise pay 4,000–5,000 ISK for at a fast charger.
- Use the Orkan or N1 app. Both knock 5–10 ISK/kWh off the contactless rate. Over 250+ kWh of road-trip charging that's 1,500–2,500 ISK saved, for a 90-second download.
- Don't charge to 100% at fast chargers. The last 10% takes as long as the first 50%. Stop at 80%, drive on, and let overnight AC fill the rest.
- Plan around Tesla Superchargers where you can. They're consistently among the cheapest, fastest and most reliable, and the Tesla network in Iceland covers the whole Ring Road.
Hidden costs
- Idle fees. A few networks charge extra if you stay plugged in after charging finishes. Move the car when your phone pings.
- Currency conversion. Most chargers bill in ISK. If you're paying with a foreign card, use a debit card with no FX fee, or expect 1–3% on top of every charge.
- Winter consumption. Cold and heavy heating can push consumption to 25 kWh/100 km. Budget 25–30% more for a winter trip.
Costs by route (mid-size EV, summer)
- Reykjavík → Vík and back (370 km): ~74 kWh × 65 ISK = ~4,800 ISK (~€32).
- Reykjavík → Akureyri one way (390 km): ~78 kWh × 65 ISK = ~5,100 ISK (~€34).
- Golden Circle day loop (250 km): ~50 kWh × 65 ISK = ~3,250 ISK (~€22).
- Snæfellsnes peninsula loop (440 km from Reykjavík): ~88 kWh × 65 ISK = ~5,720 ISK (~€38).
TL;DR
Driving electric in Iceland costs about €0.10–0.13 per km in energy. That's roughly half what petrol costs and about a third of diesel once fuel taxes are included. With a renewable, geothermal grid behind it, Iceland is one of the cheapest places in Europe for an EV road trip.