Brussels will impose fines on electric car owners who stay too long at charging stations
Electric car owners in Brussels may soon face fines if they leave their vehicles connected to public charging stations for too long. The network company Sibelga is preparing to implement a 'rotation fee' to encourage drivers to move their cars as soon as charging is complete.
Studies show that electric cars remain connected for an average of six hours and 30 minutes, while a regular charging session with an 18-kilowatt-hour capacity takes about two hours and 20 minutes. This long stay limits the potential use of stations despite the rapid increase in the number of charging points in the city.
The rotation tariff aims to change driver behavior rather than just increasing infrastructure. Similar systems have been implemented in Ghent and Antwerp, where fees are charged as soon as the car is fully charged — €3.60 per hour in Ghent and €0.06 per minute (which is also €3.60 per hour) in Antwerp. The Ghent tariff will come into effect on February 1, 2026.
The number of fully electric cars in Belgium increased by 55% in just one year, reaching 395,188 cars by 2025. In Brussels, about one in four new cars is electric, and around 61% of new cars in companies are fully electric, highlighting the growing demand for available public charging stations.
To support the transition from gasoline and diesel vehicles, the Brussels government aims to make 22,000 charging points available to the public by 2035, including 11,000 stations on public roads installed by Sibelga and another 11,000 in semi-public areas by other providers. The rotation tariff is expected to help improve the availability of stations and reduce congestion at existing charging points.