Are Electric Vehicles Truly Cheaper for Intercity Travel?

Electric vehicles (EVs) promise cost savings on intercity trips, but a fragile charging network threatens that advantage.

The Real State of the Charging Network

Across Turkey, 9,641 licensed charging stations served 3 million simulated intercity routes, revealing a stark service gap.

■Only 0.3 % of drivers could reach the next charger.

■99.7 % stranded before the next charging point.

■Highest concentration in the Istanbul‑Ankara‑Izmir triangle and the Mediterranean coast; vast rural gaps remain.

Simulation Methodology and Data Sets

The study built three distinct data sets:

■OpenStreetMap provided 55,236 highway‑state‑province connections.

■TÜİK population data generated 100,000 points across 929 districts for a three‑day, 3 million trip simulation.

■Şarj Gezgini database contributed 170 operators and 9,641 stations.

Vehicles started with batteries at 80‑100 %, consuming 150‑250 Wh/km.

Cost Comparison: Electricity vs. Gasoline

Using the following assumptions, the model calculated per‑kilometer costs:

■Gasoline price 50 TRY/L, efficiency 14 km/L → 3.57 TRY/km.

■Electricity price 13 TRY/kWh, average consumption 200 Wh/km → 2.6 TRY/km.

■A 27 % energy saving more than offsets the extra cost from waiting times and network inefficiencies, keeping EVs financially ahead.

Infrastructure Shortfalls and Waiting‑Time Impact

When each vehicle’s route ignored station capacity, multiple cars converged on the same charger within a 15‑minute window, causing:

■Capacity overload and mandatory waiting periods.

■An added 5‑8 % to total trip cost due to idle time.

Strategic Takeaways and Market Outlook

For the EV market to fulfill its promise, charging infrastructure must accelerate. Analysts project that in the next 5 years:

■Station count must grow by 40 %.

■Battery‑management systems need 20 % higher efficiency to improve range reliability.

■Public‑private partnerships should launch fast‑charge hubs in underserved regions.

Analyst Insight (Ufuk Tepe): The current charging network is far from supporting cost‑effective long‑distance EV travel. While theoretical cost advantages exist, a 99.7 % failure rate forces investors to prioritize network expansion. Drivers who keep batteries within the 20‑80 % health window and charge to 100 % can avoid these pitfalls, underscoring the urgency for next‑generation battery‑management solutions and high‑power charging stations.