April 2026 Electricity Prices
Eliis Oru
May 5, 2026
April 2026 was the month solar rewrote the rules. Across Western Europe, midday prices turned negative on a near–daily basis – Germany’s 09:00 hour averaged below zero for the entire month. In the Baltics, the chaotic overnight spikes of last year have flattened out. Two exceptions bucked the trend: Sweden and Norway, where a dry winter has pushed hydro prices sharply higher. For EV drivers on spot price contracts, April was one of the best charging months yet.
7/9
markets cheaper than March
-48
c/kWh minimum (DE/NL)
3
markets w negative avg hour
36.2%
top median saving (Finland)
🇩🇪 🇧🇪 🇳🇱
Western Europe
Negative midday prices
Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands averaged negative prices at 09:00–11:00 across the full month. April 30 set records across the region with hourly prices near -480 c/kWh during peak solar. Averages down 14–27% vs March.
🇪🇪 🇱🇹 🇱🇻 🇩🇰
Nordics & Baltics
Prices falling YoY
Estonia and Lithuania dropped 22–25% year-over-year as Baltic wind grew and overnight spikes disappeared. Denmark fell 33% vs March. Sweden rose on hydro constraints. Finland stayed flat, remaining Europe’s most affordable major market.
🇳🇴 🇸🇪
Norway & Sweden
Hydro squeeze
Both markets bucked the European trend. Norway surged +232% vs March (from 2.9 to 9.7 c/kWh) as dry-winter reservoir levels stayed low. Sweden rose 17% month-over-month for the same reason. Snowmelt in May may provide relief.
⚡ Why this matters for EV drivers: The gap between the cheapest hour (often negative in DE/BE/NL) and the evening peak (16–19 c/kWh) widened further in April. A spot price contract without smart charging leaves serious money on the table. Gridio users captured median savings of 22–36% across 7 of 9 markets by charging automatically in the cheapest window.
Regional Wholesale Price Changes
March 2026 vs April 2026 (excl. VAT & taxes)
April 2026 EV Charging Report
Real spot prices & Gridio savings across 9 European markets
Best charging: 09:00 · avg 2.5 c/kWh
Average
8.1 c/kWh
0.60 DKK/kWh
Minimum
-3.2 c/kWh
Negative prices
Maximum
32.0 c/kWh
Peak demand
Price Comparisons
vs March 2026 (12.2 c/kWh)-33.5%
vs April 2025 (7.6 c/kWh)+7.5%
Hourly Price Pattern (€/MWh monthly avg)
Apr 2026Apr 2025
Gridio User Savings · April 2026
23.4%
median saving across 860 devices
🏆 Top saver: 652 DKK · Audi
Solar generation pushed midday prices to near-zero on weekends. The 09:00 window averaged just 2.5 c/kWh across the month — the clearest charging opportunity for Danish EV drivers.
Best charging: 08:00 · avg 2.4 c/kWh
Average
5.4 c/kWh
0.054 €/kWh
Minimum
-0.1 c/kWh
Near-zero events
Maximum
22.4 c/kWh
Peak demand
Price Comparisons
vs March 2026 (6.8 c/kWh)-19.9%
vs April 2025 (7.3 c/kWh)-25.3%
Hourly Price Pattern (€/MWh monthly avg)
Apr 2026Apr 2025
Gridio User Savings · April 2026
34.8%
median saving across 285 devices
🏆 Top saver: €39.10 · Audi
Estonia saw prices drop 25% year-over-year. The overnight spikes of 100–140 €/MWh visible in April 2025 have disappeared in 2026. Baltic wind kept the early morning window (06:00–09:00) reliably cheap.
Best charging: 09:00 · avg 2.8 c/kWh
Average
4.9 c/kWh
0.049 €/kWh
Minimum
-0.1 c/kWh
Near-zero events
Maximum
22.4 c/kWh
Peak demand
Price Comparisons
vs March 2026 (5.2 c/kWh)-4.8%
vs April 2025 (4.8 c/kWh)+3.5%
Hourly Price Pattern (€/MWh monthly avg)
Apr 2026Apr 2025
Gridio User Savings · April 2026
36.2%
median saving across 648 devices
🏆 Top saver: €51.60 · Volkswagen
Finland remained one of Europe’s most affordable markets. Prices were nearly flat year-over-year (+3.5%), with the 07:00–10:00 window offering the best value consistently across the month.
Best charging: 09:00 · avg 2.0 c/kWh
Average
5.6 c/kWh
0.65 SEK/kWh
Minimum
-0.6 c/kWh
Negative events
Maximum
23.4 c/kWh
Peak demand
Price Comparisons
vs March 2026 (4.8 c/kWh)+17.4%
vs April 2025 (4.4 c/kWh)+28.8%
Hourly Price Pattern (€/MWh monthly avg)
Apr 2026Apr 2025
Gridio User Savings · April 2026
26.5%
median saving across 145 devices
🏆 Top saver: 358 SEK · BMW
Sweden bucked the European downward trend — prices rose vs both March and April 2025, driven by lower hydro reservoir levels after a dry winter. The midday dip (09:00–11:00) still gave Gridio users a clear saving window.
Best charging: 08:00 · avg 1.9 c/kWh
Average
5.8 c/kWh
0.058 €/kWh
Minimum
-0.7 c/kWh
Negative events
Maximum
22.9 c/kWh
Peak demand
Price Comparisons
vs March 2026 (6.5 c/kWh)-10.8%
vs April 2025 (7.4 c/kWh)-21.9%
Hourly Price Pattern (€/MWh monthly avg)
Apr 2026Apr 2025
Gridio User Savings · April 2026
26.4%
median saving across 160 devices
🏆 Top saver: €52.80 · Škoda
The 01:00–03:00 overnight spike in April 2025 (100–130 €/MWh) has flattened in 2026. Baltic wind and better grid integration pushed prices down 22% year-over-year, with the early morning hours now consistently cheap.
Best charging: 10:00 · avg -1.0 c/kWh
Average
8.4 c/kWh
0.084 €/kWh
Minimum
-48.0 c/kWh
Apr 30 solar record
Maximum
31.8 c/kWh
Peak demand
Price Comparisons
vs March 2026 (9.8 c/kWh)-13.8%
vs April 2025 (7.5 c/kWh)+12.9%
Hourly Price Pattern (€/MWh monthly avg)
Apr 2026Apr 2025
Gridio User Savings · April 2026
23.9%
median saving across 81 devices
🏆 Top saver: €43.90 · Tesla
The Netherlands had the deepest negative midday average in Gridio’s markets. The 09:00–11:00 window averaged negative across the full month — on multiple days Gridio users were effectively paid to charge.
Best charging: 09:00 · avg -1.1 c/kWh
Average
7.9 c/kWh
0.079 €/kWh
Minimum
-47.9 c/kWh
Apr 30 solar record
Maximum
29.5 c/kWh
Peak demand
Price Comparisons
vs March 2026 (10.2 c/kWh)-22.8%
vs April 2025 (7.3 c/kWh)+7.4%
Hourly Price Pattern (€/MWh monthly avg)
Apr 2026Apr 2025
Gridio User Savings · April 2026
21.8%
median saving across 65 devices
🏆 Top saver: €18.40 · Tesla
Belgium’s 09:00 hour averaged -1.1 c/kWh across April — negative on average for the full month. On April 30, prices briefly hit -€479/MWh. Spot contract holders who charged at midday captured the biggest gains.
Best charging: 09:00 · avg -2.0 c/kWh
Average
7.9 c/kWh
0.079 €/kWh
Minimum
-48.0 c/kWh
Record low Apr 30
Maximum
31.5 c/kWh
Peak demand
Price Comparisons
vs March 2026 (10.8 c/kWh)-27.3%
vs April 2025 (7.8 c/kWh)+0.8%
Hourly Price Pattern (€/MWh monthly avg)
Apr 2026Apr 2025
Gridio User Savings · April 2026
32.9%
median saving across 38 devices
🏆 Top saver: €62.80 · BMW
Germany had the deepest average negative hour in Gridio’s markets: -2.0 c/kWh at 09:00 across the full month. On April 5 the daily average hit -€16.34/MWh. April 30 saw hourly prices near -€480/MWh at peak solar.
Best charging: 11:00 · avg 6.3 c/kWh
Average
9.7 c/kWh
1.14 NOK/kWh
Minimum
0.2 c/kWh
No negative prices
Maximum
33.0 c/kWh
Peak demand
Price Comparisons
vs March 2026 (2.9 c/kWh)+232%
vs April 2025 (5.3 c/kWh)+81.9%
Hourly Price Pattern (€/MWh monthly avg)
Apr 2026Apr 2025
Gridio User Savings · April 2026
9.6%
median saving across 52 devices
🏆 Top saver: 137 NOK · Škoda
Norway saw a sharp reversal from March’s record lows. Reduced hydro reservoir levels after a dry winter pushed prices significantly higher — nearly double April 2025 levels. No negative prices occurred; savings come from timing the daily curve.
Best EV Charging Time Across All Markets
Cheapest average hour per market · April 2026 monthly data
🇩🇰
Denmark
09:00
avg 2.5 c/kWh
23.4% median saving
🇪🇪
Estonia
08:00
avg 2.4 c/kWh
34.8% median saving
🇫🇮
Finland
09:00
avg 2.8 c/kWh
36.2% median saving
🇸🇪
Sweden
09:00
avg 2.0 c/kWh
26.5% median saving
🇱🇹
Lithuania
08:00
avg 1.9 c/kWh
26.4% median saving
🇳🇱
Netherlands
10:00
avg -1.0 c/kWh
23.9% median saving
🇧🇪
Belgium
09:00
avg -1.1 c/kWh
21.8% median saving
🇩🇪
Germany
09:00
avg -2.0 c/kWh
32.9% median saving
🇳🇴
Norway
11:00
avg 6.3 c/kWh
9.6% median saving
⚡ April Pattern: The Solar Window Is Now Structural
In 7 out of 9 markets, the cheapest hour falls between 08:00 and 11:00 – driven by solar generation peaking at midday. In Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, these hours averaged negative prices across the entire month, meaning spot contract holders were paid to charge. Gridio automatically targets this window every day.
April 2026 — Key Takeaways
☀️
Solar broke records in April
Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands averaged negative prices at 09:00–11:00 across the full month. On April 30, hourly prices hit nearly -€480/MWh — the deepest negative event yet recorded in Gridio’s markets.
💰
Gridio users across markets saved
Median savings ranged from 9.6% in Norway to 36.2% in Finland. Top savers in Lithuania (€52.80), Finland (€51.60) and Denmark (652 DKK) showed what consistent smart charging delivers over a full month.
📉
Most markets cheaper than March
7 out of 9 markets dropped month-over-month, led by Denmark (-33.5%), Germany (-27.3%) and Belgium (-22.8%). The exceptions were Sweden and Norway, both up due to lower hydro reservoir levels after a dry winter.
⚡
The Baltic overnight spike is gone
In April 2025, Estonia and Lithuania regularly spiked to 100–140 €/MWh overnight. In 2026 those spikes have disappeared – both markets dropped 20–25% year-over-year, reflecting better grid integration and Baltic wind growth.
📈
Norway reversal – the sharpest swing
Norway went from 2.9 c/kWh in March to 9.7 c/kWh in April – a +232% jump. March was unusually low due to mild temperatures. April’s higher prices reflect returning to normal hydro pricing after a dry spring.
🕒
The optimal window: 08:00–11:00
Across all 9 markets, the cheapest average hour falls between 08:00 and 11:00. This solar-driven window is now consistent and predictable – exactly the kind of pattern Gridio is built to exploit automatically.
Looking Ahead to May 2026
What to expect in European electricity markets next month
☀️
Solar surplus continues to grow
May brings longer days and higher solar angles across Europe. Midday negative prices will become even more frequent – especially on weekends when demand stays low. Germany, Netherlands and Belgium are likely to see the 09:00–13:00 window negative on most sunny days.
💧
Hydro recovery in Norway & Sweden
Snowmelt from the mountains begins in earnest in May. Norwegian and Swedish reservoir levels should start recovering, which could push hydro-zone prices back down from April’s elevated levels. Watch NO and SE for potential dips mid-month.
📈
Evening peaks remain relevant
As solar drops off after 15:00, gas plants set the price again. Evening peaks (16:00–19:00) will stay elevated across Western Europe. The spread between cheapest and most expensive hours is widening – making spot price contracts more valuable month by month.
Is a spot price contract right for you?
With negative midday prices now a monthly reality, Gridio automatically charges when prices are lowest – so you capture the savings without thinking about it.
Charge when electricity is cheapest – automatically
In April, the average 09:00 hour cost -2.0 c/kWh in Germany. Gridio users charged for free – and sometimes got paid. Join thousands of EV drivers across 9 European markets saving every month.
Start saving with Gridio →
