Drivers of electric cars in Queensland will pay 45¢ per kilowatt hour at most to charge their vehicles, about half the cost of fuelling up with petrol.

Until now, the state government’s network of 31 electric car charging stations - between Cairns and Coolangatta and from Brisbane inland to Toowoomba - has been free.

Chargefox chief executive Marty Andrews at Toombul Shopping Centre's ultra-fast electric car charging station. Credit:Chargefox

But drivers would be charged a fee to use Queensland's electric super highway within weeks, sources told Brisbane Times.

A spokesman for Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said Yurika Energy was in negotiations with a private firm partner to charge a price below 45¢ per kilowatt hour.