The details surrounding EV charging and the cost involved are still hazy to some. We address the key questions here.
How much does it cost to charge an electric car?
One of the many reasons for choosing to go electric is for money saving. In many instances, electricity is cheaper than traditional fuels such as petrol or diesel, in some cases costing over half as much for a ‘full tank of fuel’. However, it all depends on where and how you charge, so here’s the guide that’ll answer all your questions.
How much will it cost to charge my car at home?
According to the studies, around 90% of drivers charge their EVs at home, and this the cheapest way to charge. Of course, it depends on the car you’re charging and the tariff of your electricity supplier, but overall it won’t cost nearly as much to ‘fuel’ your EV as a traditional internal-combustion-engined vehicle. Better still, invest in one latest ‘smart’ wallboxes and you can use an app on your phone to programme the unit to only charge when electricity rate is cheapest, usually overnight.
How much will it cost to install a car charging point at home?
You can simply use the three-pin plug charger, but charging times are lengthy and manufacturers warn against sustained use due to the current drain on the socket. Therefore, it’s best to use a dedicated wall-mounted charging station, which can charge at up to 22kW, more than 7X as fast as the three-pin alternative.
There are many different manufacturers to choose from, plus the choice of socket version and cable version. No matter which one you pick, you’ll need a qualified electrician both to check your household wiring is up to the task and then to help you install the wallbox safely.
The good news is that the UK government is keen for motorists to go green and is offering generous subsidies, so if you have a unit fitted by an authorised installer, then the Office of Zero Emissions Vehicles (OZEV) will stump up 75% of the overall cost up to a maximum of £350. Of course, the prices vary, but with the grant, you can expect to pay around £400 for a home charging station.
How much will it cost at a public charging station?
Once again, this is also dependent on your car and the way you charge it, because there are numerous options when it comes to public charging stations.
If you only need charge when out and about infrequently, then a pay-as-you-go method is possible, costing between 20p and 70p per kWh, depending on whether you’re using a fast or rapid charger, the latter costing more to use.
If you travel further afield more frequently, then providers such as BP Pulse offer a subscription service with a monthly fee of just under £8, which gives you discounted rates on many of its 8,000 chargers, plus free access to a handful of AC units. You’ll need an RFID card or smartphone app to access them.
Oil company Shell has its Recharge network which has been rolling out 50kW and 150kW rapid chargers at its filling stations across the UK. These can be used on a contactless pay-as-you-go basis on a flat rate of 41p per kWh, although it’s worth noting there’s a 35p transaction charge each time you plug-in.
It’s also worth to note that some hotels and shopping malls offer free charging to customers. Most of the charging station providers use smartphone app to see where the charging points are, how much they cost to use and and whether they’re free, so you can easily tap into a provider that suits your needs and budget.
How much does it cost for motorway charging?
You’ll pay a little more to charge at a motorway service station, largely because most of the chargers there are fast or rapid units. Until recently, Ecotricity ( it has recently sold its Electric Highway network of chargers to Gridserve ) was the only provider at these locations, with around 300 chargers available, but it has now been joined by companies such as Ionity.
The rapid DC chargers offer 120kW, 180 kW or 350kw charging and can be all be used on a pay-as-you-go basis for 30p per kWh at motorway services, which reduces to 24p per kWh if you use one of the company’s Gridserve Forecourts.
Rival firm Ionity costs a little more for pay-as-you-go customers with a price of 69p per kWh, but commercial tie-ins with EV manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Jaguar, entitles drivers of these cars to lower rates. On the plus side, all of its chargers are capable of charging at up to 350kW.
Post time: Oct-14-2021