The High Cost of Public Charging: A Barrier to Electric Vehicles

Strategic Insights -

As the UK government pushes towards a zero-emission future, with new petrol and diesel car sales banned by 2030, electric vehicles (EVs) have become increasingly popular. However, a significant hurdle to widespread adoption of EVs is the high cost of public charging. According to the energy consultant BFY Group, a 110-mile round trip from London to Brighton could cost £26.40 using rapid chargers, compared to £2.64 if charging at home.

Key Takeaways:

  • The cost disparity between at-home and public charging is "probably the single biggest challenge to the electric vehicle transition in the UK," according to the Public Accounts Committee.
  • Drivers with their own charging point can get cheap EV tariffs, but those who rely on public charging face much higher costs, with slow public chargers costing 52.5p per kWh and fast chargers costing 80p per kWh.
  • Manufacturers have been discounting EVs to shift them off their forecourts and meet zero-emission sales targets, but they are still more expensive than petrol equivalents.
  • Second-hand EVs, especially those three years old, are often cheaper than petrol equivalents due to a less established used car market.
  • An estimated 35% of UK households, or 9.6 million, do not have off-street parking, making public charging more inconvenient and expensive.
  • Calls have been made to reduce VAT on public charging to match domestic electricity rates and improve the availability of public charging infrastructure.

Statistics:

  • The typical cost of the journey for a petrol car is £17.45, similar to the charge from a standard public point for an electric vehicle.
  • There are approximately 1.5 million electric cars in the UK, which is 4.4% of the total number of cars.
  • A new electric Vauxhall Corsa cost £29,485, compared with £23,795 for a petrol version.
  • An electric Renault Zoe was £30,440, while a comparable petrol Renault Clio was £19,220.
  • Between July 2022 and March 2023, the annual cost of exclusively using a slow public charger to run an electric vehicle rose from £810 to £1,181, and from £1,178 to £1,800 for a fast charger.

Sources:

  • BFY Group
  • Energy supplier Eon Next
  • Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders
  • Department for Transport
  • RAC Foundation
  • ZapMap
  • Public Accounts Committee
  • RAC