People without a driveway ‘pay nearly £1,000 more a year to charge an EV’

Motorists who can’t plug in an electric car at home are paying nearly £1,000 more per year to charge their vehicle than those with a driveway, it’s been claimed.

EV drivers who are able to plug in their car at home can take advantage of cheap overnight energy tariffs that make charging as affordable as possible.

According to electric car website Electrifying, which used someone driving 10,000 miles a year in a Volkswagen ID.3 58kWh as an example, it would cost just £13.75 a month to charge on the cheapest overnight electricity rates.

If it was charged on the peak home rate, that would work out at £56 per month.

However, for those without off-street parking who have to rely on public chargers, at the average cost of 50p per kilowatt hour (kWh), the same car and driver would pay £91.75 per month to charge their vehicle. This is based on a DC rapid charger, such as those found in motorway service stations and supermarket car parks.

Plugged in with a slow AC charger – such as those found in car parks and at the side of the street – based on an average of 40p per kWh, it would cost £73.50 a month to charge this way.

It means those having to rely on the most convenient public rapid chargers are paying up to £78 more each month to charge their cars, equating to £936 over the course of a year.

Electrifying says the difference in price is ‘creating a two-tiered nation’ of electric car owners, and that it ‘discriminates against those on lower incomes without access to off-street parking’.

Ginny Buckley, founder and chief executive of Electrifying, said: “Electric car ownership should not be a privilege for the more affluent, and if we want to bring everyone along on the electric journey, we need to ensure that the right infrastructure is in place – and at the right price – so that everyone can make the switch with confidence.

“The biggest saving from switching to electric comes from the overall running costs, and with petrol prices rising to record levels, driving electric gives us the opportunity to gain energy independence through using renewable power for our cars now and in the future.”

Electrifying is calling for VAT on public electric car charging points to be reduced from 20 per cent to five, to help bring the cost in line with those charging at the cheapest rates at home.

Buckley added: “Without taking steps now, we risk leaving people behind and creating
a two-tiered nation when it comes to making the switch, which is why I’m urging the Treasury to look again at VAT on public charging.”