AA’s analysis mentioned that the cheapest way to recharge an electric car is to plug it in at home.
According to a report, the cost of charging EVs has soared in recent months, mainly driven by rising energy prices.
This has resulted in fast-charging EVs possibly becoming more expensive than filling petrol. As per a new analysis by AA, rapid charging points used by motorists on long drives are now nearly £10 more expensive than filling up petrol. The research showed that even slow charging an EV at a public charging station at peak times could be more expensive than refuelling a similar petrol car.
AA’s head Jack Cousens stated that while pump prices are falling, the cost of electricity is on the rise. Although, he is hopeful that these rising prices could tail off sometime later this year.
Analysts compared the running cost of a 1.2-litre petrol Vauxhall Corsa with its electric-powered alternate, the e-Corsa. The e-Corsa was topped up using an 80-pence slow charger during peak times, resulting in a 16.18 pc cost per mile. The running cost of its 1.2-litre petrol counterpart came up to 14.45 pence per mile, meaning the traditional ICE model is cheaper to run per mile than the new EV version.
Reports state that if electric cars become more expensive to run than petrol or diesel vehicles, it could cause a major setback to the government’s target of achieving net zero CO2 emissions by 2050.
Most major charging networks in the UK have introduced peak and off-peak charging rates. This, according to Cousens, is said to have been done to allow a constant supply of electricity throughout without overloading the grid.
AA’s analysis also mentioned that the cheapest way to recharge an electric car is to plug it in at home, which because of the government’s energy price cap, could bring down the cost per mile to as low as 7.64 pence.
Keyword: UK: Fast charging EVs more expensive than filling petrol