How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric Car?

Choosing to go electric is not only eco-friendly, but can also be budget-friendly. The cost to charge an electric car is often lower than charging one with traditional fuel. Of course, this mostly depends on how and where you charge – in some cases, electricity costs half as much as petrol or diesel. In this post, we will cover everything you need to know, so you can calculate the average cost of charging an electric vehicle.

If you:

• are considering an electric vehicle;
• want to calculate the cost of charging your EV;
• want to compare the cost of charging at home and at a commercial station.

Keep on reading!

Factors to consider when calculating the cost to charge an EV

There are three different ways of charging your EV – at home, at work, or at a public charging point. Where you decide to charge will depend not only on cost considerations but also on your lifestyle and how and where you use your car. For example, if you are mostly driving around the city, you are probably going to charge your car at home, overnight.

Overall, an EV is likely to cost you significantly less than a normal car, simply because electricity is much cheaper than petrol and diesel. Also – it requires less maintenance and can use various incentives. The cost of charging an electric car will depend on the model of the vehicle and its specifics too. The easiest way to find out how much does it cost to charge an electric car is by comparing it to a traditional one. The math is pretty easy – the bigger and more powerful the car, the more energy it needs. As with any car, high speed and a heavy braking driving style will need more power, while slow, smooth driving will save you energy.

An electric car charging cost also depends on the vehicle – it can get between 2 and 12p per mile (calculated when the price for electricity is 17p/kWh). Keep in mind that a lower price doesn’t necessarily mean less driving range and higher price – more driving range. And if you want to find out how much to charge an electric car, you need to take into account the power of the car, the battery type, and the charging time it needs. For example, some EVs need 8 hours to fully charge, while others – 37 hours, which isn’t very budget-friendly now, is it?

How much does it cost to charge your EV at home

Short answer: It depends on your electricity plan and the price of kW per hour, which usually varies from day time to night time. There also are other things to keep in mind, such as the type of the home chargers and the vehicle’s specifications.

Generally, home charging is probably the cheapest way to give power to your EV. Yes, you’ll need to make a big investment at first for a charger, but it will pay off in the long term. For example, to fully charge a 40 kWh battery will cost you about £6 for 168 miles. Whereas petrol will cover the distance for over £19 (with the petrol price being £1,20 and car averaging 50 mpg). The calculations are based on the average tariffs in the UK, but still, we can clearly say that the cost to charge electric car at home can be over 3 times cheaper than that of a traditional car. And let’s not forget to mention that you can save even more if you charge your car overnight when electricity costs are lower.

Also, it’s useful to know that the UK government can give you a grant, applicable to certain types of chargers. It’s called the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) grant and can give you as much as 75% towards the cost. And here is the good news – we at Fantastic Services work with OZEV-accredited and certified EV charger installation experts, which cover the entire London area. So, when considering installing a charger at home, contact us and we can arrange a high-standard service at a time that suits you best.

When considering the type of the home charger, keep in mind there are variations – 3kW, 7kW, or three-phase 22kw. The type of home charger depends on your EV and your installation. We recommend that you contact your manufacturer for advice.

And if you are thinking about using your 13 amp standard socket – we highly recommend NOT TO or only as an emergency solution if you don’t have a proper charging point nearby. Using the standard socket on a regular basis will not only provide a slower charging process, but can also cause a fire hazard, so be careful.

How much does it cost to charge an electric car at a charging station

How much does it cost to charge an electric car at a charging station depends on the stations’ points network and locations. It is important to know the power rating, which also influences the cost – slow (lamppost charging), fast (car parks), or rapid (motorway service stations, also known as fast charging). When choosing an EV, keep in mind that not all of them support rapid charging.

The service provider also chooses the type of charging – from paying on the station to subscription options. Either way, knowing where you can possibly charge your EV is really important, so make sure to research the opportunities. That said, the cost to charge an electric car at a charging station is surely a bit higher than charging your car at home, since it’s a service.

Happily, the UK has a good EV charging infrastructure to help EV owners travel easier. Some of the best-known providers are BP Pulse, Ionity, Gridserve, Ecotricity, and Shell Recharge. If you are an owner of a Tesla, you can look up the Tesla Supercharger Network’s points across the UK.

Book a certified professional to install your home EV charging point

Fantastic Services works with OZEV-accredited and certified EV charger installation experts, which cover the entire London area. So, when considering installing a charger at home, contact us and we can arrange a high-standard service at a time that suits you best.

***

We hope that you’ve found our article helpful! If you have any questions, leave us a comment below!

Img Source: Shutterstock/husjur02