Rapid electric car charging cost rises by 21 per cent in eight months
The cost of rapid charging an electric vehicle (EV) in public has risen by 21 per cent since September, with the average price now standing at 44.55p per kWh. That equates to an increase of 7.81p per kWh since last summer, meaning it now costs around £22.81 to charge the 64kWh battery of a typical EV to the recommended 80 per cent at a public charger – a rise of more than £4.
To put that figure into perspective, over the same period of time the cost of an 80 per cent fill for an average family car with a 55-litre tank has risen by £14.54, meaning petrol car drivers today have to fork out £74.21.
Analysis by the RAC shows that on average it now costs 10p per mile to run an EV kept topped up by public rapid charging, an increase of 2p per mile from last summer. So in spite of rising electricity prices, EV drivers are still onto a winner when it comes to energy costs – a comparable petrol car now costs 19p per mile to fill up, while diesel fuel costs are even higher at 21p per mile.
The RAC has long tracked average fuel prices across the UK, but has now committed also to tracking the prices of public rapid charging, reflecting the increasing take-up of EVs by new car buyers.
Simon Williams, the RAC’s spokesman for EVs said: “Just as the price that drivers of petrol and diesel cars pay to fill up at the pumps is driven by fluctuations in the world oil price, those in electric cars are affected by gas and electricity prices. But while electric car drivers may not be immune from the rocketing price of wholesale energy – most notably gas, which in turn dictates the cost of electricity – there’s no doubting that charging an EV still represents excellent value for money compared to filling up a petrol or diesel car.
“Unsurprisingly, our analysis shows that the quickest places to charge are also the most expensive with ultra-rapid chargers costing on average 14 per cent more to use than rapid chargers. For drivers in a hurry though, or travelling a long distance, paying this premium might well be worth it with the very fastest chargers capable of almost completely replenishing an electric car’s battery in a matter of minutes.”
Click here for our list of the best electric cars on sale right now…
New Mercedes-AMG One hypercar will be built in Coventry
Production of the Mercedes-AMG One – Merc’s hugely complex F1 engine-powered car [..]
New 2022 Alfa Romeo Tonale SUV: UK prices and specs revealed
The new Alfa Romeo Tonale is now on sale in the UK, [..]
New Kia XCeed facelift gets £22,995 price tag
The Kia’s XCeed crossover has been facelifted for 2022 bringing a fresher [..]
‘Rodin and Moke are set to shake up the car industry’
Car company bosses come in all shapes and sizes. Elon Musk is [..]
Porsche Taycan sets new Nurburgring electric production car record
Porsche has won countless races around the Nurburgring in its history, and [..]
Sporty Hyundai Ioniq 5 N spotted testing
The Ioniq 5, our Car of the Year in 2021, is set [..]
All-electric Mercedes A-Class replacement could still be on
The A-Class was the fourth best-selling vehicle in Britain last year and [..]
New 2022 Porsche GT4 RS Spyder spotted again
Porsche’s track-honed GT4 RS is set to receive a drop-top Spyder variant [..]