The True Cost of Running Electric Vehicles

With at least 23 new fully electric vehicles to go on sale in the next 12 months, WhatCar? Carried out research on “the true cost of going electric”.

The sales of electric vehicles are predicted to shoot up over the next few years. Bloomberg predicts 1 in 5 new cars will be electrified by 2026. And, there will be big fines if the average CO2 output of the cars they sell exceed 95g/km.

According to Zap Map, there are more than 10,600 charging sites around the UK, which are providing connections for nearly 30,000 vehicles.

Over 80% of EV owners charge their vehicles at home because it’s more affordable.

Recharging an EV with a modest-sized battery from 10% – 80% at home can cost just £1.88. A top up with a bigger battery, such as an Audi E-tron, costs just £4.66.

However, these costs can soar if needing to use public charges. An Ionity high-power charging unit to get an ultra-rapid 10-80% charge for an E-tron (which can accept a rate of up to 150kW) will cost you £45.89!

The same E-tron charge at a Polar rapid charger costs £26.60, based on a price of 40p per kWh.

Ecotricity and Shell Recharge’s rapid chargers cost 39p per kWh at £25.94.

A 10-80% charge for an Ioniq Electric costs £10.46 at an Ecotricity or Shell Recharge station.

Slower charges are generally cheaper and a regular user can benefit from a cheaper cost per kWh if they sign up to a scheme that charged a monthly fee. The Full plan from Source London costs £4 per month and 4p per kWh thereafter, equating to just 97p for a 10-80% top-up in the Ioniq’s case.

Hidden costs you may need to be aware of:

  • Parking fees whilst charging your car.
  • Overstay fees, if the car is left over the charging session.

For the full report, head over to WhatCar?