Electrical Car Charging Costs

One of the greatest benefits of Electric Cars (other than the minimal environmental impact) is how cost-effective they are to run. Electric car charging costs are extremely low compared to petrol, and with the price of gas and oil set to rise, there’s never been a better time to buy an electric car.

With so many prospective electric vehicle owners emerging onto the market, Perth City Electric has put together this helpful article, answering the question of “how much does an electric car cost to charge?”.

How much does it cost to charge an electric car?

Electric car charging costs vary depending on a few factors. The factors that affect electric car charging costs are:

• The model and make of the electric car
• The battery size
• The type of charging point you use
• The network attached to the charging point
• Where you charge your electric car – at home, in public, on motorways

Although the cost for electric car charging will change depending on the above factors, for an electric car with an average battery size of 60kWh, electric vehicle (EV) owners can expect to pay around £15 for a full charge.

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

As charging stations and electric vehicle charging points become more popular across the UK, it’s important to know what type of charging stations are best (and cheapest) to use.

Public charging stations tend to operate on a pay per session basis, with slower charges such as lamppost charging, costing less than rapid charges, which are usually found on motorways.

Rapid charging is one of the most expensive charging solutions due to its location and fast charge rate. Expect to pay around £7 for a 30min charge at a rapid charging station.

Car parks have begun to see an influx of fast charging stations installed, giving EV owners a convenient charging point whilst they complete their shopping. You may find some car parks offer free charges for customers, whilst others have a standard pay per session fee.

Public charging stations tend to come in at around 26p per kWh, but this will vary depending on the business and location.

Tips for Public Charging

As more electric cars are purchased in the UK, businesses and companies offering free charging stations are becoming less frequent. Paying at these charging stations can be somewhat confusing, but there are a few simple tips you can follow to make the most of public charging points:

• Use free mobile apps to find and start electric charges at public charging points – Pod Point app and Zap app are two of the best.
• Some public charging points will need an RFID card (similar to a standard debit card). You can order this card online and top it up with credit, so you are ready to charge your electric car wherever you go.
• A lot of more modern charging points have the option to pay for the charge via the app. It’s worth doing some research into the best and most popular apps.

What is the cost of charging electric car at home?

Charging your electric vehicle at home is the most convenient and cost-efficient way of charging. EV owners can simply plug in their car to charge overnight, waking up to a fully charged car in the morning. The cost of charging electric car at home is around £15 for a full charge, but this can, of course, change depending on your household’s electricity tariff.

Important points to note on home charging include:

• The average electricity rate for UK households in 2021 according to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) was about 18.9p / kWh (although this is subject to change throughout 2022)
• Electricity rates can change depending on where you reside in the UK and what energy supplier you are with.
• The installation of a home charger is another factor to consider when evaluating the cost. A standard home EV charger costs around £1000 to install, although there are a range of goverment grants available to help cut this price down.

Perth City Electric can handle the full installation of your home charger and talk you through the available options for your property. Contact us today to find out more.

The future is (Perth City) Electric

With the UK committed to phasing out all new sales of petrol and diesel cars by 2030, there is a momentous shift happening towards green energy and the use of electric cars. While EVs are still on the higher end of the price spectrum, electric car charging costs and the overall running of an electric car are far cheaper than traditional petrol cars.

Perth City Electric is committed to working towards net-zero carbon emissions for Scotland and the rest of the UK. By offering a robust EV charging point installation service for commercial and domestic properties, we work with our customers to create a brighter, greener future for all of us.

Get in touch with our team to discuss your EV charging point needs or to find out more information on electric car charging costs.