The cost of charging
Given the current energy crisis, it’s no surprise to see headlines recently talking about the rise in electric vehicle charging costs.
The RAC released a report revealing that the cost to charge an electric car on a pay-as-you-go basis at a public rapid charger has increased by 42 per cent – or 18.75p per kilowatt hour – since May, to reach an average of 63.29p per kilowatt hour.
The RAC’s figures show that a driver exclusively using rapid or ultra-rapid chargers will now pay around 18p per mile for electricity, which compares to 19p per mile for a petrol car and 21p per mile for a diesel one. But the key point to highlight here is that these figures are for those ‘exclusively’ using public rapid or ultra rapids. In reality, these people will be in the minority. Indeed, a recent report from Mina shows that drivers on average only spend 45 minutes charging in public. Most current EV drivers will predominantly charge at home where electricity is cheaper. The RAC report says that under the Energy Price Guarantee, the cost per mile for an average-sized EV is around 9p and the cost to charge a car to 80 per cent at home will be £17.87.
What this does highlight however is the huge price gap between home and public charging. Drivers who depend on the public charging network, such as those that don’t have driveways, pay a premium to run electric cars.
This is all food for thought for businesses that are planning their fleet strategies. But with high petrol and diesel costs – and the firm commitment to phase out fossil fuel cars – organisations still need to take steps to electrify their fleets. This issue of GreenFleet focuses on the transition to electric, with information on the latest grants available, charging guidance and EV myth busting.
Angela Pisanu, editor
