Cost of using electric car charging point in UK up 42% since May
The price of charging an electric car using a public rapid charger has jumped by almost £10 since May because of soaring energy costs after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The increased price of wholesale gas and electricity has pushed up the price to charge an average family-size car by 42% to above £32, according to analysis by the RAC. That was £9.60 more than in May, and £13.59 more than a year earlier.
The UK plans to ban the sale of new fossil fuel cars after 2035, but many in the industry have expressed concerns about barriers preventing some people from switching. The price and availability of public chargers are key concerns, particularly in cities.
The recent surge in electricity prices has diminished the cost advantage that electric cars have over polluting internal combustion engines, and particularly for people who rely solely on public chargers because they do not have private parking at home.
The RAC said the average cost per mile for someone limited only to rapid and ultra-rapid public chargers that are typically used at motorway services had risen to 18p, compared with 19p for petrol cars and 21p for diesel.
For those able to rely on home charging, the average cost per mile will be limited to 9p, after the Conservative government this month introduced price controls on energy. The energy price guarantee means drivers who can charge their cars at home will be protected from much of the price increase.
Simon Williams, the RAC’s electric vehicle spokesperson, said charging away from home was still cheaper than the equivalent refill for a petrol or diesel car, but “the gap is narrowing as a result of the enormous increases in the cost of electricity”.
“These figures very clearly show that it is drivers who use public
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