How much does it cost to charge an electric car?
Just like a traditional fuel engine vehicle, there is a cost in running electric vehicles. The question is, how much does it cost to charge an electric car? Although this is dependent on the make and model, electric vehicles are likely to cost you less over the course of ownership. Requiring less maintenance than a petrol or diesel car, electric cars are an investment worth looking into.
The cost of running an electric car and to charge an electric car in the UK will vary between home, work and public charging.
How much will it cost to charge my electric car at home?
It is possible to use a factory supplied three-pin plug charger to charge your car at home. Simply plug it into any socket and charge your car. Charging via this method however, can put a strain on the socket and charging times can be lengthy. Therefore, it is best to use a dedicated wall-mounted unit which can charge more than twice as fast as the three-pin alternative.
The cost of installing a home charging point starts from around £400, however as the government is keen for motorists to go green, they are offering generous subsidies. If you have a unit fitted by an authorised installer, then the Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) will provide up to 75% towards the cost via the EV chargepoint grant. The EV chargepoint grant replaced the previous Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme from the 1st April 2022.
Charging your electric car at work
If you prefer to drive your car to work, then it is possible to look into charging your electric car at work.
The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a government scheme for electric vehicles which is offered by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV). The WCS is able to reduce the purchase and installation cost of a new workplace charging station by 75% and a single business can claim for a maximum of 40 charge points.
Why not ask your workplace about installing charging stations if they are not already positioned, providing you with free access to charge your car throughout the day.
Charging your electric car at a public chargepoint
Charging your electric car whilst out and about is a great way to top up your battery when you’re on the go. There are many different locations in cities and towns that offer electric charging points and the cost of using these differ depending on location. Many local authorities offer a pay per session approach to street chargers, or occasionally they can be used for free if you have access to a network subscription.
You can sign up to a subscription by using a free-to-download mobile app that can help you find your nearest charging point, or alternatively, some charge points require a RFID card to start charging, which can be ordered online. When charging your electric car on a pay-as-you-go basis, then it will only cost you between 20p and 70p per kWh.
Charging your electric car via rapid charging
Rapid charging points are usually found at motorway service stations and can range from being free to one of the more expensive ways to charge your electric vehicle. As rapid charging points do exactly that; charge rapidly, this means they are of greater convenience, making them more expensive.
Rapid chargers can cost around 23p per kWh which is around £6-7 for 30 minutes of charging. This translated into around 100 miles of range.
There are several ways to charge your electric car, helping to discard the old idea that electric cars can be an inconvenience. If there is a case where you cannot charge your electric vehicle, our MG plug-in hybrids offer a petrol backup that will take over once your electric energy is depleted. Check out our third electrified model MG HS Plug-in Hybrid here.
