What is the cost of charging an electric car Vs fuelling a petrol or diesel car.

This is a frequently asked question of most people who are considering switching to an electric vehicle.

The cost of charging an electric vehicle varies between home, work and public charging due to the varying costs per kilowatt. Installing a dedicated EV charger at home is always going to be the cheapest option. Once the initial outlay of the installation has been paid which will set you back about £800 - £1000, the cost of actually charging is significantly reduced. What’s more, there are still some grants available if you are a flat owner, tenant or have a business at home that is registered with Companies House.

To give an example, if a diesel car averages 40 mpg, and fuel is priced at 185 pence per litre, 200 miles of travelling will cost you £41.63 in fuel.

Contrast this with the likes of the Vauxhall Corsa-E, which has a 50 kWh battery that is capable of up to 209 miles on a single charge. That 50 kWh battery costs roughly £9.50 in electricity to charge from 0-100% using a standard domestic energy rate of 19p/kWh.

Or a Tesla Model Y long range which will cost around £21.87 to charge on a standard tariff at home but can be as little as £5.86 with an EV friendly tariff.

These are simplistic examples, but these are questions we get asked regularly from customers who are trying to decide whether to make the switch to an EV.  

Not only is the cost of ‘fuelling’ an EV cheaper, when compared to a petrol or diesel car, an electric car is a lot easier to look after. The list of moving parts in an ICE car is seemingly endless. Cambelts, timing belts, spark plugs, fuel pumps, cooling systems, pistons, radiators and exhaust systems can all need repairing or replacing in a vehicles lifetime. None of these parts exists in an electric car, so the list of potentially costly repairs is considerably slimmer when maintaining an electric vehicle.

If you have any other questions you would like answered, feel free to get in touch with one of our team, there is no such thing as a silly question and most people who make an enquiry are new to this.