How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric Car?
Stephen Wright, 2 years ago
5 min read
- Advice
- Electric
- cost
WhoCanFixMyCar looks at how much it will cost to charge your electric car at home, work and other locations.
The cost of charging an electric car can vary greatly between the home, work and public spaces, as many drivers are discovering.
So, which is the best for you, and, most importantly, which is the most competitive on price? In this guide we look at the options available to drivers for charging their EV (electric vehicle), as well as the availability of charge points throughout the UK.
Whilst prices vary depending on your exact location your speed of charging, take a look below at the average costs for charging an electric car by location.
| Location | Average cost |
|---|---|
| From home | Around £5 for a full charge (Av. 200 miles)* |
| Motorway/service stations | Around £7-£10 for 30 minutes (Av. 100 miles)* |
| At work | Many employers offer free charging points for usage |
| Public locations | Many supermarkets & shopping centres offer free charging points |
*RAC
Guide Contents
Cost of charging an electric car at home
Cost of charging an electric car in public
Cost of charging an electric car at work
Cost of installing an electric charging point
How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home?
Charging your EV at home is definitely the most convenient (and cost effective) way of keeping your car fully charged.
Upwards of 80 per cent of drivers tend to charge their cars overnight (or during the cheapest off-peak period) so they wake up to a full battery every morning before heading off to work.
Once you have installed your charger on the wall, the typical cost for fully charging an electric car overnight is around the £5 mark (based on an average electricity price of 14p per kWh). This should provide you with sufficient charge to up to 200 miles.
How much does it cost to charge an electric car in public?
Charging your car while out on the road can sometimes be a bit of a lottery depending on where you live. It also tends to be more expensive on the whole.
There are a mix of options when it comes to public charge points with slow, fast, rapid and ultra-rapid charging all available. How much you pay will depend on the charging speed, the electricity provider and how often you use your car, but a rapid charge for instance at a motorway service station is likely to cost around £6.50.
If you drive a lot of miles in your electric car, and you know you are going to be running low on a regular basis, then it might be worth taking out a subscription service to avoid this pay-as-you-go option.
How much does it cost to charge your electric car at work?
Similar to the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS), the Government offers organisations in both the public and private sectors financial support to get charge points installed at their premises under the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS).
The grant, which is funded by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, provides funding of up to £350 per socket up to a maximum of 20 sockets per organisation. For more information click here.
How much does it cost to install an electric car charging point?
The government has recently launched the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) to help encourage more drivers to make the move to electric. The scheme provides a grant of up to £350 (inclusive of VAT) towards the cost of installing one charge point at your property.
According to the RAC, the average cost of a home electric charging point is around £800. This however can vary depending on the type of charging point you choose.
You can apply for more than one charge point at your home if you have two qualifying electric vehicles. To find out more about EVHS click here.
Where can you charge an electric car for free?
According to Zap-Map, public and retail car parks have the largest number of free EV charging points.
Alternatively, many supermarkets offer free charging stations for customers, as well as an increasing number of employers offering charging points in company car parks as an incentive for employees.
How much does it cost to charge a Tesla?
If you own a Tesla, older vehicles can use free charging points across the UK as part of the Tesla Supercharger Network. For Tesla vehicles purchased after 1st January 2017, owners may only receive a limited number of free charging hours.
According to Tesla, charging is billed at 26p per kWh in areas where possible. Alternatively, owners are billed per minute in other areas.
The 'tier 1' charge applies when cars are charging at or below 60 kWh, and 'tier 2' applies for charging above 60 kWh. Tier 1 is half the cost of tier 2, and if your vehicle is sharing a Supercharger power point with another car, tier 1 pricing will apply.
Apps for free public electric car charging
There are lots of apps now available to download to help you find the nearest public charge point while on the move. Among the best ones to use for free are:
Zap-Map (pictured below) is the UK’s number one EV charging app for finding charging points, planning your electric route and generally finding out more about the EV community.
GeniePoint is a national network of electric vehicle chargers. Quick and easy to use, once you’ve registered via the app off you go with charging at their nearest point to you.
EV.Energy is a relative newcomer to the app space but it does allow you earn reward points each time you charge.
Useful reading
If you have enjoyed reading this this advice article, then make sure to check out our other electric car themed articles like the ones below.
Are electric cars easy to maintain?
Thinking of booking your electric car in for a service? WhoCanFixMyCar can help you find the right garage at the right price in your area.
