The AA has reported a 12% decrease in the cost of charging an electric car at the kerbside during June. Specifically, the average peak rate for using a slow charge point (up to 8kW) fell from 67p per kWh in May to 59p per kWh in June. While this decrease is positive news for electric car owners, the report suggests that powering an electric car can still be more expensive than using petrol.
According to the report, charging a Vauxhall Corsa Electric using slow chargers during peak times results in a running cost of 13.33p per mile. In comparison, a 1.2-litre petrol Corsa costs 12.85p per mile, taking into account a 3.4p-per-litre decrease in the average cost of petrol. However, using slow and ultra-rapid chargers during off-peak times yields lower running costs than the petrol car, with costs of 9.49p per mile and 11.53p per mile respectively.
The rates for fast (9-49kW) and rapid (50-149kW) chargers remained the same as in May, with peak rates averaging 79p per kWh and off-peak rates averaging 75p per kWh. This translates to a cost per mile of 17.85p during peak times and 16.95p per mile during off-peak times. On-peak ultra-rapid chargers were cheaper, costing an average of 59p per kWh and resulting in an average cost per mile of 13.33p.
Flat-rate chargers, on the other hand, provided more competitive rates. The cost of charging at home remained steady at an average of 24p per kWh, resulting in a cost per mile of 5.42p, which is less than half the cost of charging a petrol Corsa. Slow and fast chargers also saw a slight decrease in rates, with slow charging averaging 11.53p per kWh and fast charging averaging 12.66p per kWh.
The AA’s head of roads policy, Jack Cousens, emphasized the importance of keeping residential charging prices low, especially since 40% of households do not have their own driveway or parking space. Cousens called for government intervention, suggesting measures such as cutting VAT and increasing support for local governments in areas with a lack of charging infrastructure.
In conclusion, while the cost of charging an electric car at the kerbside decreased in June, it is still generally more expensive than using petrol. However, there are opportunities to reduce costs by using slow and ultra-rapid chargers during off-peak times. Flat-rate chargers, such as home charging, offer even more cost savings. It is crucial for the government to take action to support affordable residential charging options and expand charging infrastructure to encourage more people to switch to electric vehicles.