New Peak Rates Mean Charging EV’s More Expensive Than Petrol
New peak pricing at electric car charge points can leave consumers worse off than if they stuck to traditional petrol-engined vehicles, according to a new analysis from the AA
Previous analysis by motoring organizations has shown the cost of charging electric vehicles has soared in recent months, driven by rising energy prices partly triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February.
Rapid charge points used by motorists topping up on long drives are now nearly £10 more expensive than filling up a car with petrol, the RAC revealed last week.
But research from the AA published on Monday finds that recharging an electric car even using a slow public charger at peak times can be more expensive, per mile driven afterward, than refueling a comparable petrol car.
Peak and off-peak rates have been introduced by major networks including Ubitricity, the UK’s largest public charge-point operator.
Jack Cousens, the AA’s head of roads policy and recharging, said:
“While pump prices are falling, electricity prices are going in the other direction, but we are hopeful prices could tail off later this year.”
News that electric cars could be more expensive to run than petrol or diesel alternatives will strike a blow at the Government’s target of reaching net zero CO2 emissions by the year 2050.
AA analysts compared a 1.2L petrol Vauxhall Corsa with the e-Corsa, the manufacturer’s electrically-powered alternative.
Topping up the e-Corsa’s charge by 80pc on a slow charger at peak times results in a cost of 16.18p per mile.
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Kevin Doyle
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Let’s do some basic math.
A typical home uses 20-30 kilowatt-hours of electricity per day.
A typical electric vehicle burns 20-30 kw-h in about half an hour.
If you drive drive your EV car for one hour each day, you have just tripled your electricity usage.
From where will this 150% increase in electricity production come? Windmills, which produce full power only 1/3rd of the time? Solar panels, which only produce power for a limited time during the day?
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Kevin Doyle
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Correction: I meant “300% increase in electricity production”, not 150%.
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