£20 of electricity now powers an EV further than £20 of petrol, analysis by char.gy shows
£20 of electricity can power an EV for up to 200 miles, significantly further than the roughly 120 miles the same spend delivers in a petrol car.
Affordable charging is the biggest trigger for EV adoption: 63% of non-EV drivers say lower charging costs would persuade them to switch, rising to 78% among short-term considerers and 76% among longer-term considerers.
char.gy says road pricing reforms must protect EV cost advantages, which are currently one of the strongest drivers of the transition to electric vehicles.
EV running costs are already beating petrol, and protecting that advantage will be critical to maintaining consumer confidence as road pricing reforms are considered, new analysis from char.gysuggests.
New figures released as the Government consults on potential road pricing mechanisms for electric vehicles show that £20 spent on electricity using char.gy’s overnight tariff can power an electric vehicle for around 150–200 miles, significantly further than the roughly 120 miles the same amount would deliver in a typical petrol car.
For the average UK driver, that equates to around 7–10 days of driving from a £20 overnight charge, compared with around six days for petrol.
The findings are significant given the role that lower running costs play in incentivising EV adoption. char.gy’s report with YouGov “What Everyone Should Know About EVs” shows that affordable charging is the single biggest trigger for switching to electric vehicles. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of non-EV owners say reduced charging costs would persuade them to switch, rising to 78% among drivers considering buying an EV in the near term and 76% among longer-term considerers.
John Lewis, CEO of char.gy, said:
“For many drivers considering the switch to electric, the key question is simple: will it cost less to run?
“Our analysis shows that even today, using public charging, £20 of electricity can power an EV significantly further than £20 of petrol.
“Affordable charging is one of the biggest drivers of EV adoption. As policymakers consider new road pricing models, it will be crucial to protect the cost advantages that are already helping millions of drivers move away from petrol and diesel.”
Overnight charging driving savings
Char.gy says growing adoption of off-peak charging tariffs is helping drivers maximise these cost benefits.
The company’s overnight tariff – priced at around 39p/kWh – allows EV drivers to charge when electricity demand is lower, significantly reducing the cost per mile compared with petrol vehicles.
The company says a growing share of its customers now use overnight charging to manage costs, with drivers able to save substantially compared with charging during peak periods.
char.gy says any new system should ensure the transition to electric vehicles does not erode the cost advantages that are currently encouraging drivers to switch.
If new policies significantly increase the cost of driving electric vehicles, the company warns it could risk slowing adoption at a critical stage in the UK’s transition to zero-emission transport.