Electric car drivers have been warned of new price hikes in April which will see costs skyrocket for millions of Britons up and down the country.
The warning follows a new Ofgem ruling which will see the energy price cap rise by 6.4 per cent from April with electric car charging costs set to be impacted.
The new charges will come into effect on April 1 and will see charging rates increase from 24.86p per kWh to 27.06p per kWh.
For users on a standard variable tariff, the cost of charging a typical EV (60kWh battery) will rise by roughly eight per cent from £14.90 to £16.20.
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Ofgem energy hike will see drivers see costs rise by more than eight per cent from April
PA
Plug-in hybrid drivers will also see costs rise with an average car which uses 15kWh of energy per charge set to see prices jump from £3.48 to £3.78.
According to official calculations, between April 1 and June 30, the energy price cap will rise to £1,849 per year for a typical household.
Aidan Rushby, founder and CEO of Carmoola, said: "Ofgem’s price cap adjustments affect households across the UK, and while warmer months are ahead and that will help with the costs of heating and lighting homes, rising energy costs will continue to drive up monthly bills for electric vehicle owners.
"With Ofgem announcing a 6.4 per cent increase in the next price cap, EV drivers nationwide can expect a significant rise in their energy bills."
A recent survey by the group revealed that nearly a third of Britons would not switch to an EV due to rising energy costs. But following the Ofgem announcement, "this number is likely to grow," Rushby warned.
He added: "With the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales approaching and more EVs hitting UK roads, drivers will be hoping for energy price relief to make charging their vehicles more affordable."
Rushby stated that in a bid to save money, EV drivers should aim to charge their cars at home whenever possible and explore whether their energy providers offer off-peak tariffs "to help reduce charging costs by topping up at these cheaper times".
Despite this, the price of ultra-rapid peak and off-peak charging fell by 1p in January, according to the AA EV Recharge Report.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: "The continued scrutiny about the reliability of the public network is only to be expected and EV drivers will be honest and admit that it isn’t perfect.
"As the Government is now capturing the reliability of the network, including how frequently devices are out of order, charge point operators will be desperate to top the charts for their units being ready to use."
Jonathan Brearley, CEO of Ofgem acknowledged that many drivers will not find the price increase a "welcome" move but warned that the cost of energy remains a huge challenge for many households.
He added: "But our reliance on international gas markets leads to volatile wholesale prices, and continues to drive up bills, which is why it’s more important than ever that we’re driving forward investment in a cleaner, homegrown system."
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Off-peak ultra-fast chargers saw prices drop by 1p in January
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The Ofgem price increase is roughly nine per cent (£159) higher than for the same period last year with the energy regulator reviewing prices every three months.
