Electric car charging prices 'showcase the benefits of EVs' as petrol drivers struggle with costs

An electric car charging

People using kerbside charging have seen a 3p/kWh fall in average peak costs

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Felix Reeves

By Felix Reeves


Published: 14/09/2023

- 08:44

Motorists are benefitting from stable EV charging prices while fuel costs soar

Electric car drivers are seeing public charging costs remain stagnant while petrol and diesel prices continue to soar.

New research has found that electric vehicle owners will continue to benefit from cheaper prices even when returning to work after the summer holidays.


While petrol drivers have experienced a 4.25 per cent jump in price since July, electric car charging costs have held steady.

According to the latest AA EV Recharge Report, the price of domestic, slow and rapid charging at flat rates has remained the same in August compared to July.

An electric car home charger

The cost to charge an EV to 80 per cent using a domestic home charger is just £12

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In comparison, petrol drivers have seen prices jump from 145p per litre in July to a staggering 151.19p in August, with prices continuing to rise, with new data showing average costs of 154p.

People using kerbside charging outside their homes have seen a 3p/kWh fall in average peak charging costs, although off-peak charging has gone up 5p.

Fast (8-22kW) and ultra-rapid (more than 101kW) charging prices have also dropped over the last month.

On average, it costs a petrol driver 14.44p per mile to run the car, with EV drivers potentially paying as little as 6.74p per mile.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, commented on the new data, saying electric car owners would welcome the stability compared to those with petrol or diesel cars.

He said: “Stability in electricity prices showcases the benefits of EVs when compared to the ‘rocket and feather’ approach for fuel pricing.

“As well as limited movement in the price paid at the device, unlike fuel there is more uniformity in the cost drivers pay wherever where they plug in, be it Padstow, Pontypool or Perth.

“As more drivers and businesses make the switch to electric, many may look back at their days owning a petrol or diesel car and wonder why chargepoint companies can keep costs consistent across the UK but the fuel trade can’t.”

The cost to charge an electric car to 80 per cent using a domestic charger is just £12 on average for those with home chargers.

Even those using public ultra-rapid chargers are paying £28.40 to charge most of the battery, compared to £48.38 for a petrol car.

Both petrol and diesel prices are continuing to rise, with many blaming OPEC for a £12 increase in the price of a barrel of oil.

This took the price of oil to $90 per barrel (£72), forcing retailers to increase the price of fuel at the pumps.

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An electric car charging

Electric car charging costs continue to remain stable

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The pence per mile cost for a typical small petrol car is now 14.44p, which is more expensive than charging at peak and off-peak hours at ultra-rapid facilities.

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