- Monthly report will track all public chargepoint options
- November 2022 – Domestic charging half the cost of ultra-rapid charging
- “This report will help educate and inform drivers looking to switch to an EV” says AA president
Electric cars can lose out to diesel cars when looking at the pence per mile cost, according to the AA in its newly-launched monthly EV Recharge Report.
It found that for those EV drivers who do not have any form of personal dedicated off-street charging, running a diesel is cheaper at 13.25 p/mile.
AA’s new report analyses the pay-as-you-go (PAYG) pricing across all chargepoint speeds available on the public charging network, as well as domestic charging costs. It takes the average prices of more than 6,000 publicly available charging units across the UK, around a fifth of all devices (17%), to help drivers understand the cost of charging and help them determine the speed of charge needed while out on the road.
It aims to give drivers an initial insight into the charge-point costs they can expect to keep their EV running without subscriptions.
AA EV Recharge Report – November 2022 (All PAYG prices not including connection fees where applicable)
| Charger type | Speed (kW) | Lowest price (p/kWh)2 | Highest price (p/kWh)2 | Average price (p/kWh)2 | Cost to charge 80% at Ave p/kWh3 | Pence per mile (p/mile) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Domestic |
3-7 kW |
Using price cap |
34 p/kWh |
£20.94 |
7.99 p/mile |
|
|
Slow |
Up to 7kW |
35 p/kWh |
69 p/kWh |
54 p/kWh |
£33.26 |
12.69 p/mile |
|
Fast |
8-22 kW |
35 p/kWh |
75 p/kWh |
49 p/kWh |
£30.18 |
11.52 p/mile |
|
Rapid |
23-100 kW |
35 p/kWh |
79 p/kWh |
60 p/kWh |
£36.96 |
14.11 p/mile |
|
Ultra-rapid |
+101 kW |
55 p/kWh |
79 p/kWh |
69 p/kWh |
£42.50 |
16.22 p/mile |
Fast charge cheaper than slow and EVs cheaper than petrol for p/mile
The November 2022 report confirms that domestic charging is the cheapest possible option for EV owners, even with prices on the government’s capped levels. Domestic charging is also half the price of ultra-rapid options.
The AA found that fast charging is on average cheaper than slow charging. Slow charging is usually found in on-street locations such as lampposts, whereas fast chargers can be found in car parks where people intend to stay for several hours. Fast chargers also represent the most common chargepoint in the public network outnumbering rapid and ultra-rapid devices by more than three to one.
However, slow charging providers often offer a subscription service which unlocks rates lower than the average fast charging price.
For those that do not have any form of personal dedicated off-street charging, running a diesel is cheaper at 13.25 p/mile, based on the following calculations:
Kia Ceed with a 50 litre tank. 80% refuel = 40 litres.
Petrol: 40 litres @ 162.98 ppl = £65.19. Combined MPG of 49.6 = 446 miles at 14.62 p/mile.
Diesel: 40 litres @ 187.16 ppl = £74.86. Combined MPG of 62.8 = 565 miles at 13.25 p/mile.
In contrast, all but ultra-rapid chargers, petrol is more expensive on a pence per mile basis (14.62 p/mile), but EV drivers using a combination of domestic charging and ultra-rapid top-ups is cheaper than running a petrol or diesel car.
Edmund King, AA president, said: “We are pleased to launch an EV version of our much-acclaimed Fuel Price Report. This report will help educate and inform drivers looking to switch to an EV and show how the cost of charging moves over time.”
Jack Cousens, the AA’s recharging spokesman, said: “Surprisingly, fast chargers are on average cheaper than slow charging, but subscription offers for on-street lampposts can be found with deals around 29 p/kWh.
“Most people will opt for pay-as-you-go rates when away from home, especially if they top their EV up at rapid and ultra-rapid chargers. While the cost of recharging will always be cheaper than refuelling, EVs can lose out to diesel cars when looking at the pence-per-mile cost.
“However, those with a home charger reap the rewards of the cheapest rates possible. Many can also enjoy discounted rates if their energy provider offers an off-peak tariff for overnight charging.”
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