Electric vs Petrol Charging Costs

How much does it cost to charge an electric car?

Q: How much does it cost to charge an electric car?

Home charging costs roughly £10–£15 for a full charge at the UK standard electricity rate of around 24p per kWh. Off-peak overnight tariffs can cut this to under £6. Public rapid chargers at motorway services typically cost 70–85p per kWh, making a full charge £40–£55.

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Charging an electric car at home typically costs £10–£15 for a full charge, based on the UK's average electricity unit rate of around 24–25p per kWh. Public charging is considerably more expensive, with rapid chargers at motorway services averaging 70–85p per kWh.

Home Charging Costs

Cost per kWh at home: The average UK domestic electricity rate is approximately 24p per kWh. Charging a 60 kWh battery (typical family EV) from empty to full costs around £14–£15 at this rate. 5

Overnight off-peak tariffs: Drivers on EV-specific energy tariffs can charge overnight for as little as 7–10p per kWh, cutting a full charge cost to under £6 for many cars. 4

Home charger installation: Installing a dedicated 7kW home wallbox costs £800–£1,200, though the government's OZEV grant offers up to £350 off for eligible properties. 2

Public Charging Costs

Slow and fast public chargers: Destination chargers at car parks and supermarkets typically charge 40–60p per kWh, though some still offer free charging as a customer incentive. 3

Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers: Motorway rapid chargers (50–150kW+) from networks like BP Pulse and Gridserve regularly charge 70–85p per kWh, making a full charge cost £40–£55 — comparable to petrol for some vehicles. 3

Network pricing varies widely: There is no single public charging price in the UK. Costs vary by network, connector type, and whether you pay per kWh or per minute, so always check the rate before plugging in. 3

EV vs Petrol Running Costs

Home charging is still cheaper than petrol: Even at the standard rate of 24p per kWh, driving an EV costs roughly 3–5p per mile — less than half the fuel cost of a typical petrol car at current pump prices. 2

Public-only charging narrows the gap: Drivers who rely heavily on rapid public chargers at 75p+ per kWh may find the per-mile cost approaches that of a petrol car, particularly at motorway services. 3

Petrol prices for comparison: You can compare current petrol and diesel prices at over 4,000 UK stations on CheckFuelPrices to see exactly how EV costs stack up against filling up near you. 1

How to Keep Charging Costs Down

Charge at home overnight: The single biggest saving comes from charging at home on an off-peak tariff. Drivers who do this consistently report the lowest per-mile running costs. 4

Plan charging stops in advance: On longer journeys, planning charges at destination chargers (hotels, retail parks) is typically cheaper than motorway rapid chargers. 5

Compare petrol costs alongside EV costs: If you're deciding whether to switch to electric, check live local fuel prices on CheckFuelPrices to calculate your true current petrol spend and compare it with EV charging estimates. 1