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If you’re interested in buying an electric vehicle (EV), one of the first questions you might have is how much does it cost to charge an EV?
Charging an electric vehicle is significantly cheaper than fuelling petrol or diesel counterparts. The cheapest option is to charge at home using a charging point which has been installed by an OLEV-approved installer. Your home charging rates will, therefore, depend on the cost of your energy provider. Generally, it costs between £3.00 and £6.00 to charge your vehicle at home.
However, public charging units (fast chargers and rapid chargers) are a much quicker option for charging your electric vehicle. Fast chargers can be found in places of work and leisure areas, where people usually spend or more hours in that location. Rapid chargers can be found at motorway service stations due to the need for a speedier charge. Both of these commercial chargers are cheaper options than fuelling a normal vehicle with a combustion engine.
Charging costs for electric vehicles are calculated by pence per kWh, as opposed to pence per litre. Instead of a tank, electric vehicles concern battery capacity (kW) i.e. the kWh energy it can store. Therefore, the cost to recharge your electric vehicle will largely depend on battery capacity. This can be calculated by multiplying the price per kWh with the battery capacity. For example, to fully charge a Nissan Leaf with 30kW battery capacity at a market rate of 30p/kWh would cost approximately £9.00- a fraction of the cost of filling a petrol tank.
What is more, you can keep track of your charging costs and locations via electric vehicle charging accounts, making it easier to see your fuelling habits.