Don’t have a driveway? Going electric might not be the best option for you.

For drivers without home charging facilities, costs can skyrocket. A study by BFY Group reveals that for a 110-mile round trip from London to Brighton, charging at home would cost approximately £2.64. However, utilizing rapid chargers located at motorway service areas or hotel parking lots can raise that cost to about £26.40, while charging on residential streets could amount to £17.33.

In contrast, the cost of making the same journey in a petrol car averages around £17.45, which is comparable to the price at a standard public charging point for an electric vehicle. Additionally, purchasing a petrol car is generally less expensive than buying an electric model.

Currently, the UK has around 1.5 million electric vehicles on the roads, constituting 4.4% of the overall vehicle population. The UK government has mandated a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars starting in 2030.

A survey conducted by energy supplier Eon Next among 5,000 drivers found that 59% of respondents identified the financial burden of transitioning to electric vehicles as a significant barrier. Although automakers have been implementing discounts to enhance sales and meet zero-emission goals, electric vehicles still tend to be pricier than their petrol counterparts.

According to AutoTrader, a new electric Vauxhall Corsa is priced at £29,485, in comparison to £23,795 for the petrol variant. Similarly, the electric Renault Zoe retails for £30,440, while a comparable petrol Renault Clio is priced at £19,220.

In the used car market, older electric vehicles, particularly those around three years old, often sell for less than petrol models due to a less mature second-hand market.

The High Cost of Public Charging

While manufacturers and energy providers often contend that lower operating costs for electric vehicles compensate for their higher initial prices, this advantage is primarily relevant for those with home charging access. Vehicle owners who can charge at home can benefit from special electric car tariffs, costing between 6p and 10p per kilowatt hour (kWh) for overnight charging.

Based on BFY’s analysis—which takes into account a price of 8p per kWh, a vehicle efficiency of 3.3 miles per kWh, and annual mileage of 7,500 miles—charging overnight could total roughly £180 each year.

Conversely, slow public chargers found on lampposts or bollards are priced around 52.5p per kWh, while quick chargers located at motorway services or retail areas charge approximately 80p per kWh.

The Public Accounts Committee admitted in March that the high disparity in costs between home and public charging is likely the primary hurdle for electric vehicle adoption in the UK.

From July 2022 to March, petrol prices declined from 192p to 140p per litre, reducing the annual running costs of petrol vehicles from £1,627 to £1,190, assuming fuel efficiency at 40 miles per gallon over 7,500 miles.

Since March, oil prices have continued to drop, resulting in unleaded petrol prices falling to 132p per litre.

Using public slow chargers exclusively led to an increase in annual costs from £810 to £1,181 during the same timeframe, while costs for those relying on fast chargers rose from £1,178 to £1,800. Most drivers dependent on public charging will likely use both charger types.

These calculations are based on official petrol pricing as well as data obtained from charging service providers and ZapMap, which offers insights into public charging locations.

‘Charging Overnight is Economical’

For Lydia Berman, if she were unable to charge her electric Jaguar I-Pace at home, transitioning from petrol wouldn’t be fiscally feasible.

After evaluating the cost-effectiveness, Berman and her husband, Russell, from Hertfordshire, traded their old Alfa Romeo Stelvio for the Jaguar last year. The Stelvio, described by Berman as a “real gas guzzler,” consumed nearly £80 worth of petrol weekly, with refueling needed twice a week.

The two-year-old Jaguar model cost them £35,000 and can travel approximately 280 miles on a full charge. When charging at home, their nighttime bill results in only £3.57, leading them to only spend around £28 last month on charging. However, when forced to rely on public chargers, Berman expressed that costs spiral out of control.

Frequently, she travels to Dorset for client meetings or requires overnight accommodations for events, with public charges costing her around £80 or £90 for those returns. Fast charging rates can soar up to 80p per kWh, over ten times the 6.5p per kWh rate she enjoys at home. “There’s the charging cost plus any additional spending during café visits while waiting for it to charge,” she detailed. “When driving to and from Dorset, this adds substantially to overall costs.”

“Without home charging, we probably wouldn’t have made the switch to electric,” she added.

Plugging a vehicle directly into a home’s electrical system can be time-consuming and could pose safety risks. As a result, many owners opt for professional installation of home chargers, which can cost anywhere between £800 and £1,200. Government grants may subsidize the installation for eligible individuals, particularly renters with off-street parking access. However, many flat dwellers find themselves unable to install chargers without the property owner’s consent.

‘The Challenges of Going Electric’

Jess and Sam Beaumont, in their early thirties, are enthusiastic about switching to electric. Living in Blackheath, southeast London, they primarily use their 2014 Nissan Note for short errands and family visits across London.

Nevertheless, their journey toward going electric has been stymied by residential property restrictions and insufficient charger availability. Residing in a maisonette without a driveway, they possess a street parking permit but would require the local council’s approval for charging installation.

Alternatives would involve using public charging stations, but these locations tend to be prohibitively expensive compared to home charging.

Jess, a communications professional, stated, “Relying on public chargers is burdensome, especially when juggling the logistics of parking with a baby. Practically, it does not make sense.”

Data from the RAC Foundation reveals that around 9.6 million UK households, or 35%, lack off-street parking, with this figure ascending to 56% in London.

Ian Barker of BFY remarked, “With nearly 40% of households lacking off-street parking and public charging often costing ten times what home charging would, further action is crucial to make electric vehicles a feasible choice for all. This requires smarter policies, fair pricing, and an inclusive charging infrastructure.”

Proposed Solutions

The elevated expenses associated with public charging have been linked to providers needing to recover installation costs along with a profit margin, compounded by a higher VAT rate on public charging (20%) compared to domestic electricity (5%).

Suggestions have been made to align VAT rates for public charging with those for home electricity to reduce fees and incentivize more drivers to consider electric options.

In Eon Next’s survey, 28% of participants perceived inadequate public charging infrastructure as a significant obstacle to their electric vehicle transition, with an equal percentage citing concerns over battery range on longer journeys.

As more people adopt electric vehicles, public charging availability and price competitiveness are likely to improve, leading to operators having a more stable customer base.

While progress is being made, such as the increase in public chargers to 76,507 in April—an annual rise of 28% and on course to meet the Department for Transport’s goal of 300,000 by 2030—significant regional disparities remain.

The average nationwide figure stands at 113 public chargers per 100,000 individuals, with Yorkshire and the Humber having 66 and Northern Ireland just 35.

What factors have influenced your decision to switch to electric? Share your thoughts in the comments below.