The Cost of EV Charging: Home Versus Public Charging
As more people switch to electric vehicles, one crucial aspect to consider is the charging infrastructure. With the number of public chargepoints increasing the question arise, should you charge your electric car at home or rely on using public charging stations? If you are lucky enough to have both options available (many people without a driveway don’t), there’s a clear winner regarding cost-effectiveness: charging at home.
Cost of Home Versus Public Charging
You tap into your existing electricity supply when you charge your EV at home. This means paying residential electrical rates, which are far lower than the rates at public charging stations.
When you use public charging facilities, the rates can vary depending on location, provider and charging speed, but they are far higher than home electricity rates.
Public Charging - The weighted average price to charge an electric car on the public charging network in January 2024 was 56p/kWh on slow/fast chargers and 80p/kWh on rapid/ultra-rapid chargers. Using average EV efficiency statistics, this is equivalent to 17 pence per mile and 24 pence per mile, respectively.
Home Charging – If you’re charging your vehicle at home on an overnight EV tariff, like the popular Octopus Intelligent tariff, it would cost 7.5p/kWh, calculated to just 2.25pence per mile.
Petrol Vehicle - Compared with a modern petrol car, like a Vauxhall Corsa 1.2L with a combined MPG of 47.9 and a petrol price of £149.70 per litre, this is equivalent to 14 pence per mile.
These statistics show that using public chargers is between 7 and 11 times more expensive than charging your vehicle at home. These prices also show that it is more costly to run an electric vehicle than a petrol car if you’re relying on public charging facilities.
In a recent survey by Which? 60% of public charger users said they had experienced a payment issue at least once. 63% of people said they found it difficult to compare prices between charge point operators, and 40% stated they were unhappy with the availability of public chargers [source].
While public charging stations play a crucial role in extending the range of EVs and providing charging options for drivers on the go, they come with a far higher price tag. Investing in a home charging solution for daily charging needs and cost-effectiveness is the way to go.
Home Charging Solutions
Home charging is the most convenient option; however, many people don’t have driveways to park their vehicles while charging. You can remedy this issue using a solution like Charge Gully ™️ , which offers an effective cross-pavement charging solution to charge an EV without a driveway. Charge Gully is a lockable, ultra-shallow and durable cable channel that allows a charging cable to be run safely across the pavement.
Charging your electric vehicle at home is undeniably cheaper in the long run. Home charging offers far more convenience and flexibility and allows you to take advantage of lower electricity rates and potential incentives from utility companies.
If you want to take advantage of home charging prices and enjoy all the convenience it offers but don’t have a driveway, learn more about Charge Gully and how we can help. Email our team at hello@chargegully.com, and we’ll be in touch soon.