ELECTRIC car owners are spending hundreds of pounds more to recharge their vehicles compared to this time last year.
Rising energy prices have forced EV drivers to pay an extra £ 220 a year – but fortunately there are several simple ways to keep costs low.
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According to research by GoCompare Electric Vehicle Insurance and the UK’s leading EV charging app Zap-Map, it now costs an average of 48p per kWh to charge on a fast / ultra-fast device, compared to just 35p per kWh in December 2021.
Similarly, the cost per kWh for ordinary appliances increased from 24p to 33p in the same period.
Over a year, this works out to an average increase of around £ 225 – from £ 607 last year to £ 832 in 2022.
However, EV enthusiasts can save serious cash by charging at home or on slower, lower-powered units.
There are also increasing numbers of public charging points that can be used free of charge – including many at retail parks, supermarkets and tourist attractions.
EV drivers can also still claim that they are in a better position than motorists who have to fill up at the pumps, because charging from a standstill works out cheaper than paying for petrol – about £ 326 less per year.
With fuel prices currently going through the roof, it costs an average of £ 1,246 to travel 8,000 miles – the average annual distance – in a petrol vehicle.
But in an EV it drops to £ 923 – without taking into account further cost savings.
Ryan Fulthorpe, car expert at GoCompare, said: “Our research finds that the rise in energy costs will unfortunately have an effect on electric vehicle owners, at a cost of more than £ 200 a year.
“However, drivers can clearly see that compared to the price of petrol, charging an electric car is still the cheaper option.
“So, if you want to save money in the long run and can afford to invest in an EV, it might be your sign to do so.
“Or, if you are still unsure, consider switching to a hybrid car.
“It’s a great way for motorists to immerse their toes in the electric market, as they are not solely dependent on electricity.”
Melanie Shufflebotham, chief operating officer and co-founder of Zap-Map, added: “The rising cost of fuel is paralyzing for many.
“The cost of charging electric vehicles is also rising, but even if you take into account the most expensive fast and ultra-fast public chargers, which are the closest equivalent of fuel at a filling station, you can get less than two-thirds of the costs paid. .
“In fact, many EV drivers charge at home for most of their energy needs or charge at cheaper low-powered public chargers over a longer period of time.
“Electric cars remain a good choice for low operating costs during these uncertain times and of course much better in terms of impact on climate change and air quality emissions.”