Most expensive electric vehicle charging providers revealed

Electric vehicle (EV) drivers could be charged almost £30 for a ‘full tank’ of electricity on the public network, £1,250 a year more than those who can charge at home, new research suggests.

After collating pricing from the UK’s biggest public rapid charging providers, Electrifying.com has calculated that the average cost of UK public rapid charging is now 53p per kWh.

This means an average electric car such as a Volkswagen ID.3 with a 58kWh battery will cost £21.52 to charge from 10-80% - the typical charging session on a public rapid charger. 

This cost increases to £28.01 for drivers using an Ionity charging point, making them the UK’s most expensive public provider, while drivers ‘filling up’ using Pod Point units at Tesco and Lidl will be charged the least at £11.36. 

Meanwhile, Instavolt recently announced an increase of 15.7% to its prices.

The news comes alongside research which found that a person driving a Volkswagen ID.3 for 10,000 miles per year would be charged £208.80 per year when charging at home on a cheap night rate, compared to £1,475.52 per year at a public charge point - £1,267 a year more than those who can charge at home.

However, that's still cheaper than the £1,800 it would cost to fill a diesel vehicle (assuming 50mpg and £9 per gallon pump pricing).

As one third of UK drivers don’t have access to off-street parking, the difference in cost is driving a two-tier nation when it comes to electric car ownership, favouring homeowners with a driveway who, despite rising energy costs, can still take advantage of cheaper energy tariffs.  

Founder and CEO of Electrifying.com Ginny Buckley said: “For drivers who are unable to take advantage of cheaper home energy tariffs, this is having a serious impact on running costs at a time when budgets are under unprecedented strain.

“It hits those living in towns and cities the hardest, the very place electric cars can have the most impact on air quality.”

Electrifying.com says that the prices for all brands show the highest price currently charged for pay-as-you-go customers.

In some cases, having a membership or monthly subscription cost can work out cheaper as these customers will pay less per kWh. 

The chart is topped by Ionity, which has been the most expensive provider in the UK since introducing its tariff of 69p per kWh in 2020.

However, while the brand was the priciest option for drivers, Instavolt and Osprey’s recent price increases (to 66p per kWh) have seen the gap narrow significantly. 

At the other end of the chart is Pod Point at Tesco and Lidl, which charges just 28p per kWh to charge at one of its 50kWh rapid chargers.

Other charging providers offering cheaper rates include EB Charging, which currently charges 44p per kWh at its 31 locations around the UK.

Offering more choice geographically are Raw, bp pulse, PodPoint, and ESB, all of whom charge a maximum of 45p per kWh for rapid charging.

Gridserve Electric Forecourts in Braintree and Ipswich also charge just 45p per kWh to access its 350kW rapid chargers. 

As some charge point providers have different tariffs for different charging speeds and, in some cases, locations, Electrifying.com itemised these according to speed available. 

Some operators, such as Pod Point and Mer, have different pricing according to location. Where possible, Electrifying.com found the highest charges.

Drivers may be able to charge at lower prices on these networks. For example, PodPoint rapid chargers at Tesco locations can be as little as 28p per kWh. Some networks may also offer subscriptions which may lower the cost per kWh.

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