How easy is it to charge an electric car in the UK?

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming more and more popular around the world, but especially in the UK, and for some very good reasons:

• Lower lifetime ownership costs – Typical drivers save anywhere from £5,000 to £8,000 over the life of the vehicle. This is primarily due to lower fuelling and maintenance costs. There are no oil changes required and there are lower routine maintenance costs due to the simplicity of fewer moving parts in an EV.
• Time savings and convenience – Since the vehicle requires less maintenance, there’ll be fewer trips to the repair shop. In addition, an EV can be charged overnight while you’re sleeping or at a public charging station, so you won’t need to be handling greasy or oily gas pumps. Since the EV uses no oil, you won’t have to clean up any oil stains in your driveway.
• Superior efficiency – EVs are significantly more efficient than petrol vehicles.
• Better performance - Electric cars are not only lighter but have faster acceleration
• Environmentally friendly- EVs have zero emissions. It’s estimated that drivers of EVs have reduced CO₂ emissions by more than 177,758,804 kg.

Availability of Charging Options

If you’ve been having second thoughts about purchasing an EV because you’re concerned about the availability of charging options, you need not be worried. As EV popularity has grown, the number of charging stations has been increasing to fill the demand. In fact, the government has announced a £1.6 billion funding package to help local governments to improve their infrastructure and to increase the number of charging stations, so it’s easier than ever to keep your EV batteries fully charged.

Where Can You Charge Your EV?

As stated above, more and more EV charging stations are being set up all over the country. But you can also set up a charging station at your home. While you can plug most EVs directly into a standard 3 pin socket, a dedicated home EV charger is a much better and faster option. For a vehicle battery to be charged from 0 to 100% could take as much as three times longer with a standard socket.

How Much Does a Home Charging System Cost?

The typical cost of a home charging system is around £800. However, under the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme, the Office for Zero Emissions is offering a grant of up to 75% of the cost of installation, up to a cap of £350.

How Much Does It Cost to Charge an EV?

• Home charging – The cost of charging at home is the cost of the electricity used, so it can vary with the price of electricity in your area. For example, from April to September 2022, the energy price cap was £.028 per kWh. At this rate, charging a 100kWh EV would cost £28 to charge from 0-100%. From October to December, the energy price cap was up to £.052 per kWh. Using that figure, it would cost £52 to fully charge the same car.
• Public charging stations – The cost of using a public charger is higher than that of charging at home, but the rates vary with the company that manages the charging stations. Recent prices have been anywhere from £0.44 per kWh to as high as £1.00 per kWh, so for a 100kWh battery, the cost would be from £44 to £100 for a full charge.
• Free chargers – Some public charging stations are free to use, and they’re often located at supermarkets, gyms, or hotels. While these are free to use, they usually charge the batteries much slower than the pay-for-use chargers.

Where to Buy an Electric Car

If you’d like to find an EV but are put off by the price of new electric vehicles, you should check our gently used EV inventory here at Used Car Sales Direct. We have been one of the most trusted used car dealers in this area for years, and we have a vast wealth of experience offering quality vehicles. We constantly update our inventory, so you’ll have a wide selection to choose from. Each of our low mileage used vehicles has gone through a multi-point analysis performed by one of our highly trained technicians. They meticulously check the vehicle inside and out, under the bonnet, and on the road to make sure that the vehicle you purchase here is in tip top shape. Whether you’re in the market for one of our vehicles, need service or repairs to your vehicle, or need to get an MOT inspection, we are the place to go.

If you’d like to learn more about our used car inventory, give us a call at either of our locations. In Exeter, call 01392 717888, and in Wellington call 01823 0795 437. Better yet, stop by and see us! We look forward to serving you!