How recharging electric cars at public points costs more to run than petrol motors

RECHARGING electric cars at ­major public points has soared to nearly £50 — making them more expensive to run than petrol motors.

Oil giants BP and Shell — which oversee the UK’s biggest networks — charge 79p and 85p per kWh respectively.

The price has been creeping up to reflect soaring wholesale electricity costs.

Meanwhile, the price of petrol has dropped to around 144p a litre, meaning it costs about £72 to fill up a typical motor.

As a result, the cost per mile for the electric VW ID.3 is 21.43p — compared to 13.03p for the Golf 1.5L, VW’s petrol equivalent.

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “With the Government encouraging families to get electric cars, it will come as a big surprise to many that they can be more expensive to run when using public chargers.

“Of course, when charging at home, the running costs are far cheaper. But that is only possible for those who have a driveway and can install a home charger on their house.”

He urged the Government to reduce VAT on public chargers from 20 to five per cent to match the rate levied on domestic electricity.

That costs 34p a kWh, making EV running costs about 10p a mile, the said.

It will fall to 30p from July — or 8.5p a mile — when the price cap for home electricity falls.

This will make EVs charged at home cheaper than petrol cars.

Wholesale electricity costs are also falling, meaning both public and private charging should become less costly.

However, electric car owners will also have to pay road tax from 2025.

That is likely to be £165 a year, after £10 for the first year.

It comes after the Resolution Foundation called for a new road duty on EV owners to be charged at a suggested 6p per mile.

Meanwhile, road builders industry body the Asphalt Industry Alliance said weighty EVs may cause more potholes.

Chair Rick Green said: “Unclassified roads would not have been designed to accommodate HGV axle weights, so heavier electric cars could exacerbate existing weaknesses, thereby accelerating decline.”