Drivers who don't have their own driveway at home face £1,092 tax
Drivers face a £1,092 tax on electric vehicle charging - if they don't have their own driveway. According to data from Zapmap, there are 68,273 public electric car chargers around the UK, with more than 101,000 connectors available for drivers to use.
But there are still concerns that a postcode lottery is in effect, with London having double the number of combined chargers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Drivers who are prepared to ‘shop around’ for a cheaper ultra-rapid charger will pay on average 24 per cent less at peak times and 34 per cent less off-peak when compared to an average flat-rate charger.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy, said: “EV drivers travelling across the country this summer may have been surprised at the timing of the most recent increase in prices. However, any concerns about queues building at popular chargers with EVs waiting to plug-in didn’t materialise as most drivers could charge and go without any fuss.
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“Even with the slight increase, there are big savings to be had. Planning stops at ultra-rapid chargers during off-peak hours means driver could save a tenner compared to using a flat rate alternative.”
Stats show the cost to charge domestically is just £8.80 - or 4.97 pence per mile, but at some fast and rapid stations, if a driver doesn't have an EV charger on their driveway, they could be paying £23 to £29 to get their motor 80 per cent charged. That works out at 13 or 16p per mile.
It means somebody charging once a week could be paying £21 more to charge in public rather than domestically. Across a year, it would mean an eye-watering £1,092 charge. Cousens outlined: “Drivers leaving busy, urban areas will have discovered that the nation’s charging infrastructure needs more investment in rural locations. Away from popular attractions, finding a charge point can be more challenging.
“Meanwhile the fictional village of Ambridge is in the process of opening its own EV charging hub, complete with a café and possible hairdressers. If The Archers can build a charging station then others can make it a reality.”