Households in England with their own driveway and an electric vehicle (EV) charger are facing additional costs of up to £52 from July 1, experts have warned. This follows the announcement of a new energy price cap that will take effect on that date.
Warning for EV Drivers
Experts have issued a warning for drivers with EV chargepoints on their driveway ahead of the new energy price cap on July 1. According to WhatCar?, larger vehicles such as SUVs could pay up to £52.12 in additional costs.
Claire Evans, WhatCar?'s consumer editor, explained: "The electricity price cap increase is bad news for all consumers, including EV drivers, but there are ways of mitigating the extra cost. Do your research on the best EV home charging tariffs to ensure you're on the cheapest option, take advantage of affordable workplace charging if you can, and look for off-peak deals and special offers on the public charging network."
Examples of Increased Costs
For example, the BMW iX3 currently costs £26.82 to charge, which will increase to £28.38 under the new price cap. Over a year, that amounts to £52.12 in additional costs. The charging cost for the Renault 5, meanwhile, increases from £11.35 to £12.01, totaling an extra £22.06 annually.
Average EV Usage
According to the RAC Foundation, electric cars travel around 10,000 miles per year on average. Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows that the average EV can travel around 300 miles on a charge. That means the typical EV driver could plug in for the equivalent of 33.3 charges per year.
Ofgem CEO Comments
Tim Jarvis, Ofgem CEO, said: "Today's price change reflects continued volatility in global energy markets. This means higher wholesale gas prices, driven by ongoing conflict in the Middle East, is impacting the price we pay for energy. We understand many will be concerned about rising prices. While energy use typically falls over the summer months, there are still practical steps households can take to manage costs, including exploring fixed tariffs or changing their payment method. Smart meter customers can also take advantage of half price or cheap electricity at the weekends."
