How Much Cost to Charge Electric Car at Home?

Costs of Charging Different EV Models at Home

Like a fuel-powered car, EVs come in an increasingly large range of models, engines, and battery sizes, so the costs to charge your car at home may differ from someone else's if their vehicle is bigger.

Likewise, a rapid charging station will cost more to install and more per minute, but it will overall normally be a little cheaper because you won’t need to charge for as long to replenish the battery.

On average, it costs around £15.10 to fully charge an EV at home, particularly if you charge the car overnight, based on a 7-kW home charging station and an off-peak tariff.

Electricity costs also vary between providers, tariffs and areas. Still, the UK average is roughly £0.28 per kWh, which means a 60 kWh EV will require approximately £15 of electricity to have a 200-mile range.

There are options to switch to electricity tariffs specifically aimed at EV drivers, which can be economical and reduce charging costs to under £5, provided you charge your car at night.

EV Charging Costs Based on Battery Size

The below table demonstrates why the costs to charge an electric car vary between models – for this illustration, we have used the average £0.28 per kWh tariff.

EV	Battery	Range	Cost to Charge	Cost per Mile
Nissan Leaf	40 kWh	168 miles	£11.20	£0.068
Tesla S 100D	100 kWh	388 miles	£28	£0.072
Mitsubishi Outlander	13.8 kWh	28 miles	£3.86	£0.14

The Mitsubishi is a hybrid, whereas the other two models are fully electric – the cost per mile assumes the driver is in electric mode and shows that while hybrids have benefits, they are more expensive to run than 100% electric engines.

Comparable Costs of Charging an EV at a Petrol Station

It is useful to understand the different charging options and costs – these also vary between providers, but we’ll have a look at BP Pulse as one of the larger charging station providers with around 9,000 charging points, a third of which are ultra-fast or rapid chargers.

A BP Pulse subscription costs from £7.85 per month with three months free for new account holders. Alternatively, you can choose to subscribe to a free membership but will pay a higher rate that starts from £0.35 per kWh.

The costs break down as follows:

Membership Type	BP Pulse Charger	Cost
Full	BP Pulse150	£0.65 per kWh
Full	BP Pulse50	£0.55 per kWh
Full	BP Pulse 7	£0.44 per kWh
Free or PAYG	BP Pulse150	£0.77 per kWh
Free or PAYG	BP Pulse50	£0.67 per kWh
Free or PAYG	BP Pulse 7	£0.57 per kWh
Contactless	BP Pulse150	£0.79 per kWh
Contactless	BP Pulse50	£0.69 per kWh
Contactless	BP Pulse 7	£0.57 per kWh

The slower BP Pulse7 EV station is available in car parks and supermarkets and charges a standard EV battery in seven to eight hours. BP Pulse50 is a little quicker, with fast charges of up to 80% in an hour.

It costs more to use the BP Pulse150 because the charger has speeds up to 150 kWh and is the model you'll find on petrol forecourts.

As we can see, the costs of a public charger are significantly more than charging an EV at home, particularly if you need a super-fast charge and don’t have several hours to leave your car.

Annual Costs of Charging EVs at Home

Another perspective, if you’re comparing the costs of a fuel and EV car, is to think about how much you pay per mile and per annum in transport costs – excluding car tax, congestion charges and insurance, which are often considerably lower for eco-friendly EVs.

The average UK driver covers 8,100 miles a year and pays up to £0.34 per kWh – this is slightly higher than the calculated average but takes into account the Energy Price Guarantee from October 2022.

It makes sense to use the highest potential electricity costs to be sure you are making a cost saving when switching from petrol to electric.

Over 12 months, EV home charging costs are:

• Between £0.093 and £0.0104 a mile for a very small city-type car, such as a Renault Zoe - a cost of £750 to £840 per year.
• From £0.098 to £0.12 per mile for a medium or larger EV, including a Tesla Model 3 and Nissan Leaf – you would pay around £800 to £975 a year to charge compact SUVs of a similar size.
• It takes roughly £0.12 to £0.142 to charge a hybrid or large EV like an Audi e-Tron, equivalent to £975 - £1,150.

Heavier, bigger EVs inevitably cost more to charge, but you may find that you can reduce your charging to every two or three days if you have an EV with a conservative power consumption rating.

Cheapest EVs to Charge at Home

Just as some petrol or diesel cars are gas guzzlers, and others are efficient and economical, EVs vary in terms of battery power, performance and running cost.

Generally, the more luxurious an EV and the more gadgets it has, the faster it loses power because the battery needs to power touch screens, climate control, and heated seats, as well as the electric engine.

Some brands and EV models perform best in terms of running costs and costs per charge – but bear in mind that some of these vehicles are designed for city driving and may have a lower distance capacity than bigger options.

• The Hyundai Kona Electric uses 3.7 miles per kWh and has a 64-kWh battery, with running costs of £0.091 per mile based on £0.34 per kWh electricity tariffs.
• The Fiat 500e Cabriolet has a 37.3 kWh battery, needing 42.9 kWh for a full charge, consuming one kWh per mile driven.
• The Tesla Model 3 is a larger EV with a modest 60 kWh battery, covering 3.7 miles for each kWh and costing around £0.092 per mile to drive.

Most EV manufacturers recommend charging the battery 100% once a week or so rather than letting the battery drain fully or running on a partial charge for several days in a row.

Other Cost Factors in Charging an EV With a Home Charging Station

Of course, the electricity itself is only one of the overall expenses associated with charging an EV at home – you need the charging station and car, which, depending on the model, may be similarly priced to other standard petrol vehicles.

EV chargers for home use start at around £500, although they can be more expensive if you need to re-route your electricity supply, install new wiring, or carry out any external work to fit an outdoor charging dock.

Electricians and EV charger installers may also cost more if you need to:

• Fit more than one charger for multi-vehicle households or in different parking spots.
• Switch from single-phase to three-phase power – usually if you live in a dual-purpose building or an apartment block.
• Install a rapid EV charger called a DCFC (DC fast charging station).

It is always advisable to get three quotes before you pick the right size, placement, and power of your EV charger to ensure it is suitable for the EV you have and will provide sufficient charging capacity without being unnecessarily costly.

Ways to Reduce Home Charging Costs for EVs

The cost comparisons we have used depend on the current UK average price per kWh of electricity or the estimated new average from October 2022 to April 2023 with the Energy Price Cap – this may or may not change in the future.

However, EV drivers may be able to reduce the cost of charging their vehicles by choosing an electricity provider that offers specific tariffs for EV owners.

Most of these products have similar standard rates but charge much lower overnight tariffs, designed to make it more cost-effective to charge during off-peak times, thus avoiding putting too much stress on the grid.

One example is Octopus Go, which charges a reduced rate of £0.12 per kWh (compared to a £0.28 - £0.34 average) between 00:30 and 04:30 every day, keeping fuel costs down to as little as £0.03 per mile.

Charging an EV with 100 kWh at those rates would cost £12. The exact tariff available outside those hours varies between areas and property energy consumption but means that your fully charged EV will cost around 20% of the price during the day.