EV Charging: Home vs. Public

Electric vehicles are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to move around, with sales of new battery electric vehicles overtaking petrol motors for the first time last December. Buying and charging an electric car has never been easier too, thanks to companies offering electric car finance and the UK Government providing up to 75% of funding for domestic electric vehicle charging points.

However, one of the biggest hurdles preventing many people from buying electric cars is charging, with many people worrying their area only has a small charging network, or whether it’s cheaper to charge at home than out and about.

So which is more expensive? We’ve taken a look at the battery capacity of EVs sold in the UK, the electricity price per kwh (30p), and public charging costs to find out. We’ve also dived into regional electricity price data to find which areas of the UK are paying the most to charge their EVs.

The cheapest electric cars to fully charge the battery at home

1. Fiat 500e Hatchback: Cost to charge: £6.39

Taking the top spot is the Fiat 500e Hatchback, costing just £6.39 to fully charge the battery in around four hours, thanks to its relatively small usable battery capacity of just 21.3 kWh. Launched in 2020, the all-electric successor to Fiat’s retro-styled city car has a range of approximately 115 miles and is packed with innovative technology like rear parking sensors and lane-keeping assist, which coupled with its small size, makes it perfect for city driving.

2. Mini Electric: Cost to charge: £8.67

Next up is the Mini Electric, a competitor with the Fiat 500e and Honda e when it comes to electric cars for driving in the city. The three-door hatchback can reach 0-60 in just 7.3 seconds thanks to its 181 horsepower motor. Although its small usable battery capacity of 28.9 kWh is more suited to city driving, it costs only £8.67 to fully charge the Mini Electric’s battery at home, taking it to second place.

3. Mazda MX-30: Cost to charge: £9.00

In third place is the Mazda MX-30, which is Mazda’s first mass-produced all-electric vehicle and eco-friendly alternative to the CX-30. Despite its large size, the MX-30 only has a modest 35.5kWh battery, giving it 30 usable kWh and limiting its range to 124 miles on a single charge. This subcompact SUV costs only £9.00 to fully charge the battery at home.

The priciest electric cars to fully charge the battery at home

1. Mercedes-Benz EQS: Cost to charge: £32.34

Thanks to its huge usable battery capacity of 107.8 kWh, the Mercedes-Benz EQS costs a whopping £32.34 to fully charge the battery at home, making it the most expensive car per charge on the list. Its huge battery capacity means the German luxury sedan takes around 15 hours to fully charge at home, giving you a range of 380 miles at maximum capacity.

2. BMW iX M60: Cost to charge: £31.56

In second place is the BMW iX M60, costing £31.56 for a full charge at home. This luxury SUV is BMW’s first all-electric offering since the i3 from 2013, and its larger platform offers plenty of battery space for its 105.2 kWh usable capacity. Although it weighs just under three tonnes, the iX M60 can still deliver 391 miles of range and go from 0 to 60 in 3.8 seconds.

3. BMW i7 xDrive60: Cost to charge: £30.51

Rounding up the top three most expensive cars to charge is another German luxury sedan and the second BMW on the list. The i7 xDrive60 is the electric twin of the 7 Series, replacing the petrol engine with two motors and a 101.7 kWh lithium-ion battery. Thanks to this huge battery, this BMW has a range of 388 miles and costs £30.51 to fully charge the battery at home.

The cheapest electric cars to fully charge in public

1. Fiat 500e Hatchback: cost to charge £6.43

Taking first place is the 500e, Fiat’s all-new electric version of the classic 500. The 500e only costs £6.43 to charge in public, just four pence more than a full charge at home. The 500e is one of the most affordable vehicles on our list too, with a starting price of just under £20,000, after the government’s plug-in car grant.

2. Mini Electric: cost to charge £8.80

Up next is the Mini Electric, setting drivers back £8.80 per full charge in public. Thanks to its combination of iconic design and cutting-edge technology, this reborn city car has sold strongly since its launch in 2021. This comes as no surprise as the Mini Electric dishes out the same horsepower as a 2.0-litre petrol-powered Cooper S, despite being a lot heavier.

3. Mazda MX-30: cost to charge £9.59

In third place is the Mazda MX-30. This small SUV is packed full of quirky features, like the rear-hinged back doors which create a pillarless cabin, giving the MX-30 a unique driving experience. Despite its large size, the Mazda MX-30 only has a usable battery capacity of 30 kWh, resulting in a relatively short range of 124 miles and a cost of £9.59 to fully charge at a public charger.

The priciest electric cars to fully charge in public

1. Mercedes-Benz EQS: Cost to charge: £32

Taking the top spot as the car with the biggest bill at the charging station is the Mercedes-Benz EQE 350, costing £32 for a full charge. This comes as no surprise as the car has the biggest usable battery capacity on the list at 107.8 kWh. Mercedes-Benz also boasts that The EQS is the world’s most aerodynamic production car, with a drag coefficient of 0.20.

2. BMW iX M60: Cost to charge: £30

Up next is the BMW iX M60, costing £30 to fill the battery at a public charger. With two motors and four-wheel drive, the iX M60 delivers 532 horsepower and 749 lb-ft of torque, making it the faster BMW SUV currently on the market. It’s also one of the most technologically advanced cars available too, featuring rear-axle steering, park distance control, and adaptive cruise control.

3. BMW i7 xDrive60: Cost to charge: £28

Taking third place is another BMW, the i7 xDrive60. This luxury BMW model was designed primarily as a chauffeur vehicle and features options for lounge seats, a 40-speaker surround sound system, and even a 31-inch 8K touchscreen that lowers from the headlining. Charging this BMW model at a public charger costs £28 to top up the battery from 20% to 80% of the i7’s 101.7 kWh capacity.

The priciest regions to charge an electric car

1. Merseyside and North Wales: Cost to charge: £18.40

Thanks to its high energy price of £0.32 per kWh, electric vehicle owners in Merseyside & North Wales are paying the most to charge their cars, costing £18.40 to fully charge a Tesla Model Y, the UK’s most popular electric vehicle. Energy prices are higher in the regions as prices are driven by the extensive networks needed to get electricity into homes.

2. South East: Cost to charge: £17.83

Taking second place is the South East. Only a penny behind Merseyside and North Wales in terms of price at £0.31 per kWh, drivers in the region have to shell out £17.83 to fully charge a Tesla Model Y. Energy prices are high in the region thanks to a higher regional price cap, meaning different caps are set for different areas depending on demand.

3. North West, South Scotland, South Wales, South West, West Midlands: Cost to charge: £17.25

Five regions, the North West, South Scotland, South Wales, the South West, and the West Midlands all share third place. All of these western regions share the same average variable unit price per kWh at £0.30, with the price pushed up by high demand in these regions, so it’s no surprise they all tie for third place. It costs an average of £17.25 to fully charge a Tesla Model Y at home in all of these areas.

Methodology

The average cost to fully charge an electric vehicle at home was calculated by taking the usable battery capacities of each electric car model sold in the UK according to the Electric Vehicle Database and multiplying it by the overall average variable unit price of electricity for the UK in 2022 according to The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.

The cost to charge an electric vehicle from 20% to 80% of its battery capacity in public for each vehicle was taken from Zap Map.

To find the most expensive region, regional average electricity prices per kWh were taken from The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and multiplied by the usable battery capacity of the UK’s most popular EV, the Tesla Model Y.