Opinion: UK public charging costs are jeopardising an electric future – Lucy Yu

Electric vehicle (EV) charging faces a growing cost challenge that could hinder global adoption. In the UK, charging an EV at home can cost as little as 7p per kilowatt hour (kWh), making it affordable for those with driveways or access to private chargers. However, public charging networks often charge up to 10 times more, raising significant concerns for households without home charging options. This discrepancy risks jeopardising the UK’s target for 100% of new vehicle sales to be electric or hybrid by 2035.

The issue is not limited to the UK. In the US and Canada, public charging costs are typically two to three times higher than domestic rates. In Germany, they are around 1.4 times more. For the roughly one-third of households across these countries without a driveway, the running costs of an EV remain a serious obstacle. Without intervention to reduce public charging prices, the affordability of EV ownership will remain out of reach for many.

Based on a Linked In post – Ethical Corporation Magazine, a part of Thomson Reuters  

 

Back to blog