Public EV charging undercuts petrol costs as pricing dynamics shift

Public EV charging in the UK is now, on average, cheaper than running a petrol or diesel car, according to new analysis from ChargeUK.

Using standard public chargers, drivers are paying around 54p per kWh, equating to roughly 15p per mile for a typical EV. That compares with around 17p per mile for petrol and 17.5p for diesel, marking the first time in over a year that public charging has come out ahead.

For fleets and drivers using a mix of charging types, the picture remains competitive. An 80 20 split between standard and rapid charging averages around 16p per mile. Only those relying solely on ultra rapid chargers see higher costs, at around 21p per mile.

The shift is being driven as much by rising fuel prices as it is by charging costs, with data from Zapmap and RAC underpinning the analysis.

There are also early signs of price competition within the charging market. InstaVolt has introduced a 55p per kWh off peak rapid charging rate, enabled by investment in battery storage infrastructure.

However, structural challenges remain. Public charging still carries 20% VAT compared to 5% at home, and operators face high standing charges. With the UK still among the most expensive markets in Europe for public charging, pressure is building for policy changes to lock in cost competitiveness as EV adoption grows.

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