The cost of charging an electric car

[normal rules]

I’ll be honest. Ive not looked into this a great deal until recently. I’m quite shocked at how much this could cost.
I’ve always thought it would cost “pence” to charge your car overnight at home. That’s not the case.
For a 60 kWh battery at 17p per kWh you could be looking at an overnight charge cost of £9-£10 (based on 90% charge) Or £300 a month on your electric bill if charged every night.
Doesn’t sound much. But I can foresee people plugging in their car overnight as habit when they perhaps don’t need to. £300 would get you around 2500 miles in a diesel doing 50mpg.
Granted, if you fully charge a 200 mile range car every night, that same car would cover 6000 miles for the same £300. But this would be really optimal use, which many won’t achieve.
Plus the price of electric is likely to go up.
And undoubtedly, electric cars will pay road tax before long, as the govt cannot afford to lose all that income.
I suppose a good question is if you leave a battery car on the drive for days on end unused, does the range degrade. ? If you could get away with charging your car say once a week or once a fortnight, then it makes it an appealing proposition.
Anyone on here got an electric car and can comment?

[Filo]

I don’t know the answer to your question, but in my view the big EV con is just around the corner, lost revenue from combustion engine powered cars, fuel duty, road tax etc. Will have to be replaced by something else, watch electricity prices go through the roof through taxation, ot’s a big con, America will keep their gas guzzling vehicles and cheap fuel while we are conned

[Ldr]

I’ll be honest. Ive not looked into this a great deal until recently. I’m quite shocked at how much this could cost.
I’ve always thought it would cost “pence” to charge your car overnight at home. That’s not the case.
For a 60 kWh battery at 17p per kWh you could be looking at an overnight charge cost of £9-£10 (based on 90% charge) Or £300 a month on your electric bill if charged every night.
Doesn’t sound much. But I can foresee people plugging in their car overnight as habit when they perhaps don’t need to. £300 would get you around 2500 miles in a diesel doing 50mpg.
Granted, if you fully charge a 200 mile range car every night, that same car would cover 6000 miles for the same £300. But this would be really optimal use, which many won’t achieve.
Plus the price of electric is likely to go up.
And undoubtedly, electric cars will pay road tax before long, as the govt cannot afford to lose all that income.
I suppose a good question is if you leave a battery car on the drive for days on end unused, does the range degrade. ? If you could get away with charging your car say once a week or once a fortnight, then it makes it an appealing proposition.
Anyone on here got an electric car and can comment?

If you plug it in when charged (I.e. don’t need to) it won’t draw the £9-£10 per night you quote. I have a phev (tax break choice rather than environmental choice)

[normal rules]

And 1.2 billion people in India will continue to ride around on 2 stroke motors.
We are mugs in this country. Utter mugs.

[normal rules]

I’ll be honest. Ive not looked into this a great deal until recently. I’m quite shocked at how much this could cost.
I’ve always thought it would cost “pence” to charge your car overnight at home. That’s not the case.
For a 60 kWh battery at 17p per kWh you could be looking at an overnight charge cost of £9-£10 (based on 90% charge) Or £300 a month on your electric bill if charged every night.
Doesn’t sound much. But I can foresee people plugging in their car overnight as habit when they perhaps don’t need to. £300 would get you around 2500 miles in a diesel doing 50mpg.
Granted, if you fully charge a 200 mile range car every night, that same car would cover 6000 miles for the same £300. But this would be really optimal use, which many won’t achieve.
Plus the price of electric is likely to go up.
And undoubtedly, electric cars will pay road tax before long, as the govt cannot afford to lose all that income.
I suppose a good question is if you leave a battery car on the drive for days on end unused, does the range degrade. ? If you could get away with charging your car say once a week or once a fortnight, then it makes it an appealing proposition.
Anyone on here got an electric car and can comment?

If you plug it in when charged (I.e. don’t need to) it won’t draw the £9-£10 per night you quote. I have a phev (tax break choice rather than environmental choice)

Once charged, how long does the charge last if the car is not used please?

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I’ll be honest. Ive not looked into this a great deal until recently. I’m quite shocked at how much this could cost.
I’ve always thought it would cost “pence” to charge your car overnight at home. That’s not the case.
For a 60 kWh battery at 17p per kWh you could be looking at an overnight charge cost of £9-£10 (based on 90% charge) Or £300 a month on your electric bill if charged every night.
Doesn’t sound much. But I can foresee people plugging in their car overnight as habit when they perhaps don’t need to. £300 would get you around 2500 miles in a diesel doing 50mpg.
Granted, if you fully charge a 200 mile range car every night, that same car would cover 6000 miles for the same £300. But this would be really optimal use, which many won’t achieve.
Plus the price of electric is likely to go up.
And undoubtedly, electric cars will pay road tax before long, as the govt cannot afford to lose all that income.
I suppose a good question is if you leave a battery car on the drive for days on end unused, does the range degrade. ? If you could get away with charging your car say once a week or once a fortnight, then it makes it an appealing proposition.
Anyone on here got an electric car and can comment?

If you plug it in when charged (I.e. don’t need to) it won’t draw the £9-£10 per night you quote. I have a phev (tax break choice rather than environmental choice)

Once charged, how long does the charge last if the car is not used please?

I've not noticed it drop from 100% at any point when left.  My electric bill has gone up by less than half what my fuel bill has gone down.  As said it doesn't draw charge unless needed and you can schedule the chargers to only work at set times anyway via app.

[SydneyRover]

And 1.2 billion people in India will continue to ride around on 2 stroke motors.
We are mugs in this country. Utter mugs.

No you are not you will have cleaner air to breathe (there is no safe level of pm 2.5) and help in the fight against climate change. Here the federal gov is ideologically opposed to climate change action and renewable energy. They told us renewables would increase the cost of electricity ................. in a country with super cheap coal, renewables have driven the price down.

[normal rules]

And 1.2 billion people in India will continue to ride around on 2 stroke motors.
We are mugs in this country. Utter mugs.

No you are not you will have cleaner air to breathe (there is no safe level of pm 2.5) and help in the fight against climate change. Here the federal gov is ideologically opposed to climate change action and renewable energy. They told us renewables would increase the cost of electricity ................. in a country with super cheap coal, renewables have driven the price down.

Air moves around the planet though. Our efforts will be a drop in the ocean when polluting countries such as India and China continue their use of fossil fuels . The proverbial pissing in the wind.

[SydneyRover]

And 1.2 billion people in India will continue to ride around on 2 stroke motors.
We are mugs in this country. Utter mugs.

No you are not you will have cleaner air to breathe (there is no safe level of pm 2.5) and help in the fight against climate change. Here the federal gov is ideologically opposed to climate change action and renewable energy. They told us renewables would increase the cost of electricity ................. in a country with super cheap coal, renewables have driven the price down.

Air moves around the planet though. Our efforts will be a drop in the ocean when polluting countries such as India and China continue their use of fossil fuels . The proverbial pissing in the wind.

yeah you're right don't bother

[selby]

  Anybody know how many electric cars will be needed to bring down the pollution levels of the fires caused by deforestation in the world?
  Are you back to controlled fire breaks in your part of the world Syd after your scare with the bush recently?

[SydneyRover]

it's always been done

[Axholme Lion]

Also is there a special school electric car designers go to to make them look boring and ugly?
The only decent looking ones i have seen are for the US based alpha cars.

https://www.alphamotorinc.com/jax

[Ldr]

I’ll be honest. Ive not looked into this a great deal until recently. I’m quite shocked at how much this could cost.
I’ve always thought it would cost “pence” to charge your car overnight at home. That’s not the case.
For a 60 kWh battery at 17p per kWh you could be looking at an overnight charge cost of £9-£10 (based on 90% charge) Or £300 a month on your electric bill if charged every night.
Doesn’t sound much. But I can foresee people plugging in their car overnight as habit when they perhaps don’t need to. £300 would get you around 2500 miles in a diesel doing 50mpg.
Granted, if you fully charge a 200 mile range car every night, that same car would cover 6000 miles for the same £300. But this would be really optimal use, which many won’t achieve.
Plus the price of electric is likely to go up.
And undoubtedly, electric cars will pay road tax before long, as the govt cannot afford to lose all that income.
I suppose a good question is if you leave a battery car on the drive for days on end unused, does the range degrade. ? If you could get away with charging your car say once a week or once a fortnight, then it makes it an appealing proposition.
Anyone on here got an electric car and can comment?

If you plug it in when charged (I.e. don’t need to) it won’t draw the £9-£10 per night you quote. I have a phev (tax break choice rather than environmental choice)

Once charged, how long does the charge last if the car is not used please?

Hi NR, I’ve not noticed any drop off in charge when the car has been sat unplugged when I’ve been away. I suppose as with any battery it’s efficiency will decline over time. My lease cars change every 3 years so doubt I will get to a stage where it’s noticeable but private buyers probs need to consider it

[normal rules]

I’ll be honest. Ive not looked into this a great deal until recently. I’m quite shocked at how much this could cost.
I’ve always thought it would cost “pence” to charge your car overnight at home. That’s not the case.
For a 60 kWh battery at 17p per kWh you could be looking at an overnight charge cost of £9-£10 (based on 90% charge) Or £300 a month on your electric bill if charged every night.
Doesn’t sound much. But I can foresee people plugging in their car overnight as habit when they perhaps don’t need to. £300 would get you around 2500 miles in a diesel doing 50mpg.
Granted, if you fully charge a 200 mile range car every night, that same car would cover 6000 miles for the same £300. But this would be really optimal use, which many won’t achieve.
Plus the price of electric is likely to go up.
And undoubtedly, electric cars will pay road tax before long, as the govt cannot afford to lose all that income.
I suppose a good question is if you leave a battery car on the drive for days on end unused, does the range degrade. ? If you could get away with charging your car say once a week or once a fortnight, then it makes it an appealing proposition.
Anyone on here got an electric car and can comment?

If you plug it in when charged (I.e. don’t need to) it won’t draw the £9-£10 per night you quote. I have a phev (tax break choice rather than environmental choice)

Once charged, how long does the charge last if the car is not used please?

Hi NR, I’ve not noticed any drop off in charge when the car has been sat unplugged when I’ve been away. I suppose as with any battery it’s efficiency will decline over time. My lease cars change every 3 years so doubt I will get to a stage where it’s noticeable but private buyers probs need to consider it

Thanks ldr. I’m going to hold off as long as poss before I take the plunge. The balance is way off currently for me in any case.  My runaround is a Vw up. 1.0 litre.£20 tax and 70 mpg. A tank gets me over 400 mile.
We have a disco 3 also for towing the shed on wheels. Which will be the first to go if the govt hike fuel and road tax in the coming years.
I hope hydrogen tech moves on in next 10 years making it a competitor or even replacement for battery tech.

[sha66y]

I have a diesel, but I might want an electric,
Yet I don’t particularly care about the effect either has on the climate….

Guess that makes me same as 99.99% of the UK……normal then

[normal rules]

I have a diesel, but I might want an electric,
Yet I don’t particularly care about the effect either has on the climate….

Guess that makes me same as 99.99% of the UK……normal then

Indeed.my concern is that electric cars are billed as green. But they are just as bad given the electricity comes from somewhere. And with recent news that the use coal fired power stations are being ramped up. Makes it all a bit pointless?
Oh, and they are bloody expensive.

[albie]

Some misunderstandings again in this thread.
https://pod-point.com/guides/driver/cost-of-charging-electric-car

If you top up at night, it is rarely from fully discharged, and you do not need to be fully charged at all times.
This is the same as thinking that you need a petrol station at your house....you need the power to do the task set for the next day, or the ability to recharge when required.

Confusion again between purchase price and running costs.
EV will be more expensive than ICE until about 2024, then cost to buy will fall below ICE as economies of scale take effect.

Over the lifetime of the average vehicle, EV will be about 50% of the total cost of ownership of ICE, depending on how long you keep the same car.
https://www.drive-electric.co.uk/electric-vehicles-vs-petrol-diesel-hybrid/

Best to consider leasing, as you stay on top of the tech in a changing environment.
Solid state batteries are about to enter the market, and will mean a step change in the auto sector.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Even better if like my company you can charge at work for free. I'm sure the government will look to tax that as a bik eventually.

Normal rules, the coal fired thing isn't an increase its the norm, not sure why it was a story this week.

[albie]

Right on cue enter the Shapps App;
https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4036877/shapps-app-government-backed-app-help-drivers-switch-evs

Unfortunate nickname, as Mr Shapps will be gone and forgotten soon.
That said, it might be helpful to some in weighing up the choices.

[River Don]

The truth will emerge when they start taxing electric vehicles at a level more inline with  conventionally fuelled cars.

I think the answer is to try and find work within a bicycle ride distance from home.

[normal rules]

Yep, when the economy of scale happens, if at all, the govt will start hammering ev owners, based on value. Tesla owners beware.

[albie]

Interesting side issue in how often folk need to charge up;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/cars/electric-cars-charge-three-weeks-25002494

Like I say, some think they need a full battery all the time....not so!

[normal rules]

I was reading an Eriba forum today about towing and one chap was talking about how happy he is with his Tesla model x .ok if you have 82 grand lying around.

[SydneyRover]

I have a diesel, but I might want an electric,
Yet I don’t particularly care about the effect either has on the climate….

Guess that makes me same as 99.99% of the UK……normal then

Oh ................ I wish I had an electric car, I'd drive it up and down

I'd take it on the highway, I'd drive it into town

When I need to charge it, I'd plug it in the wall

And when I pass the luddites, I'd give two fingers to them all .................

[Draytonian III]

Being a “non driver “ what about people who live in a flat say on the 14th floor how are they going to charge their car’s , extension lead out of the window ?

[Axholme Lion]

Being a “non driver “ what about people who live in a flat say on the 14th floor how are they going to charge their car’s , extension lead out of the window ?

That's the general idea. Or park in a dodgy car park and come back in the morning to find someone has stolen your charging lead and your car has been vandalised.

[Pancho Regan]

Being a “non driver “ what about people who live in a flat say on the 14th floor how are they going to charge their car’s , extension lead out of the window ?

That's the general idea. Or park in a dodgy car park and come back in the morning to find someone has stolen your charging lead and your car has been vandalised.

Whereas if you had a conventionally-fuelled car and lived on the 14th floor you would .... what?

[SydneyRover]

We can embrace it now (accepting that there is a huge cost for many) or have it forced on us in maybe 10 years. Global warming is accelerating at a such scary rate I feel most predictions will will be passed their used by dates all too quickly.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Being a “non driver “ what about people who live in a flat say on the 14th floor how are they going to charge their car’s , extension lead out of the window ?

That's the general idea. Or park in a dodgy car park and come back in the morning to find someone has stolen your charging lead and your car has been vandalised.

Ever tried removing a charging lead from a parked, locked car?

[Metalmicky]

Being a “non driver “ what about people who live in a flat say on the 14th floor how are they going to charge their car’s , extension lead out of the window ?

That's the general idea. Or park in a dodgy car park and come back in the morning to find someone has stolen your charging lead and your car has been vandalised.

Ever tried removing a charging lead from a parked, locked car?

I haven't even seen one - are they secure then...?
For instance, many charging points are generally outside also.... so could you not just disconnect from the mains socket and then remove the other end from the car? - genuine question - I have know idea.