The home charging point provider and installer Cord has shared a common mistake that is costing electric vehicle drivers more than £13million per month.
Despite a recent slump in sales, there are now more than a million electric cars on the UK’s roads, with many drivers recently making the switch from petrol or diesel.
However, Paul Tomlinson, co-founder of Cord, warned that only using public charging points to replenish an EV battery is a waste of money.
He explained: “Far too many EV drivers are missing out on the best part of driving an electric car – waking up to a fully-fuelled car that costs less than a takeaway coffee to charge overnight.
“Instead, they are waiting around at public charging stations and spending a cumulative £13.2million more than they need to every month.”
Compared to a home charging point, many public car chargers are able to deliver more power, meaning they can replenish batteries at a much faster rate.
However, drivers have to pay a premium for the convenience, with the charge point locator Zap-Map noting that the average rapid charge was 80p/kWh in April 2024.
Whilst motorists will typically have to pay for their own charger, with units typically retailing from £500, the average cost of using one is just 32p/kWh, meaning drivers can save considerable money on charging their vehicle.
Although Paul noted that not all motorists have the luxury of their own driveway, those with on-street parking can still have their own charger installed.
He added: “Obviously, a big issue here is the 10 million homes across the UK without any off-street parking, which makes installing a home charger trickier – but not impossible.
“The Government has recently extended eligibility for an EV charging grant, so that EV drivers with on-street parking can get £350 towards the cost of a kerbside charger. This won’t solve the problem for everyone, but it’s a start.”
Under the Government’s EV chargepoint grant, eligible motorists can get up to £350 towards the cost of a charging point for a vehicle parked on the street.
Whilst these charging points are typically installed on the pavement, next to where the vehicle would typically be parked, other forms of chargers allow motorists to plug into a street light.
To apply, drivers must be the owner or primary driver of an electric car, or be awaiting delivery for one, and seek permission from their landlord if necessary.
