Wheeler Dealers host Mike Brewer has claimed it can be “more expensive” to charge an electric car than filling a vehicle with petrol and diesel.
The TV star then appeared to point the finger at Rishi Sunak as he made the assessment during a Facebook Q&A ahead of the new Wheeler Dealers World Tour series.
Michelle asked: “Is it more expensive now to charge an electric car? Has it gone up?”
Mike replied: “Yes. Correct, In some cases it is more expensive to charge an electric car out on the road than it is to just fill it up with normal petrol.”
Michelle replied: “It’s funny how they get you to do something and then it turns and then you’re worse off.”
Mike added: “Yeah it’s Government, isn’t it? It’s Government, that’s what they do for you.”
Last year, data from Electrifying.com found that electric car owners using public bays were paying up to £1,213 a year to charge.
Meanwhile, estimates put the cost of topping up a Volkswagen Golf with petrol for an entire year at around £1,023.
Part of the issue surrounds extra VAT on public charging with owners forced to pay a 20 percent charge compared to five percent at home.
However, recent data from comparison site Compare the Market claimed electric cars are around £525 cheaper to own and run than petrol vehicles.
Although experts at PodPoint admit that charging at home is cheaper than public bays, they reveal rates are still low.
The experts claim that most network rapid chargers cost 74p/kwh which is about £19 for 30 minutes of charge.
However, Mike admitted that he was still a fan of some electric vehicles as he admitted the technology was improving.
He said: “It is stressful. It is getting better. I’ve driven Volkswagen Type 2 buses that are electrified that are amazing.
“It can outperform a Porsche. You can drive them without smoking at 60, 70, 80mph. In some cases, they can be better, yes.”
One viewer then asked whether he thought it was a “crime” to adapt petrol and diesel vehicles to electric powertrains.
Conversions have risen in popularity in recent years with several firms offering full transformations for thousands of pounds.
Mike replied: “Not necessarily, electrifying a classic car can give the car a brand new lease of life. It can give it longevity, [and] keep it on the road. It can make it better.”
