How Increasing Energy Bills Could Impact Electric Vehicle Charging Prices

Electric vehicle drivers could face higher public charging costs in the future as energy bills soar for charging firms. Motoring experts worldwide are calling on the government to revisit how these companies are charged to avoid unfair costs being passed on to drivers. 

Over the past three years, network charges have increased by more than 400% and electric vehicle charging firms could be left with no other choice than to pass these price hikes onto motorists.

The experts at LeaseLoco say that not only is this unfair to EV drivers, but it will also negatively impact the government’s net-zero goals. 

Recent SMMT data show that, despite electric vehicle sales growing, they still account for a small share of the overall market, which suggests there are still factors putting drivers off making the switch to EVs

According to ZapMap, the current cost of charging an electric vehicle ranges between 16 pence per mile on standard chargers to 23 pence per mile on rapid chargers.

Although there are free public chargers, they account for only around 2% of EV charging points in the UK. 

Electric vehicle charging companies currently have fixed charges when it comes to energy bills. 

This means they pay a fixed fee just to be connected to the grid, regardless of how much electricity is actually consumed.

Since the demand for EVs is still growing, these companies are paying much more for capacity they don’t currently use, and these costs will ultimately be passed on to drivers.

John Wilmot, CEO of car leasing company LeaseLoco, is urging the government to develop a fairer system in which costs reflect energy usage rather than future demand.

He said: “If the government is still hoping to reach their net zero goals by 2035, then they’ll need to seriously consider adopting a fairer system that reflects actual usage when it comes to charging EV charging firms.

“Not only is passing these costs on to consumers unfair, but it will also discourage drivers from making the switch to electric. They shouldn’t have to pay more today for electricity they aren’t using yet. 

“Even though EV sales are growing, they’re currently losing share of the overall market, which means barriers like these could be holding them back. 

We should be thinking about policies and ways we can support and encourage drivers to adopt EVs rather than springing additional costs onto them.”