One of the main questions we are asked here at Plug&Drive is: “how much does it cost to charge an electric car?”.
A good method of working this out is to start by imagining pence per kilowatt-hour (kWh), instead of pence per litre. This will make it easier to estimate for various models.
A kWh is the measurement of energy that a supplier will use in your energy bill. It refers to a person using 1,000 watts of electricity for 1 hour. If you’re charging a vehicle at home, your energy bill will display this as 19 pence per kWh – which is a fraction of the cost of petrol.
The best way to figure this out is to use the following method. If you have a petrol car that has a 40-litre tank, and the cost of petrol is £1.60, then it would cost £64.00 to fill it up. With electric cars, the size of the tank is the measurement of energy it’s able to store. The Tesla model with the largest battery is the Tesla model s100d with the 100 representing the amount of kWh it can store. So, the amount it would cost to charge this model is £0.19 per kWh x 100 = £19.00.
Electric charge points typically range between £300 – £1200 and there are several factors to consider when choosing what to buy. With most electrical products, the more power you require, the more expensive the product. A standard 7.4 kW charge point can cost between £300 – £600 whereas a 22kW charge point could cost up to £1200. The less powerful charge points are cheaper in price but are considered slow charge points. The most cost effective charge point Plug&Drive offer is the 7.4 kW Plug&Drive Charge Point. Another factor to consider is app functionality. Most, if not all electric charge points come with a back-end operating system and RFID charge cards, and some are better than others.
This will depend on who is installing your charge point. The installation price at Plug&Drive starts at £550 and all our electricians are OZEV approved. This means that when we install your charge point you are safe in the knowledge that all works are completed to current regulations. As with any electrical installation, every job is different from the next. Not all houses are the same, and sometimes different circumstances mean that additional costs can incur. Before a quotation is sent to a client, we ask for some images of the distribution board that shows the circuit breakers. A simple sketch or video that indicates the route of the cable from the distribution board to the desired charge point area is also required for an accurate quote. At Plug&Drive we would always advise a site survey for any job that may need any additional electrical work carried out.
The most cost-effective way to charge your electric vehicle is to do so during off-peak times. Naturally, there is less demand for electricity overnight, so this is the best time to charge a vehicle. Charging during off-peak times also helps to balance the electricity grid. More information can be found on the energy saving trust website.
If you’re considering having an electric charge point installed at your home or business but are unsure of what you need, please give us a call on 01621 868 138 or email info@pluganddrive.uk.
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