Charging costs

[Radders]

I'm assuming a lot of us will have read this: Electric car charging costs nearing petrol prices for some - RAC

Is anyone getting cold feet about their order (assuming this is their first EV)? I'm fortunate to be able to home charge, and even at the current standard variable price (I'm with Octopus) of 26p per kwh it's still a fair bit cheaper than filling up my current ICE car, although the gap has narrowed a bit. But some of the rapid charger prices are looking a bit eye watering at the moment if I were to go on a long journey.

Bizarrely, the Octopus EV tariff looks really cheap overnight, but significantly higher than variable during the day - which is when most of my electricity is consumed. Some quick man maths shows that the EV tariff would be far more expensive than just charging on the variable rate.

Just wondered if anyone else has looked into it?

Maybe of use, the figures whilst partly estimated are pretty accurate

Car	Date	MPG	Ltr / Tank	Miles / tank	Av Price /Ltr	Cost / Tank	Cost / mile	Annual mileage
								17500
Kia Sportage	1/10/21 to 6/9/22	42	55	500	£1.66	£91.30	£0.18	£3,195.50	Average £/ltr
Adjusted Kia	6/9/22	42	55	500	£1.84	£101.20	£0.20	£3,542.00	Today £/ltr
		M/kWh	kW Battery	Miles / 'tank'	Cost kWh
		Average		Hi/Lo 180/110
MG	13/10/21 - 22	3.125	44.5	139	£0.05	£2.23	£0.02
Adjusted MG	13/10/21 - 22		44.5	500	£0.05	£8.00	£0.02	£280.00	If all Off Peak Elec
Adjusted MG	13/10/21 - 22		44.5	500	£0.24	£39.04	£0.08	£1,366.40	If all Normal Rate Elec
Adjusted MG	13/10/21 - 22		44.5	500	£0.45	£72.00	£0.14	£2,520.00	If all Public Charger

 

[Nigelleics]

You certainly could, it is about 2.5kWh peak load. But it is where the energy comes from. Can’t really seem myself going to Tescos daily for free energy just to heat the tub up.

Solar not an option for us as plan to move within 3 years so payback period doesn’t work out.

I'd be inclined to go solar even if moving soon. For starters, a home with an income stream (or £900 pa savings) on it's roof is a) more valuable, b) more desirable, which could get more interest in your property and a higher agreed sale price. I personally would never pay top money for a large house with an energy bill of £4000 pa, instead I'd discount it by the cost of a full solar system. In time, or even now for some, it will be like viewing a home with no central heating.

 

[tsedge]

I'd be inclined to go solar even if moving soon. For starters, a home with an income stream (or £900 pa savings) on it's roof is a) more valuable, b) more desirable, which could get more interest in your property and a higher agreed sale price. I personally would never pay top money for a large house with an energy bill of £4000 pa, instead I'd discount it by the cost of a full solar system. In time, or even now for some, it will be like viewing a home with no central heating.

The problem is we are already setting a new ceiling price for our road, without even a charger, let alone solar and we’ve been advised that down here we cannot expect an increased price just greater saleability (which the house does not lack), so it doesn’t add up. Beyond a certain point buyers will just not pay more in a given area.

I expect you are right that this will eventually happen and maybe it already does in other parts of the country.

 

[McPhee]

Worth bearing in mind when doing these calculations that the miles per kWh figure shown in the vehicle doesn't equate to the amount of kWh that you're paying for. There are losses between the meter and the battery. The MG4's "meter to wheel" efficiency is likely somewhere in the 3 miles per kWh range.

I switched to Go in July. Average unit rate since has been 27.25p per kWh, so no massive saving versus the April price cap. But versus the (now irrelevant) October price cap, the cost is roughly half. And even when comparing against the EPG it's a saving of 6.75p per kWh, which isn't to be scoffed at. That's with an old 3.3kW charging Leaf too, so plenty of charging happening outside the cheap period.

Thanks. As you say this depends on your usage. Our home use is 17kWh per day, so rather different. That is in part because we run a hot tub and have a large detached house. Thanks for showing your calculations, that will help other people work out their usage and what is best for them.

Hot tubs and EVs don't really go together in the current market, unless you have battery storage.

With an EV, you want to be able to take advantage of time of use tariffs and demand shifting to reduce the cost of charging. But these tariffs always come with peak rates, which will be in effect at the time you want to use the hot tub.

No getting round it really, short of using the hot tub in the small hours

 

[Collected]

The problem is we are already setting a new ceiling price for our road, without even a charger, let alone solar and we’ve been advised that down here we cannot expect an increased price just greater saleability (which the house does not lack), so it doesn’t add up. Beyond a certain point buyers will just not pay more in a given area.

I expect you are right that this will eventually happen and maybe it already does in other parts of the country.

I know the solar we put on our old house roof didn’t add value only saleability a few years ago, which was mad because it was on the best FIT too. But I think it was a bit ahead of its time. We half wished we’d brought it with us.
Maybe get a home storage battery now with a hybrid inverter. You should be able to set it up to be able to charge without needing to be connected to many, if any, panels, and then take it with you when you leave… or do a deal with the purchasers so you and they know they’re paying for it. Get it ground mounted so you don’t have to worry about scaffolding costs. Then you can make the most of the EV tariff and warm your tub anytime for cheap.

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

I know the solar we put on our old house roof didn’t add value only saleability a few years ago, which was mad because it was on the best FIT too. But I think it was a bit ahead of its time. We half wished we’d brought it with us.
Maybe get a home storage battery now with a hybrid inverter. You should be able to set it up to be able to charge without needing to be connected to many, if any, panels, and then take it with you when you leave… or do a deal with the purchasers so you and they know they’re paying for it. Get it ground mounted so you don’t have to worry about scaffolding costs. Then you can make the most of the EV tariff and warm your tub anytime for cheap.

On yesterday's Fully Charged video about Bobby Llewellyn's house, they also said go battery before solar, as you can charge it overnight on cheap rates and use it during the day.

 

[tsedge]

Thanks guys, this is useful advice