Diesel is now so expensive that it’s cheaper to run an EV, even if you can’t charge at home
Car changing is a big deal
Running an electric car used to only make financial sense if you could charge at home on a cheap EV tariff, but with diesel prices at an all-time high that’s no longer the case. News editor Jamie Edkins has been doing the maths.
Diesel prices have just hit their highest level in UK history, with a litre now costing 199.4 pence according to Fuel Finder. The war in Iran is really hitting motorists hard as production and distribution of oil is disrupted, so now could be a better time than ever to switch to an electric car.
Historically, to get the full financial benefits of an electric car you’d have to have a home charger to access cheap EV energy tariffs, because public charging is pretty costly. However, with diesel now so expensive, it can work out cheaper to run an EV even if you can’t charge at home.
Diesel vs electric car running costs
As an example, I’ve taken the Audi Q5 TDI – a diesel-powered family SUV – and the electric Audi Q6 e-tron. During our tests of these cars, the Q5 averaged 40mpg and the Q6 e-tron achieved 2.3 miles per kWh.
At 40mpg and 199.4 pence per litre, the Q5 will cost around £2,270 in diesel over 10,000 miles. That’s 22 pence per mile.
If you have an Audi Q6 e-tron with no access to home charging, the chances are you’ll be using a mixture of slow AC chargers, such as on-street or lamp post chargers, and rapid DC stations. Based on my experience of 6 months running an EV with no home charging, the split is about 70% AC and 30% DC.
According to ZapMap, the average price of AC and DC charging is 54 pence and 77 pence respectively. Using this, and the assumed 70/30 charging split, the Audi Q6 e-tron will cost you around £1,800 over 10,000 miles. That works out to 18 pence per mile.
What does this mean for you?
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the price of diesel spike, and it’s not likely to be the last. Sales of diesel cars have been plummeting over the last year or so anyway as the fuel becomes less popular, so now could be the right time to make the switch to an electric car.
Charging an EV with no home charger isn’t the most convenient thing in the world, as I learned after living with a Volvo EX30 for six months, but with a little bit of planning it’s certainly doable and it could also save you hundreds of pounds a year.
If you’re thinking about buying an electric car with no home charger, my advice would be to check around your local area for on-street public chargers first. In my case, for example, there’s an AC charger located in a free car park within a five-minute walk of my flat. I simply plug the car in first thing, then collect it on my lunch break.
You could also speak to your employer about getting chargers fitted at work, or just top up here and there at supermarkets or your local leisure centre when you’re out and about.
Alternatively, if you’ve got a driveway, you could get a charger fitted at home. That way you can make use of super-cheap EV energy tariffs, from as little as 7 pence per kWh, and save loads more every year.
Car change? Carwow!
Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.
Want to see the latest car content first? Add Carwow as a preferred source here. Click here to follow us on Reddit, where you can keep up-to-date with all the latest news, reviews, advice guides and videos.