One of the most common questions asked by drivers considering an electric vehicle is simple: how much will charging actually cost me?
The honest answer depends far less on the car itself and far more on where and how you charge. When you look beyond headline prices and examine annual costs, monthly averages, and cost per mile, the difference between home charging and public charging becomes very clear.
Using realistic UK assumptions and a typical annual driving distance of 6,000 miles, the figures below compare three common charging scenarios: home charging on a standard domestic tariff, public charging with a subscription, and public pay-as-you-go rapid or ultra-rapid charging.
Home Charging Remains the Gold Standard for Value
Charging at home on a standard electricity rate of 29p per kWh remains the most cost-effective option by a significant margin.
Over a year, the total electricity cost comes in at £497.14, with no subscription fees. That equates to a monthly average of £41.43 and a cost per mile of just 8.3p.
For drivers who can charge overnight, this is where electric vehicles really shine. Running costs are predictable, affordable, and substantially lower than petrol or diesel equivalents. This is why access to home charging is widely regarded as the single biggest financial advantage of EV ownership.
Public Charging With a Subscription: Convenience at a Cost
Public charging networks that operate on subscription models often promote lower per-kWh pricing. In practice, the numbers show that this still represents a notable premium compared with charging at home.
At 52p per kWh, annual electricity costs rise to £891.43. Once £108 per year in subscription fees is added, the total annual cost reaches £999.43.
That works out at £83.29 per month, almost exactly double the cost of home charging. The cost per mile also doubles to 16.7p.
While subscriptions can make sense for drivers without off-street parking, they underline how quickly costs increase once charging moves away from home. They can also create brand lock-in, tying drivers to a single network even if chargers are slow, unreliable, or poorly located.
Pay-As-You-Go Rapid Charging: Fast, Flexible, and the Most Expensive
Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers are designed for speed and convenience rather than affordability.
At 76p per kWh, annual electricity costs reach £1,302.86, with no subscription fee but a much higher unit price. This equates to £108.57 per month and a cost per mile of 21.7p.
This is nearly three times the cost per mile of home charging. For most drivers, rapid charging makes sense as an occasional solution for long journeys, not as a daily habit. Regular reliance on it can quickly erode the cost benefits of driving electric.
Annual Cost Comparison Based on 6,000 Miles
| Feature | Home Charging | Public Subscription | Public PAYG (Rapid / Ultra-Rapid) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per kWh | 29p | 52p | 76p |
| Annual Electricity Cost | £497.14 | £891.43 | £1,302.86 |
| Annual Subscription Fees | £0 | £108.00 | £0 |
| Annual Total Cost | £497.14 | £999.43 | £1,302.86 |
| Monthly Average | £41.43 | £83.29 | £108.57 |
| Cost per Mile | 8.3p | 16.7p | 21.7p |
How Much Do EVs Actually Travel?
A 6,000-mile annual assumption is conservative. Recent UK data suggests average EV mileage typically falls between 8,500 and over 10,000 miles per year.
This means the cost differences shown here understate the real-world impact. As mileage increases, public charging costs rise proportionately, while home charging continues to deliver strong value.
Why Charging Away From Home Costs More
Public charging prices reflect a complex cost structure that simply does not exist in a domestic setting.
Charge point operators must recover the cost of high-value hardware, grid upgrades, substations, capacity charges, land leases, maintenance, customer support, software platforms, roaming integrations, payment systems, insurance, monitoring, and compliance.
Public chargers also purchase electricity on commercial tariffs, which are typically higher and more volatile than domestic pricing, particularly for high-power connections.
Taxation further widens the gap. Home electricity benefits from reduced VAT, while public charging is treated as a commercial service and carries full VAT. This structural difference alone increases the price per kWh before any operating costs are recovered.
Why UK Public Charging Is Often More Expensive Than Europe
UK wholesale electricity costs have historically been higher than in several European countries, particularly those with large-scale nuclear, hydro, or state-subsidised generation.
Many European markets also apply reduced VAT rates or direct subsidies to public EV charging. In the UK, a greater share of financial risk sits with private operators, who must recover costs directly from users.
Utilisation rates also matter. In countries with higher EV adoption and denser charging networks, fixed costs are spread across more sessions, allowing lower prices per kWh. In the UK, many rapid chargers still operate below optimal utilisation.
What £30 Really Gets You: EV vs Petrol vs Diesel
| Vehicle Type | Energy for £30 | Approx Miles Gained | Government & Tax Component |
|---|---|---|---|
| EV (Home Charging) | ~103 kWh | ~360 miles | ~£1.43 |
| EV (Public Rapid) | ~39 kWh | ~135 miles | ~£5.00 |
| Petrol Car | ~20.7 litres | ~180 miles | ~£14.80 |
| Diesel Car | ~19.3 litres | ~213 miles | ~£15.00 |
The Bottom Line
Electric vehicles remain highly cost-effective when charging is planned intelligently.
Home charging delivers the lowest cost per mile by a wide margin. Public charging plays an essential supporting role, but it comes with unavoidable structural costs that explain higher prices in the UK compared with both home charging and some European markets.
The most empowered EV drivers are those who understand these dynamics, mix charging methods strategically, and avoid unnecessary subscriptions that limit freedom without delivering proportional value.
In the end, the numbers are clear. Where you charge matters more than what you drive.
