Electric vehicles will be more expensive to run than petrol equivalents from October as the latest price cap hike punishes drivers for going green. The unit cost of electricity will nearly double under new energy prices released yesterday, taking it up to 52p per kWh, up from 28p. Petrol prices have fallen in recent weeks and stand at £1.70 per litre, in comparison.
As a result, it will cost more to travel long distances in an electric car than a petrol one – even before factoring in higher purchase prices for greener vehicles.
The owner of a Jaguar i-PACE, an electric SUV, would spend £99 more to travel the same distance as a driver in the petrol equivalent, the Jaguar f-PACE, according to calculations by breakdown service, the RAC.
The petrol version can travel around 400 miles on a full tank of petrol, which would cost around £50. The electric model only has a range of 290 miles and would need multiple charges to travel 400 miles – this would cost £99 more after October’s electricity price hike.
The same is true for cheaper models. A Kia e-Niro owner would have to spend £88 more than a Kia Sportage driver to travel the same distance.
