The rate, a result of the 2p reduction in the energy price cap which took effect from July 1, is the ‘worst case’ scenario as the price cap is the maximum a provider can charge to power up at home.
EV drivers can obtain even cheaper prices with special EV tariffs if they plug in at off-peak times, typically overnight. In December 2022, when the AA first launched the EV Recharge Report, the price cap for charging a car domestically was 7.99p a mile – 61% higher than now (4.97p). Across the public charging network, meanwhile, all tariffs remained static.
Public charging costs had already fallen earlier in the summer. Slow and kerbside charging fell in June (as much as 8p per kWh for slow charging at peak times) and ultra-rapid public charging costs dropped in May (down 5p per kWh at both peak and off-peak times). Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, said:
Driving an EV for less than five pence a mile is a landmark moment and shows just how cheap running an EV can be. As this is the cost based on the standard variable rates, savvy EV drivers will have scoped out the best deals across energy providers to bring their costs down further.