EV Discussion thread

Exiled_Tyke

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82115408#Comment_82115408

fine but that's a different argument to the 'convenience' point you were making

born_again

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82115420#Comment_82115420

Convience is as close as possible.

silvercar

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82115408#Comment_82115408

We’ve dropped a reduced mobility person at the entrance to the services and then parked in the charging bays. Reverse on return. Means we get to stretch our legs, the car gets charged and the reduced mobility person has time to use the facilities unrushed.

Exiled_Tyke

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82115465#Comment_82115465

I was thinking just this. And the example I gave was one extreme. People seem to think that most Tesla chargers are in places without amenities. My point was (with this one exception) all the ones I use (currently) have perfectly adequate faculties. My next planned trip will take in Gretna where I see the chargers are at an Outlet Mall with a Costa, Starbucks and I"m sure other food and drink places. Like my other examples it's only just off the motorway. £10 extra for the convenience of the motorway services just doesn't make sense for me personally.

Martyn1981

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82115589#Comment_82115589

all the ones I use (currently) have perfectly adequate faculties.

Sadly, it's been a long time since mine were even close to perfect or adequate. 😄

QrizB

Some minor good news in the Budget for EV owners who can only use public chargers.

In addition, the government welcomes the publication alongside the Budget of Philip New’s independent review of the cost of charging electric vehicles (EVs) on the public network. The government is taking immediate steps to establish a taskforce to explore allowing drivers to use their domestic electricity tariff at local, lower-powered public charge points. This is a complex proposal that will take time to consider, so the government is also announcing £100 million over the next two years to reduce costs for local, lower-powered public chargers. Coming into effect from Spring 2027, this is expected to save the average EV driver without home charging and who charges on-street around £150 per year. The Department for Transport (DfT) will set out next steps in due course.

Taken from the 2026 Budget policy paper.

So it sounds as though slow (7kW/22kw?) chargers could become ~6p/kWh cheaper in the short term, with the longer-term plan being to enable you to buy public electricity at your domestic tariff rates.

(6p/kWh is my calculation based on the Govt's footnote of 8000 miles/yr at 0.303 kWh/mile. That's 2424 kWh/yr, so a £150 saving would be 6p/kWh.)

NedS

@QrizB wrote:

So it sounds as though slow (7kW/22kw?) chargers could become ~6p/kWh cheaper in the short term, with the longer-term plan being to enable you to buy public electricity at your domestic tariff rates.

That's really interesting. Thinking about it, what difference does it make if I purchase 50kWh of electricity at home or at the charging point down the street, I'm still using 50kWh of electricity.

Question: Who pays for the chargers to be installed and maintained? If the company who installs and maintains (operates) them is no longer selling me electricity at inflated prices, who pays for providing it?

silvercar

It’s all going to be in the detail. If I charge at 6p/KWH at night, will that apply to these public chargers?

That's really interesting. Thinking about it, what difference does it make if I purchase 50kWh of electricity at home or at the charging point down the street, I'm still using 50kWh of electricity.

Same difference if you purchase your milk from Waitrose or Aldi, the product may be the same, but the pricing is not.

EricMears

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82185055#Comment_82185055

Alas, "The government is taking immediate steps to establish a taskforce" doesn't mean anything will result from it any time soon ! It could be as soon as two years hence but it's just as likely they'll spend years discussing it and eventually give up in about ten years time 🤔 But it makes a good headline.

EricMears

Milk isn't a good example as it's pretty much the same anywhere ! But for a wide range of other goods I would agree.