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HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO CHARGE AN ELECTRIC CAR?
Just like filling up a conventional internal-combustion engine, the cost of charging an electric car will vary, with factors to consider including car model, charging location and charger type. So while it’s a little bit of a ‘how long is a piece of string’ question, we’ll give you all the info we can by taking facts and figures for the marvellous electric MINI (naturally).
WILL I SAVE MONEY BY SWITCHING IN THE LONG RUN?
In a word, yes – you will save money by switching. Electric cars will cost you less the longer you own yours.
Why? Well firstly, electricity costs significantly less than petrol or diesel – particularly with the current soaring fuel prices! Let’s have a look at the numbers…
In 2019 the average UK driver travelled 7,400 miles a year1. That works out at around 20 miles a day. According to our super handy electric charging calculator, 20 miles in the electric MINI would use just 10% of its battery.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO CHARGE PER DAY IN 2023?
| Charger Type | Time to charge 10% | Cost* |
|---|---|---|
| Regular power socket at home | 65 minutes | £0.81 |
| PodPoint home charger | 20 minutes | £0.81 |
| Type 2 (AC) public charger | 20 minutes | £1.43 |
This mileage would require just one full charge each week, saving you around £530 per year when compared to similar petrol vehicles (based on an electric cost of £0.28 per kWh and a fuel cost of £1.78 per litre).
Calculations using an electric MINI. Default calculations values are determined on the basis of average prices recorded over the last 12 months. All information here is subject to change.
SEE HOW MUCH YOU COULD SAVE
Electric Charging Calculator.
Enjoy the many ways you can save money when you make the switch, thanks to low running costs, simpler servicing and government grants.
HOW ELSE WILL AN ELECTRIC CAR SAVE ME MONEY?
Switching to an electric car saves you money on plenty more than just fuel…
LOWER MAINTENANCE.
Electric motors are much simpler than combustion engines. Fewer moving parts equal less wear and tear, so maintenance – and maintenance costs – are likely to be lower.CONGESTION CHARGES AND CLEAN AIR ZONES.
Say goodbye to congestion, ULEZ and clean air zone charges across the UK. Electric MINI drivers are completely exempt, so long as you apply for the discount in advance.
RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMITS.
Most local authorities offer discounts for residential parking permits. Sometimes these are free for electric cars, so you get to save on that every year!BIK RATES FOR COMPANY CARS.
And if you’re considering it as a business car, you’ll be chuffed to hear there’s a BIK rate of just 2%, frozen until 2025/26. There are loads of schemes to help with the cost of charging too – both at home and at work. Read on for more info.HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO CHARGE AN ELECTRIC CAR AT HOME?
Lucky enough to have a house with a garage or driveway? This is probably where you’ll do most of your charging.
The electric MINI comes with two AC charging cables. The first fits a regular home wall socket, while the other can be used with a home charge unit that cranks up the electricity to charge even faster. Home charge units cost around £1,000 to buy and install.
But how much will it cost to charge your electric car once it’s plugged in? That all depends on what you pay for your electricity and how often it needs charging. Let’s say you drive 8,000 miles a year and your electricity costs 28p per kWh. You’re looking at around £573 in charging costs per year. Compare that to a similar petrol car with a fuel price of £1.78 per litre, and you could see a whopping saving of £1,045 per year!*
ELECTRIC CHARGING AT WORK.
In 2020, 68% of the Great British public travelled to work by car2.. Some employees see the benefit of free use throughout the day, while others may subsidise a certain amount of charging (the amount needed for your commute, for example). So naturally, we want to be able to charge our electric cars there.
And if your office doesn’t have a charging station yet, make sure they know about the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) – a government-funded scheme that really reduces the cost of buying and installing them!
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO CHARGE AN ELECTRIC CAR AT A PUBLIC CHARGING STATION?
That depends on how you want to pay and where you want to charge. Public charge points at supermarkets, shopping centres or paid car parks are often cheaper, or may even be free. In most cases you pay as you go – using contactless payment at many new chargers. To charge an EV to 80% at a public rapid charger (which are most often found at motorway service stations) it costs around £7-10. And in the electric MINI, 80% will take you up to 115 miles (that’s roughly the distance from London to Bristol!)
MAKE THE MOST OF MINI CHARGING.
We wanted to make charging on the go even easier, so we introduced MINI Charging – our handy system that gives you instant access to a huge network of over 14,000 public electric vehicle charging stations! All you need to do is scan your card or the mobile app at the charging point and you’ll be charged for any usage at the end of the month. Of course, you can see how much you’ve spent at any time in your online account.
SUBSCRIBE TO SAVE.
There’s also the option to choose a subscription package with one of our partnered networks. With IONITY Plus, just £11.30 per month will get you discounted rates at all their charging points. While for £7.85 a month, the bp pulse subscription gives you a load of special prices and benefits, while some of their chargers are completely free to use.
You can check out the tariffs and all the info you need on MINI Charging by hitting the link below. Happy electric adventures!
1 Department for Transport, National Travel Survey
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