Public EV charging costs UK
Learn how public electric-car charging is priced, what a charging session can cost and why rapid charging can cost more than charging an EV at home.
How much does public EV charging cost?
Public electric-car charging is normally priced according to the amount of electricity supplied during the charging session.
Because charging networks set their own commercial prices, two chargers offering similar speeds can still have different pence-per-kWh rates.
Electricity purchased in kWh × public charging price per kWh
For example, if a charging session supplies 40 kWh and the charger costs 75p/kWh:
40 × £0.75 = £30
Example public charging costs
These examples are not UK average prices. They simply show how different pence-per-kWh rates affect the cost of the same charging session.
| Electricity purchased | 60p/kWh | 75p/kWh | 85p/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 kWh | £12.00 | £15.00 | £17.00 |
| 30 kWh | £18.00 | £22.50 | £25.50 |
| 40 kWh | £24.00 | £30.00 | £34.00 |
| 50 kWh | £30.00 | £37.50 | £42.50 |
| 60 kWh | £36.00 | £45.00 | £51.00 |
Why do public charging prices vary?
How public charging prices must be displayed
This makes pence per kWh the main figure to compare when deciding between public chargers.
Charging-related fixed fees such as connection or transaction fees must be represented in the maximum charging price shown to the consumer.
Separate third-party costs such as parking charges do not have to be included in the EV charging price.
Does public EV charging include VAT?
Yes. HMRC’s current policy is that electricity supplied through public electric-vehicle chargepoints is subject to the standard rate of VAT.
Qualifying domestic fuel and power is treated differently and can receive the reduced VAT rate.
VAT treatment is therefore one of several reasons why comparing a domestic electricity tariff directly with a public charging price is not a like-for-like comparison.
Rapid vs fast vs destination charging costs
Charging speed describes how quickly the charger is capable of supplying energy. It does not by itself determine the amount you pay.
Destination and lower-powered charging
Hotels, car parks, supermarkets, leisure facilities and other destinations may provide lower-powered charging intended for vehicles that will remain parked for longer.
The charging may be free, included with another service or priced commercially.
Rapid and ultra-rapid charging
Higher-powered DC chargers are designed to add significant energy during shorter stops, making them particularly useful on longer journeys.
Their pence-per-kWh price can be higher than home electricity, so drivers who rely heavily on rapid charging can have a very different annual EV energy cost from drivers who mainly charge at home.
How can I estimate the cost before charging?
Is public charging more expensive than charging at home?
It often can be, but the useful comparison is between the actual prices available to you.
At home, electricity is purchased through your household tariff. Public charging is a commercial service that also has to support chargepoint hardware, grid connections, site costs, maintenance, payment systems and network operations.
Can public charging be free?
Yes. Some businesses, workplaces, hotels, retailers and destinations may provide free charging or include it as part of another service.
A charger being free does not necessarily mean the parking space or site access is free, so check the local conditions.
Do I need an app or membership?
Payment options vary by charger and network.
UK regulations require contactless payment on specified categories of public chargepoint and also contain payment-roaming requirements, but that does not mean every individual public charger has exactly the same payment options.
A network membership can sometimes offer a different pence-per-kWh price, so compare the expected charging saving with any subscription cost.
What about public charging cost per mile?
The cost per mile depends on both the price paid for charging and how efficiently the vehicle uses energy.
The most reliable personal calculation is to compare the electricity you actually paid for over a period with the miles driven from those charging sessions.
Total public charging spend ÷ miles driven using that energy
This avoids assuming that every charging session and every journey has identical efficiency.
Can public charging make an EV more expensive than petrol?
It depends on the EV, the petrol vehicle being compared, annual mileage, fuel economy and the charging prices actually paid.
Someone charging primarily at a low home electricity rate can have a very different result from someone relying almost entirely on higher-priced public rapid charging.
Our EV vs Petrol Cost Calculator allows you to enter a charging electricity rate that reflects your own situation.
Public EV charging cost FAQs
How much does it cost to use a public EV charger in the UK?
There is no single UK price. Chargepoint operators set their own rates, so check the displayed pence-per-kWh price before starting the session.
How do I calculate the cost of a public charging session?
Multiply the number of kWh purchased by the charger’s price per kWh. For example, 40 kWh at 75p/kWh costs £30.
Do public chargers have to display their price?
UK public chargepoint pricing rules require the maximum charging price to be clearly displayed in pence per kWh before the charging session.
Can the charging price increase while my car is charging?
The price charged to the consumer cannot rise above the maximum price displayed before the charging session started.
Is parking included in the EV charging price?
Not necessarily. Separate parking charges can apply at some charging locations, so check both the charger pricing and the site’s parking conditions.
Is VAT charged on public EV charging?
HMRC’s current policy is that electricity supplied through public EV chargepoints is subject to the standard rate of VAT.
Is rapid charging always more expensive?
Not necessarily in every case. Each operator sets its own price. Compare the actual pence-per-kWh rates shown by the chargers available to you.
Can a public charger be free?
Yes. Some destinations provide free charging, although parking, access or other conditions may still apply.
Is public charging cheaper with a subscription?
Some networks offer different rates to subscribers. Whether that saves money depends on the subscription cost and how much charging you do on that network.