Public EV charging costs: what the government review means for drivers

The Department for Transport has completed a formal review of what drivers pay to charge electric vehicles on the UK's public charging network, concluding that prices need to come down and setting out recommendations to make that happen.

For anyone who drives an electric vehicle without access to a home charger, public charging points are not a convenience but a necessity. The cost of using them has been a persistent concern, with many drivers finding that charging away from home can eat significantly into the savings they expected to make by switching from petrol or diesel. The DfT review acknowledges this and treats the current price level as a problem that requires a policy response rather than something the market will fix on its own.

The review focuses specifically on the public charging network, which covers the rapid and ultra-rapid chargers found at motorway services, supermarkets, car parks and on-street locations. Pricing on that network varies considerably depending on the operator, the speed of the charger and the method of payment, and the DfT's recommendations are aimed at bringing greater consistency and affordability to what drivers actually pay at the point of charge.

Drivers who are considering switching to an electric vehicle, or who already own one and rely on public charging, should follow further announcements from the Department for Transport as the recommendations move towards implementation. The review represents an official recognition that public charging costs are a genuine barrier, and any changes that follow from it could affect the day-to-day running costs of electric vehicle ownership across the UK.