Electric car rapid charging costs soar, says RAC - BBC News
"Right now, VAT on electricity from a public charger is levied at a rate four-times that which applies to domestic electricity, which makes it far more expensive to charge on-the-go than it should be,"
Z.
Reasonable in my view, it is not just the difference in VAT which is less than 15%, but also in the case of a public charger you are paying for the use of someone elses expensive equipment and for use of the land upon which it is situated. The wicked fat cat charge point operator might even make a profit ! Whatever next, oil companies making profits ! At the very least the operator of the charge point would probably seek to recover the standing charge via the charging fee.
Charging at home is a one time only cost to install a charge point, and then the cheaper price per unit. The standing charge is generally ignored as it is payable anyway. Charging at home is probably cheaper and simpler, but public fast charge points will be needed for longer trips.
Consider an example in which the net cost of the electricity is £10-00. Domestically, 5% VAT will take the total cost to £10-50. If the electricity is supplied for non domestic use then 20% VAT will take the total payable to £12-00. £1-50 extra on what would have cost £10-50 at home is a little less than 15%
Perhaps the VAT on public chargers should be more like 40 per cent to discourage heavy road use and wearing out the vehicle's tyres. That would encourage more cyclists and horse riders on the safer and quieter roads.
In fact, while I was just making a cup of tea, I thought that it would be most satisfying just to stay at home and charge the E.V. occasionally. Turn on the vehicle radio and lights, and perhaps even the heater. Then in the full knowledge that you are saving money, just charge it at home. This would also reduce maintenance costs for the vehicle.
Z.
Last night I filled up with diesel at a supermarket in Yeovil £1.729 per litre.
On the way home I stopped at a service area on the M5, the diesel was £1.999 per litre, there was one car charging using the EVSE in front of the entrance to the main building.
Now, can someone explain to me why people would think charging an EV at a motorway service area would be inexpensive?
If you are there for two hours you have to pay to park as well, including whilst you are charging.
I suggest that the VAT is negligible. When the Instavolt chargers were put in at the filling station around the corner, it was 35 p per kWh. For comparison, I was paying about 15 p. They are now charging 57 p. I don't think that I have yet had to take off my shoes and socks to count on my fingers and toes how many times I have seen them in use.
The work done and energy consumed is indeed about the same in either case.
Charging in the off peak hours makes better use of existing generating capacity and of transmission/distribution capacity. If daytime charging becomes popular, there would be a strong case for adding more solar generating capacity. Several hundred kw of PV could be installed over a supermarket car park and could be very worthwhile at current electricity prices.
Twenty per cent tax is not negligible Chris. And........................................................................please leave your shoes and socks on. Wanna buy a cheap calculator? It's solar powered.
P.S. Chris, please donate any 20 per cent surplus money from income to:
Zoom,
Smoking Room,
Old Suppers Inn,
Grog Street,
Southend,
Essex.
(The end for non smokers).
Z.
"Strain" is not just total energy consumed Zoom but rather how and when and at what rate whilst other loads are elsewhere thereby straining the grid in the healthiest/unhealthiest way.
The grid was always a bit near it`s limit before all this EV malarkey, Last Straw Camel's Back syndrome might be avoided
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