Be.EV makes ultra-fast charging cheaper than petrol with 39p/kWh charging cost
Be.EV is offering a new public charging rate of 39p per kilowatt hour, which makes EV charging cheaper than it would be to refuel either a petrol or diesel car.
With its new ‘Mega‘ plan costing £9.99 a month, subscribers can benefit from the 39p/kWh rate at any time of date. Meanwhile, a second plan named ‘Mini’ is available from £4.99 monthly. However, the cut subscription rate sees charging prices jump slightly to 49p/kWh.
Those with the Be.EV app or an RFID card can also enjoy the 39p/kWh charging rate, albeit during dedicated off-peak hours from 19:00 – 07:00. Be.EV’s 39p/kWh charging rate works out at approximately 12 per per mile, around half of the average cost of rapid and ultra-rapid public charging*.
The cost of charging has long been an issue in getting UK motorists to make the switch from petrol or diesel to electric. It is estimated that 40% of households do not have a private parking space.
As such, many of the country’s EV drivers are dependent on public charging, where they are hit with a 20% VAT rate. Zapmap estimates that the average cost of using a slow or fast public charger with a speed of less that 150kWh will cost around 52p/kWh.
Meanwhile, the average cost of charging with a rapid or ultra-rapid charger is priced at 76p/kWh. However, charging costs can also reach up to 90p/kWh at motorway service stations.
According to Be.EV CEO, Asif Ghafoor, the Manchester-based firm’s new pricing structure tackles “an unequal, unfair public charging system than punishes millions of drivers without driveways.”
He continued, “for too long, EV charging in the UK has been built for the privileged few with a driveway. Those who rely on public charging – often people in flats, terraced housing, or busy urban centres – are forced to pay much more than those who can plug-in at home. That’s not just unfair, it’s a barrier to mass adoption.
“Be.EV’s new 39p/kWh price point proves ultra-rapid charging can be cheaper than filling a petrol tank. It tears down one of the last excuses not to go electric. Drivers deserve a charging network that is fast, fair and future-proof – and we’re determined to deliver it.”
Since its foundation in 2019, Be.EV has sought to introduce reliable community-centred charging hubs across the country and has installed over 850 sites so far. It aims to increase this figure to 1,500 by 2027.
It has received £110,000,000 in backing from Octopus Energy Generation, one of Europe’s largest renewable energy investors and Be.EV’s majority shareholder, plus another £55 million in financing from NatWest and the Germany’s commercial KfW IPEX-Bank.
