Drivers urged to grab EV tariff even as standard energy rate falls

EV owners across Britain will enjoy cheaper charging from today (April 1) as the Standard Variable Tariff (SVT) for electricity is lowered.

Under the latest Ofgem changes to the energy price cap, the SVT will drop to an average of 24.67p/kWh, bringing cheaper energy and allowing an average EV to travel around 160 miles for just £10.

In contrast, with fuel prices soaring due to the war in the Middle East, a typical petrol car will get just 60 miles for the same value of fuel.

However, home charging specialist Ohme has highlighted that drivers on dedicated EV tariffs can enjoy far greater savings.

Even after the SVT reduction, a specific home charging tariff can cost as little as one third of the SVT rate – just 8p/kWh, meaning a driver could potentially get up to 500 miles of motoring for just £10.

Based on Ohme’s calculations, that’s enough to get from central London to Tenby in South Wales, or to complete the entire North Coast 500 on a single charge.

“Charging an EV with Ohme on a smart energy tariff at home will always be the most affordable place for drivers to charge their vehicles,” said Ohme CEO David Watson.

“And at a time when petrol prices are becoming increasingly volatile, there’s never been a better time to drive an EV – after all, who wouldn’t want to be able to do 500 miles for just £10?”

The recent volatility around petrol and diesel has helped spike interest in electric cars.

With petrol 19p per litre more expensive than it was at the end of February and diesel almost 39p per litre more, motorists are apparently becoming increasingly concerned about the unpredictable running costs of combustion-engined cars. On nline marketplace Autotrader has reported a 28% increase in enquiries about new EVs and a 15% rise in leads on used models.