Electric car charging is now cheaper than petrol and diesel in the UK.

Apr 24, 2026, 12:54
A2

Electric car charging is now cheaper than petrol and diesel in the UK.

Introduction

New data shows that charging an electric car at a public charger costs less per mile than petrol or diesel. Also, the price to buy a new electric car is now lower than a new petrol car.

Main Body

The cost to charge an electric car at a standard public charger is about 15 pence per mile. A petrol car costs about 17 pence per mile. A diesel car costs about 17.5 pence per mile. The price of petrol and diesel went up because of problems in Iran. Some drivers use a mix of standard and fast chargers. Their cost is about 16 pence per mile. Only drivers who use very fast chargers pay more than petrol or diesel. Charging at home is much cheaper. It costs only 2 pence per mile. Home electricity has a lower tax. Public charging has a higher tax. The UK has the highest public charging costs in Europe. Melanie Shufflebotham from Zapmap said the saving for drivers is now the biggest since May 2024. She wants lower public charging costs to help more people use electric cars. Autotrader found that the average price of a new electric car is £42,620. That is £785 less than a new petrol car. This is the first time electric cars are cheaper than petrol cars. Ian Plummer from Autotrader said car makers gave discounts and the government helped with grants. More people now want electric cars because petrol prices went up. The UK government plans to stop selling new petrol and diesel cars from 2030. From 2035, only zero-emission cars will be sold.

Conclusion

Now it costs less to drive an electric car and to buy one. But public charging is still expensive in the UK.

Vocabulary Learning

charge
To put electricity into a car battery.充電
Example:I charge my electric car at home.
cheaper
Costing less money than something else.更便宜
Example:Electric cars are cheaper to run.
cost
The amount of money you need to pay.成本；費用
Example:The cost of petrol is high.
driver
A person who drives a car.司機；駕駛者
Example:Many drivers want cheaper fuel.
price
The money you pay to buy something.價格
Example:The price of a new car is £42,620.

Sentence Learning

The cost to charge an electric car at a standard public charger is about 15 pence per mile.
This sentence uses the present simple tense to state a fact. The structure is 'The cost (subject) + is (verb) + about 15 pence per mile (complement).' The infinitive phrase 'to charge an electric car' describes the cost.本句使用現在簡單式陳述事實。主詞是「The cost」，動詞是「is」，補語是「about 15 pence per mile」。不定詞片語「to charge an electric car」修飾「cost」。
Charging at home is much cheaper.
This sentence uses the present simple tense. 'Charging at home' is a gerund phrase acting as the subject. 'Is' is the verb, and 'much cheaper' is the complement.本句使用現在簡單式。「Charging at home」是動名詞片語作主詞。「is」是動詞，「much cheaper」是補語。
The UK has the highest public charging costs in Europe.
This sentence uses the present simple tense. 'The UK' is subject, 'has' is verb, 'the highest public charging costs' is object, and 'in Europe' is a prepositional phrase.本句使用現在簡單式。主詞是「The UK」，動詞是「has」，受詞是「the highest public charging costs」，介詞片語「in Europe」表示範圍。
Now it costs less to drive an electric car and to buy one.
This sentence uses the present simple tense. 'It' is a dummy subject, 'costs' is verb, 'less' is adverb, and the infinitive phrases 'to drive an electric car' and 'to buy one' are the real subjects.本句使用現在簡單式。「It」是虛主詞，「costs」是動詞，「less」是副詞，不定詞片語「to drive an electric car」以及「to buy one」是真正主詞。
More people now want electric cars because petrol prices went up.
This is a complex sentence with a main clause 'More people now want electric cars' and a subordinate clause 'because petrol prices went up'. The main clause uses present simple, the subordinate clause uses past simple.這是一個複合句，主要子句是「More people now want electric cars」，從屬子句是「because petrol prices went up」。主要子句使用現在簡單式，從屬子句使用過去簡單式。
B2

UK Electric Vehicle Charging Costs Fall Below Petrol and Diesel for First Time in Over a Year, While Purchase Prices Also Drop Below Petrol Models

Introduction

Recent data indicates that the per-mile cost of charging an electric vehicle (EV) at standard public chargers in the UK has become lower than that of petrol or diesel for the first time in over a year, driven by rising fuel prices. Additionally, the average purchase price of new EVs has dropped below that of new petrol models.

Main Body

According to analysis by industry body Charge UK, based on figures from RAC Fuel Watch and Zapmap, the average cost of using a standard public charger (for example, on-street or in a car park) is about 15 pence per mile. This assumes typical vehicle efficiency and a national average electricity rate of 54p per kWh. For comparison, a typical petrol car costs 17p per mile, and a diesel car costs 17.5p per mile. The price difference is due to large increases in the cost of liquid fuels since the start of the conflict in Iran. For EV drivers who use a mix of 80% standard and 20% rapid public charging, the per-mile cost rises to around 16p. Only drivers who rely entirely on ultra-rapid public chargers still pay more than liquid fuel users. Home charging remains much cheaper, at as little as 2p per mile. This is partly because domestic electricity has a 5% VAT rate, while public charging points have a 20% VAT rate. Despite these savings, the UK still has the highest public charging costs in Europe. Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder of Zapmap, noted that the cost saving for drivers using a typical home/public split is at its highest level since May 2024. She welcomed measures to reduce public charging costs to support the move to sustainable transport. Separately, analysis by Autotrader found that the average list price of a new EV on its platform has fallen to £42,620. This is £785 less than the average price of a new petrol model, which is £43,405. This is the first time new EVs have been cheaper than petrol equivalents. Autotrader’s chief customer officer, Ian Plummer, said this price convergence was due to ongoing manufacturer discounts and government grants. He also pointed out a significant increase in consumer interest in EVs following recent petrol price rises. He called this milestone important for overcoming the upfront price barrier to electric car adoption. The Labour government has announced a plan to ban the sale of new fully petrol or diesel cars and vans from 2030, with only zero-emission vehicles allowed from 2035.

Conclusion

The simultaneous reduction in both running costs and purchase prices represents a notable shift in the economic viability of electric vehicles in the UK, although public charging infrastructure remains relatively expensive compared to other European countries.

Vocabulary Learning

convergence
The process of becoming more similar or coming together.趨同或匯合的過程。
Example:Autotrader noted the price convergence between EVs and petrol cars.
driven by
Caused or influenced by a particular factor.由某因素驅動或影響。
Example:The reduction in charging costs is driven by rising fuel prices.
economic viability
The ability to be financially sustainable or profitable.經濟可行性，能夠在財務上可持續或盈利。
Example:The simultaneous reduction in costs represents a shift in the economic viability of EVs.
milestone
An important event or stage in a process.里程碑，重要事件或階段。
Example:Ian Plummer called the price drop a milestone for electric car adoption.
upfront price barrier
The initial cost that prevents people from buying something.前期價格障礙，阻止購買的初始成本。
Example:Overcoming the upfront price barrier is crucial for EV adoption.

Sentence Learning

Recent data indicates that the per-mile cost of charging an electric vehicle (EV) at standard public chargers in the UK has become lower than that of petrol or diesel for the first time in over a year, driven by rising fuel prices.
This sentence uses a passive participle phrase 'driven by' to indicate the cause, and a 'that' clause to report the main information. The structure clearly links the cost reduction to rising fuel prices.這個句子使用被動分詞短語 'driven by' 來表示原因，並用 'that' 從句報告主要信息。這種結構清楚地把成本下降與燃料價格上升聯繫起來。
For EV drivers who use a mix of 80% standard and 20% rapid public charging, the per-mile cost rises to around 16p.
This sentence uses a relative clause 'who use...' to define a specific group of EV drivers, making the condition for the cost rise explicit.這個句子使用關係從句 'who use...' 來界定一組特定的電動車駕駛者，使成本上升的條件變得明確。
This is partly because domestic electricity has a 5% VAT rate, while public charging points have a 20% VAT rate.
This sentence uses 'while' to contrast two different VAT rates, highlighting the difference between domestic and public charging costs.這個句子使用 'while' 來對比兩個不同的增值稅率，突出家用充電與公共充電成本的差異。
Despite these savings, the UK still has the highest public charging costs in Europe.
This sentence uses 'Despite' to introduce a contrast between the savings mentioned earlier and the fact that UK public charging costs are still the highest, emphasizing an unexpected outcome.這個句子使用 'Despite' 來引入對比，將之前提到的節省與英國公共充電成本仍然最高的情況作對比，強調一個出乎意料的結果。
This is £785 less than the average price of a new petrol model, which is £43,405.
This sentence uses a non-defining relative clause 'which is £43,405' to add extra information about the petrol model price, making the comparison clear.這個句子使用非限定性關係從句 'which is £43,405' 來補充關於汽油車價格的額外信息，使比較更清晰。
C2

UK Electric Vehicle Charging Costs Fall Below Petrol and Diesel for First Time in Over a Year, While Purchase Prices Also Converge

Introduction

Recent data indicates that the per-mile cost of charging an electric vehicle (EV) at standard public chargers in the UK has become lower than that of petrol or diesel for the first time in over a year, driven by rising fuel prices. Additionally, the average purchase price of new EVs has dropped below that of new petrol models.

Main Body

According to analysis by industry body Charge UK, based on figures from RAC Fuel Watch and Zapmap, the average cost of using a standard public charger (e.g., on-street or in a car park) is approximately 15 pence per mile, assuming typical vehicle efficiency and a national average electricity rate of 54p per kWh. This compares with 17p per mile for a typical petrol car and 17.5p for a diesel car. The price differential is attributed to steep increases in the cost of liquid fuels since the onset of the conflict in Iran. For EV drivers who use an 80/20 mix of standard and rapid public charging, the per-mile cost rises to around 16p. Only those relying exclusively on ultra-rapid public chargers continue to pay more than liquid fuel users. Home charging remains substantially cheaper, at as little as 2p per mile, partly because domestic electricity is subject to a 5% VAT rate compared to 20% for public charging points. Despite these savings, the UK retains the highest public charging costs in Europe, a point noted by Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder of Zapmap, who stated that the cost saving for drivers using a typical home/public split is at its highest level since May 2024, but welcomed measures to reduce public charging costs to support the transition to sustainable transport. Separately, analysis by Autotrader found that the average list price of a new EV on its platform has fallen to £42,620, which is £785 less than the average price of a new petrol model at £43,405—the first time new EVs have been cheaper than petrol equivalents. Autotrader’s chief customer officer, Ian Plummer, attributed this price convergence to sustained manufacturer discounting and government grants, and noted a significant increase in consumer interest in EVs following recent petrol price hikes. He described the milestone as key to overcoming the upfront price barrier to electric adoption. The Labour government has announced a policy to prohibit the sale of new fully petrol or diesel cars and vans from 2030, with only zero-emission models permitted from 2035.

Conclusion

The simultaneous reduction in both running costs and purchase prices represents a notable shift in the economic viability of electric vehicles in the UK, although public charging infrastructure remains comparatively expensive within Europe.

Vocabulary Learning

converge
to come together from different directions to meet at a point; to become similar or identical.匯合；趨同
Example:The average purchase price of new EVs has dropped below that of new petrol models, indicating that purchase prices also converge.
differential
a difference or variation, especially in price, cost, or amount.差額；差異
Example:The price differential is attributed to steep increases in the cost of liquid fuels.
onset
the beginning or start of something, especially something unpleasant.開始；發作
Example:The price differential is attributed to steep increases in the cost of liquid fuels since the onset of the conflict in Iran.
sustained
continuing for an extended period without interruption or decline.持續的；持久的
Example:Autotrader’s chief customer officer attributed this price convergence to sustained manufacturer discounting and government grants.
viability
ability to work successfully; feasibility.可行性；生存能力
Example:The simultaneous reduction in both running costs and purchase prices represents a notable shift in the economic viability of electric vehicles in the UK.

Sentence Learning

According to analysis by industry body Charge UK, based on figures from RAC Fuel Watch and Zapmap, the average cost of using a standard public charger (e.g., on-street or in a car park) is approximately 15 pence per mile, assuming typical vehicle efficiency and a national average electricity rate of 54p per kWh.
Structural Analysis in English This sentence features a complex fronted adverbial phrase ('According to analysis... based on figures...') containing two reduced relative clauses (past participle 'based' and present participle 'assuming'). The main clause is 'the average cost... is approximately 15 pence per mile', followed by a present participle phrase 'assuming typical vehicle efficiency...' which acts as a conditional or accompanying circumstance. Parenthetical examples are inserted for clarity.Structural Analysis in Standard Written Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong) 此句包含一個複雜的前置副詞短語（'根據...分析，基於...數據'），其中含有兩個縮減關係從句（過去分詞'based'和現在分詞'assuming'）。主句為'the average cost... is approximately 15 pence per mile'，其後跟隨一個現在分詞短語'assuming typical vehicle efficiency...'，用作條件或伴隨情況。括號內例子用於闡明。
Despite these savings, the UK retains the highest public charging costs in Europe, a point noted by Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder of Zapmap, who stated that the cost saving for drivers using a typical home/public split is at its highest level since May 2024, but welcomed measures to reduce public charging costs to support the transition to sustainable transport.
Structural Analysis in English This sentence begins with a concessive prepositional phrase ('Despite these savings'). The main clause states 'the UK retains the highest public charging costs in Europe', followed by a noun phrase in apposition ('a point noted by Melanie Shufflebotham...') which itself contains a past participle reduced relative clause ('noted by...') and a non-restrictive relative clause ('who stated that...'). The relative clause contains a that-clause object ('the cost saving... is at its highest level...') with a present participle phrase ('using a typical home/public split') and a coordinate verb ('but welcomed') with an infinitive phrase of purpose ('to reduce... to support...').Structural Analysis in Standard Written Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong) 此句以讓步介詞短語（'Despite these savings'）開頭。主句陳述'the UK retains the highest public charging costs in Europe'，其後跟隨一個同位語名詞短語（'a point noted by Melanie Shufflebotham...'），該短語本身包含一個過去分詞縮減關係從句（'noted by...'）和一個非限制性關係從句（'who stated that...'）。關係從句內含一個that-從句賓語（'the cost saving... is at its highest level...'），帶有現在分詞短語（'using a typical home/public split'）和一個並列動詞（'but welcomed'），以及一個目的不定式短語（'to reduce... to support...'）。
Separately, analysis by Autotrader found that the average list price of a new EV on its platform has fallen to £42,620, which is £785 less than the average price of a new petrol model at £43,405—the first time new EVs have been cheaper than petrol equivalents.
Structural Analysis in English This sentence opens with the adverb 'Separately' and a main clause ('analysis by Autotrader found that...'). The that-clause contains the main proposition: 'the average list price... has fallen to £42,620'. This is followed by a non-restrictive relative clause ('which is £785 less than...') that includes a comparison. After a dash, an appositive noun phrase ('the first time new EVs have been cheaper than petrol equivalents') provides additional commentary, using a relative clause structure (implicit 'that') after 'the first time'.Structural Analysis in Standard Written Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong) 此句以副詞'Separately'和一個主句（'analysis by Autotrader found that...'）開頭。that-從句包含主要命題：'the average list price... has fallen to £42,620'。其後跟隨一個非限制性關係從句（'which is £785 less than...'），包含比較。破折號後，一個同位語名詞短語（'the first time new EVs have been cheaper than petrol equivalents'）提供補充說明，使用了'the first time'後的關係從句結構（隱含'that'）。
The Labour government has announced a policy to prohibit the sale of new fully petrol or diesel cars and vans from 2030, with only zero-emission models permitted from 2035.
Structural Analysis in English This sentence consists of a main clause ('The Labour government has announced a policy to prohibit...') with an infinitive phrase ('to prohibit the sale...') specifying the policy's content. It ends with a 'with' absolute construction ('with only zero-emission models permitted from 2035'), where 'permitted' is a past participle forming an absolute phrase that adds a condition or additional detail.Structural Analysis in Standard Written Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong) 此句由一個主句（'The Labour government has announced a policy to prohibit...'）構成，帶有一個不定式短語（'to prohibit the sale...'）具體說明政策內容。句末是一個'with'獨立結構（'with only zero-emission models permitted from 2035'），其中'permitted'是過去分詞，形成獨立短語，添加條件或額外細節。
The simultaneous reduction in both running costs and purchase prices represents a notable shift in the economic viability of electric vehicles in the UK, although public charging infrastructure remains comparatively expensive within Europe.
Structural Analysis in English This sentence features a complex noun phrase as subject ('The simultaneous reduction in both running costs and purchase prices') with multiple prepositional modifiers. The main verb is 'represents', followed by a noun phrase object ('a notable shift...') with a long postmodifier ('in the economic viability...'). The sentence ends with a concessive clause ('although public charging infrastructure remains comparatively expensive within Europe'), which contrasts with the main clause.Structural Analysis in Standard Written Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong) 此句以一個複雜的名詞短語作主語（'The simultaneous reduction in both running costs and purchase prices'），帶有多個介詞修飾語。主要動詞為'represents'，其後跟隨名詞短語賓語（'a notable shift...'），帶有長後置修飾語（'in the economic viability...'）。句末以一個讓步從句（'although public charging infrastructure remains comparatively expensive within Europe'）結尾，與主句形成對比。