To think there are no real perks to driving an electric car?

[MyHeartyBlueShaker]

You’d think there would be more incentives - cheaper parking, easier charging access, or some kind of priority. But in reality, it often feels like there are just extra costs and hassle. What are the actual rewards?

Interesting.

That means it's not really financially viable for those who have to use public chargers all the time then. If both cars worked out at 19p a mile to run why would someone pay thousands more for an electric version?

Just put of interest I had a look at the zap map. In my town of well over 20k residents there are precisely TWO public chargers. They charge 79 p a unit

EVUK recently published a report on the cost of EVs. Here are some paragraphs from This Is Money because I'm not downloading the whole report to my phone - it's 17 pages.
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/electriccars/article-14443813/Electric-cars-cheaper-four-five-UK-drivers-says-industry-report-heres-says-you-save.html?ico=comment-anchor

"It considered total cost of ownership for 50 different EVs across 480 scenarios representative of living and driving situations for motorists across the country.
...
However, not all instances showed EVs to be the cheapest option.
For motorists living in properties without off-street parking, the saving benefits of running an EV is 'not always enough to offset the higher cost of public charging,' the report said.
...
It added: 'In 90 per cent of scenarios, consumers who can charge at home save by switching to an EV, compared to 58 per cent of scenarios where drivers rely entirely on public charging.'"

So where consumers cannot charge at home, in 42% of scenarios EVs are more expensive.

The document itself is called 'Cost Of Driving Electric 2025'.

@Gogogo12345Yes. Many areas are very short of chargers or they are very expensive. As petrol isn’t too expensive at the moment, public chargers are not cheap enough. Lots of articles been published about there being no financial advantage of having a Ev.

The other big issue is cost of new EVs and private buyers not buying them new. Companies buy them but private buyers are not increasing their purchasing. Depreciation can be huge and it’s way better to buy secondhand - if you can find what you want. That’s the growth market. Then there’s the tax for EVs that are over £40,000 list price. That’s lots of family sized EVs. Certainly many cars not made in China. The incentives for buying EVs are not there unless you can charge cheaply at home.Although plenty seem to like gizmos on this thread, the majority of private buyers are not persuaded.

'In today’s economy, where every pound counts, it is essential to recognise that the real cost of owning an EV is far more competitive than many car buyers realise.'

Also this: So where consumers cannot charge at home, in 42% of scenarios EVs are more expensive. Is not true. In those 42%, the costs will be the same as an ICE. But, other benefits such as the environmental ones, will still exist.

@EilishMcCandlish How can you say the research is not true? Most research on costs is saying the same thing. Some public chargers, plus the cost of buying the car and possible depreciation do make them on a par or even more expensive. Some of us are in a great position to own one or get one via work. Where owners are using their own £, ownership is stalling and incentives are being taken away.

I missed a word out.
In the 42% of cases (using public chargers) that are not cheaper, some will cost the same as an EV. They will not all automatically be more expensive, as PP suggested
Either way, in 80% and increasing, of all scenarios, EV are cheaper.

@Youneverknowwhatyourgonnaget ”and then having the battery put in landfill after 10 years”

The batteries get recycled. They never go to landfill.

Still not going to encourage people to pay more up front them have to find public chargers and not even save any money. There's no incentive there to use the EV

There is no way I would consider buying one if I didn't have a driveway to charge on. I wouldn't want to rely on an on street charger either even outside my house because other people may be using it.

Free driving (solar panels). In the last 5 months I've charged twice at public chargers and everything else at home. 5000 miles covered.

Love the car and would never ever go back.

For me, the user experience is a massive issue. Which is why I love my EV so much and wouldn't go back to petrol. The tiny inconvenience of having to think a bit more about long journeys (which I rarely do) is negligible when compared to the inconvenience, cost and other general random disadvantages to a petrol vehicle.

My car is comfortable, easy to drive, I have one pedal driving so rarely need to use the brakes, I can ensure it's warm to get in on cold mornings and cool when it's hot. Charging it costs peanuts at home and the very rare fast charge at a commercial charge has been a minimal inconvenience compared to the need to go to a petrol station every 10 days in a petrol car.

I do understand what you're worrying about, if you can't see the benefits yourself, but truly, can't you see that for the vast majority of us, EVs represent a far more superior car owning and driving experience and we're 100% not self-sacrificing anything in choosing them.

Not everything in life I solely about cost. I choose to pay more for some things in my life because they are better quality, an improved experience, taste nicer, better welfare etc, depending on what it is I am buying. Choices that are better for the environment will come in that category for some, even if it costs a bit more. Our EV does cost a fraction of the cost to run of our ICE, but it is so much nicer to drive that even if it cost more, I would still choose it.

Save what exactly because EVs are more expensive than ICE to buy.

People go on and on about how cheap the fuel costs are, neglecting the fact that the car probably cost them a good few more K in the first place to buy because of the cost of the battery.

EVs can be cheaper. But you need 2 things. One is the ability to charge using your own electric. The other is relatively high mileage so you can actually recover the fuel costs. Spending £5K more on a battery powered car to save on fuel makes no sense if you are only doing 10 miles a week.

Range anxiety IMO is largely rubbish. Yes there are probably a vanishingly small number of people for who relatively low ranges and relatively long charging times become a serious issue and time sink. But for the vast majority of people they are largely irrelevant. People complaining about range because they have to do one 300 mile trip to the seaside once a year are largely talking nonsense.

Everyone in the UK could survive with an electric car. I am pretty sure if we ran out of petrol tomorrow then it wouldn't decrease the number of cars on the road. People would transition to electric and still use cars. The switch would inconvenience some people and cost some more money than others.But a society run completely on EVs is perfectly possible and a relatively minor inconvenience. Norway is actually getting closer to that point.

Most evidence suggests we have around 1/4 of the charging points we need and nowhere near the electricity production for everyone to charge. Some areas don’t have the phase of electricity needed either. We are way behind target in terms of infrastructure.

Not everyone has shitloads of money to do this though. If you are on a budget then spending thousands extra is not in your lexicon. A couple of quid for better food maybe, a few thousand for an ev less so

79p a kWh is more like 20p a mile, and forms, at best, 5% of most peoples charging. The rest, even at standard rate at home not a cheap overnight rate, is only 6p a mile. That's a combined 6.5p a mile. You'd need to do 100 miles a gallon in a petrol or diesel car to beat that.

Even if half your charging is at a fast charger you're at 13p a mile. Theres also no way a large petrol SUV does 40 mpg; diesel, maybe...but you're a pariah if you use that sort of fuel nowadays ;)

It's very lovely for you that you can afford those choices.

I wouldn't have an electric car if you gave me one for free.

Dreadful things. Hideous. You can keep them!

One huge benefit, though depends who is/how they’re buying it, is it’s 100% tax deductible. And the BIK rate is very low compared to other cars.

You’ve obviously never driven one. They’re a game changer.

Evidence?

The only downside is charging if you live in a flat. Otherwise, EVs are great.

Thank you for that well thought out and logical argument
I will sell mine immediately