How To Reduce the Cost of Owning an Electric Car

In this blog:  EV Charging Habits  |  Efficient EV Driving Tips  |  Other Tips

Read on to find out how the 80-20 charging rule, driving efficiently, charging at off-peak times, and other tips can help EV owners save money with their vehicles.

Adopt Smart EV Charging Habits

Just like refuelling an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle, charging an EV is an expenditure that no driver can avoid. However, there are several ways to ensure the cost of charging does not become overwhelming, even though it’s already cheaper than the ICE equivalent.

Charge at off-peak times

Sometimes, such as when you’re on a long journey or an unexpected spanner is thrown into your plans, you simply have to charge your EV as soon as possible. However, being generally mindful of where and when you choose to charge your vehicle is important for reducing costs.

If you have a home charger and a suitable tariff, plugging your EV in overnight when energy is at its cheapest, you will save money compared to if you charge at peak hours.

You could also consider smart EV tariffs. Many providers in the UK offer dedicated EV charging tariffs that offer you money off charging your vehicle, usually overnight.

Invest in renewables

Although they come with a hefty initial investment, solar panels can be an excellent way to charge your EV for free, using just the energy from the sun. Some smart EV home chargers can be set to only take power from your panels, giving you unlimited free mileage.

Save money and preserve your EV’s battery with the 80-20 charging rule

To make sure you are not spending more than is necessary on charging, apply the 80-20 rule, which follows that it is best practice to take your EV off charge when it has reached 80% and avoid letting it run lower than 20%.

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By applying the 80-20 charging rule, you can also preserve your battery for longer. Charging to 100% will, over time, impact the degradation of the battery. To preserve the life of your battery, it is better to stop the charge when it has reached 80%.

This will also make charging more efficient. The charging experience slows the longer the vehicle is plugged in and charging for. Whilst with a rapid charger, it can take a mere 20-30 minutes to reach 80%, the final 20% will take just as long.

Depending on your EV, 80% battery life offers a good driving distance for most journeys.

As with solar, some modern, smart home EV chargers are app-controlled or can be programmed to start and stop charging at a given time, giving you maximum flexibility and control over your spend.

Efficient EV Driving Tips

Another way drivers can reduce the cost of owning an electric car is by avoiding having to charge repeatedly. And being mindful and careful of how you drive, maximising your range, is a big part of achieving that.

Drive gently

By avoiding harsh acceleration and braking, as well as driving at a high speed, drivers can minimise energy consumption and preserve their vehicle’s battery life.

For example, research by The AA shows that driving at 70mph uses up to 9% more fuel compared to 60mph and up to 15% more than at 50mph. At the other end of the scale, cruising at 80mph can use up to 25% more fuel than at 70.

Reduce drag and weight

Drivers can also minimise drag by closing windows and sunroofs when travelling at speeds above 45mph and removing any unnecessary weight from the vehicle. Likewise, unless you use them regularly, consider removing items like roof racks or boxes from your car.

Be mindful of heating and air conditioning usage

The Energy Savings Trust claim ancillaries in ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) can add more than 10% to the energy drawn from the battery. The EV’s battery will be depleted when the heating is on, so try and use it sparingly. Similarly, some EVs might also have features to warm or cool the car before you even start using it – it might be comfortable, but unless you absolutely have to, we recommend not using it.

If drivers can refrain from switching on the heating and air conditioning unnecessarily, they will waste less energy from the battery.

Check tyre inflation

Tyres that are not inflated properly influence the energy consumption of a vehicle. Checking them regularly (the Energy Savings Trust recommend at least once a month and before long journeys) means drivers can avoid wasting energy unnecessarily. You can usually find the recommended PSI on the sidewall of the tyre or by using the onboard computer.

Also, EVs use special tyres designed to better handle the weight, rolling resistance and characteristics of an electric car compared to an ICE one. When it comes time to replace your tyres, make sure you swap like for like.

Other EV Cost Reduction Tips

Beyond driving and charging habits, there are a few more ways to reduce the cost of driving your EV, depending on your circumstances.

Rent out your charger

Whilst home charging is a popular choice of charging for EV drivers, not everyone has access to off-street parking, meaning they cannot install a charger on their driveway.

If there is a community of EV drivers on your street or in your local area, you could offer your neighbours the opportunity to use your at-home charger and earn a little extra cash.

Utilise workplace charging

Many workplaces now offer on-site EV charging as a benefit for their staff or customers. If this is the case, you can charge your EV while at work and save money on your own bills.

Join an EV club

If you travel infrequently and thus cannot justify buying a vehicle of your own, why not join a car club? A car club is the perfect way to ensure you can drive an EV when you need to without the cost of purchasing your own. You will also not have to pay maintenance and insurance costs towards the vehicle.

The Energy Savings Trust provide more information about joining a car club.