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What Impact will the Energy Bills Crisis have on EV Drivers?

The ongoing global energy crisis is affecting households in the UK. Understand why, and read Mer’s current stance on pricing.

What does your energy bill consist of?

Your energy costs will be dictated by multiple things.

50% of your bill consists of the wholesale cost of gas and electricity.

And the remaining half is a mixture of distribution, transmission chargers, VAT, environmental costs, meter provision and your supplier’s costs, plus profits.

The Status Quo

Why are electricity rates still rising?

The ongoing issues surrounding extortionate and fluctuating electricity prices has been caused by geopolitical and economic tensions. The disruption to the UK’s gas supply, which was caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, whose gas many European countries are dependent on, has influenced gas and electricity prices.

 

What is the UK Government doing to help?

The Government is supporting households through its Energy Price Guarantee,  which has been extended until April 2024. Under the Guarantee, the amount you can be charged per unit of gas or electricity is reduced, meaning a typical household will pay an annual equivalent of around £2,500. The price guarantee will remain at its current level until at least the end of June, and from July the price guarantee may rise.

Other means of support include help with cost of living payments of varying amounts for certain individuals, and an increase of £100 to the Alternative Fuel Payment for households off gas grid.

Businesses can benefit from the new energy bills discount scheme until March 2024, which offers a discount on wholesale prices rather than costs being capped.

Impact on EV Charging

How will EV drivers be affected?

As Karl Anders, our Managing Director, outlined in this blog last year, the renewable energy source base price goes up as the gas base price increases, which in turn increases the base costs of EV charging for companies like Mer. As the amount we are paying out for electricity has risen significantly, EV charging prices have been affected simultaneously.

However, despite rising electricity prices fuelled by the increase in gas prices as a consequence of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the current reality that the cost of charging an EV is comparable to the cost of fuelling an ICE vehicle will not endure. Wholesale gas prices for this year and 2024 have reduced over 70% from their peak in August. In the long term, this means the price of electricity will also decline, and thus making charging your EV cheaper.

And, some energy providers are supporting drivers with tariffs to help reduce costs. For example, Octopus Energy’s Intelligent Octopus tariff offers drivers energy at 10p per kWh between 11.30 pm and 5.30 am every night.

 

Mer’s EV Charging Prices

Whilst the energy market remains volatile and unpredictable, our focus remains the same. As we work toward our goal of empowering the country’s shift towards a more sustainable future, our aim is to provide EV drivers across the UK with the most efficient, simple and reliable charging experience on our public network.

At the time of publication, our prices are as follows:

Fast chargers (up to 25kW):

  • Registered User: £0.55/kWh
  • Guest, roaming and contactless: £0.56/kWh

Rapid chargers (Above 25kW):

  • Registered User: £0.69/kWh
  • Guest, roaming and contactless: £0.72/kWh

 

More information on Mer’s public charging prices can be found on our Pricing page.