Is the future of the electric car compromised? This is suggested by motoring press articles and messages shared on social networks stating in particular that in the United Kingdom, with the rise in electricity prices, the price of charging an electric vehicle can now exceed that of a full tank of gas.
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However, it all started with a study by RAC, a private motorist services company, which was misinterpreted, in particular by the very serious British newspaper The Telegraph. The RAC had to publish a denial to contest this information. “We did not say that it will be cheaper to run a gasoline car than an electric vehicle from October”, thus rectifies the RAC on Twitter. The statement published by the RAC does not actually say that the full of electricity will exceed that of gasoline, but that it will become more expensive.
The RAC has calculated that for an electric SUV, the price of recharging could go from the equivalent of 21 euros to almost 40 euros. The price is indeed soaring, but the RAC writes that it is still cheaper than a full tank for an equivalent thermal car.
For clarification after some inaccurate reporting over the weekend regarding the cost of recharging an EV after the energy price cap change from October (1/4)
…— RAC Press Team (@RACPress) August 30, 2022
Does this explosion in the cost of electric charging across the Channel indicate that in France it could become more expensive than filling up with gas? No answer the specialists questioned. First, for the moment the French are protected by the energy shield with prices that remain relatively contained. Moreover, it is now very complicated to determine the cost of a full tank of electricity because it varies greatly depending on several criteria. In particular, there are two ways to recharge an electric vehicle: either at home, or at terminals in town or on the highway.
At home, recharging takes longer but is much cheaper: 18 cents on average currently compared to 70 cents on the highway, according to Ehsan Emami, president of Qovoltis, charging station operator.
The terminal operators in town also set the pricing criteria as they wish explains Yoann Nussbaumer, boss of the Chargemap platform. The prices are therefore very variable from one terminal to another. The cost of recharging also depends on the model of car, its autonomy, the electricity contract chosen. Yoann Nussbaumer did the calculation for a Tesla Model Y79 kWh vehicle (450 km range). The cost of full recharging at home with a normal EDF rate is 13.75 euros, or around 3 euros per 100km. On the highway, the complete recharge of this same vehicle rises to 59.25 euros, or around 13 euros per 100km. With a diesel price of 1.77 euros per liter, the cost per 100 km for an equivalent thermal vehicle would be around 10 euros.
In summary, if you only recharge your vehicle only on the highway, this can actually already bring you closer to gasoline prices. But studies show that 90% of electric vehicle users plug in at home or at their place of business.
How can everyone be better informed?
Participate in the consultation initiated as part of the European project De facto on the Make.org platform. Franceinfo is the partner