Home charging costs

[RedWhiteMonkey]

I'm researching the costs of a possible electric car for the work commute. It only needs to be something small and simple. If we lease something new I like the look of the Hyundai Inster or the Fiat Grande Panta. If we look to buy outright then an older VW e-up or Renault Zoe looks good.

I know this is simple maths but I am doubting myself. We already have a wall box in our parking garage and the electricity price is 10.7248 cent (I'm in Germany) a kilowatt hour, which equates to 0.107248€ per kWh. The Hyundai has a 42 kWh battery (seems approximately the standard size for this class of electric car) and our wall box charges at 10 - 11 kilowatt (I have seen this when charging my father-in-law's electric car). I calculate that as 42kWh divided by 10 kilowatt equals 4.2 hours to fully charge. Then 4.2 hours multipled by 0.107248€ equals 0.45€.

Is that correct? Seems very cheap, am I missing something?

[Pickle_Rick]

If its 0.10 euros a kwh, and the battery holds 42kwh, then the cost to charge from completely dead to 100% is 4.20. At 10kw charge it'll take about 4 hours, makes no difference to cost whether it's that or 8 hours at 5kw, unless you're on a special time of day tariff.

Realistically you'll be charging from 20%, so cost probably more like 3.40.

Edited by Pickle_Rick on Tuesday 25th November 11:43

[ChocolateFrog]

Factor in around 10% losses but it'll still be dirt cheap even if you bought the least efficient EV available.

[RedWhiteMonkey]

Thanks, much appreciated.

I now see where my calculation is wrong, not as cheap as I thought but still a lot cheaper than a tank of fuel every fortnight. Food for thought.

[ChocolateFrog]

Easier to think of it in miles covered.

Take a fairly average efficiency of 3 miles per kWh. You're using around 4 cents a mile of electric.

Cover 100 miles a week and it's €4 a week.

[gotoPzero]

The way I calculate it is add 25% on to the estimated total - to cover charging losses, vampire drain, pre heating, winter vs summer and the occasional away from home charge. IME that covers most of it.

So for example if you think you might use 2000kWh a year then budget on buying 2500 at 10 cents. That will IME be more realistic.

I have found over the years you are more likely to drive an EV than an ICE vehicle just because its so much more economical. The above helps factor some of that too.

hth