£20 of electricity now powers an EV further than £20 of petrol - char.gy

NEW figures from on-street charging provider char.gy show that £20 spent on electricity using its overnight tariff can power an EV for around 150–200 miles, significantly further than the roughly 120 miles the same amount would deliver in a typical petrol car.

For the average UK driver, that equates to around 7–10 days of driving from a £20 overnight charge, compared with around six days for petrol.

This is based on typical EV efficiency of 3–4 miles per kWh for medium-sized electric vehicles. With petrol prices around £1.45–£1.55 per litre in early 2026, £20 purchases roughly 13–14 litres of petrol, equating to approximately 110–120 miles of driving for a typical petrol vehicle.

The findings are significant given the role that lower running costs play in incentivising EV adoption. char.gy’s report with YouGov “What Everyone Should Know About EVs” shows that affordable charging is the single biggest trigger for switching to electric vehicles.

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of non-EV owners say reduced charging costs would persuade them to switch, rising to 78% among drivers considering buying an EV in the near term and 76% among longer-term considerers.

“Affordable charging is one of the biggest drivers of EV adoption. As policymakers consider new road pricing models, it will be crucial to protect the cost advantages that are already helping millions of drivers move away from petrol and diesel.”

John Lewis, CEO, char.gy Tweet

Overnight on street charging driving savings

The company’s overnight tariff – priced at around 39p/kWh – allows EV drivers to charge when electricity demand is lower, significantly reducing the cost per mile compared with petrol vehicles.

The company says a growing share of its customers now use overnight charging to manage costs, with drivers able to save substantially compared with charging during peak periods.

char.gy says any new system should ensure the transition to electric vehicles does not erode the cost advantages that are currently encouraging drivers to switch.

If new policies significantly increase the cost of driving electric vehicles, the company warns it could risk slowing adoption at a critical stage in the UK’s transition to zero-emission transport.