Again in 2019 I attempted to reply the everlasting “how lengthy is a bit of string?” query in terms of what it prices in electrical energy to run an EV.
With the spikes in petrol costs in addition to the autumn in EV costs leading to an increasing number of EVs on the roads and/or intentions to purchase one as the following automobile, it appears an excellent time to revisit the subject.
With petrol costs in Australia spiking to $2.38 per litre and past lately, this time I’ll recast the numbers utilizing this worst-case petrol determine, in addition to take a look at what totally different electrical energy costs can do to the equation.
For this revised instance, I’m choosing the Western Australian electrical energy worth ‘EV Add On’ electrical energy tariff construction from Synergy. I might counsel this tariff construction is an effective instance of 1 that displays the rising use of renewable technology and the resultant shifts in intervals of excessive and low electrical energy provide capability.
First-up, the assumptions:
Annual common distance pushed per gentle passenger automobile in Australia1: 11,100 km
Common kWh/100km for an EV2: 15kWh/100km
Common petrol consumption for gentle passenger automobiles in Australia1: 11.1L/100km
Latest worst-case petrol worth throughout faculty holidays: $2.38/L. Brisbane, mid-September.
Low electrical energy tariff: 8.2c/kWh. Synergy (WA) tremendous off-peak fee, 9am to 3pm.
In a single day off-peak fee: 18.45c/kWh. Synergy (WA) 11pm to 6am.
Normal off-peak fee: 22.55c/kWh. Synergy (WA) 6am – 9am/9pm – 11pm.
Excessive electrical energy tariff: 51.2c/kWh. Synergy (WA) peak fee, 3pm to 9pm.
Calculations:
Common annual EV electrical use: 11,100km x 15/100 = 1665 kWh per 12 months.
Gasoline used for an ICE automobile at 11.1L/100km and $2.38/L over the identical distance: $2809.18
So let’s put the above collectively to see what meaning for common EV recharging versus common petrol automotive prices utilizing totally different tariffs for 11,100kms a 12 months.
Summing up: even if you happen to charged your EV on the highest peak fee, the ‘common’ BEV recharging value continues to be solely 30% of the ‘common’ ICE automobile petrol value. If sticking to the Tremendous Off-peak fee, recharging prices are lower than 5% of petrol prices.
And, after all, the positive factors can be much more important in case your EV does 20,000kms, or 30,000kms a 12 months.
Sadly, the figures offered by the Australian Bureau of Statistics for common litres per 100 km for passenger automobiles worsened from 10.8 L/100km in 2012 to the final 12 months it was calculated in 2020 (11.1 L/100km). It could not shock me if that determine has worsened nonetheless since then.
This supplies one more argument for the pressing want to usher in Australian gasoline effectivity requirements that replicate the falling L/100km figures in virtually all different OECD international locations.
Be at liberty to recalculate the numbers based mostly by yourself automobile petrol gasoline economic system/worth and electrical energy tariffs – though you do get a whole lot of higher electrical energy worth choices than you get from petrol stations within the ever annoying worth cycle that at all times appears to hit a excessive throughout faculty vacation intervals.
By the best way, even with the infamous Victorian EV Tax, for 11,100 km this solely provides $311 to the annual gasoline invoice for these EV drivers residing there.
Thoughts-you, with these electrical energy tariff buildings and the approach to life choices provided in such a big and various state – I’m wondering how lengthy it’s going to take for the WA authorities to start out a marketing campaign to draw interstate EV house owners to maneuver to WA?
And, as Sophie Vorrath experiences on this article, some retailers are providing even higher tariffs to these joyful to be versatile. See: Ioniq 5 proprietor expenses automotive for a month for lower than value of 1 litre of petrol
I’ll now end with the identical paragraph I ended that 2019 article:
Primarily based on the above figures – it’s inarguable although that an EV is cheaper to run than an ICE automobile, plus the EV has decreased servicing prices, decreased put on on the brakes, and no tailpipe emissions including to native air pollution issues. The EV additionally has the capability to repeatedly cut back its power CO2 emissions because the grid shifts from fossil fuelled to renewable sources: all in contrast to an ICE automobile which is perpetually tied to working on carbon based mostly fuels.
As a ultimate, ultimate be aware: if you wish to calculate your individual EV electrical energy working prices, the Inexperienced Automobile Information provides a helpful calculator. It may be discovered at: https://greenvehicleguide.gov.au/Calculators/HomeChargingCalculator
Footnotes:
Australian Bureau of Statistics: Survey of Motor Automobile Use, Australia, 12 months ended 30.6.2020 (knowledge assortment by the ABS on this subject ceased at that date).
A tough determine that I selected to be half-way between the bottom and highest values for the highest 20 BEVs obtainable on the Australian market (Supply: Inexperienced automobile information. MG4 64kWh battery at 1.3kWh/100km and MG ZS EV at 1.71kWh/100km).
Bryce Gaton is an skilled on electrical automobiles and contributor for The Pushed and Renew Financial system. He has been working within the EV sector since 2008 and is at the moment working as EV electrical security coach/supervisor for the College of Melbourne. He additionally supplies help for the EV Transition to enterprise, authorities and the general public by means of his EV Transition consultancy EVchoice.