Electric shock: Spike in U.K. energy prices push cost of running EVs above gas-powered cars

Washington Times ^ | 31 August 2022 | Ramsey Touchberry

[Fractal Trader]

Charging electric vehicles in Britain soon will be more expensive than filling up gasoline-powered cars thanks to soaring electricity costs — an economic switcheroo that could be a harbinger of shrinking financial benefits for Americans who go green.

British energy regulators told electricity consumers to expect to pay 80% more beginning Oct. 1. The national price cap on residential electricity will send the average bill from about $190 per month to an estimated $343 per month, or more than $4,000 per year.

The shocking price hike stems from the nation’s limited reserves and Russia’s cutoff of one of the region’s major sources of electricity generation: natural gas. British energy prices eclipsed those of many other Europeans because the nation lacks domestic energy storage and production of natural gas, nuclear and renewables, making it more reliant on imports.

Kenny Stein, policy director of the Institute for Energy Research, warned that the financial hardship in Europe from rising energy prices is an omen for Americans if the U.S. transitions from fossil fuels to renewables faster than the supply can handle.

“For the U.S., this actually gets to an underlying fallacy of a lot of people that are pushing electric vehicles: They assert electric vehicles are cheaper because they assume electricity prices are going to stay cheap,” Mr. Stein said. “You’re combining the increased demands on electricity. That means you’ve got to build a new generation.”

[SNIP]

British electricity prices will nearly double from about 33 cents per kilowatt-hour to 60 cents per kilowatt-hour, making electric vehicles cost more before and after owners drive them off the lot. The average electricity cost in the U.S. is less than 11 cents per kilowatt-hour, according to the Energy Information Administration.

[Libloather]

I see these in a local sporting goods store. Kinda pricey.

[RockyTx]

typical EV gets 4 miles per kwh
which implies 15 cents per mile

is a comparable gas car really better than that?
please be as specific as you can.

[taildragger]

"The UK government wants to switch to electric cars to be able to power motor vehicles indirectly with UK-sourced natural gas rather than buying oil off the Arabs."

Stupid is as stupid does. I voted for him and carried his water and regret it and that is both the Bush's but "W" had the opportunity with T. Boone Pickens to go to an natural gas transportation infrastructure. They said Ya sure and did nothing. I get it, Tankage is a pain in the ass, no different than battery placement IMHO.

The UK could go to natural gas for their cars and are savvy enough to do it, aka the 80's Morgan Sports Car, they did it to meet emissions with just a fuel change.

Co-Gen Utility Units to power/charge EV's, via Natural Gas? Yes that would work as well, I am ok with that, but get off the dime here, straight to EV's ain't working, they needed an interim step.