Following yesterday’s Autumn Budget, and the announcement of £100 million to reduce the cost of public EV charging, Thom Groot, CEO and Co-Founder of The Electric Car Scheme, has reflected on what the measures mean for EV owners without driveways, whether the funding goes far enough to make EV charging more affordable, and why sustained investment and fairer public charging prices are key to encouraging more drivers to make the switch.

With affected drivers expected to save around £150 a year on average from spring 2027, the announcement puts the cost of charging firmly in focus.

Mr Groot (pictured) said:

“The government’s commitment to cutting the cost of public EV charging is a welcome step towards making electric driving more affordable and accessible. From spring 2027, £100 million of funding will help reduce prices at local, lower-powered public chargers, with drivers who rely on on-street charging expected to save around £150 a year on average. This is particularly important for the many drivers without access to a driveway or off-street parking, who cannot take advantage of cheaper home charging.

“However, these savings need to form part of a longer-term effort to make public charging more accessible and affordable. The government’s plan to establish a taskforce exploring whether drivers could use their cheaper domestic electricity tariffs at certain public chargers is a welcome development, but the focus must remain on delivering meaningful, lasting savings for drivers. Alongside continued investment in charging infrastructure, making charging more affordable will be crucial to giving drivers confidence that switching to an electric vehicle is a practical and financially viable choice.”

(Picture: The Electric Car Scheme)