Public EV Charging Prices UK: 54p and 79p a kWh in 2026

Public EV charging in the UK averaged 54p a kWh on slow and fast chargers and 79p a kWh on rapid and ultra-rapid chargers in September 2026 (Zapmap Price Index, pay as you go, including 20% VAT). In an electric van that is about 22.2p a mile and 32.5p a mile.

How much do public EV chargers cost per kWh?

Slow and fast chargers averaged 54p a kWh, and rapid and ultra-rapid chargers averaged 79p, in the Zapmap Price Index for September 2026. Both are pay-as-you-go weighted averages and include VAT. Zapmap says its data covers about 75% of UK public chargers.

Charger type	Average price	Ex VAT (our calculation, divided by 1.2)
Slow and fast, 3 kW to 49 kW	54p a kWh	45.0p a kWh
Rapid and ultra-rapid, 50 kW and over	79p a kWh	65.8p a kWh

Zapmap reports rapid and ultra-rapid as one group, so we cannot give you a figure for ultra-rapid on its own. We also have no verified average for subscription or fleet card pricing. If your drivers use a card with a negotiated rate, use that rate instead.

HMRC uses the same 54p for its advisory electric rate: the public charging figure in its workings from 1 September 2026 is 54.00p a kWh for chargers under 50 kW, set from the Zapmap index. The source is HMRC’s advisory fuel rates guidance.

Why is a rapid charger cost per kWh so much higher?

On average, rapid charging costs 25p more per kWh than slow and fast, which is 46% more (79p against 54p). We do not have a published breakdown of why, so we will not guess at the reasons. What matters to a fleet is that you pay the premium for speed, and the premium is large.

Against a depot, the gap is wider. The average business electricity price is 24.51p a kWh excluding VAT (DESNZ, April to June 2026, including the Climate Change Levy). A kWh on a rapid charger costs about three times that.

Is VAT charged on public EV charging?

Yes. Charging at a public point is always standard-rated, at 20%. HMRC’s VAT notice 701/19 says recharging an electric vehicle at a public charging point is always treated as standard-rated. That is different from home electricity, which is zero-rated until 30 June 2027 and normally 5%. The 28 October 2026 Budget also puts the public charging rule into law from 1 November 2026, so it is now written into the VAT rules rather than only in HMRC guidance (Budget 2026 overview, measure 1.82).

A VAT-registered business can normally reclaim the VAT on business charging, so it is the ex VAT column that matters when you compare with diesel (also VAT-reclaimable on business use). Make sure the driver gets a VAT receipt, because the price on the app may not show it.

What does public charging cost per mile in an electric van?

About 22.2p a mile on a slow or fast charger and 32.5p a mile on a rapid one. We divide the price per kWh by 2.43 miles per kWh, the Department for Transport’s 2026 average for an electric light goods vehicle (TAG data book v2.03). It is a benchmark, not a named van, and heavier vans use more.

	Price	Electric van, per mile	Electric car, per mile	Per year, van, 15,000 miles
Public slow and fast	54p a kWh	22.2p	15.0p	£3,333
Public rapid and ultra-rapid	79p a kWh	32.5p	22.0p	£4,877
Depot (average business price)	24.51p a kWh	10.1p	6.8p	£1,513
Diesel van at 36 mpg	199.22p a litre	25.2p	not applicable	£3,774

The car column uses 3.59 miles per kWh from HMRC’s workings. The diesel line uses the DESNZ price for the week of 26 October 2026. The 15,000 miles is an example.

On a VAT-inclusive basis, rapid charging in a van is about 7.4p a mile dearer than diesel, which is about £1,100 over 15,000 miles. Take VAT off both sides, as a VAT-registered firm can, and it is still dearer: 27.1p a mile ex VAT for rapid against 21.0p for diesel (199.22p / 1.2 = 166.0p a litre, our calculation).

Why do fleets avoid relying on rapid charging?

Because a van that depends on rapid charging costs more per mile than diesel and loses working time while it charges. The cost is in the table above. The time is yours: a driver stood at a charger is paid and not delivering. We have no verified charging times to quote, since they vary by van and charger, but the principle holds for any vehicle.

Rapid charging works as a safety net. A van that is mostly charged at a depot, with the odd rapid top-up on a long day, costs far less than one that lives on the motorway network. If 20% of the energy came from rapid chargers and 80% from a depot, the blended cost would be 14.6p a mile, or about £2,186 a year at 15,000 miles (0.8 x 10.09p + 0.2 x 32.51p, our calculation). At 50% rapid it would be 21.3p.

This is why depot charging decides whether an electric van beats diesel. We cover it in depot charging for electric van fleets. The full picture of home, depot and public prices is in cost to charge an electric van.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to charge an electric car at a public charger?

About 15.0p a mile on a slow or fast charger at 54p a kWh and 22.0p a mile on a rapid charger at 79p a kWh, using HMRC’s 3.59 miles per kWh. HMRC’s own advisory rate for public charging is 15p a mile from 1 September 2026.

Is a rapid charger more expensive than a slow charger?

Yes. The Zapmap average for rapid and ultra-rapid chargers is 79p a kWh, against 54p for slow and fast ones, in September 2026. The difference is 25p a kWh.

Do I pay VAT on public EV charging?

Yes, 20%, and it is included in the Zapmap prices. A VAT-registered business can normally reclaim it for business charging with a valid receipt.

Are subscription and fleet card prices cheaper than pay as you go?

They can be, but we have no verified UK average to give you. Ask your provider for the rate in pence per kWh and put that into the EV charging cost calculator.

What does a rapid charge cost for a 75 kWh battery?

£59.25 at 79p a kWh, if every kWh reaches the battery. The battery size is an example, not a named van. At 54p a kWh the same 75 kWh costs £40.50.

Cut your fleet’s fuel bill

Find your own number with the EV charging cost calculator, which splits your miles between home, depot and public charging. To see if an electric van pays back at all, use the electric van break-even calculator.

For the diesel vans that stay on the road, a speed cap is the lever. The Department for Transport’s fuel consumption curves (TAG data book v2.03) show a diesel van using 14.5% less fuel per mile at 60 mph than at 68 mph. How much of that reaches your bill depends on the share of your miles driven above the cap.

Talk to us. AutoKontrol has made speed limiters in Britain since 1985, with nationwide installation where we come to you. Book a free consultation or get a quote.