Driving Change

Top Tips,MG News

09 February 2023

Driving change - Cut your energy costs

With the cost of living and fuel prices showing no sign of coming down, SERE Motors want to give you some advice on how to get the most out of your charge and save money when driving your electric car.

With fuel prices hitting all-time highs, electric drivers might be pleased to know that the comparable cost of electricity vs petrol per mile is dramatic: 17p per mile in a typical petrol family car vs 5p per mile in an equivalent electric car1. That’s 70% more for your money and yet another compelling argument for making the switch to electric driving. More and more electric cars are now joining our roads so here are a few ways on how you can save even more by driving electric. 

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Driving down costs by driving efficiently:

Efficient driving is a driving style that reduces fuel bills, cuts carbon emissions and lowers accident rates. 

Driving an electric vehicle (EV) efficiently requires making the most of regenerative, or regen, braking, which recharges the batteries when you slow down or drive downhill.  

You should also remember that heating an EV takes energy and depletes the battery, so use your heating wisely. Most EVs have heated seats and often heated steering wheels. By using these features you’ll probably find you can turn the cabin temperature down, which brings a net saving in energy. 

Electric car plugged into charging point

Charging through public charge points

The faster the charger, the more expensive it is to use, with rapid and ultra-rapid charging prices costing considerably more than home energy rates. We understand that when using public charging points, the time that this takes is a deciding factor on where and when you charge your electric vehicle.  If you use public charging points, then preplanning is essential to keeping your costs low as you might waste more minutes and miles finding chargers with the cheapest rates. Equally, driving to a charger means you’re burning energy (and spending money) to buy more charge. 

Know-how drivers will fit charging around longer activities such as lunch, shopping or a trip to the gym, but charging conveniently at home is ultimately your cheapest and most convenient option – especially overnight. 

According to the RAC Foundation, a typical UK car spends 96% of its time parked up, with 73% of that time spent at home on your driveway. So, ‘refuelling’ an electric car where it spends most of its life – at home – saves you time, money and hassle. Simply drive home, park up, plug in, and your car will top up its battery while it’s sitting on your drive. 

Charge at home to save time and money

Okay, charging an electric car at home does involve some additional upfront costs when it comes to installing a home charger but the lower price of home charging rates for an electric car, compared to petrol, mean you’ll instantly be making savings on every journey that, over the long-term, quickly add up. The result: your home charger should soon pay for itself. You can also cut costs with smart home charging. With smart home car charging, knowing when you’re charging, and how much it costs helps you to plan the right times to charge in the most cost-efficient way. Smartphone apps such as MG iSmart puts you at the centre of your own electric car charging hub, remotely tracking and controlling the status of your charging, helping you keep your costs down. 

Go smart: cheaper overnight rates; added convenience

When it comes to cutting the daily costs of charging, knowledge is power. Knowing when the cheapest rates are helps you understand the best times to charge to make the best savings.  

As there’s less demand on the UK grid overnight (when your car is typically parked up anyway), off-peak electric rates are usually by far the cheapest way to top-up an electric car when using a dedicated EV-friendly or time-of-use tariff. Obviously, home energy rates are in a state of flux right now and will vary depending on your provider and which type of rate you’re on.  

Work smarter with MG iSmart, you can pre-program your car’s charging status to automatically top-up at the most cost-effective times in seconds from the comfort of your couch. That means you can plug in and automatically set up your home charger to only initiate charging sessions at predefined off-peak times. 

Scenic fields with wind turbine

Not just cheaper energy; greener energy

Home charging doesn’t only help you save time and money that you can re-invest in other aspects of your life. As overnight energy supply is typically sourced from lower-impact greener renewable sources, smart home charging also helps you reduce the broader impact of driving an electric car on the planet. It’s a win, win situation. 

 

If you think that switching to an electric vehicle is the right choice for you or if you want some more advice on the range of electrics vehicles we have to offer, contact us today and we’ll be happy to help.  

Want to know more?

Click here for more info on driving electric.

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1] Based on UK Government advisory fuel rates.

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