Zaptec index shows home charging EV drivers can travel more than twice as far as petrol cars for the same cost

Electric vehicle drivers charging at home can travel more than twice as far for the same money as drivers of equivalent petrol vehicles, according to a new index launched by charging company Zaptec.

The Zaptec Index is a continuously updated comparison tool covering 17 European markets, showing how far drivers can travel for £10 or €10 using home charging, public charging, petrol or diesel. In the UK, the analysis found a Volkswagen ID.3 charged at home using a Zaptec Go charger can travel 176 miles for £10, compared with 78 miles for a petrol-powered Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI.

Zaptec said the index uses the latest available energy and fuel prices from official sources to provide a transparent comparison between home charging, public charging and conventional fuels. Across Europe, Portugal recorded the highest value, with drivers able to travel 178 miles for the equivalent of £10 when charging at home, while Austria recorded the lowest at 133 miles, which the company said was still around double the equivalent petrol vehicle.

The company said the index has been created to simplify comparisons for motorists as fuel and electricity prices continue to fluctuate. Data is sourced from organisations including Eurostat, the EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, Ofgem, Statistics Norway and other national statistics agencies, while public charging prices are based on published tariffs from major charging networks.

Kurt Østrem, chief executive officer at Zaptec, said: “People shouldn’t have to be energy analysts to know what it costs to drive a car. Fuel and electricity prices change all the time, and the debate about EVs versus petrol and diesel is too often driven by emotion rather than hard numbers. With the Zaptec Index, we’re putting the numbers openly on the table, so people can see for themselves what actually pays off.”

Østrem added: “We’re not just selling chargers. We’re building the infrastructure Europe will run on. That means we also have to be willing to own the conversation about what it actually costs to drive a car.”