Apart from the environmental benefits, one of the main reasons given for making the switch to electric vehicles is that they are cheaper to run. However, data on the cost of charging and driving EVs is usually not easy to find. 

Consumer comparison website, switcher.ie, has produced some interesting information on the cost EV charging, how Ireland compares to other countries and how much an electric vehicle costs to drive per kilometre. 

In Ireland, motorists will typically pay between €6.00 and €30.00 to fully charge their EV at home on a standard tariff, depending on the make and model. Public charging points may cost up to 60% more, especially for faster charging.

Ireland is the ninth most expensive country to charge an EV in Europe, with the average cost of a full charge €19.87 and the cost per 100km €5.79. This compares to €17.87 and €5.20 in the UK. 

The cheapest countries to charge an EV tend to be in Eastern Europe where the costs per KWH are lower. For example a full charge in Kosovo can be as little as €3.92 and the cost per 100km for electrical energy is just €1.14. Corresponding figures for Georgia and Serbia are €5.21 per charge and €1.52 per 100km and €5.35 and €1.56 respectively. 

Denmark and Belgium are the most expensive countries with Danish drivers paying €36.17 for a full charge and Belgium drivers €27.66. Per 100km these figures are €10.53 in Denmark and €8.05 in Belgium.  

Of concern to EV drivers in Ireland is the fact that prices for charging are higher in countries with high EV adoption rates. Switcher.ie says that the average cost of charging an electric vehicle rose nearly 20% between the first half of 2022 and the end of that year.