Record diesel prices are set to push electric vehicle running costs further up the dealership sales agenda as motorists face paying almost £110 for a 55-litre tank.
The RAC put the UK average diesel price at a record 199.18p a litre on 28 September, passing the previous high of 199.09p recorded in June 2022.
A separate analysis by EV campaigner New AutoMotive, using government Fuel Finder submissions, calculated an average of 199.4p and found more than one in four forecourts charging at least £2 a litre.
The price shock strengthens the immediate financial argument for switching powertrains, although the scale of any saving will depend heavily on whether the customer can charge at home, their electricity tariff and their annual mileage.
£2 diesel spreads nationwide
New AutoMotive found 2,208 forecourts charging £2 or more for standard diesel, up from 562 a week earlier. No forecourts had reached that threshold in early July.
At least one £2 forecourt was identified in 559 of the UK’s 650 parliamentary constituencies. In 148 constituencies, at least half of the forecourts covered by the analysis had crossed the threshold.
New AutoMotive estimated that a household covering 9,200 miles annually in a diesel car would now spend about £1,970 a year on fuel, around £340 more than in early July.
Ben Nelmes, chief executive of New AutoMotive, said: “£2 a litre has gone from almost nowhere to almost everywhere in a matter of weeks. A typical diesel-driving family is suddenly looking at an extra £340 a year just to cover the same miles. That is a real hit to household budgets, and with the average price now above the all-time record, millions of drivers will be wondering how much worse this gets.
“Many drivers will be wondering whether this is the time to get an electric car. Ministers should use every tool in the box to help them to escape rising diesel prices and go electric.”
Running costs may sway EV buyers
Research commissioned by dealer group Dick Lovett suggests fuel and charging costs could play an increasingly important role in the next vehicle decision.
Its Censuswide survey of 1,000 UK motorists found 53% were confident an EV could meet their everyday driving needs, while half considered electric cars realistic for the average motorist.
Almost a third, 32%, said cheaper charging compared with petrol or diesel would make them more inclined to purchase an EV.
Younger motorists appeared particularly receptive. Among respondents aged between 25 and 34, 71% believed EVs were realistic for the average driver and 74% said workplace charging would encourage them to switch.
However, 54% of all respondents said government incentives would make them more likely to consider an EV within two years, suggesting fuel savings alone may not overcome concerns about vehicle price, charging or convenience.
Its research also highlights the importance of personal recommendations. More than a third of respondents said a friend or family member had influenced them to consider an EV, rising to 64% among those aged between 25 and 34.
Alex Lee, automotive expert at Dick Lovett, said: “The technology has already crossed the line; what’s still catching up is what people believe about it. Younger drivers have made the switch in their heads, and when a third of the country is being talked into an EV by someone they trust rather than a brand, that shift spreads fast. We expect 2027 to be the year the electric car stops being the brave choice and becomes the default one.”
New AutoMotive estimated that covering the same 9,200 miles in an EV would cost about £250 a year when charging at home on an 8p-per-kWh off-peak tariff, based on efficiency of three miles per kWh.
That comparison does not apply to drivers without private charging, while vehicle price, finance, insurance, depreciation and public charging costs also affect the total ownership calculation.
For dealers, the pump-price surge creates an opportunity to move the EV conversation from emissions towards household budgeting. A credible comparison will require sales teams to establish each customer’s mileage, parking arrangements, charging tariff and likely reliance on the public network before presenting potential savings.
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