Salary sacrifice solution The Electric Car Scheme has launched a new initiative that could slash drivers’ charging costs.

The scheme could save drivers 20-50% on the cost of charging their electric vehicle

The new offering enables employees participating in the company’s salary sacrifice programme to save 20-50% on the cost of charging their electric vehicle – both for home charging and more costly public rapid and ultra-rapid charging.

Under the scheme, employees charge their vehicles at one of over 50,000 charge points in the UK using The Charge Scheme app or charge card, then pay for the charging with the card and record their total monthly mileage.

The team at The Charge Scheme then calculate the overall charging cost and the cost is automatically deducted from their next month’s pay cheque through salary sacrifice.

The Electric Car Scheme says it’s the first solution of its kind and could enable EV drivers to save £1,000 a year, bringing the cost of public charging below petrol or diesel.

This estimate is based on an employee on a higher tax rate driving 14,000 miles annually. These savings come on top of those already gained by sourcing the car through The Electric Car Scheme; the company says it saves the average employee £3,800 per year.

The cost of charging remains a big barrier to EV uptake and The Electric Car Scheme says it’s dedicated to making electric driving more affordable by enabling savings on charging costs through salary sacrifice.

According to figures from the RAC’s Charge Watch, the average cost of charging at a rapid or ultra rapid charger was 24p per mile this summer. This was approximately 40% higher than the cost of petrol or diesel, and three times more expensive than charging at home using a standard tariff.

Thom Groot, The Electric Car Scheme CEO and co-founder, commented: “Cost remains the primary barrier for over two-thirds of potential [EV] adopters, according to our research, and this cost is increased significantly if you don’t have access to home charging and off-peak tariffs.

“The Charge Scheme addresses this challenge by lowering the overall cost of running an electric car, and offers a practical and affordable solution to those without access to home charging. Incentives like this are crucial in making the transition to net-zero more accessible, helping us towards our sustainability goals.”