How much does it cost to charge an electric car with the electricity rates in Spain in 2022

 It is decided, the electric car  is destined to be the future of our mobility, especially after 2035 . But in Spain, a country where we tend to have one of the most expensive electricity bills in Europe, the idea of  ​​charging the electric car at home  can be unsettling.

Furthermore, with a liberalized electricity market, the price of electricity fluctuates daily. Regardless of the company that sells it to us, one can legitimately wonder  how much it costs to recharge an electric car in Spain . We explain it to you below, taking as an example the case of a  Hyundai Kona Electric  with a 64 kWh battery.

Charge at home

Charging your electric car battery at home is essential for making sense of an electric car purchase. It is not necessary to have an individual garage to install a charging point, it can be done in the parking space of the community garage, with or without the approval of the community of neighbors. (We explain here in detail 

Installing a charging point at home costs between 1,000 and 1,500 euros, depending on the complexity of the works and the type of charger we need. In this guide we review the  best chargers  on the market and  everything you need to know  before taking the plunge. Once we have a charging point installed, the next thing is to adapt our electricity supply contract to the new need, that is, charging an electric car.

The electricity rate

From June 1, 2021,  the new electricity access tariff 2.0TD came into force , which replaces the previous 2.0 and 2.1 and is aimed, among other things, at  lowering the cost of recharging  the electric car at certain times and days , as well as the hybrid PHEV.

Although  Royal Decree 216/2014 of March 28  regulates the way to calculate voluntary prices for small consumers (PVPC), prices are free and are established every hour. We can consult it in the Transparency Portal of the Spanish Electricity Network  (ESIOS). You can see how, for example, on July 19, 2022, at 3:00 p.m. it was 0.23809 euros per kWh, while at 9:00 p.m. it was 0.37260 euros per kWh.

The idea of ​​the 2.0 TD rate is to save money by charging the car in the time slots in which there is less general energy demand, that is, at night and on weekends. More specifically, it is divided into the following three periods:

Punta (P1) : from 10 am to 2 pm and from 6 pm to 10 pm from Monday to Friday.

Normal (P2) : from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and from 10 p.m. to midnight, Monday to Friday.

Valley (P3) : from 12:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. on weekdays and 24 hours a day on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays.

In Ceuta and Melilla, rush hour is delayed by one hour, starting at 11:00 am and ending at 3:00 pm and in the afternoon from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm.

One power for off-peak hours and another for the rest of the day

Electric car plug

Our electricity bill is not only made up of the kWh consumed. In addition to various taxes and fees, the  contracted power , billed in kW per day, is also taken into account.

Nothing and no one forces us to modify the contract, we could perfectly charge the car with the power that we have contracted, for example, 3.45 kW (it is the most usual in Spain) and without changing the rate.

However, as today's electric cars are equipped with larger and larger batteries, we may  need more power . For example, 6.9 kW at 32 A for a slightly faster recharge. Each company establishes the prices of these terms, but they do not depend on the consumption that we make.

But, in the case of an electric car, such as the Kona, which can charge up to 7.2 kW of power in single-phase current, it is preferable to  contract a different power for off-peak hours  (from 0 a.m. to 8 a.m. on weekdays and the day whole if it is Saturday, Sunday or national holiday) with a cheaper price than the rest of the day.

Power rates are free and can vary considerably from one marketer to another. To give two extreme examples, Endesa proposes off-peak power at 0.0126 euros/kW/day and 0.0938 euros/kW/day for peak hours, while Total Energies has off-peak power at 0, 0092 euros/kW/day and at peak hours to 0.0810 euros/kW/day.

How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home: a case study

To the price of kWh must be added the  Special Electricity Tax, or IEE , (5.113%) and VAT (21%), usually. And it is that for the moment and until September 30, 2022, the IEE remains at 0.5%, while VAT drops to 5% for those who have less than 10 kW of contracted power.

With an  average currently of 0.30 euros/kWh in Spain  and rounding to simplify, we would have an  all-inclusive average price of 0.33 euros/kWh  (or 0.39 euros/kWh with the usual taxes).

Let's look at a practical example, that of the Hyundai Kona Electric. Suppose that when we get home, around 8:00 p.m., we have used up 50% of the battery capacity. With a voltage of 230 V, it can be recharged at 16 A (3.7 kW of power) in about 12 hours and at 32 A (6.9 kW for the section that can be contracted, although the car accepts up to 7.2 kW) in about 6 hours.

With a power of 3.45 kW at 16 A, we will need approximately 8 hours to recharge 20 kWh. In this case, and maintaining the prices of July 19, 2022, the start of charging is scheduled at 00:00 and the cessation of charging at 08:00 to take advantage of off-peak hours (0.29 euros/kWh on average), charging would be 5.80 euros plus 0.0938 euros of power (in principle, with 3.5 kW there is no possibility of contracting two different powers), plus 0.29469 euros of IEE and 5% VAT for a total of 6, 22 euros, all inclusive.

With a maximum power of 7.2 kW at 32 A, we will need 4 hours to recharge 20 kWh. If in that case, for whatever reason, we must charge the car from 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., that is, two hours in peak periods and two hours in normal periods.

The cost would be 0.36 euros/kWh on average  in the peak period and 0.33 euros/kWh on average in the normal period. In this case, the load would be 6.90 euros. If we add the power term (6.9 kW at 0.09 euros per day; 0.621 euros), the IEE and VAT, the load will have cost 7.94 euros all inclusive.

How much does it cost per month to charge an electric car at home?

With a 2.0 TD rate and the possibility of contracting more power in the off-peak period, the price of a contracted power of 6.9 kW can vary from 26.10 euros per month to 19.10 euros per month. In the invoice it would be reflected as follows: 0.0126 euros/kW/day, which comes to 26.10 euros in months with 30 days.

If we maintain a consumption of 20 kWh per day for 30 days and charge at night from 00:00 to 8:00 with a power of 3.45 kW (9.70 euros per month of power in the worst case) we would be talking about approximately  193.46 euros per month , power and taxes included.

                           

                                                             With a power of 6.9 kW and in the same valley period (26.09 euros per month of power), it would be 200.09 euros, that is, 211.15 euros with power and taxes included.

Charge away from home

There are so many variables that it is difficult to give a true estimate when it comes to establishing what it may cost to recharge a car away from home. And it is that the price range depending on where we plug the car can vary from 0 euros/kWh (yes, there are still a few free charging points) to 0.69 euros/kWh.

There are also a series of charging networks operated by other companies, such as Iberdrola, Repsol, Zunder (Easycharger) or Wenea, to name a few.

In the case of  Iberdrola ,  the prices depend on the power of the charger, on whether we have subscribed to an annual subscription or whether or not we are clients at Iberdrola's.

But to get an idea, prices range from 0.25 euros/kWh for 22 kW chargers to 0.69 euros/kWh for 350 kW superchargers, passing through 0.45 euros/kWh for 50 kW chargers. kW and 150 kW.

The  Repsol network (formerly IBIL)  recharging rates are 0.35 euros/kWh for 22 kW chargers, 0.39 euros/kWh for 50 kW chargers and 0.45 euros/kWh for superchargers. up to 350 kW of power.

At  Zunder (former Easycharger) , the cost also varies depending on the power of the charger. It ranges from 0.20 euros/kWh up to 22 kW, from 0.30 euros/kWh for 50 kW chargers and 0.55 euros/kWh for 180 kW chargers.

In the case of  Wenea , the prices range from 0.38 euros/kWh to 0.42 kWh in chargers of up to 50 kW and 0.59 euros/kWh in chargers of up to 200 kW of power.

Charge on the Tesla network

Free charging for brand customers is over. Or at least for the vast majority. Only the oldest Tesla models that have participated in a promotional program still have access to free kilometers of charging. Additionally, Model S and Model X ordered before November 2, 2018 received annual supercharging credits equal to 400 kWh.

Once this credit has been exhausted and in all other cases, the usual average rate is  0.44 euros/kWh . Keep in mind that some Supercharger stations offer rates at peak hours and normal hours, so the price may vary.

Fares and peak hours are displayed in the navigation app on the car's touch screen.

Since  last May , in addition, some  Superchargers in the network are open to cars of other brands . In that case, Tesla rates vary by location, also depending on whether we opt for a subscription or not.

In case of subscription: 12.99 euros/month and a payment of 0.43 euros/kWh. What has been a price similar to that paid by Tesla users. Without subscription: charging would cost  0.64 euros/kWh  on average for all charges, although the price may vary depending on the place and time of charging. To charge 80% of the battery of a Hyundai Kona, about 51 kWh, we would be talking about 32.64 euros, without a subscription, and 21.93 euros with the annual subscription.

The  Ionity network  was devised by the BMW group, Ford, Mercedes and the Volkswagen group, later joined by Hyundai and Kia, to offer a service similar to that of Tesla to its future customers. The idea is to make road trips in Europe with an electric car viable thanks to superchargers.

Ionity rates vary depending on the brand of our car, whether it is from a participating brand in the consortium or not, since each brand has its own promotions. For everyone else, as all Ionity superchargers are open to any electric car regardless of brand, there are two rates, one without an annual subscription and one with an annual subscription.

Without an annual subscription, the cost is 0.79 euros/kWh . Charging 51 kWh (80% of the 64 kWh of the car in our example) at an Ionity point would cost 40.29 euros. With an annual subscription of 17.99 euros, the rate drops to 0.35 euros/kWh . In that case, the charge is reduced to 17.85 euros.

That is without considering the cost of the annual subscription, since everything will depend on how many times we use the Ionity network, but for it to be minimally interesting, it would have to be used at least 20 times a year.

How much does an electric car battery cost?

Electric automobiles are more expensive than their thermal counterparts since the cost of an electric car battery is a significant portion of the total cost of the vehicle. But it also has to do with the money that manufacturers are investing in things like new platforms and propulsion systems. But how much does a battery for an electric vehicle cost? Its price ranges roughly from 6,000 to 14,000 euros.Taking into account the data provided by numerous manufacturers and suppliers from various nations across the world, Statista provides information on the cost of electric car batteries in dollars per kWh of battery capacity. While an NCM-type battery does not, for instance, cost the same as an LFP, they are approximate and average data. However, they are indicative and pertinent facts that allow us to more accurately determine the cost of an electric car battery based on the amount of energy it can store.

How much does an electric car battery cost?

In this documentation we can see that the  price , measured in  USD / kWh , is currently around  120 dollars / kWh . This means, as is evident, that the price of an electric vehicle battery depends directly on its energy capacity. According to this, in a car with  50 kWh the price of the battery would be  6,000 dollars , but in an electric car with a  100 kWh battery we would be talking about a price of  12,000 dollars only for its lithium-ion battery. And it is something that has evolved enormously, because in 2011 they cost 917 dollars / kWh.At the moment, the battery of an electric car costs approximately  between 6,000 and 14,000 euros , so it represents a significant part of the total cost of the electric vehicle in question. 

The forecast is that as the years go by, there is greater demand and the supply is adjusted accordingly,  prices will gradually fall. Throughout this evolution there have been some setbacks that have caused occasional price increases that will be repeated. However, in a macro view,  the evolution points to a constant drop in prices.Lithium-ion batteries of the LFP type are somewhat cheaper than those with other chemistry.Typically, the higher the energy density , the higher the price of the battery in question. In an electric car, on the other hand, one must also consider the costs involved in a cooling system for the complete battery pack, the cost of the current inverter, the cost of all the circuitry and other components that are directly related to the battery itself. Electric motors, however, are much cheaper.

They break the barrier of fast charging in EV with a new material for batteries

Although electric car batteries may currently be charged at very rapid rates, there is still room for improvement. According to studies conducted by scientists at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory of the Department of Energy. Using a novel substance that has never been employed before,Fast charging has never been possible before thanks to lithium-ion batteries. It marks a significant turning point that foreshadows the future of electric vehicles.

For the anode of a lithium-ion battery, which is what is now utilised in electric automobiles, graphite has been the best material discovered and used for decades. But as they clarify and it is explained in Advanced Energy Materials, a molybdenum, tungsten, and niobate (MWNO) compound has been discovered that has advantages that are significantly greater than those that a graphite anode can provide. Furthermore, because it was accomplished using a scalable synthesis technique, it is not something that will remain in the laboratory, far from it. In other words, it can effortlessly result in the mass production of batteries for electric cars.

A new material for the anode that breaks all the barriers of fast charging of batteries for electric cars

The cathode and the anode, two solid electrodes joined by the electrolyte and a separator, make up the basic structure of a lithium-ion battery for an electric vehicle. In these batteries, the process of charging and discharging electrical energy involves lithium ions moving between the anode and cathode. The main issue with the graphite anode, which is utilised in practically all electric car batteries, is that it leads to the electrolyte's progressive breakdown and the formation of dendrites. As a result, the battery gradually deteriorates and loses stability and performance.

Therefore, it may be said that the existing graphite anodes constitute a hindrance to obtaining super quick charging. The target was to charge completely in less than 15 minutes, which is impossible with a graphite anode. As outlined in the specifics of his inquiry, he has worked with a variety of materials, and positive outcomes have been obtained with several of them. The issue with the majority is that they have intricate synthesis processes that aren't well suited to industry. The good news is that they have created a novel material that loads exceptionally quickly and that it can be mass-produced without causing issues for the industry.

They go into depth about how this new material enables operation at a higher voltage than graphite without causing the battery to degrade gradually. They clarify that since the new cathode material does not deteriorate the electrolyte, it does not result in dendrites with extremely quick charging systems. In other words, it enables the removal of obstacles and constraints brought about by the properties of the graphite employed as the cathode in conventional lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.

The key? The reason for this is that the material's nanoporous structure offers better electrical conductivity. It makes it easier to use faster charging systems and provides less resistance to the movement of lithium ions and electrons between the poles of the battery cell. And as we already know, this might be a true breakthrough for electric cars because it would make it possible for them to fully recharge in about the same amount of time as a gasoline or diesel vehicle does when refuelling.