- Over 118,000 UK plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) owners are wasting £599 every year on electricity
- 21 per cent of PHEV owners do not have a smart home charging unit
- Switching to a home charger and smart EV tariff could deliver a return on investment in just two years
New analysis indicates that UK drivers of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are wasting over £70.9 million each year by paying the full rate for their electricity.
There are now some 865,000 PHEVs in the UK1. By utilising a home charger and smart EV tariffs rather than a conventional three-pin plug, PHEV owners could charge their vehicle using low-cost, EV-specific nighttime tariffs. These cheaper rates are approximately £0.07 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) compared to an average of £0.25 per kWh.
Research indicates that 21 per cent of PHEV owners do not have a smart charging unit fitted at home.2 Of those 181,650 motorists, over 65 per cent are expected to have off-street parking3, which offers the possibility of installing a smart home charger. As a result, 118,254 of them could be wasting £599.94 each year. This amounts to £70,945,304.76 annually for UK PHEV drivers according to the analysis by Andersen EV, a manufacturer of design-led EV charge points based in Bedfordshire.
David Martell, Andersen EV CEO, says: “While growing numbers of battery electric vehicle (BEV) motorists have discovered they can save huge sums of money by having a smart home charging unit, many PHEV drivers have not taken heed of this opportunity and changed their charging behaviours. A smart home charger taking advantage of low-cost nighttime tariffs for EVs means paying just £0.07 per kilowatt-hour compared to around £0.25.”
The Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) data confirms that 124,528 new PHEVs have been registered in the UK this year.4 Owners of new PHEVs in 2025 alone could make savings of more than £10.2 million over the next 12 months.
Martell adds: “PHEVs have evolved considerably over the past ten years. From typically having small batteries capable of 15 to 20 miles just a few years ago, today’s PHEVs can have a battery range in excess of 70 miles with drivers able to run purely on electric for the vast majority of their weekly motoring.
“There is of course a cost involved in installing a smart home EV charging unit. Products such as our latest UK-manufactured Andersen Quartz can be installed by a professional electrician for around £1,100, so motorists will start to see a return on their investment in just two years. They will also benefit from faster and safer charging in the meantime.”
Examples of UK PHEVs and their electric-only range:
- Volkswagen Golf eHybrid: A best-in-class 88 miles
- Audi A3 Sportback e-tron: 88 miles
- Skoda Superb Estate iV PHEV: 84 miles
- Seat Leon e-Hybrid: 82 miles
- Volkswagen Passat eHybrid: 82 miles
- BYD Seal U DM-i: 78 miles
- Mercedes-Benz GLC 300e: 78 miles
- Range Rover Sport PHEV: 75 miles
- MG HS Plug-in Hybrid: 75 miles
- Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid: 77 miles
- Renault Rafale E-Tech PHEV: 65 miles
- BMW 3 Series 330e: 62 miles
Data sources:
1 Zapmap: EV market stats 2025
2 Zapmap: Annual Charging Insights Report 2024
3 RAC Foundation: Proportion of households with off-street parking or parking potential 2021
4 SMMT: Electric Vehicle Registration Data, 2025
Andersen analysis:
- 865,000 PHEVs in the UK1
- 21 per cent2 of these (181,650) do not have home charging units
- 65.1 per cent3 of these (118,254.15) have off-street parking or parking potential, enabling home charging
- Average PHEV uses 3,333kWh of electricity each year. Average normal cost £0.25 (£833.25). Average nighttime smart tariff cost £0.07 (£233.31). Annual cost saving £599.94
- 118,254 PHEV motorists, each with a potential cost saving of £599.94 annually, totals £70,945,304.76