Why Is UK Public Charging So Expensive? | EV News S1:EP11

0:00 Introduction 1:30 Why is UK public AC charging so expensive compared to home? 8:30 Has the UK really hit 2 million electric cars? 14:30 How much will the new VW ID.Polo cost in the UK? 20:30 Are used electric car prices finally rising in the UK? 26:30 How many new motorway charging hubs has GRIDSERVE opened in 2026? 28:00 Q&A 29:30 Subscribe & Join the Club UK public charging cost 2026 · UK EV market share 2026 · VW ID.Polo UK price. This week on Primetime EV Live. Last week we told you home charging is 9× cheaper than public charging in the UK. This week we follow the money. Where does that extra 30p per kWh actually go? The answer surprised us. → The Pavement Tax: 20% VAT on public charging vs 5% at home. Around 9p of every pound goes to HMRC. The disparity costs non-driveway drivers ~£145 a year. A tribunal ruled it should be 5% in February 2026 - HMRC appealed in April. Plus charge point operator losses that prove nobody is pocketing the difference: Connected Kerb £15.7m, Gridserve £80m+, BP Pulse £66.4m, InstaVolt £8.5m in their latest full year. → The UK has crossed 2 million electric cars on the road - and in the same announcement the SMMT downgraded the 2026 EV market share forecast from 28.5% to 26.8%. How growth and a downgrade happen at the same time. Why manufacturers have spent £10bn on discounts since 2024 to chase the ZEV mandate. → The new Volkswagen ID.Polo: revealed in May 2026, UK launch autumn 2026, from £22,000. Up to 280 miles WLTP range on the 52kWh battery. And the small detail in the cabin that tells you everything about what's changed at VW. → Used EV prices in the UK have risen for the first time in 8 months. New Solera Cap HPI data shows three-year-old BEV values up 1.2% in May 2026. Q1 used BEV sales up 32% YoY. The depreciation crash looks like it's over - and what to look for if you're buying. → GRIDSERVE delivered its fastest-ever Q1 in 2026: 12 Super Hubs opened or expanded, 120 new charging bays added to the Electric Highway. Plus the first dedicated motorway hubs for electric HGVs. ────────────────────────────── ⚡ JOIN THE PRIMETIME EV CLUB — FREE The cheapest UK public charging rates every month. Best EV lease deals. Home charger and hardware offers. Weekly EV digest, direct to inbox, no algorithm. 👉 primetimeev.com/club 📧 [email protected] Partnership enquiries: [email protected] 🎙️ PODCAST — Spotify · Apple Podcasts · Amazon Music · YouTube #EVNews #UKEV #EVCharging #PavementTax #ElectricCarUK #PrimetimeEV