NEW increased fees for charging electric cars in East Lothian will make it more expensive than buying petrol at some of its plug-in spots.

The county’s huge network of nearly 100 public chargers means that it has one of the highest levels of electric chargers in Scotland.

East Lothian Council will raise the cost of using its public chargers from July 1, with costs per unit ranging from 45p to 80p during peak hours, compared to the current cost of 25p to 50p per unit.

A report to elected members said that off-peak rates would remain 20 per cent lower than peak rates in a bid to encourage drivers to charge at quieter times.

However, it acknowledged that even with the reduction, off-peak charges to use one of its high power journey chargers would be 65p per unit – more expensive than petrol.

The report said: “For comparison, the RAC estimates that, converted to comparable pence per kWh, rates are £0.60 for petrol and £0.70 for diesel.

“Our most expensive off-peak rate is still therefore cheaper than diesel and only 5p more expensive than petrol per kWh.

“Drivers can fill their vehicles for less if they choose to use our on-street and destination chargers, which offer prices of nearly half that of petrol and diesel.

“The savings drivers can make in their carbon emissions and impact on air quality are also significant.”

Officers said that the rise in charges would cover the increased cost of electricity, as well as influencing drivers' behaviour, with peak charges between 4pm and 8pm.

The report said: “When vehicles are charged rapidly or at peak times at a national level then carbon-intense gas or nuclear sources of power may be called in – something which East Lothian Council should avoid exacerbating.

“Peak/off-peak pricing helps drivers to understand that, even though battery electric vehicles have zero tail-pipe emissions, the energy they use to recharge may include embedded carbon which they can control via their choice of charging times.”

On-street chargers will cost 45p per kWh and 35p off-peak to use, compared to current costs of 35p per kWh and 25p off-peak, with destination chargers seeing their blanket rate of 25p per kWh rise to 45p on-peak and 35p off-peak.

Journey chargers, which are limited to 45-minutes' use only, will increase fees from 40p per kWh at all times to 75p on-peak and 60p off-peak.

High power journey chargers will replace their 50p per kWh rate at all times to 80p on-peak and 65p off-peak.