Tesla Model Y Hatchback vs Audi Q8 4.0L V8 SQ8 TFSI
Illustration based on 3-year lease term and 10,000 miles per annum • Public charging costs vs equivalent petrol fuel spend
EV with The Charge Scheme
Tesla Model Y Hatchback
EV image
Save 20-50% on public charging costs through The Charge Scheme
Petrol equivalent
Audi Q8 4.0L V8 SQ8 TFSI
Petrol car image
Estimated petrol cost over the same 3-year period is more expensive
Cost breakdown EV with The Charge Scheme Petrol equivalent (3-year fuel)
Public charging cost (gross) £5,399
£9,800 of fuel cost over 3 years
Income tax & NI savings £1,641
Net energy cost (after savings) £3,758
Effective discount vs gross 30.4% off

3-year cost breakdown

Public charging cost: This is the gross amount the driver pays for public charging.
Savings: These are the income tax and national insurance savings the driver receives by paying for the cost of charging from their gross salary.
Net energy cost: This is the effective price the driver will pay using The Charge Scheme, saving around 30% on the cost.
Petrol cost: This is the estimated petrol cost for an equivalent ICE car over the same period.
Hover over the bars to see the exact £ amounts for public charging, savings, your final net energy cost, and the equivalent petrol spend.

The Charge Scheme Savings Game

Enter your car and charging mix, then drive as far as you can while dodging obstacles. The further you go, the more you see how much you could save with The Charge Scheme.

We use typical efficiency for each model. “Other EV” uses an average value.
40% public 60% home
Move the slider: left = mostly home, right = mostly public.

Tip: On desktop, use the left and right arrow keys. On mobile, use the onscreen buttons.

Understanding The Charge Scheme

How does The Charge Scheme work?

The Charge Scheme is a salary sacrifice arrangement that helps EV drivers save money on their charging costs. Here's how it works:

  1. You charge your EV – at home, work, or public chargers
  2. You get reimbursed – receive the full cost of your charging as a net reimbursement from your employer
  3. You pay via salary sacrifice – the amount is deducted from your pre-tax salary
  4. You save money – because you don't pay tax or NI on the sacrificed amount
Why do I save money?

The magic of salary sacrifice:

You receive £106.00 as a tax-free reimbursement, but only £92.11 after tax relief.

Without the scheme, you'd pay for charging with money that's already been taxed. With salary sacrifice, the deduction happens before tax is calculated, so you keep more of your earnings.

The £13.89 difference is your saving because you're effectively paying for your charging with pre-tax money!

Step-by-step calculation breakdown
Step 1: Calculate miles from public charging
Vehicle efficiency (4 mi/kWh) × Public energy (50 kWh) = 200 miles
Step 2: Calculate home/work charging miles
Total mileage (1000) − Business mileage (0) − Public miles (200) = 800 miles
Step 3: Calculate cost of home/work charging
Other miles (800) × HMRC rate (£0.07) = £56.00
Step 4: Total reimbursement you receive (NET)
Public cost (£50.00) + Home/work cost (£56.00) = £106.00
Step 5: Gross salary sacrifice amount
Total cost (£106.00) × (1 + 10% admin fee) = £116.60
Step 6: Your actual cost after tax savings
Gross deduction (£116.60) × (1 − 21% tax saving) = £92.11
Step 7: Your monthly saving!
Reimbursement (£106.00) − Net sacrifice (£92.11) = £13.89
Key terms explained
Salary Sacrifice
An arrangement where you give up part of your pre-tax salary in exchange for a non-cash benefit. Because it's taken before tax, you don't pay income tax or National Insurance on that amount.
HMRC AER (Advisory Electricity Rate)
The government-approved rate for reimbursing electricity costs for electric vehicles. Currently £0.07 per mile (changed on 1st December 2024). This is used to estimate home/work charging costs.
Tax Relief Rate
Your combined income tax and National Insurance saving rate. Basic rate taxpayers save approximately 21% (12% NI + ~9% effective tax), while higher rate taxpayers save approximately 42% (2% NI + 40% tax).
Admin Fee
A percentage charged by the scheme administrator to cover the costs of running the scheme, processing payments, and providing support.

Charging Details

Enter your monthly charging information

Calculation Settings

Configure your tax and admin fee options

Calculation Results

Auto-calculated based on your inputs

Public Charging Miles
200 miles
Vehicle Efficiency × Public Charging Energy
Other Charging Miles
800 miles
Total Monthly Mileage − Business Mileage − Public Charging Miles
Cost of Other Charging
£56.00
Other Charging Miles × HMRC AER Rate
Total Cost of Charging
£106.00
Public Charging Cost + Other Charging Costs
Net Expense Reimbursement
£106.00
Amount given back to employee NET
Gross Salary Deduction
£116.60
Total Cost × (1 + Admin Fee)
Sacrifice with Tax/NI Saving
£92.11
Gross Salary Deduction × (1 − Tax Saving)
Total Monthly Saving
Additional amount in your payslip (Reimbursement - Net Sacrifice)
£13.89