FILLING up your car for £4.50 may seem like a bargain, but to electric car drivers it is double what they are used to paying.

Concerns have been raised that Cotswold District Council (CDC) is trying to turn a profit from their charging point in Beeches Car Park, Cirencester.

Electric car drivers can fill up for free in many places and rarely have to pay more than the £2.20 the electricity costs.

CDC received a £75,000 grant to build two car charging points in Cirencester and Moreton-in-Marsh but is now charging users £4.50 to fill up.

Electric cars must be filled up around every 80 miles.

Stroud-based green energy company Ecotricity has been installing a series of electric charge points around Britain since 2011.

The “Electric Highway” now covers 95 per cent of the country with 250 electric pumps at over 150 locations – all of which are free to use.

Business owner James Noddle drives an electric car, he said: “CDC are the only ones to charge, I charge in Swindon and its free, and at many other places and its free – what a shame they wish to make a profit. Now I won’t use it as it’s cheaper to charge at home and free if I go elsewhere.

“The other problem is they charge that if you charge 50 per cent, or even 10 per cent, it’s per plug in fee so you could end up paying £4.50 when you only take 50p worth of power.”

CDC was quick to respond to claims they were overcharging electric car drivers.

Cllr Chris Hancock, cabinet member for enterprise and partnerships, said: “CDC’s £4 fee for electric charging and parking (for an hour) covers the cost of electricity, transaction fees, Charge Your Car network fees and insurance. 

“The aim is for this service to be cost neutral for the council – and the tax payer.

“Additionally, the free charging units in Swindon, to which the reader refers, are slow versions and are owned by private companies and not the council.

He added: “The funding available for chargers a few years ago carried a caveat that local authorities had to make them free to use for several years but could then introduce a fee, and we are starting to see this happen.”