Actor-come-EV advocate Robert Llewellyn has become a example of how it is truly possible to slash the cost of motoring and drive in a genuinely zero emission way.
The TV personality has proven it is possible to drive a 1,000 miles for just over five pounds thanks to solar panels installed at his home by British Gas.
Best known for his role as Kryten in cult British comedy Red Dwarf, the actor was one of the first motorists to run his car with the help of solar panels. Robert drives a Nissan Leaf, and since having his panels installed by British Gas three months ago, he has clocked up 2,680 miles in the fully electric model. Thanks to his solar panels, he has generated enough energy to provide 85 per cent of the charge required to cover this distance. As a result, his journeys have cost him a fraction of the amount the same mileage would set him back if he had used a petrol powered car.
The cost of travelling 1,000 in a petrol car averages at around £150 (based on a petrol price of £5.94 per gallon and a vehicle doing 50 miles per gallon). This compares to a cost of £37.10 for a electric car charging from mains electricity or just £5.38 for an electric car powered by solar power.
As well as providing the home with free renewable electricity, solar panels can also provide an annual income thanks to the Government’s Feed-in Tariff (FiT). The scheme rewards solar owners for all the renewable electricity their panels generate, earning a yearly income. The payments are tax-free, index-linked and guaranteed for 25 years.
The cost for a 2.52kWp solar panel installation like Robert’s is £11,500 from British Gas. With the average driver travelling 12,000 miles a year, an electric car owner with a solar array of this size can expect to save over £1,736 on petrol costs with an estimated annual FiT payment of £1,055. These benefits add up to a total of £2,791 annually. This means the solar panels will pay for themselves in just over 4.5 years.
Robert Llewellyn said: “I’m a massive fan of electric cars, and have been for years. With solar-generated electricity, I don’t have to worry about the price at the petrol pump.
“Using solar energy is a fantastically efficient way of getting around and I’ve been amazed at how much energy has been generated even in our typically English, cloudy weather.”
