Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, could save a substantial amount on commuting costs between his northern base and Westminster by opting for an electric car over train travel, according to an analysis by Carwow. The car buying and selling website calculated that using an electric vehicle (EV) could save Burnham more than £9,000 annually, and over £26,000 by the time of the next general election in summer 2029.
This calculation arises amid questions about the cost of Burnham's travel, particularly following his use of a government jet three times within five days. The journeys included a flight from London to Glasgow, a flight to Manchester for his new regional office, and a trip to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Portsmouth.
Commuting Costs Compared
For an annual season ticket covering unlimited travel between Manchester and London, including travel within London Zones 1-6, the cost is £20,560 per year. Alternatively, purchasing a day return ticket 40 times a year, to account for weekly attendance at Prime Minister's Questions, amounts to £15,840 annually.
In contrast, Carwow used the UK-built Nissan Leaf as a benchmark for EV commuting. Leasing this model for three years, with an allowance of 20,000 miles annually, including road tax, would cost £17,961. Factoring in the cost of charging for weekly journeys, using a mix of public rapid charging and home charging, brings the total over three years to £20,265. This represents a saving of £26,985 compared to train travel over the same period, or £8,995 per year.
If purchased on finance, the Nissan Leaf, including road tax and charging costs over three years, would amount to £26,913. The analysis highlights that while rail travel is often considered the standard for business commutes, the running costs of EVs have become competitive.
However, the analysis also notes a time penalty associated with driving. The average road journey between Manchester and London, excluding traffic, is approximately four hours each way, which is over an hour longer than the average train journey of two hours and 46 minutes, assuming no delays.
Carwow noted that while not everyone has access to home charging or prefers long-distance driving, the figures illustrate the increasing cost-effectiveness of EVs compared to other transportation methods.