At typical UK body shop usage — roughly two cycles per week — an all-electric spray booth costs approximately £422 per year to run. A conventional gas-heated booth at equivalent throughput costs closer to £1,716 per year. That is a saving of over £1,200 annually, with 81% less carbon output.
The full picture depends on your energy tariffs, cycle frequency, and how well your booth is specified. Here is what you need to know.
A single cycle covers one complete spray and bake sequence. This typically includes a spray phase (20–40 minutes), a bake phase (30–45 minutes at 60–80°C), and an air purge or cooldown before the next vehicle enters.
Most body shops run between one and four cycles per day. A busy independent typically averages two cycles per working day — around 480 cycles per year. A smaller operation may run one cycle per day or fewer. The figures used throughout this article are based on 96 annual cycles (two per week) — a conservative baseline representative of a mid-sized UK body shop.
The dominant energy draw in an electric spray booth is the heating system. In a far infrared (FIR) electric booth, electrical elements generate heat directly — at up to 98.5% electrical efficiency. There is no combustion, no flue, and no heat lost to exhaust gases.
Secondary draws include the main extract fan (typically 4–8kW), LED lighting, and the PLC control system. Variable speed drives (VSDs) reduce fan energy draw during bake phases by slowing airflow once operating temperature is reached.
At two cycles per week, a well-specified all-electric FIR booth running on the GB grid costs approximately £4–£5 per cycle in electricity.
A conventional gas spray booth at equivalent throughput costs approximately £17–£18 per cycle. The gap is larger than the gas-versus-electricity price ratio would suggest.
Combustion efficiency is one reason: gas burners convert fuel to usable heat at 70–85% efficiency under ideal conditions, while electric FIR elements operate at up to 98.5% efficiency. Every unit of electricity purchased becomes heat in the booth; a meaningful proportion of every unit of gas is lost to the flue.
Airflow management is another. Gas booths require full airflow throughout heat-up to manage combustion products. Electric systems can ramp fan speed independently of the heating element, reducing energy draw during warm-up. Gas systems that maintain pilot lights or keep burner assemblies warm between cycles also incur standby energy costs that well-controlled electric systems avoid entirely.
Based on Todd Engineering's published energy cost data, at 96 annual cycles using GB grid carbon intensity:
Conventional spray booth: approximately £1,716 per year, with a carbon output of around 1.6 tonnes CO₂e.
All-electric FIR spray booth: approximately £422 per year, with a carbon output of around 0.3 tonnes CO₂e — a saving of £1,294 annually and 81% less carbon.
These figures represent modelled outputs based on typical UK energy rates and average grid carbon intensity. Your actual costs will vary by tariff, booth specification, usage pattern, and regional grid carbon intensity.
Your energy tariff has the biggest influence. Business electricity and gas rates vary significantly by contract, meter type, and supplier. If your site generates renewable electricity — through solar PV, for example — electric booth costs can fall further still.
Insulation specification matters too. Double-skinned, rockwool-insulated panels retain heat between cycles and reduce the energy required to return to operating temperature. Thin or poorly maintained panels waste energy on every cycle, regardless of fuel type.
Filter condition is often overlooked. Blocked input or extract filters increase resistance across the fan, raising energy draw. Replacing filters on schedule is one of the simplest cost-control actions a body shop can take.
Cycle management also matters. Running multiple vehicles back-to-back while the booth is at temperature makes better use of the energy invested in heat-up. A booth that is heated, run for one cycle, cooled, then reheated will always cost more per cycle than one managing throughput efficiently.
Yes — substantially, at current GB grid carbon intensity. The UK electricity grid has decarbonised significantly over the past decade, meaning electricity carries considerably less carbon per kWh than it did even five years ago.
At 96 cycles per year, switching from a conventional booth to an all-electric FIR system can reduce CO₂e output by more than 1.3 tonnes annually. At higher throughput, the reduction scales proportionally. For body shops with sustainability commitments — driven by insurer requirements, manufacturer approved repairer networks, or fleet client expectations — this is a documentable, auditable reduction in Scope 2 emissions.
Running costs are one input into a broader business case. A full return on investment assessment should also consider the capital cost of the new booth, any infrastructure investment required (electrical supply capacity, for example), throughput improvement from faster FIR curing cycles, reduced maintenance overhead versus gas combustion systems, and the value of sustainability credentials with clients and networks.
At two cycles per week, the energy saving alone exceeds £1,200 per year. A busier shop running double that throughput can expect savings to scale accordingly. Over a 10–15 year booth lifespan, the cumulative energy saving is material.
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Figures based on Todd Engineering energy cost modelling at 96 annual cycles using GB grid average carbon intensity. Energy costs vary by tariff and usage. Contact Todd Engineering for a site-specific assessment.