Electric cars have been around for a number of years and are more popular than ever. But numbers are still pretty low and only around 2-3% of cars in the UK are electric or hybrid. Electric cars don’t have need for a petrol or diesel engine and instead replaces it with an electric motor powered by batteries. The electric batteries can be recharged by plugging the car into an EV charger either at home or on the go. There’s no emissions pipe because electric cars are environmentally friendly and don’t produce any harmful emissions.
There can still be some concerns around electric cars and drivers may be worried whether they are right for their lifestyle. If you feel this is you, to help you decide if your next car should be electric, the guide below looks at the pros and cons and a few considerations you should think about first.
Why invest in an electric car?
There are a number of reasons why drivers like electric cars. Not only do they help to reduce your carbon footprint, but they can also save you money. They can also be comfortable to drive and nippy on the roads.
- They can save you money. Running costs of electric cars are one of the biggest selling points. It costs much less to recharge an electric car than it does to refuel with petrol or diesel. The cheapest way to recharge an electric car is at home and overnight when the grid is at it’s cheapest. You’ll also need to have an at home charger installed at your property in order to do this.
- They are eco-friendly. Electric cars don’t produce any emissions and can help to improve air quality which makes them eco-friendly vehicles. Better air quality can improve human health and help to reduce the rate of climate change.
- They are nice to drive. You’ll often find electric car owners comment on how quiet and smooth their car is to drive. They can provide instant torque to the wheels which helps them to accelerate faster and makes them very responsive.
- They have low running costs. Petrol and diesel cars have a combustion engine and is made up of hundreds of different moving parts, which increases the likelihood of something going wrong. Electric motors on the other hand are much more streamline and require less maintenance.
What to consider before buying?
The benefits of driving an EV seem to be endless but there are a few factors to take into consideration before you commit to getting one.
- Your daily range. Range anxiety is a common worry amongst many EV drivers, but it doesn’t need to be. Most drivers will only travel around 20 miles per day and the average EV can offer around 212 miles on a single full charge. Based on this scenario, you would only need to charge your car every 10 days! Many EVs also come with one or two battery options which can be a larger battery with extended range if you are worried about running out of battery before reaching your destination.
- Your budget. Ok, we’re not going to lie EVs are expensive to buy. Due to the modern technology used in the electric batteries, electric cars are more expensive to produce. Currently, the cheapest four-seater, brand-new EV in the UK starts from around £26k, which may not be affordable for many. There are car finance deals with no deposit available on electric cars but car finance is always subject to status and you may be offered a finance deal if you aren’t suitable.
- Charge availability. The cheapest and easiest way to recharge your EV is at home when you have a charger installed. If you can get a charger installed, you should. If you live in an apartment or a rent a property, you may not be able to have a charger installed ay your living address so it’s worth considering first. You will need to pay for a charge to be installed at your property but then it can be used to charge your EV overnight at one of the lowest rates possible. You will then pay for your charging within your household electricity bill.
Public charging stations. If you are worried about running out of range when on the road or you wouldn’t be able to have a charge installed at home, you may be looking to rely on public charging points. In the UK, there are over nearly 53,000 charging points available, but some EV drivers still feel it is not enough. It can also take around 20 minutes for an EV to charge to 80% at one of these public charging points so it’s not ideal if you’re in a hurry. Also, these charges use a higher rate of electricity which can be costly so it may not be the most cost-effective option fi you can’t get a charge installed at your home.