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Electric vehicles
If you are thinking of switching to an electric vehicle (EV) as part of your commitment to a green and sustainable lifestyle, carry on reading so you can find out more before you decide on an EV for your next car.
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Three, four times a week, I would say. Just keep it topped up.
So, it makes you have a break and stop driving for long distance anyway, which is quite nice.
Because it's at work, I tend to do it on a slower charger. So, it's about an hour.
A fairly low battery up to a fully charged one, it probably takes over an hour.
Depending on how I need to go, 20, 30 minutes.
About 220.
So, a maximum 220.
I get about 225 miles with a full charge.
Averages about 200 miles of range.
We were working it out, and I think it's something like 3p a mile.
If I charge it at home overnight, it costs me 3 pounds to charge.
The last time I charged here, it cost me 16 pounds. And that took me from 15% battery to 99% battery. No, I don't think so. They're so fun to drive.
I mean the technology's gonna get better. It's gonna get longer range. They're gonna get more out of the batteries. So, no, probably not, actually.
No, I wouldn't go back.
Our next one is definitely going to be electric, so.
I think most people who are skeptic probably never actually tried driving one.
Just try it. Just get in one and try it, because the moment you do, you'll realize it's better.
Obviously, you've not got that vroom, vroom, 'cause you've not got that, but you've got the power in it. You've got the speed, you've got everything that normal car does, but it just doesn't make a noise.
- Electric Vehicles are powered by an electric motor that draws electricity from a battery. They are capable of being charged from an external source.
- An EV could be only powered by an electric motor (all-electric vehicle) or a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) that can be powered by an electric motor and by an internal combustion.
- They are considered greener when driving – as EVs have no exhaust emissions. However, EVs do have an impact on emissions when you look upstream at manufacture, as minerals are needed in order to create the batteries (e.g., lithium).1
- Electric vehicles could require less maintenance than petrol or diesel cars. (despite current fluctuations in petrol and energy prices). It's good to know, most electric car breakdowns are mainly punctures or issues with a 12v battery.2
- With an electric car, you may also need to maintain or replace the cabin air filter (also known as a pollen filter), brake fluid or air conditioning.
- They could be exempt from VED (vehicle excise duty). Only exempt until 2025.3
- Ultra-low emission vehicles could have a national exemption (i.e., pure battery electric and any PHEV) from Clean Air Zone / Ultra Low Emission Zone charges. Some newer diesel and petrol cars can also be exempt.4
What you need to know
How can I find out if an EV would suit my lifestyle?
To start with, you’ll want to think about your driving habits and understand the practicalities of owning an electric vehicle.
- How far can electric vehicles go? Many EVs today could expect between 100 - 379 miles on a full charge. That is a lot of pick ups, drop offs and work commutes, if you consider that the average car trip in 2020 was 7.9 miles (based on year where driving was impacted by Covid).7
- How long does it take to charge an electric vehicle? Depending on the model, for many electric cars, you can charge to 80% in as little as 10-15 minutes, though an average new EV would take around an hour on a standard 50 kW rapid charge point.8
- Where can I charge my electric vehicle? Despite six in ten non-EV drivers believing there are a lack of charging points nationally, there have been significant improvement to the Electric Vehicle public charging network in recent years with over 40,000 across the UK (source zap map).9
You may also like
1 Net emission reductions from electric cars and heat pumps in 59 world regions over time | Nature Sustainability
2 Electric car maintenance, repairs and servicing | The AA
3 Vehicles exempt from vehicle tax - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
4 Clean Air Zone: Drive in a clean air zone - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Ultra Low Emission Zone: Check your vehicle (tfl.gov.uk)
5 Electric cars are cheaper to own than petrol cars | Auto Express
6 Common misconceptions about electric vehicles (accessible web version) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
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