Is Electric Right for me?

The facts you need to know abou converting to an electric vehicle

If you're thinking about purchasing an electric vehicle (EV), congratulations - you're taking a positive step

Where is your main charge point?

EVs – and indeed PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles) – can be charged at home, at work or at one of thousands of UK-wide public charging stations.

Steady Charging Access

Are you easily able to connect your EV to your home’s domestic power supply (i.e. a three-pin socket)? If so, this will be your most consistent charging option, albeit the slowest one – however, it does allow you to leave your vehicle to charge overnight.

Occasional Charging Access

Occasional charging access If you travel to work by car, does your company provide its employees with fast-charging options? If not, you should be able to charge your car via a standard three-pin socket.

Public charging access

Whenever you’re out and about and your vehicle requires a top-up, you’ll rarely be too far away from a public charging point. Indeed, there are more than 60,000 such connectors situated around the UK.

How far do you drive daily?

Your average daily mileage will have a bearing on your vehicle-purchasing decision. For instance, if you journey up to 30 miles a day, many PHEVs will be able to manage this on electric power alone. Of course, an EV is capable of a much greater range. So, even if you typically have to travel long distances each day, you’ll be able to make a lot of progress before another charge is required.

The average electric car range.

The average EV range is 181 miles. If you plan to travel a distance which exceeds your EV’s maximum range, fear not, you’ll always have the opportunity to make a ‘pit stop’ at a public rapid-charging station.

View charging point map

Short Trips

All EVs – and many PHEVs – are more than capable of managing short trips on pure-electric power, provided the battery is sufficiently charged, of course.

Medium Trips

With a full battery, most, if not all, EVs are ideal for medium trips.

Long Trips

If you’re planning a long journey, it’s best to make sure your car’s battery is fully charged, and that you’ve factored in public charging stops as part of your outward/return trip.

Ownership

As with anything, there are pros and cons to driving an electric vehicle. However, the former definitely outweighs the latter. Also, it’s worth noting that at COP26 (held in late 2021), the majority of United Nations countries and automotive manufacturers agreed to aim for all-electric car and van production by 2040.

Cost of maintenance: An EV is typically more affordable to service than a regular vehicle. This is because an electric drivetrain (which consists of an electric motor and a battery) has fewer working parts than a combustion engine.
Government's Electric Schemes: There are a number of incentives which make electric motoring a very desirable proposition. For instance:
● EVs are exempt from congestion charges levied by many cities
● The fewer CO2 emissions a car produces, the less Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) it incurs
Furthermore, the following government schemes are available:
● Workplace Charging Scheme
Cost of daily use: Although an EV is more expensive to buy than a regular car, it is – by far – the most affordable form of motor car to run. This is because, in relative terms, electricity is cheaper than petrol or diesel. And while a PHEV isn’t as efficient as an EV, it’s considerably more so than a combustion-engined vehicle.