Electric cars are more popular than ever and it’s easy to see why! But with the petrol/diesel ban being brought forward to 2030, is now the time that you invest in an EV? There are so many benefits to owning an electric car or van, but you may be worried if it will fit into your lifestyle.
If you’re in the market for your next car, you may be considering an electric vehicle or a hybrid one. For many, the switch to electric cars will eventually be inevitable but many drivers are committing to making the switch early. Let’s take a look at how you can decide whether your next vehicle should be an electric one.
How do electric cars work?
Electric vehicles replace a traditional combustion engine, found in petrol and diesel cars, with an electric motor. The electric motor is powered by rechargeable batteries which are used to drive the wheels. The batteries can be recharged at home by taking electricity from the national grid. Some batteries can also be charged through regenerative braking which is most commonly associated with hybrid vehicles. Hybrid vehicles are similar to electric ones, but they share their power source with a combustion engine too. The electric motor in hybrid vehicles tend to be smaller and can switch to petrol or diesel propulsion when the electric range has been exceeded. How far you can travel in an EV depends on the make and model of your vehicle, range, efficiency, and battery size.
Benefits of owning an EV:
There are a whole range of financial and also environmental benefits to owning an EV.
- Environmentally friendly. When you own a fully electric or hybrid vehicle, you can help to reduce the rate of climate change. Petrol and diesel engines release harmful pollutants into the environment which speed up the rate of climate change. Fully electric vehicles don’t have a tailpipe, so they don’t produce any harmful emissions. Hybrid vehicles can still produce emissions from the engine, but it is at a much lower rate when compared to a traditional petrol or diesel car.
- Improved human health. Owning an EV can help to reduce the number of pollutants which are released into the environment, especially in congested cities. This helps to promote cleaner air which contributes to improving human health. The environmental damage from air pollutants is also reduced.
- Advancements in electric ranges. When EV’s first hit the market, many people were worried about the electric range and would suffer from range anxiety. The past few years have seen significant improvements in the electrical range of EVs and some fully electric vehicles can even travel up to 450 miles on a single charge!
- Reduced running costs. Fully electric vehicles tend to be much cheaper to run than petrol or diesel alternatives. The cost of running your car can be as little as a few pounds a day to charge. However, this can depend on the electric range of your vehicle and the make and model.
- Buying incentives. You can benefit from a number of buying options if you want to invest in an EV. There is a government grant available in the UK which gives you money off the purchase price of a new electric car or van. There are also many options for getting an electric car or van on finance with affordable monthly payments on both new and used models.
What to consider before you get an electric or hybrid vehicle:
There are a few factors to take into account before you decide if owning an electric vehicle is right for you.
- Charging point availability. It can be considerably cheaper to charge an electric vehicle at home rather than at a designated public charging point, and one can have a Prescott Valley electric car charger installation done on their property by a qualified electrician to facilitate this. However, not everyone will be able to have access to a charging point located in their home. If you don’t have a driveway or live in a flat, it can be tricky to have a charge point installed and be able to care for your vehicle safely. Therefore, you should assess your ability to access or install charge points before committing to an electric vehicle.
- Affordability. New electric cars can be expensive to buy outright and may not be suited to all budgets. Hybrid and electric cars have been on the market for a while now though and you could benefit from EV or hybrid car finance deals to help spread the cost.
- Electric range. The term ‘range anxiety’ is used to describe the fear that EV drivers get when they worry that their electric batteries will run out before they reach their destination. As mentioned above, the range of electric vehicles have been improved in recent years but for many it can still be much less than they would get out of a petrol or diesel alternative.