How to decide if an electric car is right for your lifestyle

The popularity of electric vehicles is on the rise and its easy to see why! There are so many benefits to getting an electric car. One of the biggest benefits of electric cars is the impact that they have on the environment, or lack of! Fully electric cars don’t produce any harmful emissions into the environment which helps to reduce the rate of climate change. This also helps to improve human and environmental health too. Electric cars can also benefit from low running costs and maintenance costs too! But if you’re looking to bring an EV into your life, you may be wondering how practical it would be for you. The below article explores the factors you may need to consider before you buy an electric car or take out an electric car loan. 

What is an electric car?

An electric car is one that uses electricity to power the motor instead of a traditional combustion engine such as petrol or diesel. Electric batteries are used to power the motor which then drives the wheels of the vehicle. The electric battery is also used to power other functions such as lights, climate control and the radio. Electric vehicles don’t have a tailpipe, so they don’t produce greenhouse gases when compared to petrol or diesel alternatives. The batteries within a fully electric vehicles can be recharged at home or at a public charging station. Charging times can vary depending on the type of charger you use and the make and model of the vehicle. 

Before you commit to getting an electric car, there are few factors that may determine whether an EV is right for you.

Charging availability

For many people the biggest drawback of owning an electric car is having to charge it. Fuel stations allow you to fill your car to full in a matter of minutes and pay via card or cash. Electric cars need to be charged when they run out of battery and can be done so at home when you have a charging point installed. EVs will need to be parked near the charging point and for many people this is not possible due to street parking or rented accommodation. At home charging can be one of the most practical ways to charge your EV but can be quite slow. Alternatively, you could consider charging your car at a public charging point which can be found in shopping centres, supermarkets, offices, and dedicated EV charging stations.

Budget

When compared to petrol or diesel cars, new electric cars can be much more expensive. EVs use more complex forms of technology which can increase the purchase price. Some of the cheapest electric cars can start from around £17,000 for a small Smart EQ fortwo Coupe but the average electric car in the UK usually costs around £43,000. For many UK drivers, this price will be out of their budget. However, the lower running costs of owning an electric car may be able to offset this in the long run. 

Electric range

How far you can travel on a single charge will depend on the make and model of your vehicle. Usually, the more range you get out of an EV, the bigger the battery size and the higher the purchase price too. The average range of EVs in the UK is around 193 miles but can be dependent on factors such as weather conditions. EVs tend to get more miles out of them in the summer months due to not having to work as hard to heat the vehicle. Range anxiety is the term used to describe electric car owners who worry that their electric range will run out before they reach their destination. If you’re doing longer journeys this may be an issue but if you only travel around 10-20 miles per day, you won’t need to charge your EV every night!

Buying options

As mentioned above, electric cars can be more expensive to buy. However, there are a few buying options you could consider. If you’re looking for a new electric car, you could benefit from the UK governments electric car grant. This gives you money off the purchase price of an electric vehicle and 75% towards the cost of installing an at home charger. Alternatively, there are many used electric cars on the market now as they have been around for a number of years. You could consider spreading the cost through PCP car finance or hire purchase deals to make owning an EV more affordable.  

Driving experience

Electric motoring tends to be a quiet and comfortable driving experience. The batteries tend to be mounted quite low within the vehicle which can increase interior space too. Electric cars don’t produce much noise so you can benefit from a more pleasant driving experience, but some drivers are worried that electric cars are actually too quiet. This can be dangerous to other road users and pedestrians crossing the road. In recent years though, electric cars have to have a noise emitting device fitted in all vehicles when driving at low speeds or reversing.