04 / 07 / 22
Should I buy an Electric Car?
With the recent increase of the price of fuel, you might find yourself wishing you had an electric car. Electric car sales are skyrocketing in 2022; 2021 was the strongest year yet for electric vehicle sales, with EV’s outselling diesels! According to the Society of Motor Manufactuers and Traders, electric vehicle registrations in the UK hit 190,727 sales in 2021, compared to 108,205 in 2021. This is a huge 75% increase! There are pros and cons about buying an electric car, which we will talk about in this blog. So, the question is… Should I buy an electric car?
Running Costs of an Electric Car:
Charging an electric car is going to be cheaper than a full tank of fuel is, even with the recent energy cost increase. Charging your electric car at home is likely the most convenient way for most people, however unless you have a special ‘home charge point’, home charging via a 3 point plug takes much longer. Charging an EV takes a lot longer than refuelling a petrol/diesel car. According to research by Leasing Options, the quickest charging car is the Fiat 500 e, which charges up to 81 miles in 24 minutes for a cost of £5.76. The Audi e-tron and Tesla Model S and X take the longest to charge. Home charge points are around £1,000 to have installed – but there is a grant which could reduce the upfront cost by up to £350. According to EDF energy, an electric car costs on average of 4.91p per mile, compared to a petrol car costs on average of 12p per mile. This is obviously a big saving but does it outweigh the hassle of finding a charging point when out and about, alongside the long charging times?
Another saving of buying an electric car is the fact that they are tax-free, thanks to their zero-emission status. The savings you make here go towards the extra cost of the vehicle, for example, the electric Peugeot e-208 is more than £11,000 more expensive that the petrol 208.
Where to charge an Electric Car?
An issue that stops a lot of people from purchasing an electric car is charging locations. According to Zap Map there are 54,000 connectors in 19,960 locations across the UK. In comparison, there are 8,378 petrol stations in the UK. This looks great, doesn’t it? However, the convenience of a petrol station is much greater. It takes minutes to refuel your car, pay for the fuel, and drive off. As mentioned previously, charging an EV is time consuming – much longer than it takes to refuel. Imagine travelling a long distance (400 miles) – with an electric car, you’d likely have to stop half way to charge up, this would likely take at least an hour. You might have to stop in a petrol/diesel car, however this would take minutes.
Another issue is home charging. For those that live in flats or apartments, unless your street has charging points put in by the council, then you wouldn’t be able to charge your car at home. This might be the case for those that don’t have a driveway, as you can’t run a cable across pavement. Home charging points can be expensive, which is an additional cost you’d likely have to pay for when purchasing an EV.
What are Electric Cars like to drive?
Electric cars are known for being ‘quicker’ than their petrol/diesel rivals. This is due to how electric vehicles deliver its power. This provides immediate movement as soon as you hit the pedal. As well as being fast, electric cars are also quiet. Because there’s no engine, there’s barely any noise. This gives the car a very relaxed nature, and feels very ‘drive and go’.
Most electric cars are also filled to the brim with gadgets and gimbles. This is because electric vehicles are more expensive than their petrol/diesel counterparts, so purchasers want to feel like they have purchased something ‘more luxury’ to counteract the extra cost.
All in all, it’s a personal decision whether you think you should buy an electric car yet or not. There are many points to factor in; some good, and some bad. It massively depends on your lifestyle, and whether it would be convenient to you.
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