Buying Electric Cars
Are you thinking of purchasing a fuel-efficient electric car? Compared to a hybrid car, electric cars have a lowered range.
However, electric vehicles cost less to run because they make use of no fuel other than electrical power.
Buying electric cars may seem a daunting task, so we have compiled a short guide below.
Is an electric car right for me?
The number of public chargers has increased over recent years and so has the distance that an electric car can travel. So the thought of buying an electric car is more appealing than ever.
Even if you live in rural areas, the distance covered by a modern electric car has improved enough to make it a viable option.
If you are concerned about the effect that driving your petrol or diesel car has on the environment then it may be easy to persuade you to make the change.
Recent government legislation has also provided an incentive for people to make the switch to electric vehicles.
Three key concerns establish whether an electric car is right for you:
- Do you have accessibility to off-street parking?
( This is not essential as we have lots of customers who have no off-street parking ) You might be eligible for a government grant to help with funding towards the cost of an electric vehicle charging point at your home. - Is your daily mileage under 100 miles?
Most electric cars can travel for at least 100 miles between charges; this is usually enough for most users. If you are a driver who frequently has to go further than this, it is a good idea to consider an electric car with a range of 200 miles or more.
The length of your daily journey is something we will discuss with you, coupled with our expert knowledge of battery-electric cars, we will give you all the information you require. - Are you seeking to acquire a brand-new or nearly-new car?
It is worth bearing in mind that electric vehicles are improving year on year.
If you purchase an early Nissan Leaf with a 20kWh battery your range will be approximately 8o miles, however the latest version with a 62kWh battery will have a range of nearer 200 miles.
What year will petrol cars be banned?
The UK government has decided to enforce a ban on petrol and diesel cars to help the country meet its target of zero carbon by 2050.
The ban on petrol and diesel cars is set to be introduced in 2035.
When the ban comes into effect, people will only be able to purchase electric or hydrogen cars and vans.
How do I charge an electric car?
If you have access to a garage, a drive or various other off-street parking areas, you can recharge an electric car overnight. Or you can charge up at the 1000s of public charge posts.
Current studies suggest that around 80% of UK car-owning families already have access to parking, it can be a garage or various other off-street vehicle parking facility.
It is worth remembering that there is assistance available for those who want to set up an EV charging point in their home.
You might be eligible for a government grant to help with funding towards the cost of an electric vehicle charging point at your home. We will be able to discuss this with you and give you all the up to date information and advice you need.
Benefits of electric cars
There is a reduction in harmful exhaust emissions, which is much better for our health. The benefits of better air quality will lead to us all having far fewer health problems and costs caused by air pollution. Electric vehicles are a lot less noisy than petrol or diesel vehicles, which means less noise pollution.
You can also charge your car from home, work or on the go. Electric cars are also far cheaper to run, on average it costs approximately £2.80p to drive 100 miles. The cost of petrol and diesel is far more expensive.
Charging points can are available at many supermarkets, car parks and motorway services. Electric cars are also cheaper to maintain. There is no oil to change, gaskets or spark plugs to replace. There is far less break pad wear due to regenerative braking.
Pure battery electric vehicles are exempt from paying road tax; this is because they produce zero emissions.
You must, however, still tax your car each year, drivers of battery electric vehicles don't mind doing this, because it is free. You can do this by filling a form in online or at your local Post Office.
Are electric cars environmentally friendly?
The research shows that electric cars are far more environmentally friendly than petrol or diesel cars. Electric cars produce fewer greenhouse gases and air pollutants than petrol or diesel cars.
Taking into consideration the cost to manufacture your electric vehicle and the electricity required to fuel your vehicle, it is still better for the environment over its lifetime.
We all like to be able to breath fresh air and listen to the sound of nature. However, this is extremely difficult to do, when all you can hear is the noise from traffic and the only thing you can smell is the pollution from vehicles.
The more electric vehicles there are on our roadways, the better the noise levels and the pollution. The government has said the ban on selling new petrol and diesel cars would come even earlier than 2035, if possible.
Cleaner air:
With far more people using cars to commute daily, the pollution from petrol and diesel cars is hugely damaging to the environment. Less pollution from vehicles will give us cleaner air and is less damaging to the ozone layer.
Less noise pollution:
How many times have you wanted to sit outside a cafe and enjoy a relaxing coffee, only you sit there breathing in the car, bus and lorry fumes? The noise from all these vehicles also makes a quiet break less appealing.
Noise pollution, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) is second only to air pollution in the impact it has on our health.
It is a significant cause, not only of hearing loss but also of heart disease, learning problems in children and sleep disturbance. If you live on a busy main road or in an area with a high volume of traffic, it will be difficult to open your doors and windows when required.
Which electric car should I buy?
That depends on your needs and requirements. Are you looking for a comfortable family car? Do you want to commute long distances? Electric motors are capable of providing a smoother drive with higher acceleration over longer distances.
Make a list of all the models that suit your driving needs. There is a wide variety of battery-electric cars available, and they all vary. Perhaps you like all the different available features. Research how long the battery will last and how often it needs to be recharged.
Electric cars are comfortable, quiet, exciting and economical. All battery-electric cars are automatic, and they also include all the comforts we have come to expect from premium and high-end cars, such as a blue tooth, sat-nav, air conditioning and phone chargers.
You will find that many electric cars have additional features, like park assist cameras, 30-minute charging capability and automatic lights and windscreen wipers.
Whatever questions you might have our staff are experts in electric cars and will be only too happy to give you all the advice and information you require, helping you to make the right choice.
Which country uses electric cars the most?
Norway has the most electric cars per capita. 3.3% of Norway's population owns an electric vehicle.
Almost 60% of new vehicles sold in Norway during March 2019 were entirely electric-powered.
A total of 11,518 electric vehicles were registered in Norway during the first quarter of 2019. This figure is twice as many as the previous year.
How long do electric cars take to charge?
It can take as little as 30 minutes or up to 12 hours. It will depend on the size of the battery and the speed of the charging point.
A typical electric car with a 60kWh battery takes just under 8 hours to charge from empty to full with a 7kW charging point.
Most drivers top-up charge rather than waiting for their battery to recharge from empty-to-full. For many electric cars, you can add up to 100 miles of range in 35 minutes from a rapid 50kW charger. There are three ways to charge your electric vehicle.
Rapid Charging:
This takes approximately 30-minutes for an 80% charge, their locations are usually at motorway service stations and in some municipal car parks.
Fast Charging:
This takes between 3 - 8 hours for a full charge. These electric vehicle charging units are available in public car parks, at work, or you could have one installed at home. The UK Government subsidises the installation of home charging units.
Trickle Charging:
You can plug your home-charging lead into a standard household 3-pin wall socket. It will take about 12 hours to charge your electric vehicle fully. This type of charging is sluggish and potentially unsafe, particularly at older residential or commercial properties.
We recommend that customers install a home charging unit to fast charge their battery electric vehicle.
What percentage of car sales are electric?
In December 2019 electric car sales shot up by 220%. It ensured that battery electric vehicle registrations ended the year with a 1.6% share of the overall market.
The 37,850 electric vehicles joined UK roads in 2019 was up from 15,510 in 2018.
These figures show just how popular electric cars are becoming. Electric vehicles are becoming more affordable, and this makes them more accessible to the general public. They are also incredibly cheap to run compared to petrol and diesel cars.
They are also becoming more widely produced, resulting in a drop in price. The range and choice of electric vehicles are even higher, making them even more appealing if the design is speculation for you.
Which electric car has the most extended range?
The range of an electric car is a concern for most of today's modern drivers. The Tesla Roadster has a massive 600-mile range.
If the Tesla Roadster is not financially viable for you. There are many more affordable electric cars with a vast battery range available. It is worth bearing in mind that electric vehicles are improving year on year.
If you purchase an early Nissan Leaf with a 20kWh battery your range will be approximately 8o miles, however the latest version with a 62kWh battery will have a range of nearer 200 miles. It is all dependent on the amount of driving you would like to do.
Around town, the average daily commute is approximately 8.5 miles. It is worth considering the amount of mileage you are likely to do in a week, month or year, enabling you to find a good average.
Some electric vehicle owners do charge their cars from residential sockets - in their garage, as an example, this is sluggish and potentially unsafe, particularly at older residential or commercial properties.
You may need to charge your electric car or plug-in hybrid when you're on the move. Internet sites are mapping the different publicly easily accessible charging points in the UK.
If you have a satellite navigation system in your car, you can ask your Sat Nav to map the charging locations on your route, doing this will help you map out your way more efficiently and make your journey less stressful.
Rapid chargers offer an approximate 80% charge in around 20 – 40 minutes. If you are a driver that has a long daily commute or regularly takes longer trips, it is worth acquainting yourself with the motorway charging networks.
If there's a charging point en route, you might be able to escape not being able to recharge at work, before purchasing an electric car, always examine that your constant journeys are practical. It might be feasible for your place of work to have charging points fitted in their car park. There are Government grants available for businesses.
Are you ready to buy an electric car in the UK?
Our dedicated team at Eco Cars will be only too happy to discuss the variants of each electric vehicle with you. We stock a wide range of electric cars and can deliver them throughout the UK.
Contact us today for advice on buying fuel efficient cars. Call 01856751730 today.
View our range of used electric cars here.