For the environmentally conscious amongst us, or those who simply love to be at the cutting edge of innovation, an electric or hybrid car is a great option to consider.
With some funky looking models now available (we love the BMW i3) you don’t need to compromise on style either.
So, here are a few things to consider.
All electric or hybrid?
When choosing an electric car you have two main choices (apart from make and model.) All electric or a plug-in hybrid.
An all electric has a battery driven electric motor – that’s it!
A plug-in hybrid has the battery driven electric motor but also has a back-up internal combustion engine as well.
A hybrid will give you a few more miles to your charge, as the back-up engine essentially tops up your battery on the move.
Is it as easy as ‘plug and go’?
Yes and no. Whilst you can charge your vehicle at home via a domestic socket this is a slow option and it is essential that before you plug in you have your wiring checked thoroughly by an electrician to ensure you have the necessary circuit breakers etc – safety first!
Grants are available towards the cost of having a dedicated charging point installed at your home – you can find out more here
Charging on the move
There are a number of interactive maps available to show you where charging points are and you should always plan ahead so you know where you can plug in. Zap-map.com is one such site and the App “Charge your Car” is also proving popular.
There are already more than 1,500 charging points in the UK and with a remarkable surge in demand for electric vehicles in the UK – *new registrations of plug-in cars increased from 3,500 in 2013 to more than 63,000 at the beginning of June 2016, this number is only set to increase * source http://www.nextgreencar.com/electric-cars/statistics/
Cost
Your running costs will be hugely reduced when compared to a petrol / diesel alternative and exemptions from congestion charges and zero road tax reduces your regular outgoings further.
Usual maintenance stands of course, but choose a package when you lease and this will be built into your monthly costs anyway.
One negative for electric cars is poor residual value – for example the BMWi3 will only retain around 30% of it’s value after 3 years. Leasers, of course, don’t need to worry about this – you get to enjoy all of the benefits of an electric car without this significant downside.
What are electric cars like to drive?
Jane England Operations manager OVL Group Ltd drives a Nissan Leaf….here’s what she says about going electric.
“It’s a must for local or short distance travellers! I appreciate it won’t suit everyone, but for users only doing short or local driving then and the Leaf is definitely the way to go. Nissan got it right in so many ways. The Leaf is a generous 4/5 seater hatchback car that ticks many boxes regarding build quality and finish. In addition, its quiet, very comfortable, incredibly easy to drive once you adapt to it, but above all, is GREEN…………………… and you never have to buy fuel!! Charging is no different to charging your mobile phone and with the increase in public charging points it will become even easier to top up when out and about be in in a service station, supermarket car park or motorway service station…………….. What’s not to like!”