A guide to electric vehicles

Did you know that globally there are over 10.9 million electric vehicles in circulation, of which 3.24 million were sold in 2020 alone (source: EV Volumes). While they still represent a small percentage of the overall number of cars, there are 55 times more EVs on the road now than there were seven years go.

 

In the UK, sales of new electric cars increased by 140.4% in 2020 compared to 2019 (source: Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) and the best-selling car was the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Car manufacturers are not only releasing more EV models, with ever greater range and at increasingly affordable prices but many also pledging to make all their models electric within the next decade.

The UK government provides a grant to encourage you to choose a new electric car:

 

New car grant

You can get a discount on the price of brand new low-emission vehicles through a grant the government gives to vehicle dealerships and manufacturers. The dealer will include the value of the grant in the vehicle’s price.

 

To be eligible for the grant, the car must cost less than £35,000. This is the recommended retail price (RRP), and includes VAT and delivery fees. The grant will pay for 35% of the purchase price for these vehicles, up to a maximum of £2,500.

 

List of eligible vehicles: https://www.gov.uk/plug-in-car-van-grants

When it comes to acceleration, EVs are quick off the mark thanks to the direct transmission of power to the wheels with no lag. As a result, even less powerful electric cars perform better than their traditional counterparts. EVs are also more adept at braking, slowing down consistently as soon as you take your foot off the accelerator. The braking process recharges the battery which EVs are well suited to city traffic.

Electric cars outperform all the alternatives, both in terms of CO2 emissions and pollutants, being the only technology that allows the total elimination of local oxide emissions, nitrogen (NO x) and fine dust (Pm x). EVs also reduce noise pollution as they are almost silent which significantly improves your local environment.

An EV’s electric drivetrain means the motor requires minimal maintenance and potentially a battery replacement at around 300,000 km. Compare that to a conventional car which needs regular maintenance for oil changes, fuel filters, spark plugs - and emission checks.