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What to Know Before You Buy an Electric Car in the UK
Arthur Smalley
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November 15, 2021
Driving electric cars
Driving an electric car can feel very different from a petrol vehicle and takes a bit of getting used to.
For starters, almost all-electric cars are automatic. Most drivers in the UK have spent their whole life with manual transmissions. It can feel strange not using your left leg for anything or not worrying about changing gears.
When many drivers first get their electric car, they have to adapt their driving style to maximise battery performance. This means:
- Driving smoothly – fast acceleration and sharp braking wastes your battery.
- Regenerative braking – an electric car’s regenerative braking system recovers energy and sends power back to the battery. Again using this function is maximised by driving smoothly and using the brake only when necessary.
- Slow down – high speeds drain your battery considerably, so try to keep it to 60 mph or below.
Other factors that feel different when driving an electric car include:
- Maximum torque instantly, leading to improved acceleration.
- A lower centre of gravity due to heavy batteries mounted low in electric cars.
- Much less noise compared to petrol cars and fewer vibrations.There’s no doubt electric cars are going to become the norm. The government has announced a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. While there are no plans to halt the second-hand sale of petrol/diesel vehicles in the future, for most people in the UK, it is a matter of when for electric cars, not if.
But the question is should I buy an electric car now or wait until the infrastructure and technology are more developed?
Should I buy an electric car?
With improvements in battery technology boosting the range of electric cars, an expansion of charging stations across the country, and lower-cost electric vehicles becoming available many see now as the perfect time to make the transition.
Plus, given the recent petrol shortage caused by a lack of HGV drivers in the country, drivers looking at closed forecourts and long queues to fill up likely have extra incentive to make their next car electric.
Why you should get an electric car
The advantages of owning an electric car in the UK are:
- Reduce your environmental impact – not only good big picture in the fight against climate change; electric cars are also great locally, improving air quality where you live.
- Fuel savings – estimates suggest the electric car running cost in the UK is 40% that of petrol cars (4.9p per mile vs 12p per mile).
- Cheaper vehicle maintenance – the cost of electric car v petrol vehicles is significantly lower for maintenance and servicing.
- Government incentives – the government offers grants up to £2,500 on new low-emission vehicle purchases, £350 grants for installing home charging stations, plus electric vehicles are exempt from paying road tax.
- Resale value – with the boom in electric cars, they hold much more of their value when it comes to selling your vehicle.
Downsides of electric cars
While all this sounds great, there are still some downsides to electric vehicles.
- Reduced range – New electric vehicles have comparable ranges to an average petrol car, but they come with a hefty price tag. More affordable electric cars suffer from a reduced range compared to a full tank of petrol.
- Finding charging stations – While the charging station infrastructure has expanded a lot, long journeys in electric cars still require a bit of planning to ensure you can find a charging station when needed.
- Charging time – Plus, it can take significant time to charge up your vehicle. So when you find a charging station, you’re going to be in for a wait. Faster charging stations are becoming more prevalent, but even the fastest take at least 40 minutes for a full charge.
- Higher upfront cost – There are lots of electric car running cost savings in the UK. But at the moment, the price for an electric car is more than petrol/diesel equivalents, putting off buyers who can’t afford the large upfront cost.
Guide to buying an electric car UK
What are you using it for?
In most instances, whether you should buy an electric car in the UK now or wait comes down to what you need to use it for. Electric cars are great for getting around town, short journeys near your house that allow you to charge up at home. So if you primarily use your car for short journeys and don’t have a long commute, the downsides of electric cars are less impactful.
If you regularly take long journeys, the limited range, added complication of finding charging stations, and wait times during charging may seem a step too far right now.
Many households with multiple drivers are taking an approach where they have an electric car and a petrol vehicle. This way you get the advantages of the electric car for short journeys but still have the convenience of a petrol option for longer trips.
Charging stations
After buying an electric car, charging stations are probably the most important thing you need to get your head around.
Let’s start with installing a charging station at home. An important thing to take advantage of is the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) Grant. Two big acronyms that add up to £350 off your home charging point purchase and installation.
To install a home charging station, you may also need to upgrade your fuse board to 80amp or 100 amp. However, this upgrade is free.
Outside of home charging stations, there are now more than 42,000 public charge points across the UK in over 15,500 locations. Some of these are free, often located in supermarkets, shopping centres, and public/workplace car parks, so you leave your car charging while getting the shopping done or going to work.
Be aware that the time it takes to get your vehicle fully charged depends on multiple factors, including your battery size, the power rating of the charger, and what power ratings are compatible with your electric car.
The three speeds of electric car charger are:
- Slow chargers – maximum of 3.6kW available and take between 6-12 hours for a full charge.
- Fast chargers – rated between 7kW and 22kW, reducing the time for a full charge to 3-7 hours.
- Rapid chargers – the fastest available rated above 43kW, generally achieving 80% battery in 20-40 minutes.
To use a public charging station, you will have to become familiar with the apps they use. Unfortunately, there is no universal app for all public charging stations, so you may have to download more than one. Some of the most popular in the UK are Pod Point and Ecotricity; they help you locate your nearest charging station and facilitate payment when charging.
Energy suppliers
When you own an electric car, you are going to be using more electricity. Thankfully, many energy suppliers offer low rates (down to 5p per kWh) during off-peak hours late at night. By switching, you can set your home charging station to charge up during these hours and get considerable savings.
Other cost savings
- There are a growing number of congestion charges across cities in the UK. However, electric cars are exempt from these charges, so you can travel where you want without worrying about an extra charge.
- Electric vehicles are free to tax in the UK.
- Maintenance and servicing costs are lower for electric cars. This is because they have simpler drive trains with fewer moving parts compared to an internal combustion engine.
- Many places in the UK offer free or reduced fees for parking electric cars.
Driving electric cars
Driving an electric car can feel very different from a petrol vehicle and takes a bit of getting used to.
For starters, almost all-electric cars are automatic. Most drivers in the UK have spent their whole life with manual transmissions. It can feel strange not using your left leg for anything or not worrying about changing gears.
When many drivers first get their electric car, they have to adapt their driving style to maximise battery performance. This means:
- Driving smoothly – fast acceleration and sharp braking wastes your battery.
- Regenerative braking – an electric car’s regenerative braking system recovers energy and sends power back to the battery. Again using this function is maximised by driving smoothly and using the brake only when necessary.
- Slow down – high speeds drain your battery considerably, so try to keep it to 60 mph or below.
Other factors that feel different when driving an electric car include:
- Maximum torque instantly, leading to improved acceleration.
- A lower centre of gravity due to heavy batteries mounted low in electric cars.
- Much less noise compared to petrol cars and fewer vibrations.
Other things to consider
- Electric Vehicle Approved (EVA) scheme
Developed by the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) and partners, the EVA is a set of standards customers can expect from retail and after-sales companies working with electric cars. To become an EVA member, an organisation’s staff must undergo significant training and install additional facilities for working with electric vehicles.
- Electric car MOTs
To ensure they are road safe electric cars still have to pass an MOT once a year after they are three years old. The main difference is they do not require emissions or noise tests.
- Electric car insurance
Generally speaking, the insurance on an electric car is higher than comparable petrol or diesel cars. This is due to the large batteries and the potential expense of replacing them if damaged.
- Electricity intensive charging
When looking to buy an electric car, you may not have considered the requirements placed on your house’s electricity. It takes a lot of electricity to charge an electric car, so it is best not to use other electricity-intensive devices to ensure your fuse-board doesn’t overload. The most common culprit for this is electric showers, which also require a lot of power to heat the water.
Summary
As you can tell, there is a lot to learn when it comes to electric cars. When pondering, should I buy an electric car? The answer is dependent on what you need from your vehicle. But it is safe to say the infrastructure and technology are developing rapidly, and pretty soon, the majority of us will be plugging in instead of filling up.
About the Author: Arthur Smalley is a science and technology writer based in the UK.
