Should I buy an electric car?

With the pressure to reduce our carbon footprint there is a lot of buzz around Electric vehicles (EVs) as an alternative to petrol and diesel cars. If you are planning to go greener for your 2022 New Year’s resolution, you may have considered switching to an EV, but be wondering whether that would work for you personally.

Most concerns surrounding Electric Vehicles relate to distance and charging.  Will my car reliably get me from A to B when I need it to? EV’s have certainly come a long way in recent years, with vast improvements in both of these areas – you can now often get a 200 mile range, and some of the Tesla models will get you over 300 miles. However, you should always check the range of the particular model you choose, as there is much variation.

Certainly for anyone needing a car for relatively short runs from their home, an electric vehicle would be perfectly suitable as long as there is access to a charging station on your property or nearby. You can plug it in overnight and let it charge ready for the next day and from next year all new residential properties will be required to have these convenient outdoor charging ports.   In the meantime, there are currently over 42,000 charge point connectors across the UK, so even if you don’t have your own charging port or off-street parking, it no longer means you can’t go green, you just need to investigate whether you can charge conveniently nearby. Click on this map to check for locations near you.

If you require your vehicle for longer journeys, then it’s a different story and you’ll need to plan ahead. Your overnight charging may not get you the full distance so if you are travelling further than your range, you will need to factor in your charging requirements. Remember if you plan to use your heating and music, that could reduce your range, so you should never aim to max out your distance!  Most service stations now have rapid charging points, which take about 30 minutes to charge, so if you want a rest stop or lunch that will be fine, but if there is a queue, things could get quite stacked up.

The good news the situation is improving.  Earlier this year, Moto opened Rugby Service Station – the largest EV charging service station on Britain’s motorways with 24 ultra-rapid electric vehicle charging points. Drivers with compatible EVs can add up to 100 miles of range in just five minutes. By the end of 2021, Moto plans to have installed 28 further sites with ultra-rapid chargers and hopes all of its service stations will have at least six rapid chargers by the end of 2022.  It is however worth noting, that as positive as this news is, you shouldn’t rely on rapid charging for all your charging as it will impact your battery and reduce its life.  Make sure you still mostly slow charge and reserve rapid charging for topping up on a long journey.

When deciding whether to make the switch, you should also remember that you will also get rewarded.  As well as paying less road tax, residential parking schemes offer more favourable rates for electric cars and if you need to drive into London you can benefit from a discount for the congestion charge.  Find out more here.

In our view, an EV offers a perfect solution to households looking for a second car for local runs. If you make regular longer journeys, driving an EV is still manageable with some extra planning, and if you are planning to travel from London to Aberdeen, you could consider hiring the occasional petrol vehicle for such journeys.

At H&L Motors we are committed to becoming a fully recognised Manufacturer Approved Electric Vehicle Specialist and already have the expertise to work on all manner of repairs and services including wheels, cooling systems and batteries.  So, if you have any questions about an existing Electric Vehicle, or want to know more before making the switch, then please do not hesitate to get in touch at contact@hlmotors.co.uk or call 020 8977 5865 .