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Over the past few years, the UK has experienced a rise in the number of electric cars, driven by growing demand and the increasing availability of electric vehicles (EV). As of the end of March 2024*, there are over 1 million fully electric cars and a further 645,000 plug-in hybrid models on UK roads.
It may feel overwhelming, but there no need to worry about making the switch from petrol or diesel vehicles to an electric vehicle. We are here to answer some of the key facts about owning an electric vehicle.
There are two ways you can charge an electric car: at home or at a public charging point.
If you choose to charge your electric vehicle at home, you have a further two options: charging via a domestic socket in your home or installing a wall box. Whilst charging your vehicle from inside of your home can be slower than charging via a wall box, they are both safe and reliable to use.
Located in various places across the country such as in supermarkets, retail shopping centres and parks, petrol stations and service stations they are accessible to both electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle owners. While some public charging points are free to charge your vehicle, some do require payment so it is always best to check before driving, parking and plugging in your vehicle. It must be noted that some public points may require you to use your own charging cable, so it is a good idea to keep a spare cable in your vehicle.
You should not leave your electric vehicle sitting with its battery below 20% or above 80% State of Charge (SOC) for a long period of time, such as several days or weeks. This is because the extremely high or low state of charge can reduce the lifespan of the battery. Many modern EV chargers automatically shut off once the battery reaches full charge.
Using the lights, radio, wipers and heaters do not reduce the EV driving range. They are all low powered devices that draw around 100 times less power than the electric drive motor.
The battery in the electric vehicle will last much longer than batteries that are found in consumer electrics. This is due to the fact an EV keeps its battery cool using a thermal management system which helps to reduce degradation and extends the lifespan. Liquid-cooled EV batteries made today last at least 300,000 miles, with this lifespan set to increase.
Many energy suppliers offer off-peak electricity tariffs which are specifically designed for EVs so you can benefit from cheap off-peak electricity. To reduce your charging costs event more, you could install solar panels to your home.
Take a look at the examples below showing the costs to charge your EV from Burrows that represent a saving in fuel costs of over 80%.
Toyota bZ4X
Around 4.4 miles per kWh, charged on a 9.5 pence per kWh overnight tariff it will cost 2.2 pence mile to run.
Kia Niro EV
Around 4.4 miles per kWh, charged on a 9.5 pence per kWh overnight tariff it will cost 2.2 pence mile to run.
Mazda MX-30 B-EV
Around 4.2 miles per kWh, charged on a 9.5 pence per kWh overnight tariff it will cost 2.3 pence mile to run.
The above is compared to approximately 14.3 pence per mile for a 50mpg petrol car, based on an average UK petrol price of 156.93 pence per litre at the time of publishing.
*Source: Zapmap