1. Are you looking to buy an electric car?
The first decision which you will need to make is the choice between the two types of plug-in car available.
When it comes to choosing a plug-in car your two choices are an all-electric car with a battery-driven electric motor or a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), in which the battery power and motor are supported by a combustion engine.
When making the decision between the two it is important to remember that although electric cars have less range than a hybrid but as a result of being completely electric, electric cars are cheaper to run as they only have one fuel source to cover the cost of.
2. What about hybrids?
Living in a remote or rural area is an important factor to consider when deciding which electric car will be the right choice for you. Although recent years have seen vast improvements in electric car battery life there is still a limit before recharging is required. Depending on how rural the area you live in is, we strongly suggest that before you make your final decision you consider looking at having an EV charger installed at your house and potentially looking at a hybrid model, such as a Toyota Prius.
3. Learn About Plug-In Car Grants
Government-backed grants are available through OLEV (Office for Low Emission Vehicles) towards the cost of selected electric vehicles.
Currently the plug-in car grants are awarded for three categories and currently cover up to 35% of the cost of the vehicle. Cars that are able to travel 70 miles through battery power alone and that have CO2 figures under 50g/km qualify for the full £4,500 grant.
4. Can you charge your car at home?
It may be easy to base your decision on the cars design alone but for owning an EV vehicle to be a practical choice you must take the time to consider where your nearest electronic vehicle charging point is.
Although tools such as Zap Map can be extremely handy in helping you to discover the EV chargers in your area, domestic charging is without a doubt something to consider before purchase. With a fantastic range of government schemes offering grants for domestic installations, we highly recommend installing a dedicated vehicle-charging socket and system to your home as the addition of a professionally installed EV charger to your property can prove to be a very valuable asset and have practical benefits for you as an electric car owner.
With a home-based electric car charging point you are able to remove the pressure of having to find a public charge point and can spend more time deliberating over the design of your future vehicle.
5. Can you charge your electric car at work?
Does your employer provide at work EV charge points? If you spend a large amount of the day commuting to and from work, you may need to have your car charging during the time while you are at work.
If your work place is yet to have electric vehicle charge points installed you can use the aforementioned Zap Map to locate EV chargers that could be on route to your workplace or any other regular destinations you commute to. Employers are also able to claim OLEV grants to enable the installation of charge points at work.
6. Car Tax Exemption for Electric Vehicles
As it stands, electric cars are completely tax free and furthermore, as long as your vehicle has zero emissions, you will be exempt from the upcoming changes to the current car tax law.
However, one point which we should mention is that if the EV you purchase costs more than £40,000, you will be required to pay £310 a year for the second and sixth year of ownership. The total cost required to be paid being £1,550.
7. Which EV’s have the best range per charge?
Make sure to do thorough research into the range of the electric vehicle you are looking to buy is paramount before purchase.
Statistics for different models can be found online meaning that the information you need is only a search away but be warned that studies have shown that some of the maximum ranges listed online are not totally accurate and we highly recommend taking any vehicle you are interested in purchasing for a proper test before making your final decision.
8. How much boot space do you need?
Your profession or hobby may mean you need more boot space than other people.
Currently a lot of electric cars have less boot space than internal combustion engine vehicles. This is due to the size of the battery and as the battery needs to be stored somewhere, (often being the boot of the car), the size of the boot may be smaller than what you are used to. This applies to both one hundred percent electric vehicles and hybrids.
Always make sure you that the car not only performs as you like but is designed in a way that is conducive to your life style.
9. Be ready for a different driving experience
If you think you will be going at a crawl during your test drive then prepare for a surprise! There is a popular misconception that electric cars are anything but fun to drive but as you will find out, electric cars can accelerate at speeds that will definitely be a surprise to you.
The lack of noise from the car can make it somewhat difficult to gauge your speed at first, making it very easy to accelerate faster than usual without realising. That should not put you off from trying to find the right electric or hybrid vehicle for you. Although it may seem like a shock at first, like anything new, it will soon feel like the norm and the lack of noise can prove to be very relaxing.
Decided on your dream EV and looking for charge point installation? At Evolution we can do it all. Get in touch today!