Electric cars are always being talked about in the media and with the looming 2040 diesel ban in the UK, should you consider buying one now? There are many concerns around electric cars and whether they are worth it, so UK Car Finance are here to help you decide whether its right for you at this time. Whist you may think an all-electric world is a million miles away, however in recent news, the UK government have called for all new cars sold in the UK should be electric by 2032, rather than 2040!
This is due to the original 2040 being `too ambiguous` and we should have adopted electric cars much sooner than that. Many big brands such as Tesla, Mitsubishi and Nissan are already leading the way in the electric car industry but many people still have concerns around their affordability, charging and power capabilities. By the end of 2018, there were almost 60,000 plugin cars registered in the UK and it is predicted to increase year on year.
Advantages of electric cars
Better for the environment
One of the main and biggest advantages of electric cars are is the impact they have on the environment. Petrol and diesel vehicles release carbon dioxide emissions which contribute to greenhouse gases which negatively impact the rate of climate change. Because electric vehicles rely on their electric batteries for power, the carbon dioxide pollution rate should massively drop, if we were all to adopt an all-electric lifestyle.
Reduce fuel costs
Petrol and diesel prices are always on the rise and weekly trips to fill up your fuel can seriously add up each month. Electricity is typically much cheaper than fuel costs and switching to electric can massively reduce your fuel costs or even eliminate the money you spend on fuel each month.
Save money with government grants
Because the government are backing the electric car
switch, in the UK there are many government grants available to make the cost
of buying an electric car much more affordable.
The plug-in car grant can give you up to £3,500 off the `on the road
price` of electric cars.
Health benefits
The reduced emissions from electric cars can contribute to better health for
all. Emissions released from tradition fuel powered vehicles can contribute to
a range of health conditions including strokes, lung cancer, and heart disease.
Disadvantages of electric cars
Charging times and points
Filling up your fuelonly takes a few minutes but charging a full car can take a lot longer. Some cars take up to 4 hours to be fully charge and some models take even longer. There are also concern about charging point availability. Home charging points start from around £300 to be installed and only some benefit from government grants.
There are many charging points across the UK, however many people have the misconception that they are free to use. Depending on which public charging point you use and the make and model of your vehicle, charging prices can massively vary.
Insufficient ranges
Electric vehicles are limited to the number of miles they can travel on a full charge. For people planning a summer road trip, this can be a problem. As mentioned, charge times can be a long wait so it`s not ideal to have to add it on to your overall journey time. However, with more advancements in electric car technology.
A quiet ride
Whilst this can be a massive selling point for electric cars, the quiet ride
that electric cars provide can be a massive safety issue. We`re very familiar
with rumble of a car engine and it allows us to hear that there is a car coming
and for pedestrians this can cain some cases save their lives.
Higher initial cost
As mentioned, electric cars are cheap to run. However, because they are relatively new and use a lot of new technology, electric cars can be expensive to buy.
The cheapest electric car in the UK, the Renault Zoe, starts from around £18,000 (including a 3.5k Plug-In Car Grant). The Zoe is probably the most basic electric car on the market but with a starting price of £18k, it may not be the most affordable choice for many drivers.