Benefits of Electric Cars
A guide explaining why you should go electric for your next car
From a growing selection of great models through to lower running costs, there are a lot of reasons to choose an electric car as your next vehicle. We’ve rounded up all the benefits of electric vehicles for you to read through and help you decide if you should go electric next.
Environmental:
Perhaps the most obvious of all benefits is that fully electric vehicles produce zero emissions. Although there are some emissions created in the production of the electricity used to charge the vehicle, the environmental impact overall is considered lower than if you were to fill up with petrol or diesel, particularly if you use renewable energy.
Lower emissions equate to improved air quality in your local area. Electric engines make very little noise, so you won’t add to noise pollution when you’re driving, and you'll benefit from a calmer driving experience. As we all become more environmentally aware, manufacturers are increasingly using eco-friendly materials and designs across their ranges, including electric models. There are also manufacturers like Tesla and Polestar who only produce electric vehicles.
Financial:
The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (the OLEV) runs the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) which provides up to £350 off the cost of buying and installing a home charging unit for residents in rental properties or flat owners.
This grant is available for most electric and plug-in hybrid cars. To see a full list of eligible vehicles just click here.
Fully electric cars are generally cheaper to run than hybrids or traditional petrol or diesel fuelled vehicles, as it costs a lot less to charge the car than it does to fill up a tank.
Electric cars have fewer moving parts so the cost of maintaining and servicing them is generally lower. If you lease, you can also spread the cost with a maintenance package. Take a look at our Maintained Car Lease Guide for more information on this.
As electric cars have zero emissions you won't have to pay road tax on them. From April 2020 this is applicable to all electric vehicles and not just those under £40,000 as it was previously.
Also known as a Benefit in Kind (BIK), company car tax is applied to company vehicles that are also available for your personal use. To incentivise businesses to choose electric vehicles, the government is offering lower rates on zero and low emission vehicles. So if you receive company car tax on your work vehicle you could save money by going electric.
Until December 2025, vehicles with zero emissions are exempt from London congestion charges. If you drive in the city a lot then an electric car would save you having to pay this charge for the next few years.
You'll need to register with the Transport for London (TfL) and they may request a copy of the V5 in order to apply your exemption. Please note for a lease vehicle you'll need to request a copy of the V5 from your funder.
The majority of electric vehicles are exempt from London's ultra low emission zone charges.
Many other cities around the UK are looking at introducing zero emission zones, which operate along similar lines and you can avoid having to pay these charges by switching to an electric vehicle.
Again you may need to register for exemption from these but you can check with your local authority to confirm if this is the case for your area.
Electric vehicles tend to be a little more expensive than their petrol or diesel counterparts. If you're considering an electric vehicle but are worried about the purchase price then leasing might be the right choice for you. Take a look at all our offers on electric vehicles here.
User friendly:
Owning or leasing an electric vehicle is now easier than ever. With most brands making at least one fully electric or hybrid model, you can be sure to find an electric vehicle suited to your requirements. Addressing concerns about the mileage range of electric vehicles, ever advancing technology is increasing the ranges offered further and further. Currently on the market are models with range well into the 400+ figures like the Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD, so you can be sure to find a vehicle with a driving range to suit.
In addition, there are a growing number of charging points across the UK, with designated electric parking and public chargers becoming a common sight in carparks. You can even download apps to find your closest charging points, especially useful when you've a long drive ahead. To view all of the available chargers across the UK, carwow's interactive map shows you all the public chargers available. Check it out by clicking here.
If you have off street parking, you can have a home charging unit installed to charge your car overnight, and don’t need to worry about the battery running low on your morning commute.
Benefits of hybrids:
A hybrid vehicle combines an electric motor with an internal combustion engine to power the vehicle. There are 3 different types of hybrid vehicles; plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), full hybrids (HEVs) also known as self-charging hybrids and mild hybrids (MHEVs). You can find a full breakdown of each and the differences between them here.
Because of the combined electricity and petrol/diesel fuel, the benefits of a hybrid are different to those of a fully electric vehicle and you can find a more comprehensive breakdown of them here.
Want to learn more about electric and hybrid cars? Check out our Electric Car Guide or our Hybrid Vehicle Guide. Alternatively, if you'd rather speak to someone on the phone please give us a call on 0330 221 000 and one of the team will be happy to help.