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Owning an Electric Vehicle
Good news… ‘range anxiety’ is a thing of the past.
During the 20th century the ‘range’ achieved by electric vehicles was limited to between 30 and 80 miles. However, recent technological developments have seen the distances increasing rapidly.
Today many EVs have ranges of 100 to 150 miles. And there are already models available that can cover up to 300 miles on one full charge! The average daily commute in the UK is 25 miles, so there should never be a concern to run out of charge.
Whilst the initial purchase cost of an electric vehicle can be higher, this is offset by its substantially lower running costs over the vehicle’s lifetime.
Electricity is 2/3 cheaper than petrol/diesel on a pence per mile basis, based on charging at home.
Cost per mile of 2-3 pence.
(Source: Energy Saving Trust)
Exemption from London’s Congestion Charge.
Local benefits such as free parking and use of bus lanes.
Lower servicing and maintenance cost – due to fewer parts.
Zero VED for Electric Vehicles costing less than £40,000.
Lowest BIK taxation for company car drivers.
No BIK taxation for free charging at work.
Government grant of up to £500 for qualifying installations of home charging units.
Government grants towards the purchase of EVs that emit less than 50g/km CO21.
*Correct as of November 2018. There are also many other benefits for businesses, fleet operators and company car drivers.
1. Up to £3,500 for cars that can travel at least 70 miles with zero emissions.
How fast can an EV be charged? A good question. Various factors can impact the charging speed but generally speaking.
The following are the main factors…
1. THE VEHICLE CHARGING CAPABILITIES
When using AC charging the charging speed depends on the capabilities of the on-board charger varying from 3-22kW. When using DC power the charging speed will depend on the model/battery capabilities, varying from 20-300kW. Pure BEVs can take both AC and DC charge. PHEVs are mostly charged with AC chargers.
2. THE POWER FROM THE CHARGING UNIT
An EV cannot charge faster than the capabilities of the charging unit. If the EV has capabilities of 11kW AC but is plugged into a 7kW charging unit then its maximum charging speed will be 7kW.
3. THE VEHICLE BATTERY SIZE
The bigger the battery the longer it will take to charge, for example a 8.8kWh battery may take 2 hours and 15 minutes to fully charge with a 3.6 kW charger whilst an 18.7kWh battery would require 6 hours for a full charge.
Additional Information
What do you mean by 80%?
When an EV battery is charged the first 20% will be charged quickly. Once charging gets past 80% the charging speed will slow down in order to reduce the heat and protect the battery’s longevity. You will have noticed a similar charging process on your mobile phone.
Because of this, many EV owners will often charge to 80%. This is why many OEMs quote the 80% charge time.
Ambient Temperature
The charging speed can also be affected by instances of extreme heat or freezing conditions, extending the time required to charge the vehicle.
LEFT:
Comparison of acquisition costs.
EV can see you save money that you may have never dreamed you would be able to do.
RIGHT:
Government Support & Tax Exemption just one of the advantages of Electric Vehicles.