EVs- Are They Really Worth the Investment?
EVs are the talk of the town, but some people are questioning whether EVs really are worth the investment.
The UK Government announced that it will ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2030, and many of our learners have shown an interest in purchasing an EV after they pass their tests. But there is still some hesitation when it comes to going fully electric!
We’ve taken a look at your most common concerns….
Charging costs
Electric cars have a higher upfront cost than petrol and diesel equivalents, but money can be saved on the charging costs vs fuel. The average cost of buying an electric car in the UK is around £44,000, with prices ranging from £17,350 up to £138,826, or even more. For many, the cheapest entry point to driving an EV will be through monthly leasing or PCP (Personal Contract Purchase) schemes.
The next big consideration is the cost of charging. Many EV car manufacturers claim a battery range of 250 miles on a single charge, although some, including Teslas, can achieve about 350 miles on a single charge.
Charging an electric car at home costs about £9.20 for a full charge and is the most convenient and cost-effective way to keep your car fully charged. Most drivers will charge their electric car overnight, waking up to a full battery every morning. If you decide to mainly charge from your home, it’s important to get the right EV electricity tariff. This means you spend less money charging and save more on your bill. There are two types of tariff: two-rate tariffs which offer cheaper electricity overnight or single-rate tariffs. This is where you pay the same rate throughout the day however it’s discounted if you have an EV. To find the right tariff, it is usually best to do a manual comparison.
EV Range
The distance you can travel in your EV depends on your vehicle type. The main influencing factor is the battery capacity. Typically, the greater the capacity of an electric car’s battery, the further it can drive between charges.
With the government’s decision to stop the production of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, almost every major car maker has electric vehicles available to buy or planned for the next few years. This means there is a substantial choice already which is only going to expand, helping your decision as you find one with the right range for you.
Some of our personal favourites at RED are the EV Renault Zoe, the EV Vauxhall Corsa and the EV Peugeot e-208.
While battery capacity is one of the most obvious factors which determines the range of an EV, a lesser-known consideration is the tyre choice.
EVs are designed for efficiency, range and low running costs at relatively low speeds. Here, a low rolling resistance tyre is key. EVs have a more efficient way of moving than diesel or petrol Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles, meaning that tyres are responsible for a slightly larger proportion of the overall drag on the vehicle.
Michelin has a long history of producing low rolling resistance tyres. The demand an EV places on a tyre is often greater than that of an ICE vehicle as they tend to be heavier due to the battery drive system, which can reduce tyre life.
EVs are also typically quieter than ICE vehicles, and therefore tyre noise within the car’s interior can be more pronounced. In response, Michelin has developed Acoustic Technology with a polyurethane foam applied to the inner surface of the tyre to help reduce noise from the tyre cavity, delivering an approximate20% reduction in perceived noise level inside the cabin.
With the different and novel demands that EVs place on tyres, choosing the right tyre has never been more important, and our friends at Kwik-Fit are on-hand to help you find tyres that suit your needs and budget.
