Electric Vehicles

Are you switched on yet to the benefits of Electric Cars?

What is an electric car?

There are three main types of electric car:

Battery electric – these have a large battery connected to electric motors which allows the car to travel for 100-300 miles on a single charge. A rapid charger can top this up again in around 20 mins.
Plug-in Hybrid electric – these have a smaller battery which allows 15-30 miles on a charge but a petrol engine which can power the wheels when the battery runs out.
Range Extender electric – these have a medium battery which allows 30-50 miles on a charge but use an onboard petrol generator to power the battery for longer journeys.

Why should I buy an electric car?

Super cheap fuel – electricity costs work out at around 2.4 p per mile which is only 15% of the cost of petrol/diesel and zero VED.
Quiet – no engine noise and very responsive at low speeds.
Zero emissions – improved local air quality as electric vehicles have no exhaust. NOx gases and particulates from petrol/diesel, are harmful to our health, causing adverse effects on the respiratory system.
Energy efficient – typically have only half the carbon footprint of petrol/diesel equivalent when charged from the national grid. Electric vehicles can also be charged from clean renewable sources of electricity making them carbon free.
Regenerative brakes – these regain energy under braking to top-up the battery.
Cost effective – electric vehicles can be cheaper to run compared with a new petrol/diesel when total cost of ownership is considered due to greatly reduced fuel and servicing costs.
Environmental benefits - while the production of the battery does have more environmental impact than the creation of an engine, the overall environmental impacts of electric cars are still far less. This is because more than 95 per cent of a conventional fuelled car's impact across its lifespan comes from the combustion of fossil fuel.

What types of electric cars are currently available?

More and more models are being introduced as manufacturers catch on to the increasing demand for these vehicles. Download a copy on this page for a guide to some of the latest models on offer for 2013.

Find out How to charge your car and Where to charge it in this section.