If you want to find out why 2022 is the year to buy an electric car, look no further. We will provide you with all the necessary information you need to make the switch. So, why are electric cars becoming more popular? The answer to this question comes down to several reasons, including:
- EV Environmental Benefits
- Easy Charging & Cost-Effective
- Fun to Drive
- More Affordable Pre-Owned
EV Environmental Benefits
Electric vehicles have no tailpipe and produce zero carbon emissions when driving. This significantly reduces air pollution and makes our town and cities a much cleaner place. According to data from EDF Energy, one electric car on the road saves an average of 1.5 million grams of CO2 per year. The average petrol car in the UK produces around 190g of CO2 every kilometre, whereas a diesel car produces around 173g of CO2 per kilometre.
People who have homes that run on renewable energy (solar or wind turbines) can also reduce charging costs, while also reducing more of their carbon footprint. Several energy suppliers like EDF, Moixa and Tesla offer solar batteries so you can charge your car using stored energy whilst at night.
Easy Charging & Cost-Effective
A full-electric vehicle runs on its battery power alone. The battery can be charged by simply plugging into a dedicated chargepoint which can either be installed at home, found at your workplace or by using the thousands of points that are available around the country. According to Zap-Map, the UK will hit 30,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging devices in the first quarter of 2022, while every new home, supermarket, and office building in England will need to come equipped with electric car charging points by law. The government hopes the new law will introduce around 145,000 extra charge points per year.
An Autocar study found around 80% of all-electric cars are charged at home because it’s the most convenient and cost-effective way. A full charge is around £9.20, but this can be significantly reduced depending on your home tariff. By switching to a tariff like EDF’s GoElectric 35, you could reduce your cost to just 4.5p per kWh and charge up for under £5 at night (off-peak).
An advantage for owning a zero-emission vehicle such as an EV means not paying zero road tax. Even though hybrid vehicles and plug-in hybrids are not entirely exempt from road tax, the amount payable is much lower than it is on a regular combustion engine.
It is recommended that you should not rely on rapid charging every time you want to charge your EV. Charging an electric vehicle at home significantly extends the life of the battery which in turn reduces the running costs even further.
You can also receive a grant of up to £350 towards the cost of installing a wall box at home. It’s worth noting some manufacturers are inclined to offer a free wall box when buying a new vehicle. View our new electric car offers available.