Should I charge ahead and get an electric car?

My career in electric vehicles (EVs) began nearly 20 years ago, when I was working for the sustainable transport teams in Bristol. I’m now a co-director of an online community platform called The EV Café, and I work in software and payments for EV charging.

I get a really good feeling from driving an electric. I know it satisfies issues around clean air in cities and towns, and I enjoy the silence without a noisy engine. I also have an electric motorcycle that I can recharge in my garage at home, and I love riding it because the performance is incredible.

Now is a great time to consider an EV for your next vehicle. There are more models than ever before – and grants, incentives and schemes are all in favour of switching to electric.

What’s the difference between electric vehicles and hybrids?

A fully electric vehicle only takes electricity as its fuel. A hybrid has both an electric motor and a traditional fuel engine. Some models, known as plug-in hybrids, need to be plugged in to top up the small onboard battery. Self-charging hybrids use the inbuilt petrol or diesel motor to charge the battery.

Are EVs expensive?

The initial cost of EVs can be high, which is why people think they’re more expensive than a fossil fuel-powered equivalent. But a better way to look at this is to consider the total cost of ownership. Purchasing or leasing an electric vehicle may seem costly in the first instance, but there are many other benefits – including a reduction in vehicle tax, and the opportunity to fuel your car directly from your house at a much cheaper rate than petrol or diesel would cost.

What are the benefits for the driver?

I love that the maintenance is almost non-existent – for me, it has been just one pair of tyres in 45,000 miles. Anything that goes wrong tends to be fixed with an over-the-air update directly from my provider.

The safety features of my EV are really helpful. As I live in the countryside, road conditions can be terrible in bad weather. I have lots of settings to make the car drive more easily in snow, ice or mud, and we even have slip-start technology, which stops the wheels from spinning like my old diesel used to.

Is it easy to find places to charge your EV?

I'm delighted to see more and more destination chargers at places like pubs and restaurants. When I stop for a couple of hours, I can easily get my car topped back up. Even campsites are becoming innovative, offering EV charging for a contribution or a fee.

A lot of chargers have contactless technology, so you simply tap your card or use your phone to pay. Others require membership or use a roaming card, and you get billed later. Some of these debit you instantly, so you never have to worry about the cost piling up for another day.

I’ve noticed that charging infrastructure has become increasingly reliable over the last 12 months – not just on main roads and motorways, but in places where I end up staying overnight. This means I no longer have to plan my journey thoroughly. My car tells me in good time when it needs a charge, and often finds a charging station on the map.

How much does it cost to charge an EV?

You’ll save money if you charge at home, rather than out and about. I’m not able to charge my car at home – but even so, I've tracked my spend over the last three years, and my diesel and my electric car have cost me exactly the same amount. If I were able to charge at home, I would definitely be realising the financial benefits even more.

The cost of installing a home charger has come down. It’s worth budgeting between £500 and £1,000, or shopping around to see if the car you like comes with a home charge option. Alternatively, some energy companies may install one for free if you switch to them. There are also some fantastic stories of vehicle owners installing solar panels on their roof, and having their car recharged for free over a period of time!

How long do EV batteries last?

Year on year, battery technology vastly improves. I have to use rapid chargers most of the time as I don’t have a home charger, and this may deplete battery performance over time. As it happens, my car has not been affected by this: I have done 45,000 miles in two years and the battery still performs as well as it ever did. I get between 250-300 miles from a full charge, depending on how I drive, the type of driving I do, and the weather conditions.

Is it worth buying an EV second-hand?

I predict that as more and more vehicles reach the end of their leasing life, they will appear on the second-hand market to buy at a much more affordable price. Remember: the initial outlay for the vehicle always seems high, but over its lifetime, it will level out.

What’s the easiest way to make the switch to electric?

Take your time to choose a vehicle that ticks all your boxes. I’ve chosen to lease my electric car, because I like knowing exactly how much my bills are going to be every month. My lease includes a certain number of EV charging miles, and I rarely have to pay for my own charging on top of this monthly fee. I enjoy using my electric vehicle for camping and outdoor sports – I chose a large vehicle that I can get my family into, and even a bike in the back.

If you are considering going electric, simply book in for a test drive so you can experience all the benefits for yourself. I’ve never looked back!