Since their introduction in the early 2010s, the rise of modern electric cars has become seemingly unstoppable.
As of January 2023, Zap-Map reported that there were more than 680,000 battery-electric cars, plus a further 445,000 plug-in hybrids driving on the UK’s roads.
These most recent figures demonstrate an increase in battery-electric cars of around 2,120.5% between 2016 and January 2023.
Staggering- but what are the top five reasons people are swapping to electric vehicles?
Upcoming legislative changes
In 2019, the UK made the move to pass legislation that would deliver net zero emissions by banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, with all new cars and vans being full zero-emission models from 2035.
As a result, the government has invested significant funding into expanding the charging network to include public EV chargers.
Zap-Map reports that as of the end of January 2023, there were over 37,850 EV charging points throughout the UK, across 22,355 locations- equal to a 31% increase since January 2022.
UK charge points include slow, fast, rapid, and ultra-rapid chargers, with a mix of both free and paid EV charging facilities, all of which increase the number of chargers available for use by the public, as you can see below.
Data from the chart from Zap-Map.
No congestion charge
EV owners who live or work in the capital can expect travelling there to become cheaper as they will be exempt from paying the congestion charge.
Entering central London in an ICE vehicle (with an internal combustion engine) will result in a congestion charge of £15 per day, which can quickly mount up for people such as taxi drivers and regular commuters.
It is important to note that as of October 25th 2021, hybrid cars are no longer eligible for the discount on entering the congestion charge zone (CCZ), as the discount now applies solely to battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell cars. The discount is set to expire on 24th of December 2025, ahead of the 2030 ban on new ICE vehicles.
Lower costs
Recent prices of petrol and diesel have been eye-watering for many families across the UK, causing some to consider switching to an electric vehicle.
Prices at their peak breached over £1.91 per litre for unleaded petrol and over £1.97 per litre for diesel- and despite a recent decrease, they still remain higher than expected. As such, many are now comparing the cost per charge at home versus the cost of conventional fuel, as it can be considerably more economical.
According to data from the RAC, a full charge in a city car, such as the Renault Zoe, will cost around £14.56, while filling the petrol engine of a similarly sized ICE car, such as the Fiat 500, will cost you around £71.07.
This vast price difference is thanks to the relatively low cost of recharging with a domestic EV charger, especially since homeowners can set recharging to occur during times of a lower tariff. It is important to note, however, that if using a public charger, specifically a motorway EV charge point, the cost per charge would be much more.
Entitlement to government funding
In an attempt to ease the transition and achieve their 2030 deadline, the government and the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles introduced a selection of grants and initiatives that fund, or at least partially fund, the cost of a private EV charger.
These grants include the:
- Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS)- Now closed for new applications.
- Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS)
- EV infrastructure grant for residential car parks
- EV Chargepoint grant for landlords
- On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS)
- Ultra-Low Emission Taxi Infrastructure Scheme
These grants and initiatives go some way towards making recharging capabilities available for all that need them and have reduced the initial outlay of installing an EV charger, which in turn has made this much more achievable for electric car drivers.
It also helps to reduce demand for public chargers, freeing them up for travellers and those who are waiting for their EV chargers to be installed.
Increasing vehicle options with more models at a lower price point
One of the main quoted issues associated with EV ownership is the initial upfront cost associated with purchasing an electric vehicle.
Unlike ICE vehicles which can be picked up quite cheaply, thanks to the endless number of makes and models available, battery-electric vehicles were much slower to come to market, making them comparatively rarer.
However, manufacturers are well aware of the increasing position EVs hold in the market, thanks in large part to the government's upcoming 2030 ban. Many have been releasing a more expanded range of electric cars, including more economical city cars, family cars, and roomy SUVs.
Honourable mentions in the category of the small electric car include:
- Fiat Panda, expected late 2023
- Peugeot e-208, expected in 2023
- Fiat 500 electric, available now
- Vauxhall Corsa-e, available now
- Mini Electric, available now
Honourable mentions in the SUV category, all of which are available now, include:
- Kia EV6
- BMW iX
- Skoda Enyaq
- Jaguar I- Pace
- Tesla Model X
Need an EV charge point?
There are many reasons to swap to an electric vehicle, from the financial to the environmental. Either way, to make EV charging as economical as possible, you will need a domestic EV charger.
For all of your EV charging cable needs, contact us here at EV Cable Shop today. We have a wide range of cable sizes and types, perfect for electric cars of all makes and models.
For more information, email us or fill in our quick enquiry form and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
