So, you’ve decided you’d like to try a Pivotal subscription and would like to know more about driving a low emission vehicle. In this post, we’ll talk about some of the trade-offs that you’ll make if you switch from petrol or diesel (ICE) to an electric vehicle (EV). Hopefully, it will help you to decide if an EV or plug-in hybrid (PHEV, a mix of ICE and EV) are a good match for your driving needs. Before we discuss the advantages of electric vehicles, let’s talk about the main downsides of pure electric:
EVs don’t travel as far as ICE vehicles on a single charge/tank
This is true in general, but battery technology is improving all the time and the top EVs are getting closer to their ICE counterparts in terms of range.
How far a pure EV will travel on a single charge depends on several things, including the outdoor temperature, road type, and driving style. Jaguar provides a handy tool that shows you the range that you can expect to achieve in certain driving conditions. In the UK the I-PACE will travel around 150 miles on a full charge in winter and around 250 miles on a full charge in summer.
They take a long time to charge
This is true when compared to how we usually fuel our cars; by filling up at the pump. But the advantage of electric cars is that the ‘fuel pump’ is literally by your doorstep.
Most cars spend over 90% of their lives doing absolutely nothing, parked on a driveway or at work. If you have an EV charger at either of these locations then the car can charge while you work or sleep. Depending on the length of your commute (and how long you sleep for) your car will likely be fully charged every time you start your daily commute. For most people, charging time only really becomes something to be aware of on long-distance journeys when you have to stop to use public charge points.
The UK public charging network needs improving
Let’s be honest; stopping to charge on longer journeys has the potential to cause a headache. You’ll have to factor in finding a charger that is: on the route, on a network that you can access, and available to use. Depending on the popularity of the location that you choose, you may end up waiting to take your turn at a charge point.
The good news is that there are handy tools that you can use to do the planning for you and check charger availability. Zap-Map has an up to date map of charging points in the UK and a useful route planner. Although the I-PACE is capable of charging at 100 kW rapid chargers, most rapid chargers in the UK charge at 50 kW, which can give around 120 miles of range in an hour.
If you’ve read this far and not completely written off the idea of subscribing to an EV then stick with us, things are about to get better, we promise. The advantages of electric vehicles really are quite advantageous:
Electric vehicles are cheaper to run
On average, if you charge your electric vehicle overnight at home on a standard energy tariff, you will at least halve your annual fuel costs compared to an equivalent ICE vehicle. It costs around £500 to have a 7 kW home charger installed with a government subsidy. Taking into account the money you’ll save on fuel costs, the average home charger installation will pay for itself after around 10,000 miles.
Electric vehicles are better for the environment
This one is clear. EVs are now at a scale where the total CO2 over the whole life of the vehicle (including manufacturing, use, and recycling) is less than a petrol or diesel equivalent. Yes, the energy we use to charge them may not be entirely from renewables. But renewable energy in the UK is rapidly expanding so things are only improving. Also, the adoption of EVs reduces the level of harmful exhaust fumes in our towns and cities.
Electric vehicles have preferential treatment when it comes to taxes
This is an advantage for businesses that want to run electric cars on subscription. In the 2022/2023 tax year, the benefit in kind rate on fully electric vehicles is only 2%. So if you either provide or are provided an EV as a company car that is used for personal and business journeys, your tax bill will be lower than a comparable combustion engine vehicle.
Deciding whether a pure EV is right for you is a personal decision. You should take into account the compromises you are willing to make, if any. The reality is that while EVs can work well for most, they aren’t for everyone. If a fully electric vehicle seems like too much of a compromise, you can always opt for a plug-in hybrids. PHEVs give all of the environmental and cost benefits in day-to-day running, and peace of mind that you won’t have to completely rely on public charging for those longer journeys.
To read more about subscribing to Pivotal for your business, visit our business page: https://www.drivepivotal.com/business/.
Find out more about the benefits of EVs and PHEVs on subscription, by visiting our Sustainable Future page.
