Over the past decade, electric vehicles have become increasingly popular. Sales are set to increase over the coming years in light of the push to meet carbon zero targets. So what are the benefits of driving an electric vehicle? Below we’ve outlined our top 10 reasons to choose an electric car.
1. Achieve Net Zero
All of the UK must meet Net Zero by 2050, in line with the target set out in legislation. The term Net Zero describes the balance between the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) that’s produced in the atmosphere and the amount that’s removed. All-electric vehicles are zero-emission vehicles because they produce no direct exhaust or tailpipe emissions locally, and the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is a crucial step towards achieving the UK’s Net Zero target.
2. Beat ICE Ban Deadline
The Department for Transport is committed to delivering greener transport by supporting the transition to electric vehicles. This includes phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 and accelerating the rollout of charge points. The date has been changed from 2030 to 2035 and now back again to 2030 for the complete phase out of all sales of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK. Whichever way you look at it, it won’t be a case of if the UK goes electric, it will be when.
3. Lower Car Maintenance Costs
Electric cars are cheaper to maintain than petrol-powered cars, since the number of moving parts in an electric drivetrain is lower than in an internal combustion engine. A lithium-ion battery motor requires no oil changes or engine component replacements. It won’t have the general wear and tear that a combustion engine might over its lifetime. Instead, the battery of the electric car does all the work.
4. Increase Efficiency of Driving
An electric vehicle converts electricity into movement. This makes it far more efficient than a conventional car, which has to burn fuel then convert that heat into motion. Unlike a conventional car, when an EV brakes, much of its energy is put back into the battery, whereas in a regular car the energy is wasted. Charging up can be done through efficient EV off-peak night time tariffs, making the cost to charge the vehicle per mile typically less than half the cost per mile of fuelling a petrol car, sometimes even less, depending on model.
5. Reduce Car Running Costs
Cheaper maintenance and charging aren’t the only considerations when assessing running costs. Your road tax is another consideration. When comparing taxing electric vehicles to taxing high-polluting petrol and diesel models, bear in mind that road tax charges are calculated based on the car’s price, CO2 emissions, and how it’s fuelled. Fully battery electric vehicles (BEVs) currently pay no road tax in the UK, a potential saving of hundreds of pounds a year. This will change in April 2025 when road tax will start to apply to electric vehicles too. To find out how much you will need to pay, read our article on electric car road tax costs.
It is also worth considering the savings you will make in CAZ and ULEZ charges, particularly if you drive into cities frequently on business or social trips. Cities are increasingly introducing charges for high polluting vehicles entering them, and fines for drivers who fail to pay the charges. Electric vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions and are therefore exempt from paying the charges.
6. Charge at Convenient Times
Electric vehicles offer you the option of recharging your car at home at your convenience, rather than having to refuel at a petrol station within its opening times. Since electric vehicles are charged using electricity, you are also, to some extent, in control of the costs. By shopping around, you can source the most convenient, low cost EV tariffs to suit your lifestyle and charge your car when it’s not in use by you. Home electric vehicle chargers allow you to schedule your charging at specific times by using a smartphone app. For ultimate convenience, set your EV to charge at home overnight.
Home charging is significantly cheaper than using public chargers particularly during off-peak hours when, according to the UK government, it is possible to save up to £1000 a year. Additionally, popular chargers offer added smart features such as tariff integration and solar integration that allow you to benefit from further cost savings.
7. Access Affordable Leasing Options
Employers are increasingly tapping into the advantages of being able to offer their employees the use of an electric car as a way of increasing employee benefits while saving themselves and their employees money, especially through salary sacrifice schemes. These effectively circumvent the only real downside of electric cars – their high purchase price! With a salary sacrifice scheme the serious drawback of the purchase price is eradicated, since the electric car is on lease during its best, most problem-free years, while it is brand-new. Such schemes often come with maintenance included.
8. Grants for Purchase and Chargers
Some types of low-emission vehicles are eligible for grants from the government and applied at the point of purchase by the seller. You can find out more here.
There are also a range of grants available at time of writing, towards the installation of chargers in business and residential premises, including:
- EV chargepoint grant for renters and flat owners. Find out more here.
- EV chargepoint grant for households with on-street parking. Find out more here.
- EV chargepoint and infrastructure grant for landlords, including car parks. Find out more here.
- EV chargepoint and infrastructure grant for staff and fleet car parks. Find out more here.
- Workplace Charging Scheme. Find out more here.
9. Cheaper Company Car Tax
Company car tax is comprised of two parts, with company and employee paying amounts dictated by car value, CO2 emissions and employee income tax bracket. The amount the company has to pay is determined by the car’s P11D’ value (the value of the car including VAT, options and the delivery fee) and its CO2 emissions. The amount that the employee has to pay is slightly more complicated, and is calculated using the following formula: (P11D value) x (BiK band) x (tax bracket).
Put simply, for employees on a big wage, driving expensive cars with high emissions, the company car tax will be high. In 2024/25, the electric vehicle company car tax rate stands at just 2% and despite the fact the rates are set to increase by 1 percent every year until 2028, to put it in perspective, an efficient petrol or diesel car which emits around 100g/km of CO2 is likely to have a BIK rate of 25% - still 5x the BIK level of an EV in 2027/28.
10. Better Driving Experience
Electric motors respond instantly, accelerate faster and drive more smoothly than ICE cars. The electric motor in EVs can generate maximum torque instantly, as opposed to the more gradual feeling of acceleration and gear shifts you experience in an ICE car. Almost all EVs are automatic, making driving easier, more responsive and more enjoyable. It may take some time to adjust to all the ways driving an electric car differs but EVs are in no way harder to drive.
The EV’s motor system powered by a battery doesn’t result in noise emissions, therefore the motor is almost totally silent. Generally, the only sounds that an electric car makes happen when the wheels make noise or you encounter some wind resistance. Although when travelling at slow speeds most electric cars will emit a noise to warn pedestrians and cyclists of their presence to help increase safety.