GUIDE TO ELECTRIC AND HYBRID VEHICLES

A self-charging hybrid is a car with a conventional petrol or diesel engine and an electric motor and battery. The difference between a self-charging hybrid and a plug-in hybrid is that a self-charging hybrid cannot be plugged in to charge the battery, instead it recovers energy that would usually be lost to power its electric motor.

There are some key points that will determine how appropriate an electric vehicle is as your chosen vehicle.

• Overnight storage - Firstly do you have access to a garage or off-street parking as you will need this this in order to recharge your vehicle overnight. However options are now becoming available to potentially apply to your local authority to get an on-street charging point installed at a place which is close to your house, also the UK government's Plugged-in-Places programme offers match funding to business and public sector partners in eight regions across the UK.
• Mileage - Your average daily mileage is also a key factor when determining if an Electric vehicle is a suitable option, typically average daily mileage of less than 100 miles make an electric vehicle a real option, drivers who have a standard daily commute to work of less than 20 miles are also well suited to an electric vehicle and with driving ranges continuing to improve year on year with new model launches, range is becoming less of a challenge for a large number of drivers.
• Cost - Finally cost is a consideration which should not be overlooked as Electric vehicles still generally command a higher price than their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts, but with increased production of electric vehicles, greater price competition as more manufacturers offer an electric option and the significant savings on fuel that can be made when driving an electric vehicles they are fast becoming a mainstream choice. When leasing a vehicle the costs of purchasing it are less relevant as it the monthly lease costs that give a more true and accurate reflection of cost, hence why when the low cost of maintaining an electric vehicle along with the potential significant fuel savings, the monthly total running cost of driving an electric vehicle can make them the perfect choice for many drivers.

All vehicles by law have to conform to very strict minimum safety regulations, electric vehicles will also have to meet certain standards which cover the safety of the vehicle's battery and charging cables.  All new cars are also tested to the same safety standard called NCAP, this safety standard covers crash tests which assess adult, child and pedestrian safety and gives vehicles a rating out of 5 stars. Generally the safety of electric vehicles is comparable to more standard combustion engine vehicles of similar size, please see our vehicle details for the NCAP safety rating of the vehicles you are interested in.

Generally costs for servicing and maintaining a Pure Electric vehicle will be lower than that for a vehicle fuelled by petrol or diesel. The main reason behind this is that Pure Electric vehicles have a much simplified  powertrain with far fewer moving parts and consumables. Industry figures say that the average cost for maintaining and servicing a petrol or diesel vehicle is £460 per year compared to the average cost for a Pure Electric vehicle which is approximately £115...an annual saving of £345. Costs for any vehicle will vary by make and model and also depending upon its age and annual miles driven.

Whilst most electric vehicles can be charged via a standard 3-pin socket, we would definitely advise that a dedicated charging point is installed at your home by a qualified installer. Standard 3-pin sockets are not designed for continuous high power Electric vehicle charging and similar to your cooker should be put on a stand-alone circuit.

A charging point is a compact weatherproof unit that can be mounted on an exterior wall close to the area where your vehicle is parked over night.  These home charging units can offer a safer and faster way to charge your electric vehicle at home.

Costs can vary between £250 to £500 to install a charging point at home. When installing a home charging point try to position it in a location where the charging cable does not present a trip hazard.

Generally speaking most Electric vehicle batteries should last at least 8 -10 years or 150,000 miles, over time the battery power may reduce in capacity and this tends to be more of a result of lack of use and charging than too much usage and over charging. For full details relating to your Electric vehicle's manufacturer warranty refer to the Manufacturer's warranty terms and conditions

All new Electric vehicles will come with a full manufacturer warranty and will have specific provisions to cover the electric vehicle's main battery. If a vehicle is pre-registered, you will be entitled to the balance of the manufacturer’s warranty outstanding from the original date of registration. For full details relating to your vehicle's manufacturer warranty please contact one of our customer services executives or refer to the Manufacturer's warranty terms and conditions.  

All vehicle insurance policies will have a premium that is calculated on a number of different factors, these will include the type of vehicle, its cost, power and safety credentials, how secure the vehicle is from theft and how expensive repairs would be in the event of an accident or damage to the vehicle. The insurance premium will also factor personal details regarding the driver, age , driving claims history, location, occupation and annual mileage are also some examples of factors that can influence a vehicle's insurance premium. When electric / hybrid vehicles were less common insurance may have come at a premium to more standard vehicle types as insurers were unsure as to true levels of risk and cost associated with electric / hybrid vehicles. However these vehicles whilst still relatively small in numbers have increased in popularity and are now much more commonplace. As a result insurance premiums should now be much more in line with similar costing standard fuelled vehicles.

All Electric vehicles will state the anticipated range that the vehicle will travel on a full battery charge and your electric vehicle will always have a real time indicator as to the current driving range for the vehicle when you are driving it.

The range is based on a number of average factors that could influence the actual range your electric vehicle will drive. These factors will include Weather - Weather extremes , i.e. very hot or cold temperatures may degrade the battery performance, also heating the vehicle interior or cooling it with air conditioning may also use battery power and subsequently reduce the range.

• Driver style - This can also affect the range achieved in your electric vehicle, higher speeds will short the range whilst slower more conservative driving can extend the driving range.
• Road Type - Motorway driving will tend to be at a consistent higher speed and so can result in some range, while inner city driving will tend to be at much lower speeds so the battery range will tend to perform better
• Pure Electric vehicles will typically have a range of 100 -200 miles but some Pure Electric vehicles now have a range exceeding 250 miles.  PHEVs currently have an electric range of between 15-40 miles. Extended Range Electric vehicles usually offer a similar range to that of a Pure Electric vehicle but can then use a small combustion engine in the vehicle to extend the range further.

When driven a Pure Electric vehicle has zero emissions of greenhouse gases or health harming nitrogen oxide and offer a very quiet form of motoring and as such are viewed as a very environmentally friendly choice. However to answer this question properly, factors such as how the electricity has been generated ( burning fossil fuels or more sustainable electricity generation) to fuel the vehicle and  the environmental impact of producing and disposing of an electric vehicle battery are factors which should be considered.

A hybrid car combines a conventional petrol or diesel engine with an electric motor and batteries. An electric car runs solely on electricity and therefore produce no exhaust emissions.

The difference between a hybrid car and a fully electric car is that a hybrid still has a conventional fuel engine as well as an electric motor whereas, an electric car gets all of its power from electrical sources.

A hybrid car emits fewer emissions than a conventional vehicle but isn’t as environmentally friendly as a fully electric car, which emits zero emissions.

More and more businesses are now looking into electric vans as a viable option to the more standard alternatives of diesel and petrol fuelled vans. With more manufacturers now offering electric or hybrid van models, the choice is increasing and the premium paid for electric vehicles continues to decrease as the scale of manufacturing volumes increase.  Businesses are not only looking to benefit from the fuel savings offered by electric vehicles but also the cost savings generated by lower road tax charges and the more regional based discounts / waivers of congestion charging.

Key factors to consider include:

1. the total monthly running cost of the vehicle, core lease cost including depreciation, road tax and finance, maintenance and servicing costs, fuel costs, associated costs that may vary dependant upon fuel type e.g. Congestion charges, Benefit In Kind for the driver, national insurance payments.
2. The average daily business / commuter mileage - Pure -Electric vehicles have an average driving of around 100 miles, so businesses whose daily mileage is within this range make an all electric vehicle a viable option, for greater daily mileages a hybrid or extended-range vehicle may offer a more suitable alternative.
3. Charging infrastructure - based on the planned location of the vehicle charging points will need to be easily accessible or installed. 4/ Business green credentials - many businesses are now choosing electric / hybrid vehicles to reinforce their green credentials, also it is now becoming more common that in certain industry sectors customers are demanding and stipulating a green delivery requirements for their chosen supply partners.

The first electric car was built in England back in 1884 by an inventor called Thomas Parker, which used his own high-capacity rechargeable batteries.

Hybrid vehicles have both a conventional fuel-powered engine and an electric motor and battery.

Hybrid cars use electric power to drive short journeys or when travelling at low speeds. At other times, or when the electric power has run out, the fuel engine powers the vehicle. This helps to save fuel and reduce running costs and emissions. 

Petrol and diesel cars usually have faster top speeds than electric vehicles, but electric vehicles can accelerate quicker as they generate more torque.

Electric cars require servicing just as frequently as conventional cars.

However, maintenance costs are often significantly less than in fuel-powered cars as electric vehicles have fewer moving parts so there is less to go wrong.

Electric cars can be charged by plugging them into a charging point. This can be done in several different places; at home, at work (if they have EV charging points), or at a public charging point.

To charge your car at home you will need to first have a home charging point installed. 

Public charging points can be found in many car parks, including those belonging to some supermarkets, shopping centres, gyms, town centres, and retail parks. Sometimes, public charging points are even free to use.

The cost of charging an electric car will vary depending on the type of car, where you are charging it, and whether you are using a rapid charge service.

Generally, fully charging your car at home for about 13 hours will cost between £4-6 depending on whether it is on or off peak.

When charging your car at a public charging point, you can choose either a pay-as-you-go service or a monthly subscription with a monthly fee. Monthly fees cost around £8 on average, whilst pay-as-you-go services can cost anything from 20p to 70p per kWh. Sometimes you will find public charging points that are free to customers.

The length of time it takes to charge an electric car will vary depending on several factors:

• The type of car.
• The size of its battery.
• The speed of the charging point.

It can take as little as 30 minutes to fully charge a car at a rapid charging point. However, on average, it takes about 8 hours to fully charge an electric car at a 7kW charging point.

How far an electric car can travel on one charge varies depending on the make and model.

Most electric cars can now travel for at least 150 miles once they are fully charged, with top-of-the-range electric vehicles boasting a range of up to 350 miles.

The average person drives around 37 miles per day, so unless you have a very long commute each day, it is not usually necessary to charge an electric car every night.

For most people, charging their electric car overnight 2-3 times a week is more than enough.

It is estimated that homes with an electric car spend an additional £450 - £750 a year on electricity for charging their car.

It is possible to get a government grant worth up to £3000 when you choose an eligible low-emission vehicle.

Zero emission vehicles are also exempt from paying road tax.

If you choose an eligible electric company car during the tax year 2020/2021 you will benefit from a zero tax rate on Benefit in Kind, which could save you thousands of pounds a year.