We’ve gone EV myth-busting to show what it’s really like to live with an electric car. Our tests reveal the truth about charging and range worries. How reliable is the UK’s charging network on a road trip to the east coast of England? And how does our EV live up to its range claims?
Our expert motoring critic shows what it’s like to live with an EV compared to a petrol or diesel car, and finds that there’s actually lots to enjoy. Still concerned about battery life in cold weather and those high EV prices? Join our electric car road test and we’ll answer all of your EV questions, or keep reading to find out more.
Is an electric car worth it?
If you’re thinking about getting a new car, questions about EVs are likely on your radar. Many drivers find EVs are surprisingly appealing once they’ve taken some time to think about their budget and their daily driving needs. Our guide aims to help you figure that out by looking at driving, range, charging, cost, and reliability.
What’s it actually like to drive an EV? Are they boring?
EVs are far from boring! Even petrolheads often love driving EVs because they're just so easy to drive. They're all automatic with essentially one gear. Many offer 'one-pedal driving' where lifting off the accelerator engages regenerative braking, slowing the car down and sending energy back to the battery. This is adjustable and can be quite relaxing. Plus, EVs are really quick with an instant burst of acceleration. They’re incredibly quiet too, which adds to the relaxing, refined driving experience.
What about range anxiety?
Range anxiety is a common concern, but it's becoming less of an issue. You can now buy EVs with various battery sizes offering different ranges, and some now exceed 400 miles on a single charge. The key is to think about the sort of journeys you take and how often. The average person drives less than 25 miles a day, which an EV can easily accommodate. For longer trips, assess how far and how frequent they are. This helps determine the range you need.
What about finding chargers when I’m out?
Charge anxiety – the fear of not finding a working public charger – is also diminishing. The UK's public charging network is growing rapidly, with a new public charger being made available in the UK every 25 minutes. Chargers are found in increasingly common places like supermarkets, gyms, and even on lampposts. They’re also much easier to use, often just requiring a contactless payment. Rapid chargers are becoming more common too. For example, the Genesis GV70 can charge from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in just 18 minutes on a 350kW charger.
Is charging at home easy and worthwhile?
Absolutely. Charging at home is generally the easiest and most cost-effective way to run an EV. It’s way cheaper than public charging, especially compared to petrol or diesel. If you charge at home regularly, you’ll rarely need to rely on the public network for day-to-day driving.
Are the official range figures realistic, and are EVs reliable?
Official range figures, like fuel economy figures for petrol/diesel cars, can be optimistic but are often achievable with careful driving, as demonstrated in our road trip. Weather does affect range (hot is better than cold), but it’s manageable. Regarding reliability, reports suggest that EVs are more reliable than petrol or diesel cars as they have fewer moving parts. Batteries typically come with long warranties and are proving durable. Over-the-air software updates can fix bugs and even improve efficiency remotely.
How do I buy an EV, and are they expensive?
Buying an EV is as simple as buying any other car, through dealers or increasingly online via manufacturer websites. Standard finance options like leasing and PCP deals are readily available. While some EVs can seem pricey, prices are coming down all the time. Examples like the Dacia Spring show new EVs becoming available for under £15,000. Deals can be sensational, and options like employee salary sacrifice schemes might offer further savings. Running costs are typically much lower than combustion engine cars, too.
Can you really do a longer road trip, and what does public charging cost?
Yes, longer trips are definitely feasible, as our 150 mile trip to Lincolnshire in a Genesis GV70 shows. Starting with 240 miles of predicted range, the car arrived with 110 miles left, meaning it used less energy than predicted. A public charge was needed for the return journey, but finding an available fast charger was easy using apps. Public fast charging can be expensive, however. We paid 77p per kWh, around ten times more than we would when charging at home.
Could I live with an electric car? Are they really green?
Whether you could live with an EV requires a bit of a mindset shift about how you use your car and plan journeys, especially longer ones. Environmentally, reports show that over their lifespan, EVs are more environmentally friendly than petrol or diesel cars. Crucially, they produce zero local emissions, as nothing comes out of the tailpipe. The benefits are clear: they can be fun, relaxing, cheaper to run (especially with home charging) and better for local air quality.
