JustGoEv dispels electric myths

With new 71-plate cars appearing in on our roads, the electric car market is stronger than ever, with pure EVs expected to account for almost one-in-ten new registration in September.

But that means that 90 per cent of drivers are still looking to internal combustion engines for their motoring – with myths around the usability of EVs being the major barrier to electric uptake.

 

JustGoEV has put together a list of the top 5 reasons why people won’t go electric and sets aside the myths.

 

They might run out of range

Range anxiety remains the biggest reason why people won’t buy an EV, yet improvements in battery technology means it’s now a thing of the past. Jack Woodgate, JustGoEV founding director says: “A lot of people won’t buy an EV because they’re worried the electric range might leave them stranded, but the reality is that most new pure electric cars will happily travel over 200 miles between charges and often more. You generally only have to charge the battery as frequently as you might visit a petrol station.”

 

There’s a limited infrastructure

Two years ago, this might have been the case. But today there are charging points in every British town and city, and most EV owners have a home charger. Jack says: “The infrastructure is nothing like it was. Today, most people charge their cars from the comfort of their own homes, and if they need a top-up on the road there’s a vast fast-charging network that allows you to charge the battery to up to 80 per cent capacity in the time it takes to drink a coffee and grab a sandwich at the motorway services. There are currently over 40,000 charging points in the UK and that number is increasing by around 500 per month.”

 

They’re expensive to buy

Not true. While an EV may be more expensive than an ICE car on paper, the savings you’ll make in running costs more than make up the difference. And they’re getting cheaper – manufacturers such as MG are disrupting the market with sub £25k EVS, priced about the same as a Vauxhall Astra. “Don’t forget that there’s used supply now, too,” adds Jack. “You no longer need a bottomless bank account to buy an EV.”

 

They’re expensive to maintain

A lot of people are put off buying EVs because they believe that they require specialist maintenance, when the reality is that they don’t – indeed, maintenance is often less than that required of a more traditional car. Jack says: “The truth is there are far fewer moving parts and most electric powertrains are both sealed for life and utterly reliable. The only parts you’ll generally need are the usual wear items such as brakes, tyres and suspension parts – and they’re just like any conventional car. EVs are actually far cheaper to maintain.”

 

An EV doesn’t suit my lifestyle

It might not seem logical, but those who live in rural areas or who only have on-street parking aren’t at a disadvantage with EVs. Jack says: “EVs are often a better choice for rural customers as they can charge up the car at home rather than use an expensive and hard-to-find countryside filling station. An EV adds convenience rather than takes it away. And if you can’t have a charging point at home it’s still no reason not to own an EV – most terraced homes and flats are in urban areas, where a weekly or monthly trip to a public charging point is all you need to use your car. Plug it in at the supermarket during the weekly shop and there’s no compromise at all.”

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