Detective Bonnetino is on the case...
Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular with every passing year.
In 2021, there were 190,727 new electric cars registrations, up 76% from the year before. But despite their surging popularity, electric cars only accounted for around 11.6% of all the new cars sold in the UK in 2021. The question is, why?
The truth is that change takes time. Despite being clean, quiet and cost-effective, some people hold onto outdated and inaccurate perceptions about electric vehicles that are just not true. With that in mind, we’re coming out swinging to bust some of the most common electric vehicle myths so you can make an informed decision about your motoring future.
Some people think that EVs are fine if all you do is pop to the shops and drive home again, but when it comes to long commutes and weekends away, they’re just not up to it.
Poppycock. The truth is that 98% of the car journeys in the UK are less than 50 miles, which is well within the capabilities of even the shortest-range electric vehicles. The average UK car journey distance is just 8.4 miles, making electric vehicles the greenest and most cost-effective tool for the job.
If you plan to travel further, the average range of all the electric cars available in the UK is 193 miles on a single charge, rising to 222 miles in the summer. If you regularly travel long distances, then buy an EV with a great range. The Tesla Model 3 (£43,990) has a battery range of up to 374 miles, a Volkswagen ID 3 (£34,956) is good for 340 miles, while the Kia e-Niro (£34,995) can take you 282 miles.
There’s a lot more to think about when calculating the true cost of vehicle ownership than just the upfront price. Yes, electric vehicles are marginally more expensive than their petrol or diesel equivalents to buy outright, but there are a whole host of other savings that you stand to make.
The slightly higher purchase price is offset by the lower service, maintenance and repair costs. And with sky-high fuel prices, you could stand to save more than a thousand pounds a year on the cost of fuel alone.
Electric cars are also completely exempt from car tax as they have zero emissions. Then there’s the government’s plug-in grant scheme, which gives you £1,500 off all new EVs priced under £32,000. And when it’s time to sell, EVs tend to depreciate less than petrol and diesel cars, so you should get more for your used EV when you sell it or trade it in.
And who says you need to buy a new EV outright, anyway? There’s a growing second-hand market for electric vehicles and there are also lease deals available that can see you drive off in a brand new EV for less than £200 a month. Given the other savings you stand to make, that’s a pretty good deal.
Oh please. That sounds like the sort of myth you’d expect from a certain ex-American president. It’s true that water and electricity don’t generally mix well, but when it comes to driving your EV in even the most torrential downpour, you’ll be right as rain.
That’s because all electric vehicles have been extensively weatherproofed and tested by their manufacturers, with exacting standards they must meet. All charge points have also been through rigorous safety testing and are installed in accordance with the relevant regulations.
When it comes to driving through flood water, the usual rules apply. According to the Environment Agency, you should never drive through a flood, as just 30cms of flowing water is enough to float your car. However, if you drive a Tesla Model S, that doesn’t really matter.
According to an Elon Musk tweet a few years ago, “We *def* don’t recommend this, but the Model S floats well enough to turn it into a boat for short periods of time. Thrust via wheel rotation.”
Fun? Perhaps. But don’t do it.
It’s true that until 2017, making electricity was one of the most harmful things we did, but since then, a lot of things have changed.
In 2020, renewables (including wind, solar, biomass and hydro) accounted for 42% of the UK’s total electricity production, and this figure is increasing every year. Many EV charging points are also powered entirely by renewables. This shift means that transport is now the most polluting thing we do as a nation, and electric vehicles, powered by renewable energy, are the best way to clean up our roads.
This myth makes the inaccurate assumption that every time you charge your EV, you charge it from empty to full using a slow charger, and that’s not what the reality of EV ownership is.
How often do you drive 250 miles in a day? These days, 250 miles is about the average range for a new electric vehicle. As driving that kind of distance is rare, the majority of the time, your EV charging will just be topping up, and depending on the charger and the size of your battery, that could take anything from 10 minutes to a few hours.
If you did want to charge your EV from 0% to full using a 7kW home or workplace charger, that’s likely to take 8-10 hours. But if you’re on the road and need to stop for a charge, a 100kW rapid charger can give you 80% charge in just 45 minutes, while a 350kW ultra-rapid charger can do the same job in just 20 minutes.
We’re not sure how this one has managed to develop as a myth when there’s absolutely no truth or logic in it at all. In reality, the opposite is true.
Electric vehicles are actually less likely to break down than their petrol and diesel equivalents because there are far fewer moving parts to fail. EVs use a simple one-speed gearbox rather than the multi-speed gearbox you find in petrol and diesel cars. There’s also no fuel tank, clutch, drive belt, spark plugs, catalytic converter, exhaust pipe, distributor or valves. Basically, there’s a heck of a lot less to go wrong.
As well as fewer breakdowns, there’s also no need for regular oil changes or tune-ups, and with fewer moving parts to go wrong, you’ll also spend less on spare parts and mechanics.
Au contraire mon cher. There has been some conjecture that the lithium-ion batteries in EVs could increase the frequency and severity of fires in an accident, but again, this claim doesn’t stand up to closer inspection.
Electric vehicles actually perform very well when it comes to safety. They have to undergo the same safety tests and standards as regular cars. And in fact, research suggests that they are safer in an accident and less prone to catching fire than petrol and diesel equivalents. That’s because they contain no flammable fuel and their centre of gravity is often lower, which reduces their likelihood of rolling in a collision.
When talking about the practical benefits of EVs vs. petrol and diesel vehicles, it’s easy to forget one very important thing - driving should be fun. The naysayers say that electric vehicles are boring to drive but just a few seconds behind the wheel of an EV is enough to debunk that myth.
Electric vehicles produce maximum torque at all revs, which gives you instant and rapid acceleration. Even big, quite heavy electric vehicles like the Kia e-Niro can take you from 0-62mph in just 7.8 seconds. The Tesla Model 3 can do it in a terrifying 3.1 seconds, which is fast enough to embarrass a supercar. And these are just everyday electric cars.
That level of responsiveness, along with the blissful peace you get when driving an EV, makes even the most humble electric car a lot of fun to drive.
Some people still doubt whether EV ownership is practical given the growing infrastructure of EV charge points, but there are a lot more charge points than you think.
As it stands, there are 18,000 places where you can charge an electric vehicle in the UK, which is more than double the number of petrol stations. Those 18,000 public charging locations have a total of 30,000 charge points and 50,000 connectors, and that number continues to rise year on year.
It’s also worth noting that most electric vehicle charging is done at home or work, on private charge points that are easy and convenient to use. In reality, many EV drivers rarely use public charge points at all. Instead, they keep their vehicles topped up at home.
Just download the Bonnet app to find where the EV charge points are near you. We think you’ll be surprised by how many charge points there are in areas that you thought you knew well. The Bonnet app makes EV charging easy, letting you set up and pay for your charge on more than 17 EV charging networks using just one app. That’s why now is a great time to give electric vehicles a try.
Detective Bonnetino is on the case...
Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular with every passing year.
In 2021, there were 190,727 new electric cars registrations, up 76% from the year before. But despite their surging popularity, electric cars only accounted for around 11.6% of all the new cars sold in the UK in 2021. The question is, why?
The truth is that change takes time. Despite being clean, quiet and cost-effective, some people hold onto outdated and inaccurate perceptions about electric vehicles that are just not true. With that in mind, we’re coming out swinging to bust some of the most common electric vehicle myths so you can make an informed decision about your motoring future.
Some people think that EVs are fine if all you do is pop to the shops and drive home again, but when it comes to long commutes and weekends away, they’re just not up to it.
Poppycock. The truth is that 98% of the car journeys in the UK are less than 50 miles, which is well within the capabilities of even the shortest-range electric vehicles. The average UK car journey distance is just 8.4 miles, making electric vehicles the greenest and most cost-effective tool for the job.
If you plan to travel further, the average range of all the electric cars available in the UK is 193 miles on a single charge, rising to 222 miles in the summer. If you regularly travel long distances, then buy an EV with a great range. The Tesla Model 3 (£43,990) has a battery range of up to 374 miles, a Volkswagen ID 3 (£34,956) is good for 340 miles, while the Kia e-Niro (£34,995) can take you 282 miles.
There’s a lot more to think about when calculating the true cost of vehicle ownership than just the upfront price. Yes, electric vehicles are marginally more expensive than their petrol or diesel equivalents to buy outright, but there are a whole host of other savings that you stand to make.
The slightly higher purchase price is offset by the lower service, maintenance and repair costs. And with sky-high fuel prices, you could stand to save more than a thousand pounds a year on the cost of fuel alone.
Electric cars are also completely exempt from car tax as they have zero emissions. Then there’s the government’s plug-in grant scheme, which gives you £1,500 off all new EVs priced under £32,000. And when it’s time to sell, EVs tend to depreciate less than petrol and diesel cars, so you should get more for your used EV when you sell it or trade it in.
And who says you need to buy a new EV outright, anyway? There’s a growing second-hand market for electric vehicles and there are also lease deals available that can see you drive off in a brand new EV for less than £200 a month. Given the other savings you stand to make, that’s a pretty good deal.
Oh please. That sounds like the sort of myth you’d expect from a certain ex-American president. It’s true that water and electricity don’t generally mix well, but when it comes to driving your EV in even the most torrential downpour, you’ll be right as rain.
That’s because all electric vehicles have been extensively weatherproofed and tested by their manufacturers, with exacting standards they must meet. All charge points have also been through rigorous safety testing and are installed in accordance with the relevant regulations.
When it comes to driving through flood water, the usual rules apply. According to the Environment Agency, you should never drive through a flood, as just 30cms of flowing water is enough to float your car. However, if you drive a Tesla Model S, that doesn’t really matter.
According to an Elon Musk tweet a few years ago, “We *def* don’t recommend this, but the Model S floats well enough to turn it into a boat for short periods of time. Thrust via wheel rotation.”
Fun? Perhaps. But don’t do it.
It’s true that until 2017, making electricity was one of the most harmful things we did, but since then, a lot of things have changed.
In 2020, renewables (including wind, solar, biomass and hydro) accounted for 42% of the UK’s total electricity production, and this figure is increasing every year. Many EV charging points are also powered entirely by renewables. This shift means that transport is now the most polluting thing we do as a nation, and electric vehicles, powered by renewable energy, are the best way to clean up our roads.
This myth makes the inaccurate assumption that every time you charge your EV, you charge it from empty to full using a slow charger, and that’s not what the reality of EV ownership is.
How often do you drive 250 miles in a day? These days, 250 miles is about the average range for a new electric vehicle. As driving that kind of distance is rare, the majority of the time, your EV charging will just be topping up, and depending on the charger and the size of your battery, that could take anything from 10 minutes to a few hours.
If you did want to charge your EV from 0% to full using a 7kW home or workplace charger, that’s likely to take 8-10 hours. But if you’re on the road and need to stop for a charge, a 100kW rapid charger can give you 80% charge in just 45 minutes, while a 350kW ultra-rapid charger can do the same job in just 20 minutes.
We’re not sure how this one has managed to develop as a myth when there’s absolutely no truth or logic in it at all. In reality, the opposite is true.
Electric vehicles are actually less likely to break down than their petrol and diesel equivalents because there are far fewer moving parts to fail. EVs use a simple one-speed gearbox rather than the multi-speed gearbox you find in petrol and diesel cars. There’s also no fuel tank, clutch, drive belt, spark plugs, catalytic converter, exhaust pipe, distributor or valves. Basically, there’s a heck of a lot less to go wrong.
As well as fewer breakdowns, there’s also no need for regular oil changes or tune-ups, and with fewer moving parts to go wrong, you’ll also spend less on spare parts and mechanics.
Au contraire mon cher. There has been some conjecture that the lithium-ion batteries in EVs could increase the frequency and severity of fires in an accident, but again, this claim doesn’t stand up to closer inspection.
Electric vehicles actually perform very well when it comes to safety. They have to undergo the same safety tests and standards as regular cars. And in fact, research suggests that they are safer in an accident and less prone to catching fire than petrol and diesel equivalents. That’s because they contain no flammable fuel and their centre of gravity is often lower, which reduces their likelihood of rolling in a collision.
When talking about the practical benefits of EVs vs. petrol and diesel vehicles, it’s easy to forget one very important thing - driving should be fun. The naysayers say that electric vehicles are boring to drive but just a few seconds behind the wheel of an EV is enough to debunk that myth.
Electric vehicles produce maximum torque at all revs, which gives you instant and rapid acceleration. Even big, quite heavy electric vehicles like the Kia e-Niro can take you from 0-62mph in just 7.8 seconds. The Tesla Model 3 can do it in a terrifying 3.1 seconds, which is fast enough to embarrass a supercar. And these are just everyday electric cars.
That level of responsiveness, along with the blissful peace you get when driving an EV, makes even the most humble electric car a lot of fun to drive.
Some people still doubt whether EV ownership is practical given the growing infrastructure of EV charge points, but there are a lot more charge points than you think.
As it stands, there are 18,000 places where you can charge an electric vehicle in the UK, which is more than double the number of petrol stations. Those 18,000 public charging locations have a total of 30,000 charge points and 50,000 connectors, and that number continues to rise year on year.
It’s also worth noting that most electric vehicle charging is done at home or work, on private charge points that are easy and convenient to use. In reality, many EV drivers rarely use public charge points at all. Instead, they keep their vehicles topped up at home.
Just download the Bonnet app to find where the EV charge points are near you. We think you’ll be surprised by how many charge points there are in areas that you thought you knew well. The Bonnet app makes EV charging easy, letting you set up and pay for your charge on more than 17 EV charging networks using just one app. That’s why now is a great time to give electric vehicles a try.
Detective Bonnetino is on the case...
Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular with every passing year.
In 2021, there were 190,727 new electric cars registrations, up 76% from the year before. But despite their surging popularity, electric cars only accounted for around 11.6% of all the new cars sold in the UK in 2021. The question is, why?
The truth is that change takes time. Despite being clean, quiet and cost-effective, some people hold onto outdated and inaccurate perceptions about electric vehicles that are just not true. With that in mind, we’re coming out swinging to bust some of the most common electric vehicle myths so you can make an informed decision about your motoring future.
Some people think that EVs are fine if all you do is pop to the shops and drive home again, but when it comes to long commutes and weekends away, they’re just not up to it.
Poppycock. The truth is that 98% of the car journeys in the UK are less than 50 miles, which is well within the capabilities of even the shortest-range electric vehicles. The average UK car journey distance is just 8.4 miles, making electric vehicles the greenest and most cost-effective tool for the job.
If you plan to travel further, the average range of all the electric cars available in the UK is 193 miles on a single charge, rising to 222 miles in the summer. If you regularly travel long distances, then buy an EV with a great range. The Tesla Model 3 (£43,990) has a battery range of up to 374 miles, a Volkswagen ID 3 (£34,956) is good for 340 miles, while the Kia e-Niro (£34,995) can take you 282 miles.
There’s a lot more to think about when calculating the true cost of vehicle ownership than just the upfront price. Yes, electric vehicles are marginally more expensive than their petrol or diesel equivalents to buy outright, but there are a whole host of other savings that you stand to make.
The slightly higher purchase price is offset by the lower service, maintenance and repair costs. And with sky-high fuel prices, you could stand to save more than a thousand pounds a year on the cost of fuel alone.
Electric cars are also completely exempt from car tax as they have zero emissions. Then there’s the government’s plug-in grant scheme, which gives you £1,500 off all new EVs priced under £32,000. And when it’s time to sell, EVs tend to depreciate less than petrol and diesel cars, so you should get more for your used EV when you sell it or trade it in.
And who says you need to buy a new EV outright, anyway? There’s a growing second-hand market for electric vehicles and there are also lease deals available that can see you drive off in a brand new EV for less than £200 a month. Given the other savings you stand to make, that’s a pretty good deal.
Oh please. That sounds like the sort of myth you’d expect from a certain ex-American president. It’s true that water and electricity don’t generally mix well, but when it comes to driving your EV in even the most torrential downpour, you’ll be right as rain.
That’s because all electric vehicles have been extensively weatherproofed and tested by their manufacturers, with exacting standards they must meet. All charge points have also been through rigorous safety testing and are installed in accordance with the relevant regulations.
When it comes to driving through flood water, the usual rules apply. According to the Environment Agency, you should never drive through a flood, as just 30cms of flowing water is enough to float your car. However, if you drive a Tesla Model S, that doesn’t really matter.
According to an Elon Musk tweet a few years ago, “We *def* don’t recommend this, but the Model S floats well enough to turn it into a boat for short periods of time. Thrust via wheel rotation.”
Fun? Perhaps. But don’t do it.
It’s true that until 2017, making electricity was one of the most harmful things we did, but since then, a lot of things have changed.
In 2020, renewables (including wind, solar, biomass and hydro) accounted for 42% of the UK’s total electricity production, and this figure is increasing every year. Many EV charging points are also powered entirely by renewables. This shift means that transport is now the most polluting thing we do as a nation, and electric vehicles, powered by renewable energy, are the best way to clean up our roads.
This myth makes the inaccurate assumption that every time you charge your EV, you charge it from empty to full using a slow charger, and that’s not what the reality of EV ownership is.
How often do you drive 250 miles in a day? These days, 250 miles is about the average range for a new electric vehicle. As driving that kind of distance is rare, the majority of the time, your EV charging will just be topping up, and depending on the charger and the size of your battery, that could take anything from 10 minutes to a few hours.
If you did want to charge your EV from 0% to full using a 7kW home or workplace charger, that’s likely to take 8-10 hours. But if you’re on the road and need to stop for a charge, a 100kW rapid charger can give you 80% charge in just 45 minutes, while a 350kW ultra-rapid charger can do the same job in just 20 minutes.
We’re not sure how this one has managed to develop as a myth when there’s absolutely no truth or logic in it at all. In reality, the opposite is true.
Electric vehicles are actually less likely to break down than their petrol and diesel equivalents because there are far fewer moving parts to fail. EVs use a simple one-speed gearbox rather than the multi-speed gearbox you find in petrol and diesel cars. There’s also no fuel tank, clutch, drive belt, spark plugs, catalytic converter, exhaust pipe, distributor or valves. Basically, there’s a heck of a lot less to go wrong.
As well as fewer breakdowns, there’s also no need for regular oil changes or tune-ups, and with fewer moving parts to go wrong, you’ll also spend less on spare parts and mechanics.
Au contraire mon cher. There has been some conjecture that the lithium-ion batteries in EVs could increase the frequency and severity of fires in an accident, but again, this claim doesn’t stand up to closer inspection.
Electric vehicles actually perform very well when it comes to safety. They have to undergo the same safety tests and standards as regular cars. And in fact, research suggests that they are safer in an accident and less prone to catching fire than petrol and diesel equivalents. That’s because they contain no flammable fuel and their centre of gravity is often lower, which reduces their likelihood of rolling in a collision.
When talking about the practical benefits of EVs vs. petrol and diesel vehicles, it’s easy to forget one very important thing - driving should be fun. The naysayers say that electric vehicles are boring to drive but just a few seconds behind the wheel of an EV is enough to debunk that myth.
Electric vehicles produce maximum torque at all revs, which gives you instant and rapid acceleration. Even big, quite heavy electric vehicles like the Kia e-Niro can take you from 0-62mph in just 7.8 seconds. The Tesla Model 3 can do it in a terrifying 3.1 seconds, which is fast enough to embarrass a supercar. And these are just everyday electric cars.
That level of responsiveness, along with the blissful peace you get when driving an EV, makes even the most humble electric car a lot of fun to drive.
Some people still doubt whether EV ownership is practical given the growing infrastructure of EV charge points, but there are a lot more charge points than you think.
As it stands, there are 18,000 places where you can charge an electric vehicle in the UK, which is more than double the number of petrol stations. Those 18,000 public charging locations have a total of 30,000 charge points and 50,000 connectors, and that number continues to rise year on year.
It’s also worth noting that most electric vehicle charging is done at home or work, on private charge points that are easy and convenient to use. In reality, many EV drivers rarely use public charge points at all. Instead, they keep their vehicles topped up at home.
Just download the Bonnet app to find where the EV charge points are near you. We think you’ll be surprised by how many charge points there are in areas that you thought you knew well. The Bonnet app makes EV charging easy, letting you set up and pay for your charge on more than 17 EV charging networks using just one app. That’s why now is a great time to give electric vehicles a try.
