As many drivers may know, the London Congestion Charge (LCC) was ceased during the UK lockdown. That time saw several London Underground lines and bus routes closed, meaning that driving to work was encouraged. However as part of a government bailout deal for Transport for London (TfL), the congestion charge in London was reintroduced on 18th May 2020. So, how can EVision help you avoid paying that extra cost at these uncertain times?
What will happen in the coming months?
Due to the deal with TFL, the congestion charge will also be increased from the 22 June 2020 from £11.50 to £15. That is a rather large increase when you take into consideration that most people work 9am – 5pm, 5 days a week.
As well as the charge increase, drivers travelling into the centre of the Capital between 10pm and 6am will also need to pay the charge. Normally the charge is only enforced on weekdays between 7am and 6pm. However, the hours of operation will be extended as part of a package of temporary changes. The Mayor of London is planning to temporarily extend this to between 7am and 10pm, seven days a week as from 22nd June.
Not to mention that if you are travelling within the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) this will be an additional charge of £12.50 for most vehicle types, including traditional cars, motorcycles and vans. That makes your average commute to work in the Capital a very pricey journey.
How can I avoid paying the London Congestion Charge?
If you’re looking for the answer to this then it’s your lucky day, EVision are here to explain how you can avoid paying those charges.
Let’s look at the background context briefly, the Mayor of London has an ambition to make London’s transport network zero carbon by 2050. This means that we need to clean up London’s air and rid the Capital of the most polluting vehicles. Thus improving air quality as part of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy. To achieve this, they are supporting and accelerating the shift to zero emission technologies, such as electric cars.
Electric cars are part of ZEC. What is ZEC, we hear you ask? It is the collective term for vehicles that can operate with zero exhaust emissions.
There are three types of ZEC vehicles:
- 100% pure electric vehicles. These are powered by a battery which drives the electric motor. They have no exhaust emissions.
- Plug-in hybrid and range-extended electric vehicles. These have both a combination of an electric battery and a conventional diesel or petrol engine.
- Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. These vehicles have a fuel cell which uses hydrogen to produce electricity and power the vehicle’s wheels.
So, what are the benefits of switching to electric vehicles?
By switching to a fully electric vehicle you can save money on fuel costs, reduce harmful vehicle emissions and help clean up London’s air.
There are also numerous financial benefits of electric vehicles:
- EVs are eligible for a 100% discount on the London Congestion Charge and Ultra Low Emissions Zone.
- The Government offers grants for new electric vehicles.
- Electric vehicles pay no vehicle tax, due to having zero CO2 emissions.
- There is a range of tax incentives for business users, such as Benefit in Kind.
- Some London boroughs offer free or reduced-charge parking for electric vehicles.
- Grants are available for electric vehicle charging infrastructure at home and at workplaces.
Why hire an EV from EVision instead of buying one instead?
Buying an electric vehicle can be quite expensive as a large lump sum payment and that’s why our customers love hiring from EVision. They aren’t tied down to one particular vehicle and we offer both long term and short term hires across our fleet, making a hire perfectly tailored to your particular EV needs.
Hiring an electric vehicle from EVision comes with multiple benefits such as FREE Tesla Supercharging on all of our Teslas.
Additional benefits include:
- Unlimited mileage* across our wide fleet of EVs.
- You aren’t tied to a long term leasing contract.
- Full maintenance and service costs included, including tyre wear.
- For hires of 12 months plus, you can upgrade or downgrade your car twice during the hire period if you wish, which gives you even greater flexibility.
- You don’t have to worry about the depreciation value of the car.
- Account customers benefit from paying no deposit when hiring a vehicle.
- Free charging from any of the 10 nationwide H.E. SERVICES (Plant Hire) Ltd depots, as well as the 4 Diggerland UK Theme Parks for our customers.
- World class service and support from our EV experts.
- Free collection from our 4 nationwide offices. Delivery and collection can be arranged, subject to an additional charge.
- Fleet customers enjoy a further discount on multi-car hires.
EVision vehicles available to hire
At EVision we have a wide range of EVs in our fleet, ranging from the luxurious Tesla Model S P100D to the nippy BMW i3. Our list of EVs available are listed below.
Renault ZOE
When you hire a Renault ZOE you will be getting a small but mighty electric vehicle. Having won the What Car? Car of the Year award for 7 years running and being named ‘Small Electric Car Winner’, the Renault ZOE is the top choice!
BMW i3
Want to be seen in one of our ever popular BMW i3s? We have 3 models available for hire; 94Ah, 120Ah and REX. Designed from top to bottom with sustainability, exceptional looks, outstanding handling, driving dynamics and battery performance in mind. It means that the BMW i3 is a class-leading electric vehicle and the perfect choice for town and city driving.
Kia e-Niro
The Kia e-Niro is the first fully electric car manufactured by the popular brand, Kia and it certainly doesn’t disappoint! Offering an exceptional amount of boot and cabin space that is perfect for everyday driving and long trips. The Kia e-Niro is the 2019 What Car? Car of the Year and the first ever electric car to win the What Car’s biggest accolade.
Audi e-tron
It’s an A* for our Audi e-tron. In a nutshell, this EV is a sheer pleasure to drive. The surge you feel when your foot touches the pedal. The instant reactions of a car that thinks like a driver. The smoothness of the ride. It’s everything you want from an Audi, with all the advantages of electric.
Jaguar I-Pace
The Jaguar I-Pace reimagines the classic balance of sports car and luxury craftsmanship. This EVs cutting-edge technologies work seamlessly with you, for an effortless drive. This all-electric car remains true to the spirit of Jaguar. From the pronounced front wheel arches to the rear diffuser, every element of our Jaguar I‑PACE’s aerodynamic design allows the car to slice cleanly through the air for optimised range and stability.
Tesla Model S
Our Tesla Model S is a popular choice with our customers and here at EVision we have a variety of models to choose from. The Tesla Model S is the car that has revolutionised the game as far as electric cars are concerned. Offering drivers high class interior with a comfortable drive, futuristic computerised controls and a powerful battery train.
Tesla Model X
The Tesla Model X is built for efficiency, with standard all-wheel drive and seating for up to seven adults, it is the perfect option for large families. However do not let that fool you, while it is the perfect family car, the Model X combines style, performance and safety with real-world practicality. It is a thrilling showstopper on the road.
Tesla Model 3
Our customers love this new EV, packed with the latest technology, the Tesla Model 3’s simplistic interior is unlike any other electric vehicle on the market. Designed for electric-powered performance, with dual motor AWD, quick acceleration, long range and fast charging. With the choice of a Standard or Long Range model, we are sure the vehicle will not disappoint any driver.
That hard part now is choosing which EV to hire first….
0% Benefit in Kind tax for electric company cars
We briefly touched on this topic earlier. However, since you may be interested in hiring an electric company car, we’d like to let you know about the huge savings that can be made.
As of April 6th, 2020 you can drive a fully electric company car at zero cost? Yes, that’s right, you didn’t read it wrong, we said ZERO cost! This is due to the change of the Benefit in Kind (BiK). As of this date, BiK for electric vehicles will drop to 0%. Meaning that there can be a significant amount of savings to be made.
Find out more information by watching our YouTube video.
