There are many opposing forces at work when it comes to the changing face of transport in the UK post-lockdown. A rise in car usage will come as people avoid public transport. As well as others stopping car sharing while they observe social distancing rules. This coincides with an increase in people working from home or opting for greener commutes. Dean Hedger, EV New Business Development Manager for the AA, says: “People have enjoyed quieter streets and cleaner air in recent months, putting EV adoption firmly on the agenda.” So, if you are looking for alternative methods of transport to ditch that gas guzzler then look no further than an electric car hire.
The future of public transport
With public transport due to run at a reduced capacity at least until the end of the year, lockdown could expedite environmental advancements. Such as the take-up of electric vehicles, pedestrianisation of cities and more cycle lanes. At the same time, shifting perspectives on work-life balance have the potential to bring about a radical shakeup in how businesses operate. In turn, this could transform the mobility requirements of millions of workers throughout the country.
Increased car usage
There are many factors influencing car usage post-lockdown. Key to this is the avoidance of public transport. People are weighing up the decision to buy a car – despite potential congestion, parking and emissions charges. 64% of people living in cities now consider car ownership to be even more important. The comfort, convenience and most importantly private, personal space of a car will be very appealing. With this in mind, standard cars alone can be very costly to buy, let alone an electric car. This is another reason why an electric car hire can be beneficial to many. Not to mention that all EVs hired from EVision are pure electric. Therefore, they have no exhaust emissions and are eligible for a 100% discount on the London Congestion Charge and Ultra Low Emissions Zone.
With the potential of more vehicles on the road, drivers will need to be extra vigilant when it comes to potential safety hazards. And what better reason than to switch to electric, all of our EVs come with advanced safety features such as lane departure warning. Our luxury Audi e-tron is also the first all-electric vehicle to earn Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) top safety rating.
Decentralisation of cities and change in working patterns
The business landscape for those industries that can work from home will change dramatically as a result of Covid-19. Thus in return affecting daily traffic levels on UK roads. It has been reported that three quarters of the UK want to work from home more regularly from now on. With a generalisation wishing to commute three days in the office and two from home per week. The lockdown has and will definitely shake up the usual working week for many.
Likewise, working fewer days in the office per week means an increased tolerance in the length of their commute. In this situation, we can expect to see people making fewer but longer journeys. In accordance, companies offering company cars may also need to reconsider their policies. Ensuring that if their employees are driving longer distances they are matched with the most environmentally suitable and cost-efficient vehicle. In line with this, we urge any company or employee that is either looking to get a company car or change their company car, to look into EVs.
Why switch your company car to electric?
As of April 6th, electric company cars are exempt from company car tax as part of the UK efforts to go green. Here at EVision, we can’t wait for more people to finally experience the guilt-free thrill of driving electric. Due to recent changes to Benefit in Kind (BiK) Tax on company cars you and your employer will receive huge savings when driving an electric company vehicle.
Prior to this date the rate for electric vehicles was 16%. However, the BiK rate will lower significantly for those who drive a pure electric vehicle. Meaning that any pure electric vehicle registered after April 6th will pay literally 0% tax for 2020/2021. Also vehicles that are already registered, will still be able to receive an amazing saving, as they will pay just a mere 2% tax.
More on this topic can be found in our previous blog posts or on our website. Alternatively you can view the video below.
Rise of the electric vehicle
It’s critical that we preserve the improvement in air quality after lockdown. It’s given us a taste of what a greener future could feel like and has prompted many to reconsider owning an electric vehicle. Lockdown has accelerated this mindset shift where people have appreciated less traffic noise and fewer, shorter journeys. Therefore actively make the switch to an electric car even more appealing. Shorter journeys make for less range anxiety; a key worry affecting EV adoption before lockdown. They can even be seen as even safer than traditionally fossil fuelled cars if you have a home charger. As this will allow drivers to avoid the potential contamination hazards associated with public fuelling stations.
Although it’s tempting to assume this will spark the EV revolution in the UK, practicalities must be considered. Many have taken a financial battering from the economic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic and appetite for spending may be dented. Here at EVision we understand that not wanting to overreach on an expense such as a new car is common. The total cost of EV ownership does tend to stack up quickly. However initiatives like employers offering salary sacrifice for electric cars could incentivise this motoring movement.
Electric car hire and how you can benefit from it
If you want to save money, then you’re in luck. An electric car hire from EVision can save you thousands of pounds. When you add the general savings of driving an EV into consideration such as the cost of ‘filling up’, no BiK tax and vehicle tax it makes the option of driving electric a no-brainer!
An electric car hire from EVision does come with additional benefits such as; unlimited mileage* and free Tesla Supercharging*, a free home charge point installed for hire of 12 months or more. You will also benefit from not being tied to a long term leasing contract and all electric car hires from EVision come with EV Care – which includes full maintenance and service costs, including tyre wear.
If you’re looking for a long term hire such as 12 months, you can upgrade or downgrade your car twice during the hire period if you wish, which gives you even greater flexibility. We have an ever-growing fleet of over 300 vehicles. Which means more choice for you, better vehicle specifications, plus of course, superb value and customer service. Current vehicles available for hire include the following; Tesla Model S, X and 3, Jaguar I-Pace, Audi e-tron, Kia e-Niro, Renault ZOE and BMW i3.
So, what are you waiting for? Contact us today to get a quote for your electric car hire and drive the future of motoring, trust us, we know you’ll love it!
* Subject to Fair usage policy
