Electric Vehicles aren’t exactly a new concept. They’ve been around for a while, but until recently there were only a few people who were particularly interested in them. Now, interest in these environmentally friendly models has increased, especially after the government pledged to stop the manufacture of all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030.
If you’re brand new to EVs, or you’re just looking for some more information before you go for an electric car rental in Durham, we have the answers for you.
How long do electric vehicles take to charge?
In truth, the length of time a vehicle will take to charge depends on the make and model of the EV you own. They can take anywhere from half an hour to overnight, to charge fully.
Of course, charging time also depends on where you are charging the car and what charger you are using to do so. We would suggest looking into charging options and times before you hire or buy an electric vehicle.
Where can I charge electric vehicles?
You can charge your electric vehicle at home, which will leave you with a full tank (well, battery), every morning before you start your day. The charger could be stored in a garage or on a driveway, to prevent access to public highways being blocked.
It’s slowly becoming commonplace to have EV charging stations installed in workplaces and in public car parks across the UK. In fact, as of the 31st of January 2023, Zap Statistics found that there were 37,851 charging points for electric vehicles across the nation.
What if I don’t have private parking?
Understandably, not having access to private parking will leave some of you put off having an electric vehicle. It could still be practical for you to own an EV however, especially if you have charging points at your workplace or you live near a public access point.
It’s understandable however, that some people would not want to leave their car in a public space, especially overnight. On top of this, it can be significantly more expensive to charge your EV in a public place compared to the home, with the RAC stating that on average it coste £6 to fully charge an EV from the home, but can cost between £7 and £10 to charge an EV to 80% in a public place.
How will an EV affect my electricity bill?
Of course, the price of electricity is sky high at the moment, and we’re not sure if or when it will come back down. Adding an electric vehicle to your energy bill definitely sounds daunting, as most would assume the addition will cause your bills to skyrocket.
It’s incredibly important to negotiate an EV electricity tariff with your energy supplier, to ensure you are not paying over the odds to regularly charge your vehicle.
As the government moves forward with plans to establish EV’s as the primary form of transport across the UK, we hope to see access to EV charging infrastructure and home charging improve. This will allow even more people to gain access to electric vehicles, allowing the UK to improve its carbon emissions levels and individuals to decrease their carbon footprint.
