Busting myths about electric cars (Part 1) 🔌🚗

3 Aug

There are some common, false preconceived notions many people have with regards to electric cars - and in this blog post, we are going to address them.

We recommend reading the article ‘Common misconceptions about electric vehicles’ by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) for further details.

electric car being manufactured — This image is sourced from The Times

1. Electric cars are worse for the environment than internal combustion engine (ICE) cars

It is often claimed by climate change sceptics and petrol/diesel heads who oppose the transition to EV’s - that electric cars are just as bad for the environment, if not worse - due to the emissions that are generated from power plants where the electricity used to charge them originated from. In addition, critics of electric cars argue that they are worse for the environment because of the high amounts of energy required to manufacture the battery. These claims are misguided.

Firstly, as we all know, pure electric cars have no emissions from their tailpipes, which already puts them leaps and bounds in front of their ICE competitors in terms of environmental impact. Although tailpipe emissions are non-existent, it may be the case that a certain level of carbon pollutants are created by power plants when generating the electricity needed to charge your EV.

However, this has been overrepresented and taken out of context.

In the UK in 2021, 42.8% of the energy generated came from renewable sources such as Wind, Solar and Nuclear power, which means that when you are charging your car, almost half the time it is coming from green energy sources. Also, even in situations when non-renewable fossil fuels are being used to power the electricity for your car - the amount of emissions and greenhouse gases that are created are significantly less than an ICE car.

Moreover, while certain studies show that manufacturing an electric car is less environmentally-friendly, compared to an ICE car - because of the energy required to produce the battery - the manufacturing, charging and driving processes across the lifetime of an electric car make it far more greener. It is estimated that EV's have a 58% lower lifetime impact than their petrol and diesel counterparts

electric car batteries notification on display — This image is sourced from Space Coast Daily

2. The range of an EV is not enough

This myth is easily busted…

The average UK driver travels around 20 miles a day, and the average driving range of an electric car is now almost 200 miles. Not to mention the thousands of Public Chargers (which outnumber petrol-pumps) available across the UK that are cheap or sometime free to use - check out Zap-Map for more info on your nearest charge points.

Furthermore, we at The Electric Car Scheme can even help with the installation of a home charge point - so you charge whenever you’re at home. Email us on info@electriccarscheme.com to learn more.

Myth that electric cars are too expensive — This image is sourced from Vertu Motors

3. Electric cars are too expensive…

On average, it is true that electric cars cost more to buy outright, compared to ICE cars. However in many circumstances, spread across a lease term of three to four years (36 or 48 months), taking advantage of The Electric Car Scheme and other government grants/assistance, and taking into account the significantly lower cost of ownership (less fuel, servicing etc) - electric cars can in fact be cheaper!

OZEV finds that according to recent estimates, the running cost for an EV can save you £176 a year for every 10,000 miles driven. Consequently, it costs around 2 pence a mile to run, whereas an ICE car can be 10 times more expensive at around 20 pence per mile. Also, maintenance costs for an electric car are far less than petrol and diesel cars.

Furthermore, using The Electric Car Scheme to purchase your electric car means that not only will you benefit from the tax savings, but also you can take advantage of the low Benefit in Kind (BIK) tax (currently 2% till 2025) - this makes leasing an electric car far cheaper than a petrol or diesel car. There is also the added financial benefit of using government grants and assistance - the update list of these can be viewed here.

The price of most electric cars is reducing every month. As supply of electric cars rise to match the demand, and the technology surrounding it improves - we are going to see massive price drops - in May 2022, the number of car models under £32,000 was 24 - an increase from the previous year which was just 15. Within the next few years, this is only going to get better and OZEV forecast that the price of electric car’s could rival petrol and diesel within the decade! Have a look at our quote tool, which can allow you to filter lower priced and more economical cars here.

electric car batteries at factory — This image is sourced from the BBC

4. The battery is not long lasting and can’t be disposed off

Another common misconception that people have is that an electric car is not as durable and long lasting as an ICE car, and that after 5 years, it will stop working. However, there is absolutely no evidence to support the notion that electric cars have an inferior lifespan relative to petrol and diesel cars.

In addition, many electric car batteries now have guarantees for around 100,000 miles, or 8 years and moreover, the government has committed £330 million to further expand the lifespan of batteries on electric vehicles.

The disposal of the battery is also falsely claimed to be difficult and poor for the environment as they can’t be reused and recycled. In reality, current legislation has banned the dumping of electric car batteries into landfill and enforces that manufacturers must take back the batteries (free of cost) and dispose of them in a green and sustainable manner.

The government has also announced that they aim, by the year 2035, to increase the recyclability of the batteries by 95%.

electric car on charge in the rain — This image is sourced from Electrical Direct

5. Electric cars are unreliable in wet weather conditions

This is completely untrue.

All electric cars go through rigorous safety tests to ensure they are suitable in all weather conditions. Electric cars are just as safe to drive and refuel during rainy weather conditions as any other form of vehicle.

Common sense is required, of course. You wouldn’t leave your windows or sunroof open in a ICE car, so don’t do it in an electric one. Rainwater can damage interior fixtures, fittings, dials and switches.

Are you ready to switch to electric? Why not do it with salary sacrifice?

An electric car salary sacrifice scheme is an employee benefit that allows employees to get an electric car through their gross salary (before tax).

It’s like the cycle to work scheme but for electric cars!

How does this employee car benefit work?

An employer will lease the car on behalf of the employee, and in return the employee agrees to sacrifice a portion of their gross salary. As this is considered a ‘company car’ the employee is subject to a benefit in kind (BIK) tax - however this is currently set at 2% and will not change till 2025.

Book a call with our Specialists here.

Images on this site are sourced from third party websites as listed below each image and are the property of their respective owners. If you believe any content infringes your copyright, please contact us at marketing@electriccarscheme.com.

Gaurav Ahluwalia

Gaurav, The Electric Car Scheme's Marketing Director, is a seasoned marketing leader with nearly a decade of experience in the Electric Vehicle (EV) industry. Throughout his career, Gaurav has not only honed his marketing skills but has also delved deep into the realm of electric cars, cultivating a wealth of valuable insights and innovative perspectives that make him a prominent figure in the field.