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Electric vehicles
What you need to know
Updated 21 September 2023
The push towards electric vehicles (EVs) is growing and is likely to become more of a focus with the sale of new petrol and diesel cars to be banned by the end of 2035. We'll take you through how much they cost, how that compares to petrol and diesel cars, and everything else you need to know to help you decide if an EV is right for you now.
This is the first incarnation of this guide. If you've any feedback or tips you think we should add, please let us know in the Electric vehicles forum thread.
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There are two main types of electric vehicles – fully electric or plug-in hybrid
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Each have their own advantages and disadvantages, so you'll need to decide which one's right for you.
- Fully electric vehicles. Also known as 'battery electric vehicles' (BEVs), they run only on electricity, using a rechargeable battery to power the vehicle, and as such have zero tailpipe emissions – a key factor if reducing your environmental impact is important to you.
The range of electric vehicles can vary massively depending on the car, from anywhere between about 80 miles with the Smart EQ Fortwo, to about 350 miles with the Mercedes-Benz EQS.
While upfront costs are generally much higher than traditional petrol, diesel or hybrid cars, running costs do tend to be lower.
- Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). These have both a rechargeable battery and a traditional petrol or diesel engine (such as the Mercedes C 300 e or the Volvo XC60 Recharge). You'll get about 10 to 50 miles on the electric battery, then the traditional engine will take over. While they'll be no tailpipe emissions for running on electric, there will of course be if you're using the petrol or diesel engine.
They're a bit cheaper than full EVs, and you don't have to worry as much about range or access to charge points, as you always have the traditional petrol or diesel engine to fall back on. So they're a decent option if you want to go 'greener' than petrol/diesel cars, but without being fully reliant on electric.
If used correctly – with the electric battery topped up to cover small journeys – they can be much more efficient than traditional cars. On the flipside, if you don't keep it charged, or you regularly travel long distances, efficiency drops dramatically due to the weight of the electric battery, and can be worse than traditional cars.
When it comes to EVs, there's lot of technical terminology to understand – to help, check out the guides from Electrix, run by insurer LV, or Pod Point, an EV charging provider.
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- Fully electric vehicles. Also known as 'battery electric vehicles' (BEVs), they run only on electricity, using a rechargeable battery to power the vehicle, and as such have zero tailpipe emissions – a key factor if reducing your environmental impact is important to you.
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Range is key – make sure it's enough for you
The range of an EV – how far you can get on a full charge – or of the electric battery in hybrid cars, is likely to be the key factor when deciding whether to buy these cars.
Electric vehicle ranges can vary massively – what you'll need depends on how you'll use it
When it comes to full EVs, it's important to consider what you'll be using the car for. For short trips, you'll likely be able to opt for cheaper models with lower ranges. If you regularly drive long distances, you'll likely need to look at pricier, higher-spec models.
There's a huge choice. From small models such as the Smart EQ Fortwo, which costs about £20,000 to £25,000 new and gives about 80 miles on a single charge, to the pricey Tesla Model Y for £45,000+ that has a range of about 330 miles.
Be aware that when you see the range quoted by manufacturers, this might not always translate to the real world – so see it as a guide. And most manufacturers recommend that you don't charge the vehicle to more than 80% capacity to maintain its battery.
Don't overestimate your mileage and pay for a higher-spec car than you need, too. According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, the average car journey is just 7.9 miles.
Range is still important with a plug-in hybrid
Running out of juice isn't an issue with plug-in hybrid vehicles, as you always have the conventional engine to fall back on if the electric battery dries up. So while the electric range isn't as vital as fully electric vehicles, it's still an important consideration.
The main downside of a plug-in hybrid is that, when you're not using the electric battery, they have poor fuel economy compared with standard petrol or diesel cars due to the extra weight of the electric battery. So if you regularly drive further than the hybrid's pure electric range, or you can't easily charge it after every journey, then a plug-in hybrid might not be the best option.
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EVs will cost you more upfront than traditional cars
While the price of EVs has been falling, with greater demand and more models being released, you'll still pay a big premium on the car itself if you go fully electric.
To compare, we've picked a few popular car models that have both petrol and electric versions – you may be able to get cheaper equivalent EV models of the petrol cars below, but we've chosen models that have both traditional and EV versions of the same model for ease.
New electric vehicle prices vs petrol cars
Model Petrol list price
Electric list price Vauxhall Corsa £19,000 £34,000 Mini £23,000 £32,550 Volvo XC40 £37,000 £46,500 Note: List price are the prices if you buy directly from the manufacturer. To help find the right model for you, you can check the EV database. It lets you compare the features – such as price, range, make and model – of different EVs. See below for more on how to buy EVs.
While you'll pay more upfront, research from LV, one of the largest car insurers, found that most electric cars are "cheaper on average than petrol or diesel vehicles", over a seven-year period, when factoring in purchase price, tax, insurance, fuel and maintenance costs.
You can buy used EVs
You can buy second-hand – there is a growing market for used EVs. When we looked, we found 11-year-old Nissan Leafs starting at about £5,000, compared with a starting price of about £29,000 for a new one.
Buying a used EV is the same as buying a new one or a traditional used car. You can check dealers or other second-hand sellers, such as the AA, Auto Trader and others.
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It's much cheaper, and easier, if you can charge your vehicle at home
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If you're thinking of buying an EV, the key thing you'll need to consider is how to charge it. Charging your EV can take hours – a small car with a 40 kilowatt-hour battery can take anywhere between an hour and 11 hours for a full charge, depending on the speed of the charge point.
That means if you don't have a driveway or garage, or somewhere to install a home charge point – letting you charge the car while it's parked outside your home – then owning an EV is likely to be tricky for now, though the public charging network is continuing to grow.
While there are 10,000s of public charge points (see below for where you can charge away from the home), they are more expensive than home charging, and it could be tough to find one close-by. The cost to charge your car at home can be as low 7.5p per kilowatt hour compared to up to about 70p per kilowatt hour using a public rapid charge point.
What's more, you'll be vying for the space with other EV owners in the area (and sometimes inconsiderate traditional car owners who use it just as a parking space).
There are special energy tariffs for charging your car at home
In recent years, many energy providers have offered special tariffs aimed specifically at EV owners. Generally, these tariffs work by charging you one rate for your electricity during the day, for all your normal use, then charging you a much cheaper rate overnight. This lets you charge the car for cheap while you sleep.
If you also have solar panels, you can charge your EV with the electricity you generate, plus get paid for any electricity you don't use. See our Solar panels guide and our Electric vehicle tariffs guide for full info on how these tariffs work and what's currently available.
How much will charging at home cost me?
It all depends on the size of your car's battery, how often you use it, the energy tariff you're on and how much you use public charge points. But as an example, charging a Nissan Leaf from empty to full once a week (which would give you about 160 miles) would cost about £150 a year on the cheapest EV tariff.
To compare specific models, Pod Point has a journey cost calculator that lets you compare individual petrol or diesel cars against electric cars, based on the price you pay for petrol and how much you pay for electricity.
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There are more than 48,000 public charge points, with around 3,500 free ones – how to find your nearest
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The UK EV charging infrastructure is growing fast, with about 25,000 locations across the UK, offering 48,450 EV charge points that allow almost 76,000 EVs to be charged at once – with more being added all the time.
There can be huge differences in how many charge points are available depending on where you live. For example, in central London, within a mile of MSE Towers there are about 20 separate places to charge an EV. In more suburban areas, there could be just one or two – while in more rural areas you may struggle to find any.
The easiest way to find the closest public charge point to you that we could find is provided by a company called Zap-Map. It claims to have mapped over 95% of public charge points, and says it can show live availability for about 70% of them. You can simply enter a postcode, town or city to find nearby chargers, and it will even let you do a route planner to check charge points on your journey. (Know a better way? Let us know.)
Free charge points are mostly found in public car parks
According to Zap-Map, there are about 3,500 free charge points in the UK. To find them, it allows you to filter by payment method, including free-to-use ones. You can find some free EV charge points at supermarkets (around 200 across the UK) and car parks (around 500 across the UK) but most now charge.
Sainsbury's, Aldi and Lidl are the last big supermarkets to offer complimentary charging – but only at some of their stores. To find Sainsbury's free charging points, use its store locator, go to the 'Customer facilities' tab and apply the 'Electric Vehicle Charging Point' filter.
Most free chargers are 'fast' seven-kilowatt (kW) connections – so if you're shopping for an hour or so you'd get about £2 worth of free juice for your car, or about 30 miles.
Other free charge points can be found at a range of locations, including public and retail car parks, car dealership forecourts, and at hotels and B&Bs, among others.
Always check you won't be charged before using a free charging point – some retailers that previously offered free charging, including Ikea, Lidl and Tesco, now charge a fee.
EV charge points are operated by different networks – so prices vary and you may need lots of different mobile apps
There are more than 30 different networks that own and operate charge points in the UK, and for some, you can't just park up, charge and pay.
Some may require you to download a mobile app, while a small number require an RFID card (radio-frequency identification), so you may need a plethora of different apps, and will need to register your details with a number of different firms. Also, bear in mind, for most public charge points you'll need to use your own cable.
Public charging can be more than triple the cost of home charging, when looking at the rate you pay for each unit of electricity – at 30p per kilowatt hour (p/kWh) at home, under the Price Cap, or as high as about 70p/kWh on public chargers.
How much you pay depends mainly on the type of charger – whether it's a 'fast', 'rapid' or 'ultra rapid' charger –– the faster the charger, the more you'll pay. Also watch out for upfront fees that some also charge just to access their networks. But prices can vary massively between networks, so always remember to check before you plug in – they all provide online maps to help you find the right one. Some of the main networks in the UK include:
- BP Pulse has more than 8,750 charge points. You don't need to register to access its network and can pay via contactless bank card at its charge points. However, it does offer a subscription and free membership scheme on its website and through its app, which gives access to lower rates and free charge points. See pricing info on the BP Pulse website.
- Pod Point offers about 9,200 public charging bays. You can pay by card or download its app and top up your Pod Point account. Its pricing varies: some points are free, while others are charged on a per-kWh or per-hour basis. You can use its charge point finder to find pricing for specific locations.
- Ubitricity has more than 7,000 charge points around London and the South East, which are integrated into lamp-posts. To access its network, you'll need to scan a QR code or download the Shell Recharge app. It charges a 35p connection fee and then 40p/kWh between 7am and midnight (standard), or 37p/kWh between midnight and 7am (off-peak).
- ChargePlace Scotland is owned by the Scottish Government and has more than 2,400 charge points in Scotland. You can access its network via an app, online or with a card (which costs £10). It offers free charge points or chargers on a per-kWh basis. You can use its live map to check pricing at specific locations.
- Source London has over 2,000 charge points across the Greater London area. Its pricing varies depending on if you're a member or if you use contactless payments.
All new charge points should offer contactless payment
While some of the big networks, and a number of others, still require you to use an app, have an account or scan a code, the Government now requires all new chargers to accept contactless payments, so it should become easier to park up and charge in future.
- BP Pulse has more than 8,750 charge points. You don't need to register to access its network and can pay via contactless bank card at its charge points. However, it does offer a subscription and free membership scheme on its website and through its app, which gives access to lower rates and free charge points. See pricing info on the BP Pulse website.
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Driving costs for EVs are generally much lower than traditional cars, as electricity is cheaper than petrol/diesel
While the upfront costs of an electric vehicle are more than an equivalent petrol or diesel car, the cost of getting from A to B will be lower. That's because electricity is still much cheaper than petrol or diesel, despite the energy crisis.
As an example, charging a Nissan Leaf from empty to full at home once a week for a year – which will get you about 8,000 miles – would cost about £600 on a standard energy tariff under the Energy Price Cap. Using petrol, the same mileage would cost you well over £1,000.
That's assuming you only charge the car at home. If you use paid public charge points, your costs will be higher. Even so, you'll still likely save £100s a year against buying traditional fuel. And of course, if you had a cheaper tariff, your costs for charging would be less.
Research from Compare The Market in 2022 also found that the average cost of driving an EV is £1,264 a year, compared with £1,843 for a petrol car – including the costs of insurance, MOT, fuel and tax. We've more on maintenance and service costs and car tax below.
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You'll still need to service your EV regularly, and get an MOT as normal
EVs need to be serviced and will need an MOT at the same intervals as conventional petrol and diesel cars. For servicing, you should check your car manual to see your manufacturer's recommendations.
Servicing should be quicker than with petrol or diesel cars, with less to check and generally less to repair. However, it might be slightly harder and more expensive to get these cars serviced in the short term, as mechanics may not be as familiar with EVs just yet, but long term, as the cars become more widespread and knowledge of them grows, this shouldn't be an issue.
You'll also need an MOT. The rules for EVs are exactly the same as those for petrol and diesel cars – so you'll need an annual MOT once the car is more than three years old. It shouldn't cost you any more though, as the maximum amount MOT test stations can charge is capped at £54.85.
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EVs have fewer moving parts, so there's less to go wrong – but when it does, it can be pricey
Conventional petrol and diesel engines have hundreds of moving parts, and that means there's a lot that could potentially go wrong over the car's lifetime. In comparison, EVs have only a handful – which should mean lower maintenance costs overall.
Car data experts KeeResources (owned by Auto Trader) found that EV maintenance costs are 30% less than petrol vehicles over the life of the vehicle, on average.
However, EVs do have some very complex electrical components which, if they do go wrong, could be expensive to repair.
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EV owners are exempt from paying car tax – but only until 2025
Another benefit of EVs is that they are totally exempt from road tax, or vehicle excise duty – although this will end in April 2025. Currently, this can easily save you well over £100 a year compared with traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, depending on carbon dioxide emissions (the higher the emissions, the more you pay).
However, while EVs are zero-rated for vehicle tax, it's important to note that you MUST still tax your vehicle, even though you won't actually pay anything.
For plug-in hybrids, it's likely you'll pay some car tax – though usually at a reduced rate compared with traditional vehicles. Depending on the emissions of the car and its age, you could expect to pay up to £170 a year. Hybrids are also liable to pay the 'expensive-car tax' – £390 a year for five years if your car cost £40,000 or more when new (if registered after 1 April 2017). To check, the Government has a calculator for car tax for new cars and used cars.
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The cost of insuring EVs has come down as they've become more popular
Previously, it has cost more to insure EVs compared with traditional petrol and diesel cars. Insurers say this was down to electric cars being much less common than traditional vehicles, which means the cost of replacement parts tend to be higher and repairs generally need to be done by specialist mechanics, which can cost more. Plus EVs generally cost more to buy, therefore the higher value makes for higher insurance premiums.
Yet as the cars have become more popular, prices have come down and are now comparable with insuring a petrol or diesel car. According to MoneySupermarket, the average cost of insuring an EV in 2021/22 was £1,097 a year, compared with £1,087 a year for petrol cars.
But insurance prices vary massively depending on how much of a risk insurers perceive you to be, the car you're insuring and the type of policy you want. See our Cheap car insurance guide for full info.
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If you have an EV, you may be able to get free or cheap parking
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What's on offer can vary wildly depending on the local council in your area, with some offering free parking permits for multiple cars, provided they meet certain tailpipe emissions standards, while others have no parking incentives for EV owners at all. To check, it's best to look at your council's website.
You also usually get 'free' parking when using a public charge point, meaning you often don't have to pay an additional fee, on top of the actual charging costs, for using the space. Generally, this is only the case in places such as supermarkets and car parks – if you're parking on the street, you likely will have to pay parking charges on top. Again, the rules vary massively from location to location, so always check.
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EVs are exempt from low emission and clean air zone charges
A small number of regions in the UK operate, or will soon be introducing, a low emissions or clean air zones. These schemes charge the worst polluting vehicles a set amount each day to drive within the zone. The idea is reduce emissions in cities, while also encouraging people to opt for a less polluting vehicle.
With zero tailpipe emissions, EVs are fully exempt from paying the London ultra-low emission zone and the Birmingham and Bristol clean air zone charges. Hybrids are also almost certainly exempt from the charge as well, although some older diesel models might not pass the emissions standards, so do check before driving in London, Birmingham or Bristol.
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You can buy EVs the same way as traditional petrol and diesel cars
New EVs can be bought in exactly the same way as conventional petrol and diesel cars – via dealerships or leased through leasing companies.
If you're confused about which vehicle to go for, the Energy Saving Trust has a handy EV comparison tool that lets you check prices and specifications of all makes and models of full electric and plug-in hybrids.
Used EVs can also be bought the same way as conventional cars, such as at franchised and independent dealers. If you're buying a used EV, look for a retailer certified by the Electric Vehicle Approved scheme.
This scheme allows individual locations to certify their knowledge of EVs. It's operated by the National Franchised Dealers' Association, and is approved by the Energy Saving Trust and the Government's Office for Zero Emission Vehicles.
See our car finance guides to help you find the best way to buy your new car.
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All new EVs come with long warranties on the battery – but the length varies
Like most new cars, EVs will come with a three-year warranty on the car itself, but you'll also get a long warranty on the battery. The battery warranty guarantees that the battery will have a certain percentage of its 'as-new' capacity, usually around 70-80%, after a certain number of years – typically about eight years.
While all batteries degrade over time, the battery warranty does protect against a massive failure or drop in the performance of the battery – which can seriously limit the range of the car.
If your battery does fall below the performance standards in the warranty, the manufacturer will repair or replace the battery. If your battery needs replacing outside of the warranty it will be expensive, with the cost likely to be in the £1,000s.
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How 'green' EVs truly are is hotly debated
The push towards EVs is all down to the Government's carbon emissions targets, and with EV's producing zero tailpipe emissions, encouraging people to make the switch is a key part of its carbon-cutting strategy.
Yet the 'greenness' of EVs has been hotly debated – as some have raised concerns that the energy and raw materials used to manufacture them, and how the electricity used to charge them is produced, can limit their overall effectiveness in cutting emissions.
This guide isn't about these issues, but it is one to be aware of if these issues are important to you.
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Need more info? There's lots more help available
If you're still on the fence about whether to take the plunge with an electric vehicle, or you've recently bought one and need help navigating the new world of EV charging and ownership, there's plenty more advice out there.
You can try organisations such as EVA England, EVA Scotland or EVA Northern Ireland. These are 'community interest companies', set up by EV drivers aiming to provide advice and support to new and prospective owners.
You can also try the major motoring organisations and car insurers, such as LV, The AA and RAC, which also publish huge amounts of information about EVs and EV ownership.
The Energy Saving Trust also has plenty of information online, as well as a comprehensive guide on EV charging best practices.
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