Busting the common myths about electric vehicles

Myth - EVs don’t have enough range.

Ranges on EVs vary depending on budget and battery size. You can buy an EV with a range of around 100 miles to a range of more than 400. When you consider that 99% of car journeys are under 100 miles – then, if you have a home EV charger, then you really don’t need to worry.  If you’re going on a longer journey, then you can charge your vehicle at an ultra-rapid charger while you grab a drink and stretch your legs.

 

Myth - EVs are slow.

This is absolutely not true. EVs accelerate faster than their gas powered equivalents as their motors are much simpler than internal combustions engines. And you don’t need a super car budget, even Tesla’s model 3 performance will hit 60mph in 3.1 seconds. That’s 6/10 of a second quicker than a 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera! 

 

Myth - EV batteries don’t last long and will end up in landfill.

New regulations mandate EV battery warranties of eight years or 100,000 miles. In fact, most manufacturers predict their batteries will last 10-20 years before replacement. This is far longer than standard petrol or diesel car warranties that are around three years. Even when a battery is no longer fit for use, it won’t end up in that landfill site, it can be recycled or repurposed as an energy storage device. 

 

Myth – EV batteries lose range in very cold weather.

Like all batteries, an EV battery will be affected by extremely cold conditions. EV drivers report losing between 15-20% of their cars predicted range on really cold days, but there are plenty of things you can do to improve the performance in cold weather, such as keeping the car under cover, pre-heating it before a journey whilst it’s plugged in, using eco mode and keeping the battery charged-up. 

 

Myth – EVs catch fire.

There is no evidence to suggest that fires in EVs are more likely to occur than in petrol or diesel vehicles. Whilst there is limited data currently available in the UK, some studies of international data have indicated that EV fires are less likely to occur than petrol or diesel fires. For example, in Norway between 2016 and 2021, proportionally, petrol or diesel vehicles were involved in four times more fires compared to electric vehicles.

 

Myth - There aren’t enough public charging stations in Britain.

 The number of public chargepoints is growing fast. In January 2024, there were more than 53,600 public chargepoints available across the UK. That’s a 45% increase since the start of 2023, which puts us on a growth rate consistent with delivering at least 300,000 chargepoints by 2030, in line with our forecast charging demand.

 

Availability of public charging devices is expected to continue increasing. ChargeUK, the industry body for chargepoint operators, has committed to investing more than £6 billion in charging infrastructure before 2030 and doubling the number of chargepoints over the next 12 months. And that doesn’t include all the EV charge points at home and at workplace locations which are estimated to be more than 680,000. 

 

We hope we’ve put your mind at ease dispelling some of the most common myths doing the rounds! If you’re considering an EV and would like to know more about your home charging options, then we’d love to help you down that road. Get in touch today, and let’s help you on your journey to a more sustainable future!