The Complete Guide

to Electric Vehicles
Helping all prospective EV
owners and drivers make
the leap to an electric future
Contents
Page 3 Introduction
Page 4 Why own an EV?
Page 6 How an EV works
Page 8 What kind of EV is right for you?
Page 10 Charging explained
Page 13 What you’ll save
Page 14 Myths about EVs debunked
Page 16 Making the leap to an EV future
Introduction
It’s highly likely that one day you’ll be driving an electric vehicle (EV).

The UK Government has set a cut-off date for the In these pages you’ll find why EVs are a great
sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans of 2030. investment and how they are different from ICE
It won’t mean internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in some fundamental ways. We’ll also be
vehicles disappear completely from our roads at a taking a detailed look at how charging works – it
stroke, but it is going to lead to change. Even now, can be as simple as fuelling up at a petrol station,
drivers are making the switch to electric, and this but to get to this point requires some pretty big
change will fundamentally change the way we changes in behaviours and infrastructure.
fuel and run vehicles, and have an impact on our
We’ll also spend some time looking at the costs,
environment, globally, and locally.
addressing the claims that EVs are too expensive.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide. Switching Speaking of myths, we’ll end by looking at some
to EVs should be positive - a way to save money, of the half-truths, misinterpretations and outright
make our communities healthier and avoid fabrications that are still going around when it
contributing to climate change. comes to EVs.
The one thing that we most want you to take away
from this publication is that driving and running
an EV can be a really enjoyable experience, that
increasingly is within the reach of all drivers.
So, let’s get on the road.

“That’s why we’ve put together this

guide. Switching to EVs should be
positive - a way to save money, make
our communities healthier and avoid
contributing to climate change.” Tom Rowlands, Managing Director
of Global EV Solutions, FLEETCOR
1. Why own an EV?
There are plenty of reasons why you’ll want to make the change to an EV.

1. ICE vehicles are being phased out Of course, recharging at public charging points
as opposed to at home is more expensive, but it’s
The date for the end of new ICE car and van sales in
unlikely that you’ll charge your entire battery from
the UK used to be 2040. Then it was 2035, and now
one unless you’re on a road trip or don’t have
it’s 2030. Given how the uptake of EVs is increasing,
access to home charging.
and in 2022 took up more than 16% of all cars sold,
which in itself was an increase of nearly 80,000 sales 3. They’re quieter
on the year before and that’s with manufacturers
Unless you’re the antisocial sort who likes to rattle
struggling to supply enough cars. Things are going in
your neighbours’ windows, quieter is better when
the right direction.
it comes to vehicles. Vehicular noise pollution
https://media.smmt.co.uk/december-2022-new-car-registrations/ has been linked to health effects like high blood
pressure, sleeplessness, nausea, depression, dizziness,
Over time, all these EVs will reach the second-hand
headaches and even heart attacks. One study
market, giving buyers far more choice, and while
estimated that noise pollution costs one million
surviving ICE vehicles will still be on our roads for
healthy life-years from Western Europe alone, and
some time to come, a used electric car will become
113 million Europeans are routinely exposed to traffic
a far more cost-effective option. While batteries are
noises above the healthy threshold of fifty decibels.
lasting far longer than critics predicted, the cost of
replacing them will reduce too, keeping older EVs Traffic noise can not only disrupt our sleep, but it also
on the road for years to come. ruins our rest while we’re sleeping, preventing our
brains from optimally healing and destroying our
https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2022/08/01/electric-
ability to learn, remember and regulate our moods.
car-batteries-lasting-longer-than-predicted-delays-recycling-
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends
programs/?sh=17cc362a5332
that sounds outside of our bedrooms shouldn’t
2. The cost of ‘fuel’ can be lower exceed 40 decibels, the ambient sound level of a
library or a forest.
Even with lower petrol and diesel prices, ICE vehicles
are often more expensive than those using electricity
if an EV is charged at home, even after the massive
spike in energy prices in 2022.
If the price per kilowatt hour (kWh) of domestic
electricity is at 34p, completely recharging the 89kW
battery in a Mercedes-Benz EQE at home would
”While an outright ban on ICE vehicles
still only cost £30, and give you around 300 miles of
range. That means the cost is 10p per mile. is probably never going to happen, it
To compare, a car doing 300 miles at 45mpg, when will become increasingly difficult to buy
it was filled up with petrol costing 150p a litre, would and run them.“
cost 15p per mile.
4. They don’t cause direct air pollution There’s also one other crucial difference, and
that’s when EVs are slowing down. Most use a
Their non-existent CO2 emissions on the road (not
system called regenerative braking. When you lift
counting their manufacture or the generation of
off the accelerator, the motor reverses in order to
electricity to run them of course) may be the main
feed energy back into the batteries and top them
reason that the UK, and the world, is transitioning to
up, while also slowing the EV down. You can still
EVs but the lack of traffic-related air pollution comes
also use the conventional brakes, and the level of
a close second. Many studies have shown that
‘regen’ can often be adjusted to slow the car or van
traffic pollution causes asthma attacks in children,
down by varying amounts (or even be switched off
impairs lung function, and causes premature death
entirely) when you’re driving or before you start off. It
from heart problems. Anywhere up to 500 meters
can seem odd at first, leaving an EV to do most of its
from a major road will be particularly badly affected
own braking, but most drivers soon get used to it.
by traffic pollution, and children will be hurt most of
all. Adults are also at a higher risk of dementia and 6. They don’t need as much maintenance
overall poor cognition.
Petrol and diesel engines are generally more
5. They drive better – and easier complicated than electric motors. Think about
all the moving parts, coolants and lubricants in
EVs are wonderfully simple to drive. Many don’t
even the simplest ICE engine and how much
even have a key or start button. You just get in,
maintenance it takes to maintain them all, while an
select drive or reverse, press the accelerator, and
EV drivetrain is significantly less complicated.
go. With only one gear and a near silent motor,
there’s less going on than in an ICE with multiple While you will still need a regular MOT, EV drivers
gears, revs rising and falling, noise and vibration. often find that they have much less need for regular
Even the most luxurious petrol car would struggle to maintenance.
match the refinement of any EV.
It’s still undecided whether they go through tyres
One of the main advantages that EVs have is that more quickly though. On the one hand, EVs drivers
their motors produce high levels of torque (the are usually more careful, driving slower and more
shove that gets a car going) almost instantly. Quite carefully to save energy, which is good for tyre life.
often, new EV drivers are shocked by how quickly
But because of their batteries, EVs are much heavier
their electric car leaps off the line.
than equivalent ICE vehicles, and that torque puts
It means that EVs are often faster accelerating than a lot of stress through the rubber if you’re heavy on
equivalently priced petrol or diesel models, but you the accelerator. Those factors can wear tyres very
don’t usually buy an EV to get into drag races. What quickly if you’re not careful.
makes them so good is how nippy they are to drive,
1. https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/71662
especially in towns and cities.

”EV drivers find that they have much

less need for regular maintenance.“
2. How an EV works
Don’t worry, we won’t be doing a deep dive on lithium mining or ‘well-to-wheel’
emissions comparisons here. Rather, we’re going to talk about the day-to-day
reality of an EV.

The three (or more) types of EV… There are also three more types of hybrid and
zero-emissions vehicles that could be put into the
We’re mostly going to be discussing plug-in electric, broader EV category:
or fully electric vehicles in this piece since it looks
like they are most likely to make up the majority of Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicles: These are mostly ICE
vehicles on the road in a few decades, but there vehicles, but with a small battery and integrated
are other types of EV too: starter-generator that gives a small boost to fuel
economy.
Plug-in Hybrid: Vehicles like Mercedes’ C 300e and
BMW’s 330e are plug-in EVs, as they have an ICE Range-Extender Electric Vehicles (RE-EVs): Similar
engine that kicks in if the battery ever runs too low, to hybrids, RE-EVs have a petrol or diesel engine
or can be used if you want to save your electric alongside a battery, but the big difference is that
power for later. They are a good stopgap between the engine is used as a generator to charge the
ICE and full EV vehicles, especially if you do very battery when needed, increasing its range. There
high mileages, but with EV range and charging aren’t many of these type of vehicles on the road
technology becoming much better it may be worth as hybrids or full battery powered EVs, so you’ll likely
simply getting a plug-in EV at this point. only see them second hand.

Electric Hybrid: The famous and widely sold Toyota Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles: Hydrogen fuel cell
Prius is the best-known example of a hybrid vehicle. vehicles are powered by an electric motor, and
It primarily has an ICE engine, but it has a battery some claim they might be the future of driving if
that is charged as the vehicle drives that can take battery and charging technology plateaus. They
some of the strain of driving. combine hydrogen and oxygen to make electricity,
producing only water vapor as emissions. The range
Drivers can switch between the battery and regular is often equivalent to an ICE vehicle too: the Toyota
motor at the touch of a button, or it can switch Mirai can drive 400 miles on a single tank, and
automatically when one engine is running low on refuelling only takes minutes.
fuel. However, they can’t be plugged in, and their
batteries are usually much smaller than those that A major drawback is the price, which is
can, meaning their electric-only range is much currently very high, and while they have been
lower. Sales are also being phased out by 2035 in in development for decades and the available
the UK. models are great, the future for hydrogen looks
rosier in lorries and other very large vehicles than
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-takes-historic-
in cars and vans. In addition, there is an extremely
step-towards-net-zero-with-end-of-sale-of-new-petrol-and-diesel-
underdeveloped infrastructure for hydrogen in the
cars-by-2030
UK, with only 11 refuelling points currently available.
https://www.ukh2mobility.co.uk/stations/
Driving an EV Battery efficiency
We’re at a point now where EVs have an almost There’s no standard EV battery size and given how
similar range to ICE vehicles, so when you are on the factors like weight and temperature affect an EV’s
road you don’t need to be any more concerned range the quoted official mileage may be more
about running out of charge than you would in a than you get in real life.
conventional petrol or diesel vehicle. Chargepoints
EV mileage is measured in miles per kilowatt hour,
are becoming extremely common, from the La
and the average mileage is easy to work out:
Clos Paumelle station at St. Helens on Jersey to the
take your battery size and multiply it by the stated
Baltasound chargepoints on Shetland Islands.
number of miles per kilowatt hour your vehicle is
Based on Zap-Map’s map of charging points, reporting on the trip computer. So, if your vehicle
there shouldn’t be anywhere in the UK where you has a 50 kWh battery and you are managing to
are more than ten miles from a chargepoint, and travel three miles per kilowatt hour then you have a
because of the on-board navigation in most EVs range of 150 miles. Easy.
and apps like our partner Zap-Map’s, there shouldn’t
be a point at which you are worried about running What’s a good mileage for an EV?
out of charge (and if you do, the RAC and AA both Mileage or efficiency, (effectively an EV’s ‘MPG’)
offer mobile charging to get you going again). can vary a lot depending on how you drive, how
much weight you are carrying, or how cold it is (EV
batteries operate less efficiently as the temperature
drops).
Generally speaking, 4 miles per kWh and up is
considered to be at the upper end of efficiency, but
three is about average.
Just to confuse things, some EVs will show their
”Based on Zap-Map’s map of charging efficiency as kWh per 100 miles. So while by the
points, there shouldn’t be anywhere in previous metric, the higher number, the better, in
this version it’s the opposite. The equivalent this way
the UK where you are more than ten round of 4 miles per kWh is 25 kWh per 100 miles, and
miles from a chargepoint.“ three is about 33 kWh per 100 miles. So make sure
you check how your mileage is calculated.
3. What kind of EV is right
for you?
There are a lot of EVs out there, and more every day, so it won’t be possible to give
a total rundown of the best EV for everyone here. What we can do is talk about
the broad categories of EVs and who they might be right for.

Small hatchbacks
Small EVs are perfect as city cars or for short trips because of how easy they are
to drive, the lack of pollution and noise, and the amount of braking involved
means they can recharge their batteries using regen a lot.
Models like the Fiat 500 and Nissan LEAF have excellent efficiency, although they
might not have the range of larger cars which have much larger battery packs.
The Fiat 500, for example, has a standard battery that can travel for 112 miles
between charges, although a larger battery is available that can travel as far as
199 miles. These should be more than enough to drive to and from work for the
week and to the shops, even if you don’t recharge.
Who they’re for: singles, couples and small families who live and work fairly close
to the places they need to go but who might also take the occasional longer
trip – you could easily get from Birmingham to London in one of the more efficient
small EVs.

”If 99% of your driving is short trips to and from work but you
occasionally go away on longer trips, why not buy a small
hatchback and rent a larger vehicle when you’re away? The
chances are it’ll work out cheaper.“
Family cars
Vehicles like Tesla’s Model 3 and S, Polestar 2 and the Mercedes EQE and EQS
are larger, generally more expensive and because they have greater space for
batteries, they have much longer ranges – the EQS can travel more than 400
miles on a full charge, meaning range anxiety isn’t really an issue. But you’ll pay
for the privilege.
https://www.mercedes-benz.co.uk/passengercars/mercedes-benz-cars/car-configurator.html/
motorization/CCci/GB/en/EQS-KLASSE/LIMOUSINE_LANG

You will find that these higher-end vehicles are luxurious, high-tech and expensive
(a Polestar starts at more than £40,000 and an EQS at nearer £100,000), but there
are cheaper four-door electric family cars like the MG 5 EV estate.
Who they are for: families, executives who travel long distances frequently.

SUVs
As technology advances, electric SUVs are becoming more common. The Volvo
XC40 Recharge and BMW iX are both SUVs of varying size and range (257 and
380 miles respectively) with the additional practicality of a higher seating position
and a big boot. Like many new models, the iX is also capable of using ultra-fast
charging, so it can potentially charge its entire battery in only half an hour on the
right charger – ideal if you’re on a long trip and the family and dogs are in tow…
Who they are for: Large families or drivers needing more practicality an carrying
capacity.

Sports cars
The Porsche Taycan and other electric sports cars use a huge amount of near-
instant torque available from the electric motors, coupled to high end power.
The result is that they are among the fastest accelerating cars on the planet. A
Taycan Turbo S has a 0-62mph figure of 2.8 seconds, and Tesla claims its Roadster,
should it eventually be launched, will manage it in 1.9 seconds and do 250 mph.
https://www.tesla.com/en_gb/roadster/reserve#payment

Great fun, of course, but they are expensive (a Taycan Turbo S starts at £142,000)
and enjoying the performance a lot will find you sitting at chargers a lot, too.
There are more sensible alternatives available though, like the BMW i4 M50 and
Audi RS E-tron GT.
Who they are for: Those with deep pockets who can also afford a more practical
vehicle for everyday use.
4. Charging explained
Driving an EV won’t feel much different from driving an ICE vehicle after a while,
but charging is going to be a major change.

Right now, if you need to refuel your ICE vehicle Increasingly, public chargers have their plugs
it’s a pretty easy process: go to a garage, fuel up, attached (called ‘tethered’), but it’s still worth
pay and drive away. The whole process takes a taking your own cable with you as sometimes you
few minutes at most. For all the advances in battery may need it at certain chargepoints.
technology, recharging an EV takes much longer.
There is another option for when you’re not near a
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to not just get
wallbox or charger. A ‘granny’ cable has a standard
around this, but make it work for you. While it initially
plug at one end, and a Type 2 connector at the
sounds like having to spend time recharging your
other, so you can plug into a household socket. But
vehicle is a major inconvenience, you’ll find out that
be prepared for a long wait, as it will only supply
it can actually work out cheaper and easier if you
3kW power. A 60 kWh battery would take over 20
do it right.
hours to charge at that rate, but sometimes it can
There are two (or more) types of EV be useful.
charger: Some older EVs (and some US models) use the Type
If you are buying a new EV, almost everyone will 1 connector, which can’t carry as much power or
now have a Type 2 charging connector. It’s the EU lock, and some Japanese vehicles use a CHAdeMO
standard and increasingly all vehicles come with connector, which you can usually find on the other
them because it can lock in place once plugged side of tethered ultra-rapid chargers from the CCS
in, and can carry high power levels, including a connector. It allows very fast charging, and the
standard 7kW wallbox, and public charging up to name comes from the Japanese phrase for ‘would
around 22kW. you like a cup of tea’, implying that you can charge
your vehicle in the same time it would take to make
There is a development of the Type 2 connector a cup of tea. The upshot is, if you’re buying a used
for rapid and ultra-rapid charging of speed up to EV, make sure it has one of the two main types of EV
350kW called CCS. What this looks like is a Type 2 charger to make things easier on yourself.
plug on the top with a further row of connectors
underneath. So if you have a CCS enabled car, you Charging on the road
can plug in with a Type 2 at home on a wallbox, As mentioned above, charging infrastructure is
and then use the CCS plug that will be attached to growing rapidly. It isn’t just service stations and
an ultra-rapid chargepoint at public locations. city-based petrol stations that have charging points
anymore, they’re really everywhere.
”Charging infrastructure is growing Charging is very easy and fully automated, so you’ll
rapidly. It isn’t just service stations and still be able to charge after hours. Using most should
be simple too: there are several apps that let you
city-based petrol stations that have
pay for charging remotely and you can tap or swipe
charging points anymore, they’re really payment cards.
everywhere.“
The thing to remember when charging on the road You can see that even a vehicle with a large battery
is that public charging points are more expensive can charge during a lunchbreak with some of
than doing it at home, so that’s something to bear in the more powerful chargers. Smaller city cars can
mind if you can’t fit a wallbox. Plenty of people do easily charge overnight even on the lowest power
only charge on public connectors, but generally if chargers, though this is unlikely to be something that
you are looking to run you EV as cheaply as possible, drivers will do in public except perhaps if they are
public charging is best used for topping up and staying at a hotel.
when it’s really necessary.
It is important to note that only a few years ago
Some drivers new to EVs worry they will spend lots there wasn’t a single 350kW charger in the UK, but
of time sitting in car parks waiting for their vehicle now there are dozens. This means that the time
to charge. But the average length of a car journey spent charging vehicles is going to come down
in the UK is only 8.4 miles, and even if you do 15,000 dramatically over the next decade, so that by 2030
miles a year that’s still only an average of 41 miles a when ICE vehicles are being phased out the idea
day. Ask yourself: how often do you leave the house that you’d have to spend over a day charging your
and drive 200-plus miles daily, a distance which is vehicle should be a distant memory.
within the range of most EVs? You might be surprised
how much you only charge at home as a result. Charging at Home
You might not be able to get 350kW chargers at
How long does charging take? home, but you can install home chargers up to 7kW
There are charging points across the UK with power which should be more than enough for overnight
types from 3kW to 350kW, and the latter is going to charging of most EVs. They are typically not cheap,
charge vehicles a lot faster than the former. but they are necessary if you are an EV owner.
Chargers with lower power tend to be small, Depending on energy prices, there is a fine balance
privately owned and often free to use. Cafes may to which might be cheaper if you charge solely
have one of these available to customers to charge from public chargers compared to running an ICE
up a little while they have their meal, for example. vehicle, but it becomes almost absurdly cheap
Those rated at 50kW and above tend to be found when you charge from home providing electricity
at motorway service stations, car parks and petrol prices are low or you can access EV-specific or off-
stations, and these are usually on major motorways peak tariffs. These usually kick in at night, so you can
or in large towns and cities. schedule your EV to charge only during these low
cost periods.
So how long will charging take with different types of
public charger? Home chargers connect directly to your home’s
electrics and this solution is perfect for people with
garages or driveways, but they can be a little more
difficult to use if you park on the street. You may
Estimated time Estimated time to
Charger to charge 24kWh charge 75kWh Tesla have to contact your council to ensure that you’re
battery on a Fiat 500 Model 3 legally allowed to run a cable across a pavement
from you house.
3kW 9hr 15 mins 27hr 46 mins
Obviously, there is also more difficulty if you live in
7kW 3hr 48 mins 11hr 54 mins a flat or apartment. Either your apartment building
will install them in parking areas for you or you may
11kW 2hr 25 mins 7hr 34 mins be able to access the increasing number of lamp
post charge points that are being installed by local
22kW 1h 12 mins 3hr 47 mins
councils.
50kW 32 mins 1hr 40 mins
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/latest-fleet-news/electric-fleet-

100kW 16 mins 50 mins news/2022/10/24/councils-to-install-more-than-16-500-ev-charge-

points-in-the-next-year
350kW N/A 14 mins

Based on estimated charging from 0% to 100% for

“ Depending on energy prices, there
24kWh battery on a Fiat 500 and 75kWh Tesla Model is a fine balance to which might be
3 cheaper if you charge solely from
public chargers compared to running
an ICE vehicle, but it becomes almost
absurdly cheap when you charge from
home, especially at off-peak times.”
A further problem is how chargers work with rental Charging at work
accommodation. If you rent then you will definitely
need your landlord’s permission to install a charger, Many offices are using the government’s grants
and you will need to agree on what happens for installing EV infrastructure in order to give their
when you leave the property – will you have the employees a way to charge their vehicles while at
charger removed or will it be left with your landlord work or to charge the vehicles that the company
and if so, what will they pay you for it? If you rent uses.
an apartment in a larger building, you and other In the case of the former, employees have a great
residents might need to establish how chargers are way to keep topped up and save money: they can
going to be installed – will it be at the expense of charge their vehicles during their workday and will
residents or the building’s owners, and if the former rarely need to top them up unless they are travelling
then again, what happens when you move out? a lot on weekends. For the latter, if you are given
Hopefully in time every house and flat will have a company car or are allowed to use a company
charging as a matter of course, but until that time vehicle outside of work then it is increasingly likely
you will have to do your research and figure out the that you will be given an EV. If so, then you will
home charging solution that works for you. need to work out the logistics of charging with your
company – who will pay for charging, who will pay
Home charging and your electricity for the installation of a charging point at your home
bill if required, how will you show your company how
much you have spent on vehicle charging, and so
You might have noticed that your electricity on. The solutions for these problems will change from
company now has a sideline in selling and installing company to company, but they are going to need
home EV chargers. Although they’re far from the to be worked out in the coming years.
only places that you can get home EV charging
solutions, your electricity supplier has an important While it’s not illegal, installing a charger is highly
part to play in home charging. specialised work and if done incorrectly could
be dangerous or you could end up with wiring
Many electricity suppliers are beginning to offer that is illegal. You’ll also be ineligible for the grants
special tariffs with provisions for home EV charging. discussed below. Therefore, installation from a
They will incorporate features such as cheap professional is strongly advised.
overnight charging for when your vehicle is most
likely to be on charge and the ability to see your
EV charging and other electricity use separated on
your bill.
5. What you’ll save
Once you’ve worked out what kind of EV is right for you and how you’re going
to go about charging, the next step (which is a fun one) is to see how much you
stand to save.

The following are a few of the places in which you’ll Low Emission Zones / Clean Air Zones
be able to save money by switching to an EV. These
are all subject to change and more may arrive, so There are Clean Air Zones in six UK cities currently,
keep your eyes on the press to see if there are any with more planned this year, as well as the Ultra Low
other savings you could make. Emission Zone in London. The rules on what vehicles
can and can’t be driven in these zones free of
Grants for EV chargers charge is complex and varies for each one.
There is a grant for installing home chargepoints But one rule applies across all of them: electric cars
for flat owner-occupiers, people living in rented can drive into them free of charge. You may not
properties, landlords and even the owners of even need a pure battery EV to take advantage
residential car parks. These can reduce the cost of these areas – many hybrid vehicles can use
of installing a charger by as much as 75%, so they Low Emissions Zones, so if you have one, check
are definitely worth looking at. You should also ask the website for the scheme to see if your vehicle
any company that is installing a charger in your qualifies.
home if they are aware of any grants that might
be available for your specific circumstances and Reduced (or no) parking charges
make sure that they are on the government’s list of Many places, particularly in London, offer EV drivers
approved providers. free parking, sometimes combined with charging
(though don’t expect full 350kW ultra-fast charging).
Lower VAT on fuel
Electricity isn’t just cheaper than fossil fuels at the They can use (some) bus lanes
point of purchase, it’s also taxed differently: you’ll Cambridgeshire was the first county to change
pay 5% VAT on electricity at home versus 20% on traffic laws so that EV drivers can use bus lanes.
fuel, although electricity from public chargers is Nottinghamshire and Milton Keynes followed soon
taxed at 20% too. Depending on your situation, you after and we may see similar schemes roll out across
might even be able to claim the tax on electricity the UK.
back as an expense, if for example you travel for
business.
6. Myths about
EVs debunked
From the humble milk float to the little G-Wiz quadricycle there was a time when
they were seen as nothing more than a novelty. But over the past decade or so
EVs refinement, usefulness and technology have resulted in them becoming ever
more mainstream. But, like anything new, there has been pushback and criticism.

Yes, they’re not perfect, but by now you’ve seen There aren’t enough chargepoints
that EVs have ranges in the hundreds of miles, can
potentially charge in minutes and for many drivers According to our partner, Zap-Map, there are 36,752
are genuinely the best option. devices at 21,906 locations across the UK, with 1,507
added in the month of December 2022. In 2016,
However, plenty of myths, misconceptions and there was a little over 5,000, and only 150 ultra-rapid
downright untruths still abound about EVs, so let’s chargers compared to over 2,000 today, with 839
take a moment to take a look at some of the most added in January 2023 alone. Even if you think that
common: this isn’t enough, you have to admit that pretty soon
it will be.
They’re too expensive
Even areas such as the Scottish Highlands, North
There was a time when this was true, and it’s
Wales and the Lake District have plenty of places
definitely the case that you can buy very expensive
to plug in. Looking at Zap-Map’s map of the UK’s
EVs if you want to. And even small electric cars like
charging points, one of the longest journeys you can
the smart EQ fortwo, Renault ZOE and MINI Electric
take without passing a charging point is Lochcarron
are likely to be more expensive than ICE equivalents.
to Strathpeffer in Scotland, and this beautiful 46-mile
It’s all about being smart, though. An EV will have a
drive through the scenic Highlands only takes one
higher price, but many electric cars and vans are
hour. Not enough time to build any range anxiety!
leased, or bought through finance, so you don’t
pay the full amount up front. Then, after a few years,
you either simply hand the car back, or pay off the
remaining balance. With speed of technological
development, three or four years is a long time in
EVs, so you’ll want to upgrade by then anyway, just
like with your mobile phone.
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/leasing-news/2022/07/21/fully-
electric-vehicles-most-popular-fuel-type-on-bvrla-leased-fleet
What if I run out of batteries? The battery will wear out
Both EVs and charging apps are built to prevent If you’ve ever used a laptop or a smartphone, then
you from running out of batteries, giving you plenty you will know that lithium-ion batteries have a limited
of warning that you are running low and finding lifespan. While they sound like the same thing, EV
nearby charging points. Although it is hard to run out batteries are actually built differently and while they
of charge in an EV, it is equally hard to do in an ICE are subject to some degradation too, it’s not in the
vehicle, and yet it still happens. same way, or anywhere near to the same extent. It’s
also because the electronic systems for managing
If you do run out of charge in an EV, then your
battery life and charging are far more advanced,
vehicle will put itself into ‘limp home’ mode for few
protecting their condition for far longer.
miles, giving you enough time to pull over. It always
saves some for emergencies. As you can’t walk Quite simply, when EVs first came out nobody really
to a nearby petrol station to fill up a jerrycan with knew how long they would last until they had been
electricity you’ll need to call roadside assistance tested on the roads, but now it looks like 15-20 years
(AA, RAC etc.), who will be able to send a vehicle is a reasonable expectation.
out to recharge your car enough to get to a nearby
https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/journey-to-net-zero-stories/
charge point, or give it a lift on a flat bed lorry.
what-happens-old-electric-car-batteries

I’ll never be able to find a mechanic In fact, manufacturers are so confident that battery
As we pointed out earlier, EV powertrains have warranties of eight to 10 years are not uncommon.
fewer moving parts and often need to be serviced
You can’t charge EVs in the rain
less than petrol and diesel vehicles. That’s not to
say they don’t break down or suffer from wear and Some of you might find this question to be idiotic, to
tear, so when they do require expert attention, you’ll others it’s obvious that having hundreds of kilowatts
need a mechanic.Many current garages work solely of direct current flowing through a tube could be
on ICE vehicles, but they are adapting and as EVs prone to failures.
become a larger percentage of the vehicles on the
The short answer is yes, all EV charging points are
road, they will increasingly reskill to work on them.
built to be able to be used in heavy rain and have
All EV manufacturers have their own service centres, failsafes in place to prevent electrocution. Of
while for businesses with fleets, solutions such as course, nothing is 100% safe, but there have been
ServicePoint are available. This means that even if very few cases of harm caused by EV charging in
you can’t use your traditional mechanic to work on any situation, and no known cases of harm caused
your EV, there are options available to get you back by charging an EV in the rain.
out on the road.
You can’t tow with an EV
Yes, you can. But it requires a bit of research first. Not
all EVs have been approved for towing, but there
are plenty that have. In fact, because of the huge
amount of torque electric motors have they’ll get
your caravan off the line no trouble.
But you need to be aware of their maximum
”EVs also tend to come as standard towing weight, because it can vary a lot, and
also the weight of the EV and what it’s pulling.
with a host of connected features that Driving licences changed in 1997 and after that not
monitor the motor and battery to make everyone is allowed to tow anything over 3500kg
sure that it can catch problems before combined. With EVs much heavier than ICE vehicles
it can be easier to bust this limit, and so you’ll need
they develop.“ to take a further test to be able to do it.
https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car
Making the leap
to an EV future
Like we said at the start, you’re very likely to own, or drive, an EV one day.
Hopefully by this time you’ve seen that this is going to be a good thing: lower
prices, more convenient ‘refuelling’, long ranges, a fun driving experience, greater
versatility, and an end to environmental impacts such as air and noise pollution.

While ICE vehicles are going to be around for some Technology changes, but not usually overnight.
time yet, particularly when we’re talking about large You’ve got almost a decade before ICE vehicles go
and heavy vehicles like lorries or HGVs, and there the way of Betamax, VHS, tapes Minidiscs and CDs,
will be collectors hanging on to older vehicles out so that’s plenty of time to save and get yourself into
of a sense of nostalgia, it may not be many years a position where the transition is easy – if your home
before the majority of new vehicles on the road are has no off-street parking, for example, you might
electric. want to hold off until your situation changes and you
can charge in the street.
As we’ve shown, there are going to be ways in
which everybody who drives will have to make Start planning now and the switch to an electric
changes to their lives and the way they get around. vehicle will be as smooth and exciting as driving
After an initial investment this change should be your EV for the first time.
mostly positive, and you won’t be the only person
going through it – there’s a lot of information out
there about how to make things cheaper and
easier.
About Allstar
Allstar is one of the UK’s market leading business fuel, EV and expense card
providers for businesses, with over 40 years expertise.
Accepted at over 90% of fuel sites across the UK, it has over 1.2 million cards
in circulation across 50,000 businesses, giving drivers’ access to fuel spend
across supermarkets, major oil companies and motorway fuel sites. The network
encompasses around 7,700 sites nationwide, alongside more than 3,400 charging
locations and over 10,200 charge points across its electric vehicle charging
network.
For more information, please visit: www.allstarcard.co.uk

About FLEETCOR Technologies, Inc.

FLEETCOR Technologies, Inc. is a leading global provider of commercial payment
solutions. The company helps businesses of all sizes better control, simplify
and secure payment of their fuel, toll, lodging and general payables. With its
proprietary payment networks, FLEETCOR Technologies, Inc. provides affiliated
merchants with incremental sales and loyalty. FLEETCOR Technologies, Inc. serves
businesses, partners and merchants in North America, Latin America, Europe and
Australasia.
For more information, visit fleetcor.com.

www.allstarcard.co.uk

References

1. https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/71662

Allstar Business Solutions Limited is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the
Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (No. 900470) for the issuing of electronic money and the
provision of payment services. Allstar cards bearing the Visa symbol are payment instruments
regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. All other cards issued by us are not regulated
by the Financial Conduct Authority and not subject to the rights under the Payment Services
Regulations 2017.
Head office and registered office: PO Box 1463, Swindon, Wiltshire,
SN5 6PS. Company Registration No.2631112. Registered in England.
VAT Registration GB747880191.