News article

Why all cars should be electric: 7 reasons you should switch to an EV

Electric vehicle sales in the UK continue to grow with more than one in five new cars registered now powered by electricity.

That’s great news for climate change, air quality and neighbourhood noise levels and with an ever-increasing number of electric vehicle charging points across the UK and more and more new electric car models on sale, there’s never been a better time to join the EV revolution.

Let’s take a look why all cars should be electric.

UK-wide electric vehicle charging network

Range anxiety is often listed as the number one reason for drivers not making the switch. That’s the fear of not being able to charge and being left stranded with no battery.

Well, that’s simply not possible now with a widespread, reliable rapid charging network across the UK. On the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway we already have over 1,500 charging bays at over 190 locations, with more and more being installed each month, from motorway service stations to convenient retail sites and our Electric Forecourts®.

Couple that with the average range of an electric car lithium ion battery now sitting at over 200 miles, and you can see why there’s really no need to worry about range.

Electric cars are better for the environment

Electric cars produce zero tailpipe emissions which can drastically reduce local air pollution, as well as play a part in helping limit the global temperature rise to 2oC as part of the Paris Agreement.

Transport accounts for around of a quarter of our country’s total emissions and a reported 91% of all transport emissions come from road vehicles. That’s 111 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent coming from internal combustion engine road vehicles every single year – think what an effect a few more electric vehicles on the road would have.

Worried about where the electricity comes from? The GRIDSERVE Electric Highway is supplied by 100% net zero carbon energy, including from our hybrid solar and battery farms.

Electric vehicles are cheaper to run

It’s not just the cost of charging your car (both at home and on the go) compared to fuel costs where you can save money, there are plenty of other ways that make electric cars cheaper to run. To start with, you’ll be exempt from all inner-city clean air zones.

Additionally, electric cars have fewer moving parts than a big internal combustion engine, so there’s less to go wrong, which impacts maintenance and servicing bills.

Good news, too, the price difference between electric cars and petrol or diesel cars is reducing all the time, meaning you’ll start saving sooner than ever.

Driving electric cars is quiet and peaceful

Electric car driving is much more relaxing than in a petrol or diesel. The near-silent and smooth powertrain means there’s limited noise and vibration from the outside world. Get it right, and the best electric vehicle cabins can feel like you’re travelling inside a giant set of noise-cancelling headphones. Until recently, you would had to sit in a Rolls-Royce or a library for this sort of serenity.

Regenerative braking also means driving a fully electric car is easier. While this clever technology can recover energy lost through slowing down and pump it back into the battery to add range, it also allows you to just drive using one pedal.

EVs are exciting to drive

Just because they’re quiet and comfortable, it doesn’t mean driving electric cars is boring. Quite the opposite, in fact. Electric cars are a heap of fun to drive, thanks to the instant acceleration from the electric motor.

You’re probably familiar with the supercar speeds that made Tesla famous but even your regular family SUV will get away from the lights quicker than many top-end sports cars thanks to that electric power. Electric cars are also packed with the latest technology so there are plenty of gadgets to keep you and your passengers entertained on the move.

More electric vehicle choice than ever

Rewind to the mid 2010s and there were only a handful of electric cars on sale that were only really good for life in and around the city.

Now, though, there’s more choice than ever with cars of all shapes and sizes, from small hatchbacks to family SUVs and even luxury saloons. Every manufacturer from Audi to Volkswagen has an EV on sale meaning there’s an EV for every budget and lifestyle.

Electric cars the future

And if none of that convinces you, the Government has put in place a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel powered cars from 2035. This means that, for those wanting to buy new, they won’t have any choice but to switch to electric car ownership after this date. But why wait? The world of electric is ready now.