A look into the world of electric cars
The government is increasingly pushing for more zero-emission miles by 2040. The question is, are we really ready for an EV future?
Electric cars might not be something that you’ve even considered, but gradually more and more are taking to Britain’s roads.
However, they’re still a minority. In 2018 (up to November), new alternatively-fuelled vehicles — comprising battery electric, plug-in hybrid, diesel-electric and petrol-electric — made up a market share of just six per cent, which is some distance off the 62.2 per cent held by petrol cars.
While the world has been gradually turning to EVs since 2010 — when the first mass-market electric car went on sale — nothing could promote EVs quite like the government announcement in 2017 that called for all new cars by 2040 have to be “effectively” zero-emission. This essentially means cars have to be pure-electric, a plug-in hybrid (which also feature an engine) or potentially hydrogen-powered, although the latter is a technology still in its infancy.
Tom Callow, head of strategy at Chargemaster — one of the UKs largest charging firms — said: “We’re all in a legal commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This isn’t an optional thing, and looking at the technology road map today, it looks like the most sensible way of reaching emissions targets is to encourage the mass adoption of EVs.”
So, there’s little doubt that electric cars are here to stay — but just how realistic a prospect are they for most drivers?
In the past, consumers have expressed doubt about the UK’s charging infrastructure, and ‘range anxiety’ — essentially the fear of running out of charge. Both of these have been considered obstacles to EV ownership, and are now being addressed head on.
US EV manufacturer Tesla has undoubtedly been at the forefront of improved ranges with its tech-laden models — promising ranges of over 300 miles. However, even its cheapest model — the new Model 3 — is expected to cost around £50,000, which is still too expensive for the average consumer.
But thankfully long ranges have been trickling down to less premium models. The new Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia e-Niro can both realistically cover 250 miles between charges, and while their £32,000 prices are still on the steep side, it has made ownership more accessible.
While you can charge an EV with a domestic socket, most buyers choose to have a small charge point installed at their address — location permitting. There’s also a £500 government incentive towards this. But what about those who don’t have the privilege of off-street parking?
It’s still a sticking point, and unfortunately there isn’t a simple solution, although public charging has improved drastically in recent years — largely down to private investment that’s come from firms such as Chargemaster, Pod Point and others.
A recent partnership between Volkswagen, Tesco and Pod Point is installing 2,400 charge points at 600 larger Tesco stores around the UK by 2020 — meaning that those without the privilege of home charging can top up their car while doing their weekly shop. It’s a big announcement and considerably adds to the 19,079 charging bays already across the UK, spread out across 6,672 locations from John O’Groats to Land’s End.
Buyers of new EVs and plug-in hybrids used to be able to receive grants of £5,000 and £2,500 respectively, although as of October 2018 plug-in hybrids now come with no financial incentive, while only £3,500 is available off pure-electric models. This is something that could put buyers off, although Callow says it won’t have a lasting impact.
“I’m not convinced that it will have an effect on sales. The grant was always a helpful consumer nudge, but I don’t think they are essential in the long-term, as other cost savings stack up positively for plug-in vehicles,” he said.
One evident thing about EVs is the overwhelming impression they leave on those who own them, as it’s exceptionally rare for someone to move from petrol or diesel into an EV, only to revert back.
Euan McTurk, a 29-year-old battery engineer from Edinburgh got into EVs as part of a project at university, and now owns three electrified models. He even has his own YouTube channel — Plug Life Television— dedicated to sharing his electric car experiences.
McTurk says: “EVs have made motoring so much easier for me — they’re cheaper and far more enjoyable to drive. Ever since I first got behind the wheel of them in 2009, I knew that they were a cut above normal cars in terms of drivability and comfort. I hand on heart miss nothing about internal combustion engines.”
Interestingly, buyers don’t seem to worry so much about limited ranges and the infrastructure anymore, rather one of the biggest barriers to ownership for many is not actually being able to buy them due to long waiting lists.
Hyundai UK’s chief executive Tony Whitehorn recently said that the firm could have sold its 1,000 allocations for its Kona Electric five times over. It appears those who want an EV just can’t buy them. That said, this demand is spurring a buzz in the used car market, with numerous used car dealerships accommodating this demand, or rebranding their dealerships. Companies such as Just EVs, eCarLogical and e-cars trading are all dedicated to the world of electric, and are thriving from it.
There’s certain issues which still need to be ironed out. Not everyone can afford an EVs just yet, there’s questions over availability and the infrastructure isn’t perfect.
But with the rise of battery technology, and it getting increasingly cheaper — hence the Hyundai Kona Electric’s affordable asking price, as well as increased private investment into the infrastructure — the 2040 target to get all new cars to be 100 per cent electric or plug-in, doesn’t seem as unrealistic as it first seems.
The next 21 years will be an exciting time for motoring, and while you might not be jumping on the bandwagon just yet, you might have to be in two decades’ time.
