Challenging the myths about electric vehicles

The revolution towards electric vehicles continues apace with new fully electric car registrations up 122 per cent so far this year alone.

There are now almost 245,000 electric cars on the road and that number is increasing by a factor of more than 4,000 a month.

And, as the number of cars on the road increases, the charging infrastructure is also growing to meet demand.

However, public perception is lagging behind when it comes to the public charging network.

In a recent survey by Go Ultra Low, the joint government and industry campaign to promote the uptake of electric vehicles, 45 per cent of respondents said improved infrastructure would increase their likelihood of purchasing an EV.

Yet the existing network has over 26,000 charge point connectors at more than 9,500 locations, with almost 500 new devices installed in the past 30 days alone.

As well as this, a recent government announcement committed £70m worth of investment into the UK’s rapid charge network, resulting in the delivery of a further 3,000 chargers by 2024.

Although the majority of charging takes place overnight at owners’ homes, it takes less time to charge a car on-the-go than you might think.

Almost half the public (44 per cent) thinks it takes over 2 hours to charge a car when, in reality, a rapid charger could charge up to 80 per cent of the battery in around 30 minutes.

These can be found at almost every motorway service station across the UK, as well as strategic locations such as supermarkets and shopping centres.

Investment from Highways England will also mean that drivers on motorways and major A roads will never be more than 20 miles from a rapid charger.

These developments show that those considering an EV will have access to a constantly growing rapid charging network.

When it comes to running an EV, the convenience of the charging network is only part of the story.

There are countless other benefits from lower maintenance and running costs, to low road tax and exemption from both the London Congestion and Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

It’s clear that owning and running an electric vehicle is becoming increasingly popular.