If you are at the point where you are now considering selling your existing petrol or diesel vehicle for your first Electric Vehicle EV, then here is what to consider before you buy.
There is no doubt that awareness around climate change and our environmental impact is now growing and with that is an expanding number of incentives for drivers to switch from standard petrol or diesel vehicle to an EV. To fulfil this obligation, the UK government has pledged to implement 300,000 charging points within the UK by 2030, for which they claim, they are on track to achieve. This means that owning an EV will become more desirable for everyday drivers across the UK.
For those of us who are about to dip our toes in the EV market, here are some points to think about:
- Driving Habits – Compare the range of a single charge across different makes and models. To clarify this, you’ll need to think about your own driving habits and how often you anticipate on using your vehicle. Daily activities like going to work, visiting family, popping to the shops, or dropping the children off at school, all add up and will all have an impact of your vehicle’s charge capacity.
- Charging Infrastructure – For journey’s further afield or if you enjoy driving on longer journeys, then it’s important do your homework on where key charging points are on route and where you will find availability when you get to your destination.
- Home Installation – Where will you install an external charging point? On your drive or on an exterior wall is the ideal place, so that you can charge the vehicle overnight and in preparation for the next day. Charging isn’t free, so research the costs involved to install a charging station and the on-going cost for charging via your home’s electricity supply.
- Charging Time – Get familiar with how long the vehicle will take to fully charge and if this fluctuates depending on the charging provider.
- Battery Life – Investigate the battery-life longevity and warranty cover for a battery through the vehicle manufacturer. Get an idea of cost if you need to replace the battery at any point in the future.
- Incentive Schemes – Take advantage of any EV incentive schemes which may offer financial assistance with buying your first EV or part exchanging your old petrol / diesel vehicle.
- Reputable EV servicing – Get to know a reputable EV vehicle servicing supplier like Stourbridge Automotive Ltd, so that you can be sure that your EV vehicle is in safe hands. It is essential that you use a professionally qualified EV automotive team, whilst undergoing any vehicle servicing or repair work.