What will I save?

Since the announcement of the 2030 deadline the costs of electric vehicles have come down as motor manufacturers release new models. With electric vehicles (EVs) becoming more mainstream we have much greater choice and the market has becomes more competitive. This is good news for electric vehicle drivers. Major leasing companies have added electric vehicles to their range making them more accessible to individuals and businesses.

So choosing an electric vehicle is much like choosing any other car.

You decide on the size, make and model and features. There is an EV to suit every budget. There are tax incentives and grants too.

The Plug-In Car & Van Grant: Certain new low-emission vehicles are eligible for a government grant. Cars: Cars with CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km that can travel at least 112km (70 miles) without any emissions at all, cost less than £32,000 RRP (incl. VAT and delivery fees) are eligible for a grant for 35% of the price, up to a max of £1,500. Small & large vans: Small vans, less than 2,500 kg in gross weight and less than 50g/km CO2 emissions and can travel at least 96km (60 miles) without any emissions at all, qualify for 35% of the purchase price, up to a maximum of £2,500. Large vans between 2,500kg and 4,250kg gross weight and less than 50g/km CO2 emissions and can travel at least 96km (60 miles) without any emissions at all, qualify for 35% of the purchase price, up to a maximum of £5,000. You can claim a total of 1000 plug-in van and truck grants for your business each year, which resets every April. .

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On the road, drivers of pure electric cars and vans are exempt from paying the London Congestion Charge and T Charge subject to registration, find out more here. A number of UK towns and cities offer free parking to drivers of pure electric vehicles – some even offer free charging :)

There are many benefits to Leasing an Electric Vehicle, especially with such new and fast moving technology.Find out more about the costs of LEASING AN EV here.

While the price of an EV may be similar to most comparable petrol or diesel cars these days, the cost of running one is significantly cheaper, it is estimated approximately 70% less. (Although this is not reflected in the manufacturers service plans yet!)

From tax incentives and special government grants, to enhanced fuel efficiency, the lower cost of electricity and reduced maintenance requirements, you could spend far less on an electric vehicle than you do on your current car.

100% electric cars are designed to be as efficient as possible and as there are far less components so there is less to go wrong than in a regular petrol or diesel. Long term they should be more reliable.

With fewer moving parts susceptible to wear, there are fewer things to break. This means that there is less maintenance to do and running cost repairs are lower. That's one of the reasons that Tesla offers an infinite mile warranty. You may need to replace the battery eventually, maybe after a hundred thousand miles if you want it performing optimally. Though in reality, batteries are still working well beyond this point. Expect fewer trips to the garage with an electric car, and therefore less money spent on servicing and replacement parts.

There's no engine! So no oil changes, there's no cooling system, no antifreeze. Just think about the complications of a traditional petrol or diesel vehicle compared to a motor running on a battery. You've also got loads more space, because you don't have an engine to cart around, so there's bigger boot space in a smaller vehicle.

Yes.

Most of electric vehicle drivers charge at home, and it's remarkably cost effective.

Electricity is cheap compared to petrol or diesel. It's estimated that the average cost of fuel in an EV is about three to four pence per mile, compared to approximately 12 pence per mile in a traditional petrol or diesel vehicle.

There are also free charging points in some towns, hotels and restaurants to encourage customers to come and park there and if you can charge at work, that may also be free. Your fuel costs will be decidedly less than in a traditional petrol or diesel engine car.

Also, because you can charge your electric car at home, you don't need to queue at petrol stations or remember to fill the tank on your way home. The charge point is your home. Just like your mobile phone - plug in and charge. Of course, charging does take longer than filling a tank with fuel, but charge while you're asleep and you'll wake up to a full battery in the morning.

If you need a top up at other times, you can recharge at one of the thousands of charging points now dotted around the UK.

Grant schemes for electric vehicle charging infrastructure: The government offers grants to support the wider use of electric and hybrid vehicles via the Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZ

Electric cars may be able to earn you money. For the UK to fully embrace renewables electricity suppliers are looking at new ways of storing energy to cope with fluctuations in electricity generation and demand.

We have to organize and think through the bigger picture, to avoid a potential issue with supply from the grid at peak times when everybody comes home from work, plugs their electric cars in, just at the time when we are cooking, heating and the lights are on.

Enterprising energy suppliers are looking at "smart charging " and testing a 'Vehicle to Grid' scheme. When cars are left parked up or plugged in, there is a pool of energy just sitting there doing nothing. With 'Vehicle to Grid', the idea is that customers will be able to charge their cars overnight when it's cheaper and then earn money by selling excess energy back to the grid at peak times.

This game changing tech is about far more than potentially making EV owners money, it will play an important part in helping to re balance our energy needs around the country by changing how we produce, supply and use energy.