How do electric vehicles work?

Electric vehicles are powered purely by rechargeable batteries. They do not rely on petrol or diesel. The batteries control the electric motors which then power the wheels. The battery can then be charged via a wall socket (at home) or dedicated charging point (found at multiple locations).

Are electric cars quiet?

Yes! Almost silent, due to the absence of a gas-powered engine. In fact, some electric cars make an artifical noise, so that they don't go unnoticed by pedestrians.

How fast are electric cars?

At lightning speed! Well, not quite... electric cars don't use a traditional gearbox, so the torque produced by the electric motors can see EVs reach from 0-60mph in under 3 seconds.

How far can an electric car travel?

Most EVs in the market average 200 miles between charges, with some models boasting a range of nearly 300 miles.

How long will an electric car last?

Electric cars are just as durable as their petrol or diesel counterparts. The expected life expetancy of modern EVs is 15-20 years, or 200,000 miles - the same as traditional fuel vehicles.

Are electric cars environmentally friendly?

EVs are environmentally friendly in many ways. They don't emit carbon emissions like traditional fuel cars and they create very little noise pollution.

Are electric cars safe?

Electric cars are as safe to drive as traditional fuel vehicles.

BEV stands for Battery Electric Vehicles. A BEV is all-electric and uses no traditional fuel.

What is the difference between BEV and PHEV?

A PHEV operates by both electric battery and traditional fuel. The car will usually run on electric power until the battery is depleted, then it will switch over to traditional fuel for the remainder of the journey. A BEV is only fueled by the electric battery.

What are the benefits of owning an electric car?

EVs are cheaper to run due to lower running costs, cheaper to maintain due to less mechanical parts and, lower company car tax, government grants, free charging stations and they’re better for the environment.

Are electric cars reliable?

Electric vehicles are naturally more reliable than their traditional fuel counterparts, due to there being less mechanical parts to go wrong. Irrespective of manufacturer warranty for your car, your battery comes with an 8 year warranty.

How long do electric batteries last?

All new batteries are under warranty for 8 years. However there are a number of factors that can affect battery lifespan such as temperature and overcharging.

How often do you have to replace the battery?

This will depend on the manufacturer warranty as well as the usage – on average most batteries will be replaced every 5-8 years. The batteries can then be sent for recycling.

Where can I charge my electric car?

You can charge an electric car at your home or at a public charging station. If you need to find a charging station, you can find them here: https://www.zap-map.com/

How long does an electric car take to charge?

Charging times can depend on both th battery size and the charging point. Slow Charger (up to 3kw), Fast chargers (7-22kw), Rapid chargers (43-120kw), Super chargers (150kw).

Are charging stations free to use?

Some public charging stations are free to use, however the rapid chargers available at service stations and the like are usually chargable. You can subscribe to charging services nationwide for even better value charging. A typical electric car (60kw battery/200 mile range) will cost you around £9 to charge at home, most work places that have installed electric chargers will offer free charging as will public charge points at supermarkets/car parks. Rapid charging points will usually cost under £10 for a 30 min charge (100 mile range) and will most commonly be found at motorway service stations.

Do all electric vehicles use the same plug?

No, most EVs will be supplied with 2 charging cables. A mode 2 charging cable which is used for connecting your car to an ordinary domestic socket (3 pin plug) for at-home charging, and a Mode 3 charging cable which will connect your car to the charging station.

Can I get funding toward a home charging point?

Yes, the government do offer a grant to install a charge point at home. Please ask about current availability.

VAUXHALL CONFIRMS FULLY-ELECTRIC MODELS CONTINUE TO REMAIN ELIGIBLE FOR GOVERNMENT PLUG-IN CAR GRANT

24 Posted: 24th Mar 2021

Vauxhall has announced revised pricing for its award-winning electric vehicle range to ensure customers can still access the revised Plug-in Car Grant (PiCG) incentive. The price changes for the all-new Mokka-e and the Vivaro-e Life are effective immediately.

Last week, the Government announced changes to the incentive, reducing the grant from £3,000 to £2,500, with fully electric vehicles costing more than £35,000 RRP (including VAT and delivery fees) no longer eligible.

To ensure customers can still benefit from the grant, Vauxhall is pleased to announce new prices for its all-new Mokka-e and Vivaro-e Life to ensure they remain as accessible as possible to both new and existing electric vehicle buyers. All examples of the award-winning Corsa-e supermini qualify for the new PiCG criteria, so it is not subject to any price changes.

The new Mokka-e sees prices revised across the entire trim range to ensure all derivatives remain eligible for the grant. Prices for the Mokka-e SE Premium now start from £33,040 OTR, while the range-topping Mokka-e Launch Edition starts from £34,995 OTR.
To ensure the Vivaro-e Life qualifies for the new Plug-in Car Grant, Edition models have seen their list price realigned by more than £2,000, with prices starting from £34,995 OTR. The Vivaro-e Life Combi will be the same specification level as the Edition model and will also start from £34,995 OTR.

Paul Wilcox, Managing Director, Vauxhall, said: “At Vauxhall, we believe in making sure our vehicles are as accessible as possible to the greatest number of people, and especially so when it comes to zero emissions-in-use motoring, so I am pleased to confirm that all Corsa-e, all Mokka-e and the new Vivaro-e Life Combi are eligible for the Government Plug-in Car Grant.”

Vauxhall is aiming to offer an electric variant across its model line up by 2025, with the entire model range available to order at The Co.
Vauxhall Corsa-e customers will receive the option to take a free Wallbox Pulsar Plus charger professionally installed by a British Gas engineer. British Gas will also offer 30,000 free green miles to Vauxhall customers through a British Gas EV dual fuel tariff.

The special EV tariff offered by British Gas is a time of use tariff that offers cheaper electricity overnight for charging between the hours of 12.00am and 5.00am. The electricity on the tariff will be 100% renewable energy, with 30,000 miles free of charge.

Find out more on the Corsa-e offer

For the Mokka-e, Vauxhall also offers a subsidised 7kW home charging unit from PodPoint for just £299.

In addition, all fully-electric Vauxhalls purchased will be automatically registered for eight years battery warranty, eight years roadside assistance and six months Polar Plus subscription.