Reasons why you should switch to an electric car today

1. Electric cars are better for the planet

The reason we’re all making this huge, historical change is because humanity is in serious danger, thanks to the climate changing under the influence of man-made carbon dioxide (CO₂). If we don’t reduce CO₂ levels across the planet – and transport contributes a fifth of all CO₂ emissions – it won’t be habitable for the generations to come. Passenger cars alone emitted around three billion metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2020.

The sooner we all switch to EVs, the sooner global levels of CO₂ will fall and the less that temperatures across the planet rise. If you’re currently in the market for a new car, the responsible, ethical thing to do is go electric.

No pressure.

2. Electric cars help reduce pollution

It’s not just CO₂ that is emitted from the tailpipes of cars powered by internal combustion engines (ICE): there’s a whole cocktail of pollutants that are pumped out into the streets of our towns and cities. There’s carbon monoxide (CO), along with nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO₂), hydrocarbons, benzene, particulates and a lot more. Unsurprisingly, these pollutants can cause serious health problems, including heart disease, respiratory problems and even lung cancer.

Nothing is emitted from an EV.

3. Owning an electric car will save you money

There are lots of ways in which running can save you money – especially if you have off-street parking and can fit a charger on the outside of your house, or in a garage. The cost of charging an EV varies, depending on where you charge and how much you pay for your electricity at home.

But working on an average UK electricity price of 17.2p per kWh and an average consumption of 3.5 miles per kWh, travelling 100 miles works out at around 4.91p per mile.

Public chargers are generally more expensive, so expect to pay a bit more – for a kWh, taking the cost to nearer 10p a mile. The comparable cost of a petrol car is around 12p per mile – but with fuel prices on the rise that figure is also climbing.

4. There's no car tax to pay with an electric car

EVs are exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty – car tax, as we all know it – because tax levels are based on CO₂ emissions. As EVs don’t emit any CO₂, owners don’t have to pay tax for them.

The government even gives YOU money!

Better still, not only do you not have to give money to the government, if you decide to buy an EV, it will be eligible for a £1,500 grant off the list price, as long as it’s less than £32,000. Yes, the government will give you money and you won’t have to pay them for using an EV.

If that isn’t a win-win, we don’t know what one is.

5. Being an early electric car adopter is cool

It’s always good to be on the cutting-edge of all the latest trends – and you’d better believe that EVs are the next big trend in cars.

Having the first fully electric car in your street to silently glide up to the kerb outside your home will get you some kudos – and the Joneses will have to keep up with you.

6. There are some really cool electric cars now on sale.

As the electric revolution gathers pace, and car manufacturers start expanding their model ranges with electric vehicles, the number of models that car buyers have to choose from is also increasing. What’s more, the EVs that we’re starting see in showrooms and on the roads are looking pretty cool.

Taking a big, lumpy engine out of the front of a car will have some interesting effects on how car designers think about the shape of a car (no engine, no engine bay), so we’re starting to see some new interpretations of what cars will look like in the future.

7. Electric cars are easier to maintain

Running an EV is a lot less bother than an ICE vehicle. OK, so finding a public charger has historically sometimes been a bit of a pain, but with the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway that is a thing of the past and if you charge at home or work, it really is so easy to plug your car in and get on with your life.

You won’t have to worry about maintaining your EV, either. Internal combustion engines are made up from about 2,000 parts: EVs have about 20 parts, so they’re much quicker and easier to maintain.

8. Driving an electric car means no more filling stations

If you drive an EV, so can pretty much say goodbye to petrol stations. Seriously, who’s going to miss that?

Oh, and that also means that you won’t be standing next to rows and rows of sweets and chocolate, as you queue up to pay for your petrol, tempting you. We can all do with eating less sugary stuff, so owning an EV will also improve your health.

9. Electric cars are great to drive

We seem to have been brainwashed by our childhood memories of milk floats into thinking that EVs are slow and no fun to drive. Anyone who has driven a modern EV will tell you that we need to think again.

The first time you drive an EV, you’ll notice how quick it is from a standing start. This is because while a petrol or diesel engine needs to ingest a mixture of fuel and air to create explosive power, an electric motor has all the power of the battery available to it as soon as you press the accelerator pedal.

And when you also factor in how quiet an EV is – there’s no engine noise – you start to get an idea of how enjoyable it is to drive.

10. Switching to an electric car is the right thing to do.

Your kids – and grandkids – will thank you for buying an EV.

We all have to contribute to helping keep this planet habitable for humans: playing a part in lowering CO₂ emissions from cars is the least we can do.