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Believe it or not, electric cars have been around since 1884, when Thomas Parker built the first electric production car. It may have taken a while for battery powered cars to catch on, but their importance and popularity now is undeniable. Over the past decade or so, many countries have started to place much greater emphasis on lowering carbon emissions and lessening their impacts on the environment. Hand in hand with this, technology has progressed at a rate meaning battery powered vehicles are now commercially viable. There are now over 130 battery powered cars for sale and EV adoption increases on average by 30% in the UK every year! So, why should you JustGoEV? Read our summary below.
EV is short for electric vehicle. EVs are cars with an electric motor and a battery, which can drive at least some of the time in zero-emissions EV mode.
A pure EV is also called a battery electric car. These are guaranteed to be zero emissions all the time. Other types of EV add in an efficient combustion engine, for those looking for a stepping stone into a pure EV.
In Britain, EVs are the future. By 2030, the government will halt the sale of conventional petrol and diesel cars. In less than a decade, every new car will be an EV.
This is why the time is now right to JustGoEV.
Here on JustGoEV, there are three types of EV. Battery electric cars, also called BEVs, have no engine at all, and are powered solely by batteries.
Plug-in Hybrids, or PHEVs, combine rechargeable batteries with a petrol or diesel engine. They’re great for going EV in town centre use, with the engine taking over for longer trips so you don’t have to recharge en route.
Hybrids, also called self-charging hybrids or HEVs, don’t need plugging in. They have a limited pure EV range but do still help cut emissions and save fuel.
Every EV is capable of driving some distance in zero-emissions mode. This helps cut local levels of pollution, helping everyone breathe that bit easier.
EVs are also more efficient in use than traditional combustion engine cars. More power is converted into driving energy, rather than lost as heat or noise.
The environmental benefits of EVs will only increase as Britain’s energy supplies become greener – and the roll-out of more renewables is growing all the time.
EVs cost significantly less per mile to run than people realise.
A compact EV such as a Renault Zoe can cost as little as £2 to charge at home, which will give around 150 miles of range – compared to the average weekly spend on petrol or diesel of almost £25.
Those who charge overnight can benefit from cheaper electricity, and even ultra-fast public charging is cheaper than diesel and petrol.
You don’t pay road tax on a pure EV, and there are further tax-saving benefits for company car drivers.
EVs are also more reliable as there’s less to go wrong, while servicing and maintenance is cheaper too. You don't need to change the oil in an EV!
You will never forget the first time you experience an EV. The silence, the instant power and speedy acceleration, the sheer ease of use. EVs truly feel like a car from the future and going back to a combustion engine car can feel like a step back in time!
EVs generally come with the latest tech as standard too, including touchscreen systems that show nearby public chargers. Some EVs even allow you to operate the climate control remotely: set it to heat or cool the cabin before you get in for the ultimate in luxury!