Despite every effort to take good care of your car, its value begins to depreciate from the moment you first drive it away.
You’ve seen the growing move towards electric vehicles in the UK. You’ve noticed with alarm the rising cost of petrol and diesel. You’re becoming more comfortable with the improving infrastructure of charging points for EV drivers.
And now you’re thinking of joining the party.
You’re certainly not alone. Last year, a record number of new car drivers went ‘green’, with battery and plug-in cars accounting for more than one in six registrations – that’s up from just one in ten cars in 2020 and one in 30 in 2019. And the trend does not look like slowing down any time soon.
But even with this much of a groundswell towards EVs, actually taking the plunge and getting one is still a big decision which can take some time to consider. So how easy is it to change over to electric, and is it right for you?
Salary sacrifice providers like Tusker are heavily promoting EVs due to the tax advantges of taking an EV on sal-sac compared to a conventional petrol or diesel car. From a business point of view, going green has many advantages, such as enhancing brand image with a modern attitude and outlook, appealing to a wider demographic of customers anxious to spend their money with an environmentally-friendly company, greater productivity and efficiency, and green benefits to the wider community.
And from a customer standpoint, if you’re thinking of moving over to the electric highway, here are six key points you should be considering:
1. Pick
The choice of vehicles is becoming much broader as increasing numbers of manufacturers announce and release new EV models. Gone are the days of a small number of high-end electric cars, while in has come a broader spectrum and vast new range of more affordable EVs.
2. Top-up
Re-fuelling, or specifically re-charging, is becoming more convenient as local authorities install growing numbers of charging points, the motorway network is being given an EV charging point overhaul, and new home builders increasingly install charging points as part of their new house builds.
Many people can charge overnight at home but if you can’t, there are still public charging points which, perhaps with just one visit a week, can give you seven or more days’ worth of range if you only do small ‘local’ trips.
3. Distance
How far you can travel on a full charge of electricity is growing all the time and so called ‘range anxiety’ is becoming a thing of the past. There are plenty of Apps now available to help you work out when and where to charge up on a long journey. They list charging areas and show which terminals are available. Some cars, such as Tesla, include charging point information in their satnavs.
Tusker revealed last year that the majority of UK motorists drive less than 100 miles a week and only undertake a journey of more than 100 miles once a month. So, with the average range of an electric car now standing at just under miles, the worry of running out of charge for most people is rapidly dwindling.
4. Tax band
EVs are more tax efficient as they attract a lower Benefit in kind (BiK) tax than oil-burning cars. The banding is currently just 2% of the car’s value. And it’s not just tax that’s there to be saved – electric cars of course don’t use petrol or diesel so there are huge savings in fuel costs too.
Charging a car with electricity – overnight at home or at a public charging point on your travels – is significantly cheaper than pulling into a fuel station and filling up there.
5. Sacrifice
With a salary sacrifice scheme the monthly cost of the vehicle is taken from your gross pay so you’ll pay no income tax or National Insurance on that portion of your wages.
6. Clean air
Driving an EV means you are doing your bit to help the environment now and in the future. And that’s something you can’t put a price on.
