With plans from the UK Government to stop the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030, it’s likely that the UK will see the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on the road continue to climb. However, petrol and diesel cars have been the road standard for as long as cars have been commercially available, so there’s a chance that people may have some concerns about buying an EV. With that in mind, experts at Jaguar E-pace provider Stratstone have busted five of the most common EV myths.
EVs don’t perform as well as petrol and diesel cars
When drivers are so used to cars that run on conventional fuels, they might be concerned about how battery-powered vehicles perform and their inability to achieve the same distance on trips as petrol or diesel cars.
As more EVs have been sold, the research and development of their batteries have continued to progress in turn.
This has led to the average range of these vehicles improving over time, with the average mileage drivers can achieve on a full charge around 193 miles.
Luxury EVs can get even further, with their average range being 249 miles. And if drivers plan any longer trips in advance by searching for where they can charge along the way, they can maximise the distance they can travel.
There won’t be enough chargers
Driving on any road, motorists are likely to notice the petrol stations they pass and feel encouraged that should they ever need to refuel, the options are there.
This could contribute to a concern over how many chargers there are to replenish an EV’s battery.
However, the number of charging points across the UK has only increased as the number of EVs on the roads has risen.
Between September 2021 to 2022, there has been a 35 percent increase in the number of charge points, with 34,860 devices recorded at the end of September 2022, according to the experts.
In addition, the Government has greenlit a £450million scheme to install 1,000 new EV charge points across nine local authorities in the UK, ensuring that there’ll be even more options to recharge.
EVs are too expensive
It is true that new electric cars tend to cost more on average than new petrol cars, averaging around £44,000 compared to the £22,000 drivers would usually spend on a medium-sized petrol car.
An important thing to note, however, is that electric cars are still considered a niche of the motoring world.
This could be due to the production costs of EVs being higher than traditional vehicles due to the number of components necessary for building them
However, there are projections indicating that EVs will cost the same as petrol and diesel equivalents by 2024 or even possibly less.
Big brands are not making EVs
One worry drivers might have if they’re an avid motorist is that the bigger manufacturers aren’t releasing electric vehicles.
But with wider environmental concerns emerging globally, more and more established manufacturers are offering electric cars in the market.
Luxury brands are making an effort to cut down on their emissions with EVs. One of these is Jaguar, producing several new vehicles with plug-in hybrid options (PHEV) like the Jaguar E-Pace.
According to the experts, it’s likely that other brands drivers love are set to announce or release EV options.
Batteries degrade over time
While EV batteries tend to suffer an achievable range decrease of around two percent annually, drivers should pay attention to how the technology around batteries has seen positive progression.
Industry experts have estimated that the life expectancy of the average EV battery is 15 to 20 years.
This can be extended if drivers end up replacing the battery when it begins deteriorating, and the technology around lithium-ion batteries is still growing and improving.
This means drivers are likely to see a natural progression of capacity and lifespan over time.