Buying an electric car in the UK.

Should you be buying electric or hybrid? I can help you assess which car type suits you based on both budget and requirements.
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The basic difference between the 2 is that a hybrid is both an electric car, and a petrol/diesel car. This means it can use the electric motor for short journeys or when in town, and the petrol/diesel engine for longer journeys. Most Plug in Hybrids (PHEV) can now do between 28 and 60 miles on electric alone meaning they may be suitable for your daily commute.
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Electric cars (EV) on the other hand only have a battery and cannot run on petrol/diesel. (Some have range extenders, although these are not readily available as new private cars anymore). New EVs usually have a range of between 120 miles for small city cars up to 400 miles for cars with larger batteries and these can be charged on the go at rapid charging stations making them good prospects for even longer journeys.
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Some cars are called hybrid, but are not plug in hybrid. This means they charge only as they drive from the petrol engine. Most Toyotas and Lexus' fall into this category. Although they can be very good cars, they should not be mistaken for electric or PHEV vehicles and do not operate as electric cars for even short journeys.

The charging network in the UK is improving every day, and there are more and more places you can charge your car. Below we list the most popular places to charge:

At home.
Most people with electric cars charge their vehicles at a home charging point. This means you would have to have a driveway, but don't worry if you don't. There are more and more other places to charge from.

At work.
‍More and more businesses are installing EV charging points, and this is a great place to charge as you will be parked there for many hours.

At shopping centres and retail parks.
‍Many UK supermarkets as well as retails parks, drive throughs etc., are getting charging points. These can be both fast chargers, (<22Kw) and rapid chargers, which can usually take a car from 20-80% charge in just 20-30 minutes.

On route.
This is usually a rapid charger at a service station or petrol station allowing for a fast top-up during your journey. These are frequent across the UK now and allow for people in EVs to travel on long journeys without ‘range anxiety’. 

On street charging.
This is charging designed for people who have an EV but not a driveway. It can be in the form of charge posts at the end of a street or lamppost charging. This is becoming more common and will help fill the gap for those who don't have off street parking of their own.

The short answer is that it costs less to charge an electric car than it costs to fill up with petrol or diesel. So electric cars are cheaper to run.
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The long answer is of course that it depends on where you charge. The cheapest place to charge is at home on your overnight tariff (if you have one). But this will also depend on you having a home charger. If you don't have this luxury, public charging is available to you for a range of prices depending on where you go, but usually you should be paying between about 25 p per KW up to about 45 p per KW. There is significant investment in installing rapid chargers in key places, so expect to see more of these in the future. 

New EVs can go much further than they could just a few years ago, with typical ranges as follows:

City cars: 120 - 200 miles
Family and luxury cars - 200 - 400 miles
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And remember, you can charge on route, so you are not limited to these ranges!

Electric car charging speeds will vary on where you are charging and the type of car you have. 

For instance, charging a top of the range Tesla on a standard home plug (like one found in your kitchen) could take as long as 48 hours. But charging the same car at a hypercharger will take less than 1 hour.
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However,  if you have a normal home charger installed you can expect to charge most cars overnight from empty. If you learn to just charge when you find a socket, be it at work, or whilst shopping you will be able to keep your car topped up, and never have to worry about running low.

Electric cars can cost more than their petrol equivalents at the moment, but this price is falling and should be about equal in 2025, with some variations for type of car. It is certainly true to say that some cars now, like the Tesla model 3 are a similar price to their petrol equivalent, like a BMW 340i, but offer more performance already. 
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Battery prices are expected to fall which will bring costs further down, and when combined with lower running and maintenance costs, it can be significantly cheaper to own electric cars today based on lifecycle costs.

With new electric cars coming out all the time, this list is never going to be 100% up to date, but our top tips for the best EVs today are:

Porsche Taycan - Expensive, but there is nothing else like it
Tesla Model 3 - The answer to every electric car question balancing price, performance range, and comfort
VW ID3 - Not quite out yet, but promises to be the Tesla model 3 equivalent at a lower price point - think the perfect electric Golf 
Honda E - A great new city car
Hyundai Kona / Kia E Nero - two cars, but very similar. An electric family SUV with no compromises
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Watch out for more to come.

The government previously gave a grant towards EVs under £40,000. This money came directly off the price you pay (the list price). Unfortunately the grant was stopped in 2022.

Government grants, however,  are still available for vans, motorbikes and taxis - although significantly reduced from previous levels.

People often ask whether they can make the switch to an electric car yet? And in 2024 the answer is that in 99% of cases, yes, an electric car can really be suitable for most people.
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Key advantages of electric cars are:

Environmental impact.
Electric cars do use less fossil fuels on a whole life basis than petrol/diesel cars. Especially if you can ensure you charge with renewable energy.

Zero tail pipe emissions.
This means reduced inner city air pollution which can have a direct effect on quality of life.

Great to drive.
If you have not experienced modern electric cars, then you are missing out. They drive incredibly well, with lightening quick throttle response, and excellent acceleration. They are also quieter and more relaxing than petrol/diesel cars.

They cost less to run.
Put simply electricity per mile will cost you less than petrol or diesel, meaning, that they will cost you less the more you drive.

ULEZ and CC zones.
If you have a full electric right now you will be paying no road tax and no money to drive in ULEZ or CC zones. 

Servicing.
The manufacturers maybe slow to explain this one, but there really isn't much to service with electric cars and as such the ongoing maintenance costs are likely to be low. 
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So why don't we all have electric cars?

1. They are expensive to buy new, and there are not so many on the second hand market. Yet new models are coming out all the time, so when is the right time to buy?

2. People are scared of the range, and where they will charge. As experts in this field, we can help you assess whether this anxiety is really justified. 

3. They don't make the right noise, or don't drive as we are used to. Our suggestion here is to simply go and try one, and maybe you will realise that the lack of noise and vibration is something to celebrate.