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8 Reasons Why Now Is The Best Time To Switch To An Electric Car

Author: msblog@admin | Updated: 23rd April 2023
Electric Cars Charging Point

It’s not often that we are asked to think 10 years into the future. Buying a house, starting a new business, or if you live anywhere north of Birmingham, waiting for the next train.  But under the PM’s 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution, we can add buying a car to that list.

One of the key-points to the recently unveiled plan is the phasing in of electric vehicles, in place of petrol & diesel-only alternatives. Grants to help buy these vehicles, alongside investment in the infrastructure around the country to improve charging points will accelerate this transition to a greener future for automobiles.

Our previous coverage of electric vehicles touched on the 3 factors putting drivers off buying EV’s;

  • High purchase prices
  • Lack of local charging points
  • Uncertainty about range on longer journeys

But we are here to debunk these myths! So whether you’re thinking of leasing or buying a new car between now and 2030, electrical is the way forward! Check out our range of offers below.

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Unsure about the prospect of switching to an electric vehicle? We have compiled an 8-point list to tell you exactly why now is the best time to take the leap.

1. You will be saving the planet

This one will hardly surprise you, as it is essentially the key driver behind electrical vehicles existence, but it is possibly the most important.

We all try and do our bit to save the planet, whether it’s recycling, carpooling, or even reducing our meat consumption, but the transition to electric vehicles likely represents the biggest step we have taken as a nation towards a greener future. Annual CO2 emissions from your average petrol car equate to around 1,867kg, enough to counter-balance nearly 6 years of recycling glass bottles. Alternatively, electrical vehicles produce 0kg of CO2 annually, meaning that recycling those wine bottles from the weekend will not have gone to waste!

Not only will you feel a sense of achievement and satisfaction while driving your dream car,  you’ll also be saving the planet whilst you do it.

2. Great choice of models

You might be forgiven for thinking that electrical vehicles do not come in the same great models as your dream petrol alternative, but that is no longer the case. With Porsche, Aston Martin, Mercedes, (and even Hummer!) amongst the many manufacturers currently offering a range of electrical vehicles, ugly electric cars are a thing of the past.

Ford Mustang Mach-E Electric Car

Whether you want to release your inner-James Bond with the Aston Martin Rapide E or would prefer a more classic feel behind the wheel of the Ford Mustang Mach-E (pictured above), the perfect electrical model is out there.

3. Plug-in Grants

To assist their proposed transition to a greener future, the U.K. Government have committed to plug-in grants to encourage drivers to make the switch to electrical vehicles. The scheme will help drivers by covering up to 35% of the purchase price on selected vehicles, and are available for a wide range of models, including the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive, amongst others (the full list can be found here)

Alongside the purchase of an EV, installing the necessary charger at your home has never been easier with the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme. This initiative offers up to £350 off the cost of installation and makes it even cheaper to convert to an electric car!

These grants were welcomed by the government after SMMT called for such incentives to be put in place to drive the electrical automobile industry forward and accelerate the U.K. towards achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

4. Increasing no. of charging points

A lack of local charging points has long been a concern of drivers when considering switching to an electrical vehicle, but taking data from Zap Map, you can see the exponential growth of charging stations around the U.K.

Number of charging points in UK
Graph courtesy of Zap Map (2021)

The above table is a great indication of the sort of increase we can continue to see, and with over 35,000 chargers currently in use at over 13,000 different locations (thousands of these even being free of charge), there is no longer the need to worry about being left short when it comes to electrical driving.

5. Less depreciation

Anyone who has ever bought a new car will understand the value lost when it comes to selling that car. After only 12 months the value will have dropped around 24% (with some automobile experts estimating around 40%). However, electrical vehicles hold their value TWICE as long as petrol cars and will only lose around 12% of their value per year.

So if you are looking for a car with the intention of selling it after you have used it, whether that be in the near or distant future, you will recuperate more of your money with an electric car.

Having said that, depreciation is one less problem to worry about when you simply lease a car. Start your leasing journey today!

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6. Cheaper running costs

Despite all you have been told about electrical vehicles being more expensive than petrol cars, research from Direct Line shows that total annual running costs are actually 21% cheaper! The use of electricity brings fuel/charging costs down by 58% from petrol cars, whilst tax/maintenance is 49% cheaper. Upfront purchase costs may be more expensive, but this is more than made up for by the cheaper running costs.

Cheaper running costs of electric cars

7. Longer distance driving

Even without the increasing number of charging points across the U.K., concerns surrounding long distance journeys will become a thing of the past. Battery capacities are expected to continue increasing. With the average range currently around 250 miles, there are not many places in England unreachable on one charge.

For the price of £706* per-month, the Tesla Model S Long Range is able to reach up to 379 miles on just a single charge, making it the longest distanced electrical automobile in 2020, not our words folks, the words of carmagazine.

However if such prices are putting you off buying, you can find some great models (starting at just £136* per month!) available to lease at Moneyshake.com!

*Prices accurate at the time of writing

8. Why wait?

So, with the myths surrounding prices, charging stations, and long-range capabilities put to bed, why wait?

2030 may seem a long time away, but it is now closer to us than the day David Cameron became Prime Minister, the successful rescue of the 33 Chilean Miners, and England’s 4-1 World Cup defeat to Germany in South Africa, scary right? Well it doesn’t have to be. Get ahead of the curve and make the switch today, and rest assured that you are contributing to a greener future, and saving some money while you do it!

2021 is set to be a huge year for us here at Moneyshake.com, why not make it a special one for yourself? Get started with our great range of deals on electrical vehicles!

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