Should You Switch to an Electric Car?

One of the first electric cars, Oshay Watercolors

Electric cars are becoming popular, as they become more affordable. London drivers can save up to £10,000 by avoiding the London Congestion Charge.

You also don’t have to worry about wearing plastic gloves at the petrol station! Read this EV buying guide.

Bath also has a Congestion Charge, and other cities (Bristol, Newcastle, Portsmouth and Sheffield) have introduced Clean Air Zones (which could feature congestion charges). A proposed Congestion Charge is currently under review in Greater Manchester.

The Cleaner Vehicle Discount offers several discounts from the government. This includes offering help with the upfront price, road tax waivers and free access to some low-emission zones. Electric vehicle owners also pay less in maintenance, thanks to fewer moving parts.

Fire risks for electric vehicles are usually due to lithium-ion batteries (the same reason why vapes should always be recycled at shops), due to short circuits, overcharging or physical damage. But they are less of a fire risk than petrol cars, due to no fuel leaks.

The concern that electric cars are a risk to others due to being quiet, does not bear out.  Studies find that if driving slowly (say out of a supermarket), vehicles are quite. But at full speed on roads, tyre noise is roughly the same.

EV makers are now inventing cars with noisier tyres, to alert pedestrians and wildlife. Plus of course EV vehicles have no air-pollution exhausts or leaking oil, which harms. Read more on making roads safer for wildlife).

You can charge electric cars at public charging stations or use Go Zero Electric Car Chargers to charge at home with solar power (earn up to £5000 passive income, by letting other drivers use it).