Sep 9, 2021
4 Minutes

Three big reasons why you should consider driving an electric car

We know that switching to an electric car may seem a daunting decision. Many of us have been driving petrol or diesel cars for most of our lives and most people don’t like to venture into the unknown.

But electric cars are widely accepted to be the future of automotive travel and with the UK government set to ban sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, we want to explain why switching to electric is actually a really exciting thing to do.

These vehicles are among the most increasingly popular models on the market for good reason, and in this article we hope to give you a glimpse into how an electric vehicle could fit into your lifestyle.

So here are three big reasons why you should consider driving an electric car…

1. Affordability

Electric cars can cost around half as much to run as petrol and diesel cars.

Data from our EV-4-ME tool, an online quiz designed to highlight how an electric vehicle would suit your day-to-day life, shows that average annual running costs for electric vehicles are approximately 50% of comparable petrol and diesel cars.

Drivers can expect average annual running costs of £866 when behind the wheel of an electric vehicle.

This is a whopping £711 cheaper than a comparable petrol car (£1,577 annual cost) and a substantial £640 less expensive than a diesel car (£1,508 annual cost)*.

These figures are based on a vehicle budget of up to £30,000, driving fewer than 10,000 miles annually and up to 30 miles daily, and equate to savings of several thousand pounds over just a few years.

Research that we conducted earlier this year found that 63% of all people considering making the switch from combustion cars to an EV look into the running costs.

2. Accessibility

People looking to make the switch to an electric vehicle can read about our Lease&Care package, which has been created to make switching to an electric vehicle simpler for customers.

The simplicity of this finance plan means all servicing and car costs are covered in one easy, single monthly payment and this product is available across Volkswagen and ŠKODA EV models.

Similarly, we invite you to download our EV&Me app, which we created to demonstrate how an electric or plug-in hybrid Audi or CUPRA vehicle could fit into your lifestyle.

By analysing driving behaviour, the app can give insight into how many journeys can be driven without stopping to charge and the cost savings that come from the switch to electric.

We are also piloting a ‘try before you buy’ experience through our Rent-a-Car business at Johnsons Birmingham this month, where customers can test drive an electric Volkswagen ID.3 for up to seven days.

The experience has been designed to give people considering switching to an EV an extended period to understand what driving an electric car is all about. Uniquely, if you then go on to buy a new or used Volkswagen ID.3 from the retailer within 30 days or your hire, you will get the full rental costs refunded.

We hope this pilot will eventually be rolled out to all Volkswagen Financial Services UK Rent-a-Car locations.

Rebecca Whitmore, EV Senior Product Owner at Volkswagen Financial Services UK, said: “It’s great to see the growth of EV adoption in the UK, with more electric vehicles registered than diesel cars for the second month in a row in July this year.

“Our research tells us that customers really value the experience of an EV test drive, as of those who took a test drive in a recent study, 95% said that it was important in helping with their decision to purchase an EV. Our try before you buy proposition takes this one step further, giving customers a chance to experience what it’s like to live with an EV before making the commitment to buy.

“Our digital tools such as EV-4-Me and the EV&Me app are great places to start researching electric cars.”

3. Technology

Earlier this summer, we found that half (50%) of UK motorists say they worry about having access to enough charging points, with more than one in three (35%) concerned about the range of an EV on a single charge.

These statistics are indicative of the common misconceptions people have about the range of electric vehicles as well as the capabilities of the UK’s public charging network.

However, there are more than 25,000 charging points in over 15,500 locations across the UK and the electric Volkswagen ID.3 can travel for 300 miles on a single charge.

And as part of the Government’s Road to Zero strategy, all new rapid charge points installed since spring 2020 should provide debit or credit card payment, to encourage greater EV uptake. Up until that point consumers were restricted to charging using the relevant provider’s charge card or app.

What do the experts say?

Mike Todd, CEO at Volkswagen Financial Services UK, said: “The case for making the switch to electric is getting stronger all the time and some of the anxieties that drivers may have around cost, range and charging are proving to be less of an issue as EV technology continues to evolve at pace.

“I think a big part of boosting mainstream adoption of electric cars is reminding people of how we actually travel in our everyday lives.

“The average length of each car journey in the UK is fewer than 10 miles, and with public charging stations being installed at supermarkets, gyms and elsewhere, frequent top-ups rather than big weekly charges are likely to be the norm for many, especially those without off-street parking.

“One analogy I like to borrow is that charging an EV should be approached in the same way we top up a smartphone battery – something that’s much easier if you have multiple chargers dotted around your house.”

Where can you find out more?

For more information on whether switching to an electric car is the right move for you, visit our dedicated EV hub.