So, you’re thinking about electric car hire? Great choice! But you’ll also have heard all about why you shouldn’t hire an electric vehicle. So what do you need to know in order to make an informed choice? Simple – read on. Or if you want to skip the reading, click one of the buttons below to get in touch right now!
The Pros & Cons of Electric Cars
Electric cars are something everyone seems to have an opinion on. Even the majority of people who’ve never actually driven one. We, on the other hand, have spent several years investing in the exciting new world of electric car and van hire and as ever, we’re ahead of the curve. So, as the leading provider of electric car hire in Wigan, we’re well placed to provide all the facts you need to make an informed choice.
So, let’s get the obvious elephant in the room addressed as well as the most common objections to EV hire. Electric vehicles don’t travel as far as conventionally fuelled vehicles, they take longer to ‘fill up’ and the charging infrastructure isn’t as good as it needs to be.
These are all true to a given degree. They’ve also, all got better/less true as the technology has improved. And the improvement has been VERY rapid.
The distance issue first. Back n 2019 when the Jaguar i-Pace was released, it set the bar high as arguably the first electric car to be real-world usable with a 270 mile range. Fast forward a few years and the recently released Mercedes EQS (the electric S-Class) has a range of 450 miles (its EQE sibling has a similar range), this is better range than the conventional S-Class, so the improvements in battery technology are already starting to deal with what ‘used to be’ the range issue.
Despite the range of electric cars and vans being much improved however, at the time of typing this still isn’t as good as the distance you’ll travel on a conventional tank of fuel. But consider this, most people don’t travel far enough in a day for even a vehicle with a 200 mile range to cause inconvenience. In fact most people drive around 20-30 miles in a day. So as long as you plug in even once every few days, you’ll never run out.
The charging time and charging infrastructure objections are perhaps best addressed at the same time. It’s true that charging an EV, even on a superfast charger (the network of which have exploded in number and charging speed) takes longer than pumping fuel, however, this ignores one of the inherent advantages of charging. You can do it at home while you’re asleep.
Charging an electric car or van when it’s nearly empty (like you do with petrol or diesel vehicles) will almost always lead to frustration, but if you change your habits and charge your electric vehicle whenever you can and/or at home, you’ll probably wonder why you ever wasted all that time at a smelly fuel station.
This leads us neatly to the advantages of electric car hire.
If you have an electric car, it’s likely, sooner or later that you’ll get a charger for your house. This is typically the cheapest way to get electricity into your electric car and the most convenient because you can leave it charging while you sleep (also taking advantage of any off-peak savings your energy supplier provides). Many electric cars have pre-conditioning settings and/or apps you can use to make sure your car is automatically warmed up and defrosted in the winter or cool in the summer for when you’re ready to drive. You might well plug your mobile phone in to charge while you’re asleep – just treat your electric car the same way.
Charging at home IS a bit slow however. Domestic power supplies can’t provide quick boosts, but this isn’t a problem really because of how much time our car will typically spend parked up whether charging or not. Out and about however, you’ll quickly notice that public chargers are pretty much everywhere. In fact many large car parks will usually have a few spaces just reserved for electric vehicles. What you’ll notice also is that these spaces will usually be the best spaces. They’ll be larger, better located (near the entrance) and quite often empty when the rest of the car park is full. Why wouldn’t you use them whenever you can?
There are a lot of unfounded claims that electric vehicles are worse for the environment because of the battery manufacturing process and because some of the electricity they use being generated by ‘dirty’ methods. Avoiding the politics and agendas of the people making such claims, in actual fact, the environmental impact of electric vehicles is already far less than that of equivalent combustion-powered cars and vans. Additionally, the moment a coal power station gets upgraded (with carbon capture technology for example) or replaced with a cleaner or renewable power supply, vehicles powered this way get instantly cleaner overnight, rather than waiting months/years for their owners to upgrade to a cleaner vehicle. In inner city areas where there are lots of cars, the introduction of zero emission vehicles will have obvious localised benefits to air quality and obvious knock on benefits to the health of everyone living or working there.
Electric Car Hire & Electric Van Hire – The Best Choice For Business
It goes without saying that the purpose of running a business is to make money. Sure, you can do it in an ethical way, even if that goes against your immediate financial gain. There is, after all, a feel good factor in doing the right thing, giving a little back and trying to make the world a bit better than you found it. Thanksfully though, electric car hire is pretty much win/win all round.
Possibly the largest barrier to more widespread electric car use is the initial cost of acquiring one. Electric cars are new technology and they also tend to towards the top end of the luxury scale. Both things which make them expensive to buy. Like every bit of car tech’ though, time democratises technology. There was once a time when air conditioning, cruise control, electric windows and even a radio were only to be found in high end luxury cars, they’re now all considered pretty much basic. An all electric power train is well on its way to becoming not just mainstream but affordable.
Having said that though, electric cars are exceptionally cheap to run, especially if it’s a business running them. Now might well be the best time to go electric while there are still numerous tax advantages!
What Are The Cost Benefits Of Electric Cars?
- Exempt from every known low emissions zone charge and congestion charge
- Exempt from road tax
- Only 2% Benefit In Kind Company Car Tax
- Grants available to install charging points
- Cost per mile far cheaper than equivalent petrol or diesel
- Fewer moving parts means lower maintenance costs
- Batteries typically have VERY generous warranty periods
So, those are the cost benefits of running an electric car, so if you could avoid the purchase cost, they’d be an absolute bargain right? That’s where electric car hire comes in. Not only do you dodge the purchase price entirely, you move the purchase of a depreciating asset off your business balance sheet and instead the hire becomes a tax deductable expense.
Like we said, it’s win/win and they’re not even expensive to hire. At least not from us!
Electric Car Hire News
- BMW iX
The BMW iX is a bold, but welcome step for the Munich based marque. All electric, SUPER hi-tech and well appointed. Electric car hire. - Euro 7 Emission StandardsThe Euro 7 Emission Standards are on the way and if you were wondering what the red tape will cost you this time, here’s what we know so far!
- MG4 EVThe MG4 EV is a breakthrough for electric car hire. it’s got looks, range, performance, practicality, loads of equipment and a ton of awards!
- Mercedes EQEElectric Car Hire – If you need a fully electric luxury car, you’d be mad not to give the Mercedes EQE serious consideration.
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 – Ultimate 80’s Futurism!The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is truly something special. Fully electric, It’s a vision of the future and has the technology to back up that image!
- Mercedes EQS 450+ All New Luxury EVThe Mercedes EQS could well transform the motor industry. An electric luxury limo with a built in chauffeur & more range than any other EV.
- Electric Vehicle Charger BoltonOur New Electric Vehicle Charger, Ready For Our Electric Car Hire and Electric Van Hire Fleet, FItted By HLD Electrical
- Will Electric Vehicles Get A Higher Speed Limit?Electric Vehicles are already a less uncommon sight on the road – could they soon be allowed to drive faster than petrol or diesel vehicles?
- Mercedes EQC – Luxury Electric Car HireThe all new Mercedes EQC – Electric Car Hire In Wigan. New for 2021 Large, luxurious and capable of 0-60 in 5.1 seconds. Available Now!
