Electric cars are incredibly responsive because unlike combustion engines, electric motors produce maximum torque at any rpm. So, you can enjoy fast, instant acceleration at any speed without worrying about gear changes – all that torque means electric cars only need one forward gear! The Kia EV6 can surge from 0-62mph in just 7.3 seconds.
Handling can be impressive, too. Because the batteries are in the floor, electric cars have a low centre of gravity, which helps minimise body roll while making the car feel planted, providing a fun, dynamic drive. The Kia EV6 even has a sport mode!
If efficiency is your main concern, there’s an eco-mode, too. The Kia EV6 offers a driving range of 328 miles (WLTP – based on 77.4kWh battery pack, rear wheel drive, and 19” inch wheels) on a full charge.
Most charging with an electric car is done at home. But if you want to top up on the go, there are more than 7,000 public charging locations in the UK, and most of them have multiple connectors. Using an ultra-fast charge, The Kia EV6 can charge from 10 to 80% in just 18 minutes.
Snows’ manufacturer partners offer a wide selection of electric vehicle (EV) models to suit a range of budgets, lifestyle and driving requirements. Our product geniuses can provide exceptional insight and knowledge on EV driving and the models currently available to purchase. Our teams welcome your questions, even if at this stage, you simply want to know more about how EV motoring compares to conventional vehicle ownership. Our factory-trained technicians receive the highest level of EV service, maintenance and repair training so you can be confident your EV will be maintained to the highest standards as demanded by the manufacturer.
The UK’s EV infrastructure is growing and public chargers are found at numerous locations including fuel stations, retail outlets, leisure centres, restaurants, supermarkets and by the roadside. However, planning will be key. You can download any number of apps such as Zap-Map, Plugshare or WattsUp, to make locating the nearest rapid charger straightforward as well as providing details on pricing and if someone is using it. Most journeys will be achievable on a single charge but for longer trips, rapid chargers deliver 60-200 miles of range in around 30 minutes, enough time for you to recharge your own batteries. You could also factor in more A-road use than motorway which will typically require more power, and where you will be closer to more rapid chargers.
Whichever EV make and model you choose, working with our manufacturer partners, Snows can help you arrange the installation of an EV charger at your home. Our manufacturer partners have appointed their own official EV installers but you are free to choose your own supplier. However, you may need to pay a fee direct to the supplier you choose, for example, BP Pulse partners with many of the manufacturers we represent ( https://www.bppulse.co.uk/charging-at-home ) and its website includes an installation calculator according to model as well as details on the typical cost of a full charge.
If your new home requires an EV installation, you simply contact your supplier or a new supplier to arrange for a home wall charger installation. If your original home wall charger was incorporated as part of your vehicle ownership package, there is likely to be an additional charge.
If you don’t own your own home, you will need to gain permission from your landlord to install an EV charger but this could add value to the property as EV ownership increases, so we would like to think, most would be accommodating.
The government’s Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) provides grants covering up to £350 of the installation cost for eligible vehicles. However, this scheme will no longer be available for homeowners (apart from flats) from April 2022 but will remain open to leaseholders or renters ( https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/customer-guidance-electric-vehicle-homecharge-scheme ).
It is possible to own an EV if you live in a flat, a terraced house or your home does not have a driveway. However, you will need to plan how you will recharge your vehicle. For example, your employer may have a charger so you can plug-in whilst you’re in the workplace, you could recharge at your local gym whilst you work out or your local supermarket may have devices enabling you to charge whilst you undertake your weekly shop. Running an EV without access to a home charger requires much more forward-thinking but it isn’t impossible. You will need contingency plans such as if the chargers at work or the supermarket are all in use and you will need to factor in the cost as typically, the public charging network is more expensive than your own supply at home.
Meanwhile, entrepreneurs are already providing home charge sharing enabling those without driveways to link up with locals who do. The likes of Co-Charger ( https://co-charger.com/ ), for example, matches hosts and ‘chargees’ enabling would-be EV drivers without the facility to install a wall charger to make use of underused home charging units managing all the communications, bookings and payments. Co-Charger estimates around 40-50% of people live in flats or terraced houses whilst there are 250,000 home chargers in the UK that could potentially be used.
In the majority of cases, the answer is yes. Most home chargers are designed to be used by most EVs available on the market today although each EV is likely to need its own cable and plug, supplied by the manufacturer at purchase.
For most people, running two or more EVs off one charger is practical especially if you are an average mileage driver (28 miles a day, according to the RAC) ( https://www.racfoundation.org/motoring-faqs/mobility#a28 ) enabling one car to be charged overnight one evening swapping over the next night. However, you can install more than one charger but one vehicle may be charged on a different price tariff or you can opt for a dual-socket wall charger although these are not widely available yet.
This varies according to model, your energy supplier and your tariff. Most energy suppliers will offer lower rates to charge at times when the demand on the National Grid is low, through the night, for example. According to the RAC, which used Zap-Map’s app to make its calculations, it costs around £5 to fully charge an EV using a home charger and £7-£10 using a public charger to 80% ( https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/electric-cars/charging/electric-car-charging-how-it-works-and-how-much-it-costs/ ).
Good question and obviously none of us can predict the future cost of either energy or conventional fuel. However, even compared to today’s rising energy costs, the savings compared to ICE vehicles remain substantial. An EV with a 50kw battery would cost around £9.50 to fully charge at 2020 average prices (around 18p per kilowatt per hour or kWh) but at 24p kWh (the average charge of the big six energy suppliers in September 2021) it would cost £13 for around 200 miles at about half that of the average fuel or diesel vehicle ( https://theconversation.com/how-rising-wholesale-electricity-prices-will-affect-the-switch-to-electric-vehicles-168304 ). However, that’s not quite the full story with energy providers offering much cheaper tariffs at times when demand is at its lowest. And, let’s not forget the rising prices at the fuel pump with the cost per litre hitting a new high in October 2021.
The UK Plug-in Car Grant or PiCG is applied automatically to your EV purchase and covers up to 35% of the purchase price including VAT and delivery fees for vehicles with a list price under £32,000. The vehicle’s emissions must be less than 50g/km, at least 70 miles without emitting CO2 must be possible and it must be on the approved list from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles which administers the grants.
No. Battery Electric Vehicles or BEVs are currently exempt from road tax although your vehicle will still need to be ‘taxed’ each year, it just costs EV owners nothing!
Again, this varies from one manufacturer to another but the rule of thumb is with fewer moving parts, EVs are more straightforward and less costly to maintain compared to ICE vehicles. You pay a fixed monthly fee according to your make and model of vehicle as well as your expected mileage which covers the cost of your vehicle’s routine servicing requirements. However, most new EV customers opt for a funding package which incorporates routine servicing.
Probably not but like everything, it depends on several factors including usage. To extend the life of your electric battery, it is recommended to maintain its charge between 50-80%, to not allow it to run flat and to use rapid chargers sparingly. Most manufacturers offer warranties of between eight-10 years (or 100,000 miles) for their vehicle batteries and it is also possible to buy an extended warranty for your battery. Most batteries are expected to last for at least 10 years with some up to 20.
This is improving all the time with 2021 showing rapid growth. According to Zap-Map, the number of public charging devices is already in excess of 28,000 and by the first quarter of 2022, it is expected to reach 30,000 ( https://www.zap-map.com/electric-vehicle-charging-2022/ ) and 40,000 by the end of the year.
All EVs, regardless of make or model, provide an ongoing update on range, much like a fuel gauge, so you will always know the number of miles your vehicle can travel allowing you to plan your journey effectively. Most drivers will find an overnight charge is sufficient for several days’ driving. However, should you find yourself in the situation of running out of charge mid-journey, your vehicle will first switch to failsafe mode so you can pull over but you will need to contact your emergency roadside assistance provider to give your car a quick boost to get you to the nearest public charger or you and your vehicle will need to be recovered.
Yes. The market for used EVs is increasing every year as new EV ownership grows. All used EVs sold by Snows come under the different manufacturer approved used vehicle programmes so you can be just as confident buying used as new. Our sales teams can provide you with the details according to the used EV you are considering.