ELECTRIC DRIVING WITH SNOWS VAUXHALL

When driving an electric Vauxhall, you don't have to stress about not having enough range to get you to your destination. 

The Vauxhall Grandland Electric has an impressive range of up to 435 miles. 

Corsa Electric has an electric range of up to 248 miles*. 

On a single charge, the Mokka Electric has a range of up to 252 miles**. 

Astra Electric has a range of up to 258 miles. ​

The Vivaro Life Electric has a range of up to 143 miles. 

The Combo Life Electric a range of up to 174 miles​.

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, Electroverse 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.

​Vauxhall has recently partnered with Tesco to make public charging points more accessible. 

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 ( BP Pulse - 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 ( Government - Customer Guidance Electric Vehicle Home Charging 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 ( Co Charging ), 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) ( RAC Foundation - Motoring FAQs ) 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% ( RAC - Electric Car Charging - How It Works ).​

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 ( The Conversation - How Rising Wholesale Electricity Prices Will Affect The Switch To Electric Vehicles ). 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.​

The lowest amount of road tax you may need to pay is £10 a year for Electric, zero or low emission cars registered on or after 1 April 2025. For Electric, zero or low emission cars registered between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2025, you will need to pay the standard rate of £195. For Electric, zero or low emission cars registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017, you will need to pay the tax rate of £20. It's always best to check the Government website for updated information.

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 ( Zap Map - 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.

1Fuel economy and CO2 results for the Vauxhall Corsa Electric 100KW (136PS). Mpg (l/100km): N/A. CO2 emissions: 0g/km. Electric range up to 219 miles (WLTP). The Corsa Electric is a battery electric vehicle requiring mains electricity for charging. Range data given is preliminary and has been determined according to WLTP test procedure methodology (R (EC) No. 715/2007, R (EU) No. 2017/1151). EG type approval and Certificate of Conformity are not yet available. The preliminary values might differ from official final type approval data. Everyday use may differ and is dependent on various factors. In particular: personal driving style, route characteristics, exterior temperature, heating/air conditioning, pre-conditioning and battery condition.

2 You can obtain 15-80% of the vehicle charge in 30 minuites from a 100kW rapid charging station. The speed at which your vehicle will charge will depend on the power of the charging station. Rapid charging stationsare valiable across the UK and their power rating vary, typically from 50kW to 350kW. For further information on public charging stations across the UK, please visit here www.zap-map.com.

Cars

WLTP Figures shown are for comparison purposes and should only be compared to the fuel consumption and CO2 values of other cars tested to the same technical standard. The fuel consumption achieved, and CO2 produced, in real world conditions will depend upon a number of factors including, but not limited to: the accessories fitted (pre and post registration); variations in weather; driving styles and vehicle load. The WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure) is used to measure fuel consumption and CO2 figures. The CO2 figures display a range to reflect the highest value for the highest emitting version with all available options added, through to a minimum value to represent the lowest emitting version in standard specification. For more information contact your local Vauxhall Retailer.

Combo/Vivaro/Movano

Fuel consumption data and CO2 emission data are determined using the WLTP test cycle, and the relevant values are translated back to allow the comparability into NEDC. The values do not take into account in particular use and driving conditions, equipment or options and may vary depending on the format of tyres. For more information contact your local Retailer

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the offer details are accurate and up to date, Vauxhall reserves the right to change offers at any time. All offers are available at participating Retailers only.

Vauxhall endeavours to ensure that the contents of this site are accurate and up to date. However, products shown on this site may differ from the latest specification and images shown are for illustrative purposes only and may show optional equipment. Customers are advised to check with their local Retailer for the latest specification.​