Advantages & benefits of electric cars

Contributing to a cleaner environment is one of the key benefits of electric cars. It is, after all, the primary reason for introducing EVs in the first place, and advancing the technology to make them more accessible, affordable, and appealing. Because EVs have no internal combustion engine, there are zero emissions from the tailpipe, so minimal impact on the environment.

There are still emissions during the production of EV cars, but when an electric vehicle is on the road, emissions reduce sharply in comparison to ICE vehicles. Over the lifetime of an electric car, compared to a petrol or diesel model, emissions are significantly lower.

We often discuss the running costs of electric cars compared to petrol and diesel vehicles, but an area sometimes overlooked are the tax benefits for electric cars. As we covered in more depth here, owners don’t pay road tax on electric cars. Electric cars are tax exempt, but this applies strictly to pure EVs. Plug-in electric hybrid and mild electric hybrid cars are still required to pay tax, albeit at a lower rate for some models.

Granted, it’s not a huge saving every year but with the cost of living rising consistently, anything is welcome – and it adds up to a decent amount over the lifetime of a vehicle.

In recent years, UK cities have introduced clean air zones in an attempt to reduce emissions and improve air quality in certain areas. Clean air zones are already in place in cities such as Birmingham, Bath and Portsmouth, with Bradford, Bristol, Sheffield and Newcastle set to follow in the next few months. There are also low emission zones in many other cities. Parts of London have been designated a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) or even Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

Most vehicles need to pay when they enter these areas, save for a few exceptions. You should always check, but one of the advantages of electric cars is that they are typically exempt from paying these charges. If you live in a city with a clean air or low emission zone, this can save you a lot of money – and in the future, it’s highly likely we’ll see more and more cities introducing such zones.

While some drivers love the sound of the guttural roar of a high-performance petrol or diesel engine, it’s not for everyone – and especially not at certain times of the day. Loud noise from roads close to residential areas can cause a negative impact on the people who live nearby, and sometimes such considerations are taken into account when planning the development of new homes and builds.

Driving electric vehicles cuts down on noise pollution significantly. With no engine, the decibel level is significantly reduced, replaced instead by the quiet purr of the electric motor. However, since 2019, it has been a legal requirement for all new electric cars to make sounds at speeds up to 12.4mph – this applies when driving forward and reversing.

The Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS) generates a continuous sound that lets pedestrians and other road users know that a vehicle is in operation. It’s there for safety reasons, making cyclists, pedestrians and children know that an electric car is in motion nearby.

If you’ve never driven an electric car before, one of the reservations you might have is this: what’s it actually like to drive? Is it like driving a ‘real’ car? Well, yes it is. And, in many ways, one of the benefits of electric cars is the driving experience.

Instant acceleration. A quieter drive. A smoother, slicker process. There’s no clutch in an electric car, so no clunky gear changes and risk of jolting the vehicle or stalling. Braking is smoother, too, as you take your foot off the accelerator to slow down more gradually and benefit from regenerative braking, which replenishes the battery.

With much fewer moving and operational parts than a petrol and diesel car, another of the advantages of electric cars is that they should, technically, require less maintenance. Yes, an electric car will still need servicing and repair at times, but it has a lot less that can ‘go wrong’. Potentially reduced servicing needs and fewer repairs inevitably mean cost savings for you.

One of the undisputed benefits of electric cars may now need a little re-adjustment given the higher energy costs we’ve seen over the course of 2022. With an unpredictable energy market, it’s difficult to state with 100% certainty that an electric car will come with lower running costs than filling up a full tank of petrol or diesel. So, do your research thoroughly if this is a key consideration for you, though if you have access to a home charging point it’s still likely to be cheaper, financially, running an electric car than an ICE model.

There are also other potential savings with electric cars. Electric vehicles don’t pay any road tax, and it’s still possible to apply for government grants to help with the cost of home charging units, in some circumstances.

At Dick Lovett, we have a wide range of electric – and hybrid – cars available, Browse models from BMW, MINI,  Porsche, Land Rover and Jaguar.