Electric Cars are here to stay and if you are considering getting behind the wheel of one, you’ll find this complete guide very useful.
Here we’ll tell you all the pros and cons of electric vehicles, how much they cost, where to buy them – used and new – and what to expect once you’re the proud owner of an electric car. Let’s go!
Not sure which electric car you should buy? Keep reading and we’ll tell you which are the best electric vehicles out there.
In this guide we’re going to go through the top 10 EVs on sale today – and the ones coming up next year to the new and used electric car market.
Thinking about buying a hybrid car? Not sure which one to get?
Check out the top 10 best hybrid cars of 2021 and 2022 – used and new – and see the one we’ve picked as our number one hybrid vehicle. We’ve done all the research so you only have to choose.
If long range in an electric car is a must, this guide will be a lifesaver. We’ve found the top 10 electric vehicles with the longest range out there. That way, you just have to pick yours.
The average purchase price of a new electric car in the UK in 2021 was around £44,000. However, you can find new electric vehicles for sale from £20,725 – for the cheapest, the Smart EQ fortwo coupe – to the £138,826 of the Porsche Taycan Turbo S – the most expensive electric car. In the middle you’ve got non-luxury electric cars for around £26,965. These prices go down if you are looking to buy a used electric car.
On Motors.co.uk the average price of a used electric car is £35,521 and £28,458 for a used hybrid vehicle. With plenty of older models on sale, that guarantees anyone will be able to find the right used electric or hybrid vehicle.
Like any other electric batteries, electric vehicle batteries can degrade and become less effective over time. The lithium-ion batteries that most EVs use are expected to last up to 10 years or 100,000 miles of use, although in some cases this can double. There’s more information on our car charging and car batteries guide.
Yes, most electric cars on British roads are automatic. This means they don’t have a clutch or even a gearbox. The only exception now is that Renault uses a manual gearbox on its Formula E performance cars.
Long story short. Electric cars power their engines by taking electricity from the grid via charge points. The energy is stored in rechargeable batteries that then power the electric motor that turns the wheels. You can read more about how electric cars work in our Electric Car Guide.
Two of the cheapest electric cars in the market in 2022 are the Smart EQ Fortwo – prices starting from £20,725 – and the Fiat 500 Electric – starting at £20,495. If you’re in the market for a used electric car, on Motors.co.uk you’ll find the Mitsubishi i-MIEV for around £5k and the Nissan Leaf can be as low as £6k.
Electric Cars produce zero tailpipe emissions, meaning driving one doesn’t have an environmental impact. However, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA) producing the car batteries that power electric vehicles release higher emissions than those from petrol and diesel cars. This is, of course, a very short way of replying to this question. If you need more information, we recommend you read our Electric Car Buying guide.
As of February 2022, yes, fully electric cars are exempt from London’s congestion charge. That is because they qualify under The Cleaner Vehicle Discount, which offers a 100% discount. However, from 25 December 2025 the rules will change as the cleaner vehicle discount will be removed entirely. Meaning that everyone will pay the congestion charge, even electric vehicle drivers. If you want more information, read our Car Tax Guide.
In short, a hybrid car is a type of vehicle that gets powered by combining a petrol or diesel engine with an electric motor. Hybrid vehicles consume less fuel and emit less CO2 than comparable petrol or diesel cars.
Fully electric vehicles don’t pay road tax. More information on our Electric Car Tax Guide.