The rise in electric and hybrid vehicles on the road today is anticipated to go up in a collective movement towards achieving cleaner air quality, but what makes an electric vehicle better than a conventional petrol or diesel? What are the differences between electric vehicles and hybrid cars, and which one should you buy? All your questions are answered here, plus find out which government purchase incentives you could be eligible for.
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Browse through our fantastic range of Electric and Hybrid car offers near you.
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110kW N-Connecta 40kWh 5dr Auto
Free Road Tax | Automatic | Electric
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110kW Tekna 40kWh 5dr Auto
Free Road Tax | Automatic | Electric
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Save £7,335
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160kW e+ Tekna 62kWh 5dr Auto
£145 Road Tax | Automatic | Electric
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110kW Acenta 40kWh 5dr Auto [6.6kw Charger]
Free Road Tax | Automatic | Electric
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2.0 Hybrid ST-Line Edition 4dr Auto
£135 Road Tax | Automatic | Hybrid
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2.5 FHEV ST-Line Edition 5dr CVT Estate
Automatic | Hybrid
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Save £2,456
Making the switch to an electric car is in some ways taking a step into the future. Stricter emissions regulations and the rise in low emission zones restrict older cars from travelling to certain areas of the UK. Luckily, all new electric vehicles adhere to strict Euro 6 standards to ensure your electric vehicle (EV) is free to roam ultra-low emission zones (ULEZ) and clear air zones (CAZ) – particularly helpful to businesses which cross regional borders.
These types of zones will become more and more enforced around the country in the near future, so by making the switch to electric today, you are essentially futureproofing your vehicle and avoiding potential penalty charges (which in some areas are as high as £12.50 a day).
Electric vehicles in general cost less to run compared to petrol and diesel cars. You will get more miles for your money with an electric car. Electric cars are also cheaper to service and maintain due to the fact it is made up of less parts than an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicle.
Contrary to popular belief, electric cars perform and handle better in the city than ICE cars due to their low centre of gravity. EVs provide instant torque from zero revs making them extremely fun-to-drive city cars.
Minimising your CO2 emissions output reduces the amount of harmful pollutants released into the air. Going fully electric gets rid of harmful pollution through driving entirely.
Pure electric vehicles are exempt from paying road tax as well as other congestion charges. Right now, you can also receive government grants up to £3,500 on electric cars.
BEVs, PHEVs and HEVs - have you been wondering which type of electric vehicle would best suit your lifestyle? Here, we explain the three main types of electric cars to help you determine which would be the best fit for you.
An Electric Vehicle(EV or Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), also known as an All-Electric Vehicle, relies on a system comprised of an electric battery pack and an electric motor. The power from the battery pack will be the sole source of energy for your vehicle. Once the battery runs out of electric charge, your electric vehicle can only be recharged using grid electricity at your home or a public charging station.
The most significant feature of a Battery Electric Vehicle is that it emits zero emissions, making it the eco-friendliest vehicle of the Electric and Hybrid range.
Your vehicle would not produce any harmful emissions.
You would be eligible for the government Plug-In Grant (up to £3,500 for cars and £8,000 for vans).
Your driving range is much higher than a hybrid’s electric range.
A Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) is made up of an internal combustion engine (usually petrol) a small electric motor and an electric battery. The electric battery powers the small electric motor to supply you with a range of pure electric miles before running out of charge and automatically switching to the internal combustion engine as a source of power.
Unlike Battery Electric Vehicles, PHEVs can be recharged through regenerative braking technology as well as grid electricity/public charging points. Regenerative braking is a technical process which charges your PHEV’s electric battery using energy that would otherwise be lost during deceleration.
The most significant feature of a Plug-In Hybrid is that it is able to switch between petrol and electric power or alternatively use a combination of both simultaneously.
Your vehicle can switch between electric and petrol.
You can use your pure-electric miles without worrying about where the next charging point is.
Your electric battery will charge itself through regenerative braking.
You have the choice of using a plug-in charger.
A “Self-Charging” Hybrid (HEV), also known as a Mild Hybrid or simply a Hybrid, has a similar set-up to the PHEV without the option of a plug-in charger. The electric motor in a Self-Charging Hybrid recovers energy normally lost during deceleration and braking. Your vehicle will use the energy stored inside the electric motor to power the car at slow speeds for short distances.
Although the Self-Charging Hybrid classifies as an electric vehicle, its main purpose is to support the petrol engine rather than to create electric driving miles.
The most significant feature of a Self-Charging Hybrid is that it reduces the requirement of the petrol engine during acceleration and as a result reduces fuel consumption dramatically.
Your vehicle would consume less fuel during acceleration.
Your vehicle would use electric power when driving at slow speeds.
In simple terms, electric vehicles help reduce air pollution. They contribute to the reduction of harmful gasses emitted into our atmosphere such as Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) and hydrocarbons during the act of driving.
All-electric vehicles or (Battery Electric Vehicles) do not just reduce fuel emissions, they get rid of them completely, which is why some manufacturers may refer to all-electric vehicles as zero emission vehicles.
Generally, electric vehicles will save you money both at the time of purchase and during ownership.
You will be able to take advantage of government purchase incentives, such as the Plug-In Car Grant, which is usually worth an impressive value of up to £3,500 for electric cars and up to £8,000 for all-electric vans (hybrids not included).
Other ways an electric vehicle will save you money is through reduced road tax, reduced maintenance and service costs, exemptions of congestion and toll charges in low-emission zones, and the obvious fact that you will spend zero or very little money on fuel (depending on whether you drive an all-electric or hybrid vehicle).
If we’re talking numbers, a full overnight charge at a home station can cost as little as £3.00 – a fraction of the price of a full tank of fuel. Some cities also offer free or reduced parking spaces to electric vehicles.
If you opt for an all-electric company car or van, you will be able to reap the Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) taxation reduction to 0% in 2020 (previously 30% or higher for non-electric models).
The Plug-In Car Grant for Electric Vehicles is available on the Nissan e-NV200 (5 and 7-seater) and Nissan Leaf. The grant will pay for 35% of the purchase price for these vehicles up to a maximum of £3,500.
The Plug-In Car Grant for Electric Vans is available on the Nissan e-NV200. The grant will pay for 20% of the purchase price for this vehicle up to a maximum of £8,000.
Absolutely! If you’re looking to renew your Motability vehicle, why not opt for an electric car or combi van? Enquire now to discuss our fantastic range of Motability offers today.
Our selection of electric vehicles have impressive single charge driving ranges.
| Type of Electric Vehicle | Model Name | Electric Driving Range | Available Now? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Electric Vehicle | Nissan e-NV200 | 170 miles | Yes |
| Battery Electric Vehicle | Nissan Leaf | 109 miles | Yes |
| Battery Electric Vehicle | Mazda MX-30 | 130 miles | 2020 |
| Battery Electric Vehicle | Ford Electric SUV | 370 miles | 2021 |
| Plug-In Hybrid | Ford Tourneo Custom PHEV | 31 miles | Yes |
| Plug-In Hybrid | Ford Transit Custom PHEV | 31 miles | Yes |
| Plug-In Hybrid | Ford Kuga PHEV | 34 miles | 2020 |
The types of electric vehicles that are capable of charging themselves are called Self-Charging Hybrids (also referred to as Mild Hybrids) and Plug-In Hybrids. Here, the hybrid vehicle will use regenerative braking technology to charge a small electric motor that will support the petrol engine.
A Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) can also be charged using a plug-in charging point and provides a sufficient number of pure-electric miles for short trips.
Yes. Your electric vehicle can be charged using your mains electricity at home. You can also save money on the installation of an at-home charging station through the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS).
EVHS provides grant funding to domestic properties across the UK who wish to install electric vehicle charging points. The grant can cover up to 75% of installation costs.
Euro 6 emissions standards are a set of regulations which put restrictions on harmful gas and particulate matter pollution e.g. Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and hydrocarbons. The regulations vary across petrol and diesel cars, for example, a diesel car would only be Euro 6 compliant if it emitted no more than 80mg/km of NOx. A petrol car would only be Euro 6 compliant if it was to emit no more than 60mg/km.
For the simple reason that electric and hybrid cars emit less emissions, you can be sure that our full range of electric and hybrid vehicles are Euro 6 compliant.
WLTP stands for Worldwide harmonised Light vehicle Test Procedure. It is the process which replaced the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) in September 2017. WLTP trials vehicles under harder acceleration rates with longer duration at high speeds making the overall assessment of the vehicle driving cycle more realistic in comparison to previous tests.
By doing this, the industry is able to present more accurate figures of fuel economy to buyers to ensure vehicles are as clean as manufacturers promise them to be.
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