FAQS - Electric Vehicles

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Below we'll answer a number of the most frequently asked questions about the electric vehicles that people may have. 

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Q - Is it true that you can’t charge or drive an electric vehicle when it’s raining?

No – a complete fallacy! Charge sockets and charge leads are completely waterproof. The charge lead is locked in to the chargepoint and the vehicle whilst it is charging and sockets and leads are made to the relevant standards which will withstand any downpours, however severe. There is also no way water can reach the electrics on an EV whilst it is being driven in the rain.

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Q - As more and more people drive EVs will the National Grid be able to cope with them charging their cars up at the same time?

In short, yes. According to National Grid’s project director, it is expected that electricity demand would increase by 10% if the entire country switched to EVs overnight and started charging. Some might argue that 10% is a huge increase. However, increased reliance on off-grid energy sources such as solar panels has helped the country to rely less on the energy grid. In fact, the UK’s peak demand has fallen by 16% since 2002.

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If we all started charging our cars today, we’d still be putting less strain on the energy grid than we were 19 years ago!

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Q - What happens when my EV battery loses some of its capacity after a few years?

Studies for older electric vehicles, such as the Nissan Leaf, which has been around for twelve years has shown that battery degradation is minimal.
First and foremost, based on data from over 6,000 electric vehicles, spanning
all the major makes and models, batteries are exhibiting high levels of sustained health. If the observed degradation rates are maintained, the vast majority of batteries will outlast the usable life of the vehicle. Like us, health declines with age.

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Q - Are the quoted battery ranges by the manufacturers exaggerated in comparison to real time achieved ranges? If so, by how much?

It has been reported by various studies that some vehicle manufacturers have increased the range figures advertised compared to the results from real life tests. This is due to several factors that can cause the battery to decrease on a journey, such as hills and temperature that may not have been considered in the EV manufacturers original tests.

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Q - How much will it approximately cost me to fully charge my electric car from home e.g. A Tesla Model 3 with a range 320 miles based on a standard variable energy tariff from the 1st of October, based on the recently announced £2500 average energy price cap

It will cost approximately £20 to charge a 60kWh electric car based on an average domestic electricity rate in the UK of roughly 34p per kWh. However, it is important to note that these figures are only an estimation based on averages, and energy prices vary and can go both up and down. If you wish to find your cost per kWh, please speak to your electricity provider.

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Q - What impact will the continual rises with energy prices have on the cost of using external chargers such as BP Pulse, i.e. 60-70p plus per kilowatt hour? (This could potentially cost more than purchasing a tank of fuel?)

The rise of energy prices will mean that is more expensive to charge your electric vehicle, especially at an external charger which tend to have an increased rate compared to a home charging point. With the recent increase in the prices of both petrol and diesel, it is still considered more money efficient to power an electric vehicle than its fuel counterpart.

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Q - What do I need to consider if my EV is left stationary for long periods of time

Electric cars can handle extended periods of inactivity very well, even better than combustion-powered engines whose 12V batteries can lose charge, and whose fluids and radiator hoses can become damaged. But if you really want to pamper your electric car, simply charge your battery to between 20 and 50%, don’t leave it exposed to high temperatures for months and... that’s it! It’ll be ready to go in a flash when the time comes to drive it again.

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Q - What happens if I run out of charge on my journey

If your electric car does run out of charge, it will switch into failsafe mode, giving you enough time to pull over. Unlike fuel-run cars, you cannot head to the nearest petrol station on foot and buy fuel to take away, meaning you will need to call for roadside assistance. 

Most well-known recovery services will be able to provide you with a small amount of charge at the roadside to enable you to reach the nearest chargepoint.

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Q - Would my EV run out of electric if I was stuck in stationary traffic for a long period, especially in the height of summer or winter.

One example showed that in just over an hour, a vehicle had lost just 2% of the charge from its 77kWh battery; the equivalent of 8 miles’ range.

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