2017년 4월 차량 소비세(VED) 요율 변경에 따라 영국에서는 무공해 차량이 '도로세'에서 면제됩니다.
EV는 또한 훨씬 더 낮은 BiK(Benefit in Kind) 회사 자동차세율을 적용받으며 2021/22년 회사 자동차세의 최저 1% 대역에 속합니다.
OZEV(무공해 차량 사무소)에서 관리하는 정부 보조금으로 모든 전기 자동차에 적용됩니다.
그러나 2021년 3월부터 정가가 £35,000(옵션 제외) 미만인 EV만 £2,500 보조금을 받을 수 있습니다.
| 차량 | 최대 보조금 |
|---|
| 전기 자동차 | 2,500파운드 |
| 전기 자전거/모페드 | 1,500파운드 |
| 소형 전기 밴 | 3,000파운드 |
| 대형 전기 밴 | 6,000파운드 |
| 택시 | 7,500파운드 |
| 트럭 | 16,000파운드 |
| 플러그인 하이브리드 | 적격하지 않음 |
EV 딜러가 보조금을 신청하고 받기 때문에 자동차를 구입하는 경우 아무 것도 할 필요가 없습니다.
하지만 EV 구매의 경제성을 고려하고 있다면 딜러가 제시한 가격에는 거의 항상 이미 공제된 보조금 가치가 있다는 점을 기억하세요.
가정에 전기 자동차 충전기를 설치하는 데 비용이 얼마나 드나요?
가정용 충전 포인트의 일반적인 비용은 약 £800입니다. 집에서 충전하는 전기 자동차 가이드에 대한 전체 설명입니다.
전기 자동차 홈차지 계획에 따라 OZEV는 현재 이 비용의 최대 75%를 보조금으로 제공하며 최대 보조금은 £350로 제한됩니다.
EV 충전
전기차 충전은 집, 직장 또는 공공 충전소에서 할 수 있습니다.
그러나 EV 충전의 세계는 복잡할 수 있습니다. 속도, 충전 속도, 전압, 배터리 크기, 범위 및 커넥터가 다릅니다.
Check out our in-depth guide to how electric car charging works, how much it costs, and how long it takes.
Electric car range
New EVs typically have ranges of 150 to 300 miles, whereas older EVs are more likely to have ranges of around 100 miles.
Read our full guide on electric car range here.
Electric car battery life
Electric car batteries should last for around 10 years, but battery capacity will decline with age and use.
However, battery life improves in-line with technology. As the industry evolves, the lifespan of a battery will continue to improve. This guide on EV battery life, breaks down all you need to know about looking after your electric car.
The cost of replacing batteries probably won’t prove economical as the car gets older. This may mean that an EV’s life-span is shorter than that of a combustion-engined vehicle.
Read more in our full guide on how long EV batteries last.
EV environmental impact
With no tailpipe emissions, electric cars contribute to reducing pollution in cities.
Non-tailpipe emissions such as brake dust and tyre particles will still be a factor, although the scale of their impact is still under investigation.
For more, read our full guide to the environmental impact of electric vehicles.
Driving an EV
The first thing you’ll notice when driving an electric car is the silence.
The lack of a gearbox means acceleration is smooth and seamless. And because they produce maximum torque from a standstill, even basic models are quick off the mark.
Apart from a faint hum when accelerating, the only noises come from the wind and tyres.
Gears in all EVs are automatic, while regenerative brakes slow the car when you lift off the accelerator to top up the batteries. Some cars even have ‘one-pedal’ settings or technology. This means that when you lift off the accelerator, the regenerative braking is much more severe – so you can roll to a stop at a junction and rarely need the brakes at all.
EV performance
Electric motors produce their peak pulling power straight away, so there’s no need to rev the motor for swift acceleration, unlike in a conventional car.
Car manufacturers have more flexibility when it comes to packaging electric drivetrains. Mounting battery-packs close to the floor to lower the centre of gravity means EVs often handle well, too.
Electric car safety
Many electric cars are based on conventional petrol/diesel models, so there is no big difference in EV safety compared to internal combustion engine-powered cars.
The number of purpose-built EVs is growing, and the ability to package components more creatively (such as fitting batteries beneath the floor) allows for more effective crash structures.
Euro NCAP conducted its first crash test of a pure electric vehicle in 2011, when the Mitsubishi i-MiEV was awarded a four-star rating.
Since then, several other popular EVs have been awarded five-star safety ratings from Euro NCAP.
Does an electric car suit you?
Right now, EVs are best suited to city-dwellers or suburbanites who commute less than 100 miles a day. That’s because the existing charging infrastructure is far more developed in cities than in rural areas.
However, this is changing - and with the government announcing new funding to expand its charging network - it is becoming a lot more convenient to drive an EV.
EVs are slightly more expensive to buy - both new and used - however, with 2030 fast approaching and the cost of fuel rising, there are many other advantages of owning an EV.
With the benefits of owning an EV increasing, now is the time to think about making the switch.
Are you sold on EVs? Perhaps you're already the proud owner of an electric car? Let us know in the comments below.
People also ask:
- What are the Government’s targets for EVs?
The UK Government’s targets (clarified in a 2018 Government publication called Road to Zero) are to end the sales of conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2035, by which time all cars and vans sold will have “significant zero emission capability”. This terminology would allow the sale of plug-in hybrids with a significant electric-only range. However the targets also state that by this year “most” cars and vans sold will be zero emission e.g. pure electric or perhaps hydrogen fuel cell rather than hybrid or plug-in hybrid. By 2050 the target is for “almost every car sold” to be zero emission.
- Are EVs only suitable as second cars?
A few years ago this may have been the case but today many new EVs –even the more affordable models - have ranges in excess of 250 miles per charge so for many people EVs are become a practical option for a first or only car. Most EV owners do also own a petrol or diesel car but in many cases the thinking has been reversed so that the EV is considered to be the first car with a petrol or diesel, often an older vehicle, as a backup for the occasional long journey.
- Do you need a special driving licence for an EV?
No, you can drive an EV on a normal driving licence for that category of vehicle.
- If you pass your driving test in an EV, can you drive a petrol or diesel vehicle?
Since EVs don’t have gears, if you pass your driving test in an EV you can drive a petrol or diesel but only an automatic.
- Are EVs only suitable for urban driving?
No, EVs will cruise effortlessly at motorway speed and many, especially newer models, have ranges of 200 to 300 miles.
What are the Government’s targets for EVs?
The UK Government’s targets (clarified in a 2018 Government publication called Road to Zero) are to end the sales of conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, by which time all cars and vans sold will have ‘significant zero emission capability’.
This terminology would allow the sale of plug-in hybrids with a significant electric-only range, although these will also be banned from 2035.
By 2050, the target is for ‘almost every car sold’ to be zero emission.
Are EVs only suitable as second cars?
A few years ago maybe, but today many new EVs have ranges in excess of 250 miles per charge and are a practical option for a first or only car. Most EV owners also own a petrol or diesel car, but many consider the EV to be the first car, with the combustion-engined car as a back-up for occasional long journeys.
Do you need a special driving licence for an EV?
No, you can drive an EV on a normal driving licence for that category of vehicle.
If you pass your driving test in an EV, can you drive a petrol or diesel vehicle?
Since EVs don’t have gears, if you pass your driving test in an EV you can drive a petrol or diesel car, but only an automatic.
Are EVs only suitable for urban driving?
No, EVs will cruise effortlessly at motorway speeds and many, especially newer models, have ranges of 200 to 300 miles.
The RAC is leading the way when it comes to supporting drivers in the switch to electric vehicles.
An ever-increasing number of our patrol vans have built-in emergency mobile charging systems capable of giving an out-of-charge electric car enough power to be driven a short distance home or to a working chargepoint, while our All-Wheels-Up recovery system allows our patrols to safely rescue electric cars with no need for a flatbed.
Find out more about the RAC’s electric car breakdown cover.
