The world has become more committed to reducing its negative impact on the environment, with businesses having more accountability than ever before, which is why car manufacturers are moving towards hybrid and electric vehicles (EV). Further, local councils are driving initiatives to incentivise people to invest in EVs by offering free parking/charging bays and dedicated EV lanes. Making the switch to an EV will naturally leave any family with questions, especially when it’s so different to everything we’ve known for generations. Therefore, we’ve gathered together reasons why an EV can save your family money.
Less Fuel Expenditure
The cost of living is rising considerably right now, and it’s only going to continue getting higher. At the moment, the average family spends £100 just to fill up one car tank, which is putting extreme pressure on already struggling families. To mitigate these inconceivably high prices, an EV can reduce your fuel cost exponentially.
Instead of taking out a loan and buying an EV outright, which can be extremely costly, leasing an electric car is a great option. To find out whether an EV is the right step for you, you can take a quick test over on ElectriX, which also has plenty of resources on electric car leasing and much more.
EV Driving Lanes
Thanks to the positive impact EVs have on the environment, local councils have rewarded users by allowing them to drive in the bus lane, which cuts travelling down considerably. If speeding past all of the traffic on the way for your family days out isn’t enough incentive to go electric, we don’t know what is.
While you’re enjoying the luxury of dedicated EV driving lanes, you will need somewhere to juice up your car. Fortunately, cities including Milton Keynes, have made accommodations for more than 15,000 free parking bays for electric cars, which all come with complimentary charging.
Grants
If you get an EV, there is support from the Office for Zero-Emission Vehicles, which is responsible for all initiatives that increase the usage of EVs by businesses and families. These include:
- Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme
- Workplace Charging Scheme
- On-street Residential ChargePoint Scheme
Noise Reduction
Driving a family around can be extremely noisy, with arguing kids sitting in the back and your partner becoming a driving instructor. Thankfully, with an EV, you don’t need to throw the roaring sound of the engine into the pot because it’s practically silent, which puts you in a better position to deal with the stresses coming from your family.
Low Maintenance
Traditional cars are expensive, with extremely high fuel costs, road tax, and insurance to contend with. On top of that, there is a lot of maintenance that needs taking care of, which can end up costing more than the value of the car. Fortunately, when you pop the hood of your EV, you will find fewer moving parts, which means there’s less for you to take care of. However, the parts in the car are technically advanced and will need to be maintained by a certified engineer. That being said, the need for maintenance is extremely low; Tesla has even eliminated their mandatory maintenance schedule altogether.
Environmentally Friendly
As mentioned previously, the world is more concerned about protecting the environment, and governments and businesses are being held accountable for their actions. You can play your part as well by making the switch to the EV, which has zero direct emissions, which means that you won’t be churning out harmful gases into the atmosphere. The EV initiative brings governments closer to achieving their goal of net-zero emissions, which is currently set with a deadline of 2050.
Better Resale Value
Buying an electric car brand new is an expensive business because its availability is considerably low, which correlates with the current demand. However, there are plenty of EVs being sold second-hand, and they’re coming in at extremely reasonable rates. If you want to benefit from this, you need to be quick because the UK government has pledged to block the sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
Goodbye Congestions Charge
Some cities, including Birmingham and London, have a congestion charge for driving right in the centre. The charge is designed to put people off using their cars and decrease their carbon footprint. Alongside these congestion charge areas, there has been an increase in “Clean Air Zones”, which prevent traditional cars from passing through completely. Therefore, if you choose to get an EV for your family, you can drive wherever you like without worrying about hefty city charges, meaning you get more money to spend on your day out.
The world is pulling together to try and reach net-zero emissions. In an economic landscape of living cost increases, EVs can help to decrease bills and support the environment.
feature post