EVs, meaning electric and hybrid vehicles, are becoming increasingly popular in the UK. Not only are they more affordable nowadays, but every major manufacturer is providing them and driving innovation forward.
The EU is pushing for all car manufacturers to only produce 0-emission vehicles by 2035, and it looks like many of the biggest names will have full EV ranges much sooner. It’s safe to say that EVs are the future but charging them up can still be a challenge.
Why buy an Electric Vehicle?
Manufacturers are pushing their EVs more than ever before, but are they better than a petrol or diesel alternative? Well, there are a number of reasons to buy an electric or hybrid car:
Lower running costs
Tax incentives
Choice of manufacturers
High resale value
More modern designs
Let’s break these down into more detail.
The Price of EVs
First, the cost. Many people are put off by the initial price of a new EV. Unfortunately because of the batteries and production costs, there aren’t many ‘cheap’ EVs available from showrooms. The average cost is going down, but there are still many petrol cars that have a lower asking price.
However, the initial price may be higher, but they are cheaper in the long run. Charging an electric car is much cheaper than fuelling one with petrol or diesel. You can charge them from a mains plug installed at your home or workplace or use one of the fast-charging stations that are now common at fuel and service stations.
When you add in tax incentives that the UK government is offering at the moment, suddenly the cost difference between an EV and an equivalent petrol car is negligible.
As EVs have been around for a while now, there are a lot of second-hand options available. If you don’t have the budget for a new EV, there will be plenty that are a few years old but offer all the benefits.
EVs are in high demand at the moment, so if you already have one and are looking to sale or trade, you should expect a solid price. If you’ve looked after your car, many dealers will be keen to add it to their second-hand fleets.
The Design of EVs
Of course, cost isn’t the only reason to buy a car. Their practicality and design are also major factors to keep in mind. Thankfully most EVs have space and style in spades.
Since electric motors are much smaller than a regular engine (even a 1-litre) EVs have much more room inside. Some people dislike ‘boxier’ EVs, but if you have a family and are keen to travel, they give you more space on average.
As EVs are being built from the ground up by manufacturers, they’re much more modern too. They offer all the latest tech, even on basic models, making a driver or passenger feel like they’re part of the future of motoring.
Hybrid cars are still popular, but fully electric cars are steadily taking over the market. This is mostly because it’s easier than ever to run an electric car, thanks to how common charging points have become, but there are a few other reasons too.
Since they have two engines, one petrol and one electric, hybrid vehicles have less space inside and are much heavier. They still have similar get-up-and-go thanks to their electric motors but can feel sluggish under petrol power. They’re still great but have clearer downsides than pure electric equivalents.
Charging Electric Vehicles
Thankfully, almost all electric vehicles can be charged in the same way. Most even use the same cables, making public charging stations universal for the majority of drivers.
As we mentioned, fast charging points are available in most major towns and cities, meaning lack of ways to charge is no longer an issue for a potential buyer. Even some companies encourage their staff to buy EVs by providing on-premises charging points. Offering them as company cars is a great way for a business to reduce its carbon footprint, and of course the cars available are all high-quality.
We provide a range of EV charging points for businesses. They’re universal, easy to install, and need minimal maintenance once they’re up and running.
As the world of EVs is evolving so quickly, we’re working to make sure all of our stations are future proof. They have bright LED screens with clear text and images, as well as fully contactless payment – no accounts or apps required! This makes them simple but user-friendly and will work well for a long time.
Where can EV Charging Stations be Installed?
Unlike fuel pumps, EV charging points just need to be connected to a power supply and they’re good to go. You don’t need to build complicated infrastructure or battle with legislation to get them set up, making them a great investment for a range of businesses.
If your place of work has its own parking area, this is the perfect place to install charging stations. Depending on the size of your team and whether you’re offering EV incentives will affect how many you use, but their low individual price means you can set up a lot without breaking the bank.
Fuel station owners are already investing in EV charging points (it’s just a new form of fuel after all!) but might be using dated machines that are frustrating to use. By updating them to more modern equipment, you’ll keep drivers happy and save your team plenty of hassle too.
As well as fuel stations, any public car park owners can make use of EV charging stations. These days parking is a competitive world, especially in cities, so having the added bonus of EV charging not only brings in more profit but will also bring in more drivers.
Finally, if you run a hotel, why not also offer EV charging for your guests? If they’ve travelled a long way, their batteries will be running low. Giving them a place to charge up during their stay is more convenient for them and a selling point for you, ensuring guests will come back again in the future.
The Best EV Charging Stations
EVs are here to stay and will steadily take over the motoring world in the next few decades. To make the most of this change, it’s time to invest in EV charging stations.
We don’t provide off-the-shelf solutions. Everything we produce is bespoke to the customer, using the latest tech to boost your business. We meet with you to establish your exact requirements and assess the space you have to work with. All of our charging machines have a small footprint, but their placement is still vital for user convenience.
We’ve been producing EV charging stations for a long time now and have seen how they’ve changed. This experience means we can look to the future and imagine what these stations should look like. For the best EV charging points, look no further than 10Squared.
