Having driven an EV for over a year now, as a young driver, I’m here to share my experience of the pros and cons of owning and driving an EV.
Switching from a relatively cheap, small 1.0L combustion engine, which was fairly cost-effective, to an electric vehicle made a noticeable difference on the amount of money I saved not needing to fuel my car anymore. I began my EV journey during the fuel crisis, where fuel prices skyrocketed, which meant I was saving even more money switching to electric, especially as the cost of charging was still considerably cheaper at this point. On average, using my 1.0L combustion engine, I was spending roughly £50 to fill it up from empty, and I would do this once a week. Once I switched to EV, in the beginning, I was spending roughly £50 a month to charge the car, and 1 charge only really cost me anywhere from £8 – £15 depending on the type of charger.
It goes without saying driving the latest car with all the latest technology and gadgets definitely did turn some eyes! The new EV car was a hit with friends. It was their first experience being in an EV, and it’s fair to say they were pleasantly surprised by it too. Knowing you’re doing your bit to save the planet is also a major feel-good factor, particularly not having to worry about contributing to emissions.
As a self-confessed petrolhead before owning an EV, I was also intrigued by the performance side of it, as were my friends when they first experienced it. Getting used to the very serene driving experience with little to no cabin noise whilst you’re cruising along but still having that element of instant power when you needed it was both pleasant and a bit of a party trick. My passengers wouldn’t realise what the car was capable of as it was so quiet.
Pro’s
- Cost of Insurance
- Charging Costs
- Feel Good factor of Being Sustainable
- Performance Over a Combustion Engine
- Latest Technology
There are a number of negative factors I experienced as an EV driver. One of the downsides is range anxiety which comes with an EV. This is when you are worried you will not make it to the next charger. I do anticipate this concern will be overcome as the public charging network improves, but until then, planning your journey is more of a requirement over petrol cars. With a petrol car, you have that confidence that if you travel long enough, you will find a fuel station on the side of the road.
Another downside of owning an EV is the increasing cost of charging. Although it’s still not as expensive as fuel, it has nearly tripled over my time owning an EV. I’m worried that eventually, the price of electric may exceed that of petrol cars, which is one of the biggest advantages of owning an EV. If this were the case, I feel it may deter people from transitioning to EV.
If you are fortunate to have a charger at home, then this can avoid many issues, but if you are in a position like me where you have to rely solely on public charging, this can sometimes be a huge inconvenience. The biggest issue I’ve had over the past year is chargers not working and/or being used, and this only increases the range anxiety. Again, as the charging network improves, I don’t anticipate this being too much of a problem in future.
Long journeys are not quite as straightforward in an EV compared to combustion engines. This is because the range of an EV is considerably less than a combustion engine. This means a long journey requires a lot more planning and deciding the best routes to take so you can stop by the appropriate chargers. If you are on a time limit to get to your destination, you also need to leave earlier to account for the need to stop and charge every so often, depending on how far you are travelling.
Con’s
- Range Anxiety
- Increasing Cost of Charging
- Relying on Public Charging
- Long Journeys
Capsule Marketing have been driving EVs for a number of years and have experience supporting clients within the EV sector. If you’re looking to bring a whole new level to your marketing, we’d love to chat with you about our knowledge and experience.
