What are the benefits of an electric car?

Electric cars generally have lower running costs than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Savings can include:

• Fuel costs: If you can charge your electric car at home rather than using public charging you can benefit from cheap overnight electric vehicle energy tariffs, (currently as low as 6.99p/kWh), which can make EV charging much cheaper than refuelling a petrol or diesel car.

• Maintenance costs: Electric cars require less servicing and maintenance as they have fewer moving parts, which can lead to significant savings over time.

• Company car tax: If you’re a company car driver, you’ll pay the lowest benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax rate of 4%.

• London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and Clean Air Zone (CAZ) exempt: Fully electric cars meet the London ULEZ standard, as well as Clean Air Zones in the UK so you don’t need to pay to enter the zones or face any penalty charge notices (PCNs).

There are two main electric vehicle grants:

• The Electric Car Grant: More than 50 new electric vehicles are eligible for a discount of either £3,750 or £1,500, which is applied to the purchase price by the car dealer. Find out which zero emission vehicles are eligible for a grant.

• Chargepoint Grant for Renters and Flat Owners: If you own and live in a flat, or rent and live in any residential property, you can get 75% off the cost of installing an electric vehicle chargepoint socket at your property, up to a maximum of £500. You’ll need to have an eligible electric vehicle and a private off-street parking space to qualify for the grant.

Here are some of the environmental perks of driving an EV:

• Reducing your carbon footprint: With no tailpipe emissions, you're contributing to a significant reduction in greenhouse gases.

• Improved air quality: The absence of CO2 emissions means that electric cars help combat air pollution, leading to healthier communities.

• Less noise pollution: The near silence of an electric motor is a stark contrast to the roar of a combustion engine.

Electric car drivers often appreciate the difference between driving an EV and ICE vehicle, such as:

• Instant acceleration: Electric cars deliver maximum torque as soon as you press the accelerator.

• Near-silence: The lack of traditional engine noise makes the cabin on an EV quiet and potentially more relaxing.

• No gear changes: All electric cars are automatic.

• Regenerative braking: Although regenerative braking can feel strange at first, EV drivers often appreciate the energy-recovery benefit.

Electric cars, depending on the model you choose, can be a little pricier to buy compared to their petrol or diesel counterparts, even after factoring in Government Grants.

The UK’s EV charging infrastructure is growing rapidly, with 120,388 public EV chargers at the end of April 2026, according to ZapMap, but there are still significant regional differences as Greater London and the South East have far more public chargers than the North and Midlands.

Rural areas also still lag behind, particularly in terms of ultra-rapid chargers which charge EVs in the shortest time.

The cost of charging an EV at public chargers vary significantly, depending on the network provider, location of the charger and speed of the charger. For example, it could cost 89p/kWh to charge at a BP Pulse ultrafast charger (DC 150kW+​) compared to 65p/kWh for fast (AC 7kW) chargers.

While modern electric cars do have an improved range, with many new battery electric vehicles capable of more than 300 miles on a single charge, older EV models which have a shorter range, might not suit you if you’re a high-mileage driver.