Top Tips for First Time EV Owners in the UK

If you are a car buyer and you are looking for information on ownership of an Electric Vehicle. Look no further as in this article we have created a list of everything you need to know and should expect from owning an EV. Keep reading to find out more about our top tips for first time EV owners in the UK.

 

It is Best to Have a EV Charging Point at Home

 

If you are considering becoming an EV owner, it is best to have an EV charging point at home. So you can conveniently charge your car whenever it is required. Whilst there are lots of charging points near motorways and public highways in the UK. It is not always convenient to sit and wait for your car to be charged whilst you are in a public setting. So, if you are looking to own an electric vehicle for a long time, it is definitely worth investing in a charging point at home.

For further information on the best EV charging points for your home, please check out our blog.

 

 

Apps to Consider Downloading for EV Users

 

However, sometimes you may need to charge your EV by using a fast charger in a public place, especially if you are on a long journey and you see you do not have much range left on your car. Here are some good car apps to have on your smartphone for finding EV charging points in the UK.

 

• BP Pulse : The BP Pulse app is the UK’s most used EV public charging network and it is available on both iOS and Android operating systems. You can easily use the app to locate nearby charging stations and you can earn points and rewards from using the app. The app also tells you how much credit you have and you can use the credit towards the payment of charging your car. You can also choose from using a pay as you go option on the app or paying a monthly subscription, to get discounted charging rates.

 

• Zap Map : Zap-Map is a UK and Ireland EV charging point finder. This is a very handy app for those who are looking for EV charging points whilst they travel around the country. The app claims to be the best EV mapping service, so we are sure lots of their users agree that this map really does help with finding reliable and close-by EV charging stations.

 

• Pod Point : Pod Point is a great app to have if you are the owner of a pod point charging point at home. The app can also show you where public Pod Point chargers are located, so if you are already a customer with Pod Point, this app is great for finding chargers you are familiar with using whilst you are out and about.

 

Look at the Ranges of Electric Cars and See which Suits you Best

 

Whilst there has been some criticism about the relatively short charging ranges of electric cars. There are actually a variety of ranges on electric vehicles, as battery sizes in EVs can vary from car to car.

If you are planning on using your EV solely for short distances, then a small range will not bother you too much. For instance, the Vauxhall Corsa-e is a good example of a small sized electric car that is of a very high quality with a smaller sized charging range.

An EV with a longer charging range is for example the Audi e-tron that happens to be one of the larger ranges in the latest adaptations of the electric car.

It is fair to say that most people will have a differing preference for the range of electric car they expect to be satisfied with. Our best advice is to look at a range of different electric cars and weigh up the pros and cons of each car to decide which car will be best for you and your driving needs.

 

 

You Don’t Have to Purchase a Brand new EV

 

Even though electric cars are a relatively new concept, it doesn’t mean the electric vehicle you will purchase has to be brand new. You can purchase for instance an electric vehicle which is a couple of years old and you may find you get a better deal or even a discounted price for the car, opposed to buying a brand new one.

 

The Benefits of Owning an EV

 

There are many benefits of owning an EV, here are some benefits we have discovered:

• Owning an EV will help to reduce the amount of carbon emissions that you emit from driving, as EVs emit none. However, you do not need to own an EV only for the reason of reducing your carbon footprint, new technologies such as Roadvent by Pollution Solution has been launched to reduce the amount of CO2 humans are exposed to by petrol and diesel vehicles without reducing the use of them.
• Owning an EV means you will no longer have to spend money on fuel and this is particularly good at the moment as we have seen a sharp increase in fuel prices here in the UK and in the rest of the world.
• Here in the UK, there are many incentives the government can offer you from owning an EV, you may receive discounts on your home charging installation or even a discount to be used towards your electricity bill.

 

Final Thoughts

We hope you have enjoyed our article on our top tips for first time electric vehicle owners. It is important to do some research into the type of EV which is best for you and you may even want to consider purchasing a second hand EV, as there are many high quality nearly new EVs on the market to choose from.