Is an Electric Vehicle right for me?

Do you have off-street parking?

If you have off-street parking, your best option is to install a home charge point. This is a wall-mounted, weatherproof unit attached to the outside of your home, or inside a garage. It provides a plug-in point for your car’s supplied charger.

Charging at home is another great way to save as you can configure your EV to take advantage of cheaper overnight electricity tariffs, significantly undercutting the cost of petrol. It makes sense for users to sweep the market for the best deals, as some tariffs have cost-efficient off-peak rates. Find out more about the cost of charging an electric vehicle.

Charge points are usually relatively easy to have installed and run from your home’s power supply. Modern or refurbished apartment units that include parking may also provide charging points.

Home chargers typically operate at 7KW, which can charge a typical 60KWh car battery fully in under eight hours.

Check out our EV hub for more information on getting started with home charging.

Do you have access to a local charge point for regular use and charging?

If you don’t have off-street parking, you may have access to charging points installed within lampposts or other roadside units. But there are lots of other options available too - chargers can often be found at supermarkets, retail parks and most service stations.

Use our EV hub to find out more about where to charge your EV.

You can also see your nearest charge point with ZapMap.

Could you get a charge point installed at your home?

If your property has its own driveway, installing an electric charge point is usually quite straightforward.

If your property doesn’t have a driveway but still has off-street parking, you could have options to install a charge point, but may need to do more research.

If you own or rent a flat and have a dedicated parking space, you’ll need permission from the freeholder or landlord in advance.

The average cost of a home EV charger, including installation, is between £800 and £1,000.

Do you have access to a second car that uses petrol or diesel?

If there’s a second petrol or diesel car in your household, then you could use that for your longer journeys, while still making the most out of an EV for most of your trips.

In an average week, how many miles do you travel?

It’s worth measuring a typical weeks driving, to make sure you select a vehicle with sufficient range.

The average official range on electric cars at the moment is approximately 250 miles. As new cars are being released, the average range is increasing.

There are also many cars with a lower range that are more suited to drivers who do more local commutes. High-mileage drivers will need to plan their journey in advance and should also consider EVs with a larger than average range.

Want to know more about EV mileage? Check out our EV hub.