The Influence of Environmental Conditions in Arctic Regions.

Why are electric cars cheaper to maintain?

Electric cars are cheaper to maintain, no oil to change, no gaskets to replace, etc. Electric vehicles are generally more reliable if only because of the fewer moving parts. It means much lower maintenance costs.

Can you over charge your electric vehicle?

Manufacturers have already built in precautions so you cannot overcharge, over-discharge, or over heat your electric vehicle.

How much will it cost to charge my EV at home?

The average cost of charging an electric car at home is just £4 for 100 miles of charge – and you can use the Electric Highway charging points for 30p per kWh

Do electric vehicles break down less?

Since an electric motor is able to slow itself down, the use of brake pedals is reduced and brake pads and rotors last longer.

Are EVs better for the environment?

EVs have far lower carbon emissions than traditional petrol and diesel engines, which means they’re better for the environment. But they can even be zero emission if they’re powered by 100% green electricity. Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEVs) have lower carbon emissions than traditional combustion engines, but they’re not as green as EVs.

How much does an installation cost?

A fully installed EV Charge pod costs from £549 with the government OZEV grant.

Some electric car owners benefit from a £350 OZEV grant for purchasing and installing a home charger (dependant on meeting the criteria set out by OZEV)

Once installed, you only pay for the electricity you use to charge. The typical electricity rate in the UK is just over 14p per kWh, while on Economy 7 tariffs the typical overnight electricity rate in the UK is 8p per kWh.

What is included in a standard installation?

Fitting of the ev charge point on a brick or plaster wall, or to another suitable permanent structure.

The ev charge point must be fixed to the main property and able to utilise the property’s earthing arrangement, (property's earthing arrangement must meet current regulations – we are required to check this by law)

Up to 10 metres of cable, run and neatly clipped to the wall between the electricity distribution board / consumer unit and the ev charge point.

Surface mounting of cable – i.e. no conduit or chasing Up to 3 Hours fitting time.

Routing of the cable through a drilled hole in a wall up to 500mm (20 inches) thick, if this is needed. The ev charge point must be located in your designated off-street parking area and be fixed at a height where it can’t be hit by a Vehicle. No higher than 1.8 metres (6 feet) above the ground.

The fitting and testing of electrical connections and protections required for the ev charge point. Installation of a 40A MCB Type B (space in existing consumer unit required).

How long will it take to charge?

The time it takes to charge an electric car can be as quick as 30 minutes or more than 12 hours. This depends on the size of the battery and the speed of the charging point.

A typical electric car (60kWh battery) takes just under 8 hours to charge from empty-to-full with a 7kW charging point. Most drivers top up charge rather than waiting for their battery to recharge from empty-to-full.

The bigger your car’s battery and the slower the charging point, the longer it takes to charge from empty to full. There are 5 main factors that affect the time it takes to charge an electric vehicle.

Max charging rate of chargepoint: The time it takes to charge will also be limited by the max charging rate of the chargepoint you are using. For example; even if your vehicle can charge at 11kW, it will only charge at 7kW on a 7kW chargepoint.

Max charging rate of vehicle: You can only charge a vehicle’s battery at the maximum charge rate the vehicle can accept. For example; if your vehicle’s max charge rate is 7kW, you won’t charge any faster by using a 22kW chargepoint.

Size of battery: The bigger your vehicle’s battery capacity (measured in kWh), the longer it will take to charge.

State of battery (empty vs. full): If you are charging from empty, it will take longer to charge than if you are topping up from 50%.

Environmental factors: A colder ambient temperature can make it take slightly longer to charge, particularly when using a rapid charger. Colder temperatures also mean vehicles are less efficient, so less miles are added per time charging.

How do I qualify?

You must have off-street parking. You must install an OZEV-approved chargepoint, such as EV Charge pod. You must use an OZEV-approved chargepoint installer. You need to own, have ordered, or leased an eligible vehicle (min 6 months).

Which vehicles are eligible for the OZEV Grant? Not all plug-in vehicles are eligible for the OZEV EVHS grant. Fully electric vehicles are eligible however, must be on the OZEV list, but plug-in hybrid vehicle CO2 emissions must be calculated below 50g/km. OZEV maintains a list of those vehicles which are eligible here.

How do I claim the OZEV Grant? To claim up to £350 off the cost of your new home charging point, all you have to do is answer a few simple questions, meet the criteria set by OZEV and share some documents with us. Once you have placed your order we will send you a link to a step by step survey...and we'll take care of the rest.

We will complete all your paperwork (16 pages) to enable you to benefit from the government’s / OZEV’s EV charger grant subsidy of £350.00. We will guarantee your charger for 2 years and installation for 12 months. All our chargers meet strict government regulations and safety standards. You’ll receive an electrical certificate for your EV charger installation.

Government funded grants can provide 75% towards the cost of your electric vehicle home charging point up to a maximum of £350 – leaving just a small contribution from you. But because we do all of this for you, you don't even have to wait for the grant to be paid...you pay the price with the grant already calculated.

What about ‘Rapid Charge’ points?

A rapid charge point is very useful to give your battery a quick boost if you are out on the road and running low. A rapid chargepoint would not usually be used to charge your battery to full and not installed at a home. Rapid charge points are often found at motorway service stations and other commercial places as they require a larger supply (3 phase) and installation that what could be feasible at home.

Why Do Costs Vary?

Recharging costs in private properties such as homes and workplaces will vary depending on the supplier, tariff, vehicle model and how much charge is required.

Based on a domestic electricity price of 14p per unit (i.e. KW/h, summer 2018 costs), and using a home charging point with a good power capacity, costs approximately £7.80 to fully charge an electric car with a 60 Kilowatt/hour battery and a range of 200 miles.

Most electric cars seldom reach total battery discharge meaning top-up charges are the norm. i.e.Using a public 7 KW/h fast charger for thirty minutes could cost as little as £2.00 to deliver a 10% top-up. On motorways, EV charging points usually cost around £6.50 for speedy top-ups that take around thirty minutes and are sufficient to continue for a further 100 miles or so.

How Do Electric Car Models Compare?

Electric car model and battery size directly influence the total ev charging cost, therefore the equivalent cost per mile when divided by the typical range.

Car Magazine and Parkers Guide have combined forces to check the operating costs of popular EVs in a realistic 66-mile commute, comprising two thirty-three mile journeys.

The results were:
Nissan Leaf: 4.0p per mile, £2.64 total.
Renault Zoe: 6.1p per mile, £4.03 total.
VW Golf GT: 11.5p per mile, £7.66 total.
Toyota CHR Hybrid: 13.4p per mile, £8.84 total.
Notably, cold weather and individual driving styles also influence electric car operating costs.