What are the Benefits of Driving an Electric Car in London?

In the past few years, there have been more and more purchases and leases of electric cars as drivers look for an option that is more sustainable and cheaper to run over time. With more car manufacturers now catering to this by bringing out more electric car models, EVs have become widely available and the technology behind them is only getting better, with longer ranges and stronger batteries available. If you live, work, or study in London and are thinking about getting a car, then there are many reasons why an electric car is a choice that makes much more financial sense compared to a traditional car with an internal combustion engine. If you want to drive in London, there are many advantages of switching to an electric car.

Congestion Charge Exemption

Getting around London can be stressful no matter how you choose to do it. Whether it’s expensive taxi prices, busy public transport or paying the congestion charges when you are driving, it’s often difficult to figure out the easiest way to get around. Having an electric car if you live, work or study in London can be much easier, as congestion charges do not apply to you, which will help you save a significant amount of money especially if you are driving into the city on a daily basis. Along with this, electric cars are also exempt from any charges to be paid when entering the ULEZ or ultra-low emissions zone in London, which can help you save even more money.

Cheaper to Run

Living in London can often be expensive enough without the need to factor in the cost of running a car. But if you need to get a vehicle, then an electric car can be an ideal choice for Londoners as they are much cheaper to run. While you can usually expect to pay more upfront when you are buying an EV compared to a conventional car, over time you can make some huge savings on fuel costs, particularly with the price of fuel rising to what it is at the moment. If you are interested in learning more about the ongoing cost of running an electric car, then check out LV Electrix where you’ll find plenty of guides and helpful articles to explore.

Better for the Environment

As the busiest city in the UK, it’s no surprise that London is always looking for new ways to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly. There are several ways that Transport for London is doing this with the public transport system in the capital, including the largest fleet of electric buses in Europe. If you live, work or study in London and don’t want to add to the pollution in the city, then an electric car can be a great way to get around. With no emissions, you won’t be contributing to harmful fumes and will be actively helping to make the capital a greener and cleaner place to be.

Less Noise

Electric cars are nowhere near as loud as conventional cars, which helps to reduce noise pollution in the city and reduces the human impact on other species. While electric cars need to be fitted with an artificial noise for safety reasons so that pedestrians can hear them coming, this low hum is much quieter and more pleasant than the sounds coming from a diesel or petrol engine.

Less Maintenance

Along with the reduced ongoing cost of running your electric car when you don’t need to fill up the tank with petrol, you can also enjoy lower maintenance costs for your EV. Electric cars have fewer moving parts to maintain compared to a traditional internal combustion engine car, ultimately meaning that there’s a lower cost involved with keeping your car in good condition. You don’t need to worry about things like oil changes, spark plugs, or filters.

And with lots of incentives that make it a sensible idea to get a new rather than used electric car to buy or lease, you probably won’t need to worry about getting a MOT for your first three years, either. Electric car leasing deals also often include maintenance, so that’s one less expense to worry about as it will be rolled into your monthly leasing fee.

Safer Drive

The streets of London can be extremely busy, so there is no surprise that there is often a higher risk of accidents when driving in the capital compared to pretty much anywhere else in the country. While there is always an accident risk every time you get behind the wheel of your car, driving somewhere like London only compounds this as there is a significant amount of traffic on the road almost all the time. While driving an electric car won’t completely eliminate your chance of being in an accident, it can seriously reduce your chance of being injured, or being involved in a major collision. This is due to the lower centre of gravity of the electric car due to the battery placement. EVs are less likely to roll or flip over in a crash. Front-on collisions are also less likely to lead to serious injury or death as the front of the car is designed to crumple on impact, with no engine under the hood.

Lots of Chargers

With much of London’s accommodation these days comprising of flats or shared houses, it might be tricky to figure out how you are going to charge your EV. While it is possible for EV chargers to be installed in London accommodation and many do offer it, you might find that there is no need to go through all the trouble of having an electric car charger installed at your home as finding a charging station is easy.

Electric car charging stations are now becoming increasingly available across the capital, and you can find them in public car parks, on road parking spaces, in supermarket car parks, at petrol stations, and in many other locations. You can download apps that you can use to easily figure out where the closest charging station to you is.

Cheaper Parking

If you live in London and want to park your electric car outside your home, then you might be able to save money on parking. There is no one rule in London when it comes to electric car parking, so you will need to find out what the rules are for the borough in which you live. Most London boroughs do not offer free parking for EVs, but you can get a parking permit at a heavily discounted rate. This varies between boroughs, so the best thing to do is find out more from your local council. In some boroughs, you’ll only pay £15 per year to park your EV at your home, while in other areas the fee is higher at £60. However, it’s still a huge saving when you consider how much you’d normally pay for a parking permit for a traditional internal combustion engine car in London, not to mention the savings you make by being exempt from both car tax and the congestion charge.

If you live, work, or study in London and want to get around by car, then an electric car is a cheaper, greener, and more convenient option.