Electric Vehicle Myth Busting

Myth 1:  "Electric Vehicles Are Much More Expensive Than Internal Combustion Engine ('ICE') Vehicles"

This is no longer the case.  Pretty much all brands we represent have a choice of electric vehicles alongside petrol, diesel and hybrid models.  Considering all levels of model variant, there is price parity between electric and 'ICE' vehicles now.  Residual values are also strong.^  Our Dacia Spring starts from £14,995 OTR, so manufacturer pricing is coming down.  Also to consider are the Government Grants and incentives to switch to electric, with grants of up to £3,750 to help towards the purchase of selected new EVs.

Myth 2: "Battery Performance Is Unreliable"

EV batteries that power the car are different to traditional batteries that just power the starter motor in an ICE vehicle.  They are much bigger and more powerful.  The standard warranty on an EV battery is 8 years or 100,000 miles, which is longer than most ICE vehicle warranties.  Capactiy will decrease slightly over a long period of time, but most batteries of 8 years old still retain approximately 80% capacity.

Myth 3: "EVs Are Dangerous As They Are Always Catching Fire"

Only 0.24% of car fires in the UK are electric vehicles.  ICE vehicles are 20 times more likely to catch fire than an EV.  In Sweden, where adoption of EVs has been more widespread, only 23 out of 611,000 vehicle fires were EVs - that's 0.004%.^^

Myth 4: "I'm Loyal To My Favourite Brand And They Don't Make Equivalent Electric Vehicles"

As the 2020's have progressed, more brands have developed electric versions of their well-loved and trusted models.  The latest models on the market for example, are the Volkswagen ID.Polo - an electrified version of the Polo.  The iconic Renault 5 has been reintroduced as an all-electric model.  Kia have taken each category of model in their range (compact SUV, hatchback, etc) and created an electric version with their 'Kia EV' range - EV2, EV3, right up to the largest EV9 and now the people mover PV5 Passenger.  Now, more than ever, you can find a model to suit your lifestyle.  Brand loyalty is important, and the manufacturers understand that.

Myth 5: "Charging Takes Ages And There Is Nowhere To Charge"

The easiest way to charge your EV is to plug in at home and charge your vehicle overnight with a 7kWh home charger.  That way, you'll be fully charged every morning.  With nearly 81,000 charging stations at 40,000 locations in the UK and 500 more being added every week^, the infrastructure is growing fast.  With 80% charge available at service stations in 30-40 minutes, even long journeys can be navigated.  Smartphone apps, such as ZapMap, or brand-specific apps that come with your EV can tell you the nearest charging station and whether it is vacant.

Myth 6: "I Can't Drive To Scotland Without Stopping For Fuel!"

Travelling from the South, nobody can drive to Scotland without stopping for fuel!  The best advice is to plan your route.  Your EV will highlight the chargers to use via its app.  If you stop for a comfort break or snack, then you can re-charge your EV en route.  Many of the larger EVs, such as the Volkswagen ID.7 for example, have a range of over 400 miles on a full charge.  Range is improving, so range anxiety is lessening as EVs develop.  Did you know that the AA and RAC do now have chargers onboard to help their customers to get to the nearest public charging point?  However, 'out of charge' call outs only accounted for 2% of the AA's calls in 2025 - 45% of their call outs were for punctures or the 12V battery (the same as ICE vehicles have).

Myth 7: "Electric Vehicles Cost More To Maintain Than ICE Vehicles"

Did you know that there are 2,000 moving parts in an ICE vehicle, but only 20 moving parts in an EV?  EVs have no spark plugs, oil, timing belts or chains, exhausts, particulate filters or clutches for example.  So total ownership costs of an EV tends to be a lot less than ICE.  It is still important to have a trained expert to service your EV in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.