We’re celebrating the third-ever World EV Day

This World EV Day will mark a third global movement toward more sustainable transport. It’s a day that focuses on driving change and supporting E-mobility across the globe.

The benefits of driving an electric car are HUGE. With exciting new technologies emerging promising to cut charging times to minutes, extend range significantly and enhance safety and automation features, there’s never been a better time to make the switch and go electric.

Here at Egg, it’s our mission to make your renewable transition simple, accessible and easy peasy. And whilst there are predictions of over 323 million electric vehicles (EVs) on the road by 2040, there are still quite a few myths out there that might be holding some people back from taking the EV plunge.

That’s why this year, we’ve decided to bust 7 of the biggest myths out there to help you decide that you’re ready for your next car to be electric.

Myth #1: EVs aren’t environmentally friendly 

One of the biggest myths surrounding EVs is that they’re actually bad for the environment because electricity comes from coal. In fact, EVs cut greenhouse gas emissions in half,  regardless of how the energy used to power them was produced. 

The UK government plans to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050 - and we’ll need electric cars on the road replacing petrol and diesel cars to do it. EVs can play a huge role in reducing the amount of carbon emissions, and this isn’t the only benefit they have on the world around us. 

EVs bring some much-needed peace and quiet to areas where noise pollution from petrol cars is high, as apart from the rolling sound of the tyres, electric cars are pretty much silent. This improves the quality of life for people living in congested urban areas and prevents habitat destruction for local wildlife, too.

Myth #2 - Electric cars are slow. 

Nope. In fact, when it comes to acceleration, EVs are much faster than petrol or diesel cars. 

If you want to get technical - it’s all about having instant torque. Ask anyone who’s been behind the wheel of a petrol car; once your foot is on the accelerator, you’re off. No delay.

The current Nissan Leaf accelerates from 0-60 in under 8 seconds, and the Audi RS e-tron GT promises 0-62mph in 3.3s with a top speed of 155mph. Hold tight!

Myth #3 - EVs are sooooo expensive 

It’s entirely possible to spend serious cash on electric vehicles. It’s entirely possible to spend a whole lot on a fuel or diesel car, too - if you’re talking a flash sports car, you’re paying top dollar however it’s powered.

But, just like petrol and diesel cars, there are plenty of affordable electric car options out there as well. A new VW ID.3 Pure costs around £25,000, and Skoda CITIGOe iV costs around £15,000. It doesn’t have to cost the earth, to help save it. Of course, if you want to spend £140,000 on a Porsche Taycan Turbo S, we totally don’t blame you.

Beyond the purchase price, there are fewer running costs for electric cars. A new Nissan Leaf can cost just £5.60 to charge fully and can run for as little as 3.33p a mile. If you compare that to how much it currently costs you to fill up your car and how many miles you get out of that tank, this is one area you’ll really start to see the savings. And no tailpipe means no emissions, so you’ll also save on road tax and congestion charges.

There are hundreds of moving parts in petrol and diesel engines - so no wonder there’s a lot to maintain and a lot to potentially go wrong. And repairs, servicing and maintenance can soon add up, right? In electric cars, there are significantly fewer moving parts and so there’s a lot less to look after. That’s why servicing and maintenance for EVs cost about a third less than a petrol or diesel car. 

With lots of focus on reducing emissions, there are a lot of financial incentives to switch to an electric car, too. There are government grants available in the UK supporting drivers making the switch, covering plenty of options including cars, vans and motorcycles. So whatever you’re into driving, making it electric is getting even easier.

Myth #4 - There aren’t enough public charging points 

Could there be more charging points around the UK for electric vehicles? Sure, just like there could be more petrol stations in rural areas of the UK.

But does that mean there aren’t enough to make driving an electric car easy? Negative. In fact, the UK has over 43,000 charge point connectors and counting, including over 10,000 rapid charge point connectors. 

The infrastructure is still growing rapidly and soon there will be charging points everywhere, like shops, supermarkets, car parks, workplaces and even in lampposts.

And with electric vehicle technology improving and range capabilities increasing, you’ll probably spend less time at a public charging station on long journeys than you might think.

Myth #5 - Electric cars don’t have enough range

Range anxiety. It’s the fear that EVs don’t have enough range, even when fully charged, to complete their journey. And this is a big one that crops up all the time.

Let’s walk you through this one - because the range capability of modern electric cars is actually pretty impressive.

The Tesla Roadster has a range on a full charge of around 600 miles. And sure, this top-of-the-range Tesla might not be in your budget. But if it isn’t, that doesn’t mean you’d be stuck with an EV that can barely get you to the end of your street; even the most affordable electric cars have a range typically between 150 and 300 miles. The Nissan Leaf, for example, currently has a range of around 235 miles.

And how often do you need to do a 300-mile round trip? If you’re an average driver in the UK, the likely answer is, not very. The average driver in the UK travels around 30 miles each day, so your electric car definitely has you covered.

Even if you take long journeys, you still don’t need to wave goodbye to your electric car dreams. As at-home charging point installation has never been easier, and public charging points are already widely available and growing rapidly, you’ll find being an electric car driver a breeze.

Myth #6 - Electric vehicles aren’t allowed through a car wash 

Wait - who started this rumour? Sure, this one took us a little by surprise, but according to a survey conducted for Go Ultra Low, 42% of the British public were unsure if you could put an EV through a car wash.

Sure, we were taught in school that water and electricity don’t mix. But don’t worry, you’ll have no problem taking your electric car through a car wash if you don’t fancy getting the sponge and bucket out.

But just like any other car, don’t forget to put your windows up before you go through the car wash!

Myth #7 - Electric cars come with chargers

As nice and as handy as this would be, it just isn't the case. This one may have been confused with electric cars coming with a charging cable - but, still, that isn't all for all of them. This is why chargers come either with a cable-attached or as socket-only.

You are able to charge your EV with its 3-pin plug that slots into your normal home socket, but it isn't recommended. Charging this way is known as a 'trickle charge' and should only be your backup option - as, when we say it trickles, it trickles! This way charges your EV 10 miles RPH (Range Per Hour) compared to a home charging unit that charges 15-30 RPH, also known as a 'fast charge' option.

It is more time and energy efficient to use chargers built for the purpose of charging alone rather than using your everyday socket. That's why a home EV charger is your best option for affordable and convenient hassle-free charging.

Making EV charging simple, with Egg

Looking for super simple, straightforward charging for your electric car? You’re in the right place. 

Whether you’ve got your electric car already and want the convenience of at-home charging, or you’ve got your car on order and want to be ready when it arrives, you can find out more about home charging with Egg here.