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Guide to Electric Vehicles & ULEVs

Find out the answers to our customer's most frequently asked questions about leasing.

• How much does it cost to charge an electric car?

  The cost of charging an electric car could be as low as 2p per mile*, depending on the charging capacity of the vehicle, the type of vehicle and the type of charger.

  Faster chargers have a higher cost, fully electric vehicles will usually require more charge than a hybrid and public chargers often have a monthly subscription cost but allow charging at a lower rate.

  Zap-Map.com allows you to locate charging points across the UK and provides a free public charging cost calculator which gives an estimate of the cost to charge you vehicle, based on the make, model, time spent charging and the type of charger being used.

  *Source: podpoint.com

• What is a hybrid car and why is it different to an electric car?

  A hybrid vehicle’s power comes from combined sources: a battery and internal combustion engine. Electric vehicles do not use an internal combustion engine for their power, instead using just a chargeable battery as the source of their power.

• How do electric cars work?

  Electric vehicles do not use a traditional combustion engine for their power source, but rather a battery powered electric motor. Electric vehicles can be recharged using an electrical charging point, of which there are several different types/options, providing varying charging speeds.

• How long does it take to charge an electric car?

  The time it takes to charge an electric vehicle depends on the type of charger used and the vehicle’s battery capacity. There are currently four types of chargers, each providing different charging speeds.

  10 minutes of charging using each type of charger will provide the following mileage range:

  • Slow – 2 miles of charge. These chargers are available for home charging and are best used for overnight charging.
  • Fast – 5 miles of charge. These chargers are used at home or the workplace and are best used for overnight charging or throughout the day, while at work for example.
  • Rapid – Up to 33 miles. These are available at motorway services. These chargers can charge the vehicle to 80% capacity in 20-30 minutes.
  • New Rapid – Up to 100 miles. These are available at BP Forecourt Services.
• What types of electric and hybrid vehicles are there?

  Electric Vehicle (EV):

  Pure electric vehicles use only a battery – no engine – and require plug-in charging for their power.

  Range-extended electric vehicle (E-REV):

  A range-extending electric vehicle uses both a traditional combustion engine and a battery. The combustion engine works only as a generator to recharge the battery, however; the engine itself does not power the vehicle, it just charges the battery so that the battery is able to power the vehicle.

  Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV):

  A hybrid electric vehicle uses both a battery and traditional combustion engine simultaneously to power the vehicle. For example, when the vehicle would typically require an extra burst of power, such as climbing a hill, the battery would provide the additional power instead of burning the additional fuel. An HEV does not require plug-in charging, as the battery is recharged by self-generation.

  Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV):

  A plug-in hybrid uses both a battery and traditional combustion engine, much like an HEV, however with a PHEV, the battery capacity is much higher and cannot be charged solely via the onboard generator and therefore requires plug-in charge. When the battery charge runs out, the PHEV reverts to power from the combustion engine until recharged.

• Do electric cars have gears?

  Electric cars are battery powered and do not require a clutch, as they don’t have a traditional combustion engine. For this reason, they also don’t require gears, making all electric cars automatic.

  Hybrids are the exception to this as, in addition to a battery, they use a traditional combustion engine, meaning the option of either manual or automatic hybrids are available.

• How long do electric car batteries last?

  Most manufacturers have an 8-year warranty on the batteries in the electric vehicles. However, it is predicted that electric car batteries will last between 10 and 20 years before they need to be replaced.

• How and where to charge an electric vehicle?

  There are currently several types of chargers available for use; Slow, Fast, Rapid and New Rapid. Both slow and fast chargers can be installed for use at home or the workplace, and Rapid and New Rapid chargers are available for use at thousands of motorway services, retail shopping centres, supermarket carparks and many other public outlets.

  Public charging networks are growing at pace, from 19,000 public charging points available in 2018, to a predicted 60,000 by the year 2023 - PodPoint, the UK’s largest independent provider of electric vehicle charging, currently provide over 3,000 charging bays across the UK alone.

  Government grant schemes are also available for the installation of home/work charging points, subject to meeting a set of criteria. More information can be found on the UK government website.

• How far can an electric car go?

  Although the mileage range for electric vehicles is currently lower than traditional fuel-powered or hybrid vehicles, their range is rapidly improving. Of course, mileage range does depend on several factors, such as the size and weight of the vehicle, the speed of driving and the type of driving used; urban/non-urban etc.

  As an example, the Vauxhall Corsa-E has an approximate mileage range of 209 miles on a single charge.

• How do I get a home charging point to charge my electric car?

  There are several companies across the UK who can install a home charging point, which may be eligible for a government grant. Synergy has partnered with Pod Point, the UK’s largest independent provider of electric vehicle charging, to offer our customers discounted home chargers.