PROMOTION

KEY things you need to know, from range to charging to running costs

Words Annie Vischer | Photography Alex Tapley

The first mainstream electric cars launched a decade ago with around 100 miles of range on a fully charged battery. Tech advances have pretty much doubled that figure. Take the new Peugeot e-2008 SUV, which has a range of up to 206 miles*.

That means you’ll be able to get from London to Bristol without having to stop to charge up. In theory. But a number of factors that can run down the car’s range faster. Driving steadily is the most energy-efficient way of getting from A to B, lots of braking and accelerating run down the battery. Even using equipment like the heat seaters and air-con have a small effect.

We’re talking about long journeys here though. If your daily mileage is similar to the UK average of 20 miles a day and you have regular access to an EV charger, then an electric car could be a great option for you.

Click to read our electric 208 city car tour of Bristol: our key places to visit

Life will be a lot simpler with an electric car if you’re able to install an electric charger at home (a £350 government subsidy is available) or can power up at your workplace (once we’re all allowed back to our offices!).

But charging on the go? That’s the clincher isn’t it.

Find a fuel station for petrol and refuelling takes a matter of minutes. The process of charging up an electric car is undeniably different. Finding them isn’t a problem.

Apps like Google Maps and Waze spotlight charging points on their maps and the e-2008’s Connected 3D Navigation** tracks your progress and recommends charging locations if it calculates that you’re going to need to stop to charge en route. According to chargepoint locator Zap Map there are about 38,000 connection points at roughly 14,000 locations – that’s more than the 8,400 fuel stations currently in situ.

WATCH VIDEO: electric vs petrol vs diesel comparison

That number is only going to rise with big fuel providers like BP and Shell busily installing charging stations, and destinations like hotels, restaurants and shopping centres following suit. The thing you’ll have to get used to with an electric car is knowing that it’s likely to take that little bit longer to get back on the road again.

This is the big question. The maximum output of most UK home chargers is 7 kilowatts. To fully charge the e-2008’s battery from empty with a 7kW charger would take 7.5 hours. It sounds like a lot but if you’re plugging it in at home overnight what’s the problem? It’ll be fully charged by morning.

You don’t want to be stuck at a service station for 7.5 hours though and that’s why most of them offer up 50kW DC rapid chargers, which get you from 0-80% in 50 minutes, or the deluxe option, the 100kW ultrarapid DC charger which powers the e-2008 from 0-80% in half an hour – enough time to send someone in to grab a round of Starbucks.

It sounds quite daunting but the process is pretty standardised and essentially as simple as using a domestic plug socket at home. Most public chargers have a built-in cable (especially rapid/ultrarapid ones) that you simply plug into your car. If a charge point doesn’t have a cable you use your own.

Then it’s typically time to open up an app. Much like contactless parking meters there are lots of different charge points and charging apps out there but download the right one and you’re a matter of minutes away from kicking things off. Follow the instructions on the charging point and your phone to get that electricity flowing. Once you’ve visited a few charging points and have a collection of apps with payment cars logged on your phone the process gets quicker.

PRIZE DRAW: Win a two-night stay in a boutique hotel – and a Peugeot to travel in!

It’s getting easier to use contactless payment too. The government made it mandatory that all new chargers offer a contactless option. Some of the big network providers even give you a contactless membership card and offer itemised billing too.

Electric cars are fun and relaxing to drive, in my opinion. They’re fast, delivering their maximum power instantly, it’s like switching on a light. Only the 2008’s highest performance petrol engine is faster than the electric version, which might surprise a few people!

They’re simple to operate. They work like an automatic in that there’s no clutch to operate, no gearshifts to make; it’s just a case of putting the e-2008 into drive, pressing the accelerator and you’re off.

They’re also very relaxing to drive. There’s minimal noise, no engine vibrations (which might upset some of the purists out there!) and they’re very quiet, making them great for your wellbeing.

The good news is that many electric cars get a subsidy, though the government cut this from £3000 to £2500 on 18 March 2021.

Peugeot’s electric e-208 and e-2008 qualify as they’re below the £35,000 threshold. With the Plug-In Car Grant (and an additional £500 Peugeot incentive to maintain the £3k discount until the end of March 2021), the cheapest e-2008 Active Premium costs £30,730 – several thousand pounds more than the equivalent petrol automatic.

On a four-year Peugeot Passport agreement the EV is currently £309 per month, so £40 a month more expensive than the 1.2L Puretech 100 S&S manual – and you’ll need a bigger deposit too.

But the rule of thumb is that electric cars are much cheaper to run. Filling up the e-2008’s 50kWh battery on a cheap-rate overnight tariff costs a fraction of the cost of a tank of petrol.

They’re cheaper to service, because they have far fewer moving parts that wear out. And they are exempt from road tax and London’s Congestion Charge too. Over four years, studies suggest you should break even against a comparable petrol car, even with the greater initial outlay.  

There’s no denying that the electric age of motoring is dawning, and if you like to stay one step ahead when it comes to fashion, beauty, culture, news and environmentally-friendly efforts it makes sense to consider owning a zero emissions electric car in the future.

Got your head around the basics, and reckon it could fit into your life? Then maybe ponder an EV when it’s time to go car shopping…

NEW ELECTRIC PEUGEOT 2008 – FROM £30,680 ON THE ROAD***

* Range figures are obtained from WLTP laboratory testing & intended for comparison between vehicles. They may not reflect real driving results.
** Car features described are standard or optional dependent on version.
*** Price includes Plug-in Car Grant of £3000 from the government.