In today’s age, where the electric vehicle market is continually growing, and there are more options available than ever, it can be tough and confusing to work out which car is right for you.
As it is Zero Emissions Month, we wanted to help you find out how you can zero your emissions with the most eco-friendly EVs. We’ve checked out a variety of options that will suit all price brackets, tastes and styles. Most importantly, we’ve looked at each vehicle for its efficiency and, of course, how eco-friendly it is.
Image Source: VW Group
The Volkswagen e-Golf is a small car with lots to give. It is visually identical to the standard Volkswagen Golf and comes with all the same features. It doesn’t stop there as under the bonnet, not only do you get all the benefits of an electric car – in that it’s much cheaper to run and has zero emissions from the exhaust – but it drives exactly like a typical car.
The e-Golf has the real-world range of 120 miles which can be achieved by driving in the same way as a diesel or petrol. However, if driving at low speeds in mild weather this could be increased to 180 miles, which is the figure that came from laboratory testing. This could get you from Scotland to Yorkshire without having to stop and charge!
The car has a 345kg battery which sits very low down in the car’s floor, and aids handling, making it a more comfortable ride. The efficiency of the Volkswagen e-Golf isn’t excellent with a combined energy consumption of 275 Wh per mile; however, the ‘fuel’ cost per year is only around £425. Overall, this car works perfectly for someone interested in the advantages of switching to an electric vehicle but without straying too far from the features of a traditional car which you know and love.
Image Source: BMW
The BMW i3 is an excellent option for a sportier, cooler driving experience; it is a great city car with a design that stands out. While the choice of design is quite polarising, it’s unlike anything else on the road. It has plenty of great details that give it a futuristic feel, paired with the choice of using renewable materials which further pushes the eco-friendly nature of the i3.
The exterior follows the same eco route, instead of steel or aluminium, it’s made mainly from lightweight and strong carbon fibre, which helps reduce the weight of the vehicle. The BMW i3 has a range on a fully charged battery of about 145 miles.
The combined energy consumption of the BMW i3 is about 260 kWh per mile. By comparison, this energy consumption is the equivalent of fuel consumption of 155 mpg in a traditional petrol car. It costs £425 a year to run and costs £36,000 to buy. Overall, this car may not be the obvious choice but is certainly the fun choice, matched with all the same practical features of an EV.
Image Source: Hyundai
The Hyundai Ioniq Electric is a very sensible car; it’s good to drive, practical and perfectly easy to live with as a day-to-day family car. The real selling point for the Ioniq, however, is that it is the most efficient electric car on the market, according to official figures.
The stats tell us that this car uses half as much electricity per mile as the Tesla Model X. Since its launch, the Ioniq Electric has significantly increased its range capabilities to around 194 miles without charge.
The Hyundai Ioniq Electric is clearly very eco-friendly and emits no CO2 during driving. As expected, it’s also cheap to run, costing a shy £388 compared to the average fuel cost for a petrol car of £1,300 a year.
This car may not be ideal for the futuristic EV lovers, but it is a very reliable vehicle which performs excellently and works just as well as a petrol/diesel car for everyday family use.
Image Source: Polestar
Polestar 2 is our most exciting pick. The manufacturer is the new kid on the block, launching just three years ago, and this car – even newer. It sets the standard for affordable electric vehicles and is the Tesla Model 3’s biggest competitor. It’s beautifully built and innovative, with a great futuristic feel.
It’s claimed by Polestar to have a range of 292 miles, but those who have tested it say it’s closer to 270, which is still much higher than the other cars on our list.
The design is fresh and clean-cut with simple buttons in the interior – not crowded with gimmicks. The standard interior is vegan, and the dash is constructed from recycled materials which takes Polestar closer to the sustainability goals many EV buyers are looking for.
It’s the first car to use Google OS, which may not be adored by Apple lovers, but gives this EV another reason to stand out. While the price for the Polestar 2 is higher than the others on this list, it luckily still qualifies for the UK Government’s £3,000 low-emission car grant, making it £46,900. Still, this is a very fair price for a car of this standard, especially considering the money saved on conventional fuel each year.
Overall, this is our standout option; a seamless car that performs exceptionally, brings the excitement and futuristic factor to an EV that other cars just don’t have. It is also decently priced and has an astonishing range.
Now you’ve seen some of our favourite eco-friendly EVs on the market, hopefully you’re ready to make the switch to an electric vehicle.
At We Power Your Car, we’re a one-stop-shop for all your EV charging needs. As there’s so much to consider when investing in an EV charger such as safety, cabling, installation and grants, it can be hard to choose which best suits you – we can help you solve these issues and answer your queries.
Get your fixed price quote today by answering a few simple questions here. Alternatively, give us a call at 03333 44 96 99 or fill in the contact form below. The best part is there are no hidden costs – our price includes everything.
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All statistics correct at the time of writing and attained from the following automotive publications: Top Gear, Car WOW, CAR Magazine, WhatCar, evo, Fully Charged, AutoCar and BuyACar.
This type of electric charger has it's own cable to charge your car.
This type of electric charger requires a seperate cable to charge your car.
Spread over a 60 month period.
Tenants and homeowners are eligible for finance.
You decide the amount of months.
Minimum of £1000.
We will contact you to process the credit application. Approval is subject to application, financial circumstances and borrowing history. 13.9% APR representative. T&Cs apply.
Your order is not confirmed until your application has been approved.
We lay SWA cable laid at 600mm deep, with a protective cable warning tape laid 150mm above the cable. These are laid on a sand or sifted sand soil bed then backfilled.
We position overhead cables at a minimum height of 3.5m and are run along a catenary wire. The cable run should not be accessible to vehicles.
Standard Installation
Our instant price is fixed if it falls within our standard installation package plus any additions that you have selected (extra cabling for example). This package covers the majority of homes in the UK. Before we undertake your installation we will carry out a digital survey to check that nothing has been missed. After reviewing the survey results some additional work may be required in order to complete your installation safely and to the required standards. If this is the case, we will contact you well before the installation date and advise the cost of any required work. You can then continue with your installation, or alternatively we will refund you in full if you do not want to proceed.
Included in our standard installation is :
• Fitting of a single phase charge point to a brick or plaster wall or other suitable permanent structure
• Up to 10 metres of cable, run and neatly clipped to the wall between the electricity supply meter / distribution board and the charge point.
• Routing of the cable through a drilled hole in a wall up to 500mm (20 inches) thick if this is needed.
• The fitting and testing of electrical connections and protections required for the charge point.
• An additional three way consumer unit, if required
• Installation of a Type A RCBO in an RCBO enclosure
• Up to 3 metres of plastic trunking to conceal interior wiring.
• An O-pen earth protection device if the charge point requires it. (This is NOT an earth rod)
• Up to 4 hours of labour from your installer to complete the work.
• Electrical testing of the whole installation.
• Handover and setup of the charge point and any app that may be needed.
Not included in our standard installation (additional work) :
• Where the installation requires additional cabling over and above the amount you have told us about.
• Upgrade/replacement of the main incoming supply fuse where the local DNO (eg Northern Powergrid) would need to attend site.
• If the charge point is to be mounted on a post/pedestal rather than an existing wall and where you have not selected a post as an extra cost option in your order.
• Installation of a charge point to a three phase supply.
• Where gas and water mains bonding (earthing) is not in place at your property. If this is not in place, additional work would be required before installation of the charge point.
• Any groundwork that has not been selected during the order process.
A Surge Protection Device is not included in our standard installation.
What else you need to know :
• On the day of installation, please ensure that the area around your consumer unit (fuse box), incoming electricity supply meter and proposed charge point location (including where the cable is expected to be run) is clear and free of obstructions.
• We will need your WiFi password as part of the installation process in order to connect your charge point to the internet. Please have this available for the installer. Details will not be kept.
• The charge point must be on your own designated off road parking.
• The charger will be fixed in line with current guidelines at a height where it cannot be hit by a vehicle.
• Our installers are not able to enter loft spaces; lift floorboards or flooring; take apart any furniture of work above a height of 2m. If you anticipate that any of this may be required, then please contact us and we can discuss in more detail and provide you with a quotation.
• Should there be extreme weather conditions our installers may not be able to continue with you installation if it is not safe to do so (for example flooding). They will always do their best to complete the work where they can.
If you have any questions then please contact our customer service team who will be happy to help. Please also read our terms and conditions.
