ELECTRIC & HYBRID - YOUR QUESTION'S ANSWERED..
The BIG 2030 changeover is looming, and soon petrol /diesel cars will be a thing of the past. The UK is going zero emission in a big way, with new and used electric and hybrid car sales increasing. For many of you, there are still some questions that you may have about electric vehicles, hybrids, or EVs as they are known by…
At Arthurs Motor Group, we will try to answer everything you need to know when considering purchasing a new or used Hybrid or EV…
Below are just a small selection of our quality used electric cars available today in Newtown, Wrexham and Oswestry..
Click here to view our quality Used Electric and Hybrid Cars
RENAULT ARKANA
Will an electric vehicle work for me?
Absolutely, EVs drive is quiet, smooth – BUT…
These are all things you need to consider before making that switch.
Electric vehicles have come a long way in recent years, and are now available as sleek city cars, performance-based, reliable, and hard-wearing vehicles.
An EV is generally cheaper to run per 100 miles, subject to energy and fuel costs, and with things like at-home charging allowances, Electric Vehicles could reduce a significant amount off your usual driving costs...
What’s the difference between an Electric car and a Hybrid car?
An excellent question;
Electric (EV) vs Hybrids - There are 3 Types of Hybrid vehicles.
Electric:
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs or EVs) are 100% Pure Electric cars which have no petrol or diesel engines, they run solely on battery power instead.
They are all automatic and they can travel much further on a single charge than a PHEV.
Electric cars need to be charged via cable at a suitable charging station at all times.
Please enquire which Electric and Hybrid cars are available for Motability and Fleet - At Arthurs Motor group we have a varied selection.
You’ll always use your combustion engine alongside your battery with these, as the battery is not big enough to power the car by itself.
It helps the combustion engine along instead, which reduces the amount of fuel you’ll need.
It also powers the stop/start cycle, seamlessly switches the engine off during coasting and automatically starts it again when you need to accelerate.
Most mild hybrids also have ‘regenerative braking’, which means it uses the the power produced when you’re braking to charge the battery.
These run similar to a petrol or diesel car – you do not need to charge them. So you can run one without a driveway, garage, or home chargepoint, or making any lifestyle changes.
Often called a 'self-charging hybrid', or sometimes a ‘parallel hybrid’, they have a combustion engine and a battery, and they can run solely on one or by combining the two.
The battery is charged from the combustion engine or from regenerative braking, which uses the power produced when you’re braking. Electric energy is normally used for the start of journeys, at low speeds or steady cruising, then the petrol or diesel engine kicks in as and when it is needed.
These run similar to a petrol or diesel car – you do not need to charge them. So you can run one without a driveway, garage, or home chargepoint, or making any lifestyle changes.
Some manufacturers offer variations where the battery drives the car all of the time instead of just some of the time. Speak to us to find out more about the specific differences between makes and models.
What are the benefits?
These are the stepping stone towards a fully electric car.
They use all of the technology of a FHEV, but they have a larger battery and range. You’ll need to charge and top up the battery using a chargepoint to make the most of this technology.
It’s the most environmentally friendly hybrid, as they can drive for up to 40 miles using just electricity, which means fewer emissions.
You’ll only see the benefit if you’re able to regularly charge your car, so make sure you have somewhere to charge it. If you do not plan to charge often, consider choosing a different hybrid instead.
These tend to have a higher Advance Payment for Motability, because of the combined technology, and fully electric cars are more efficient.
At Arthurs Motor Group, we have a varied selection of vehicles or vans to suit your needs.
Call any one of our 3 dealerships for more information..
Wrexham - 01978 366333
Newtown - 01686 625422
Oswestry - 01691 652235
or email Paul our motability specialist on:
Motability@arthurscars.co.uk
Are hybrids better for the environment?
Fully-electric vehicles can be better for the environment than fossil-fuelled cars. A hybrid can be a greener alternative than a petrol or diesel car, but this is mainly just when it uses the electric battery element rather than its combustion engine.
If you make lots of short journeys using just the electric battery and are able to recharge your vehicle frequently, a hybrid will emit much less CO2 into the environment than a fossil-fuelled car.
But if you rely more on your hybrid’s combustion engine, your vehicle will produce similar emissions to a petrol or diesel car. As a result, plug-in hybrids have the most potential to reduce your carbon footprint significantly, but only if driven using the battery - as they are intended to be used as.
How do I charge an electric car?
There are several ways to charge an electric car. Most convenient is charging your car at home. To best do this, you should install a wallbox. These are at-home charging sockets that are mounted on a garage wall or outdoor wall. You simply attach the charging cable and charge your car.
There are grants available to help save money on wallbox installation. The drawback is that you need space on your own property for both the car and the charger. You can’t have the charging cable run across public land, say, if you live in a flat and want to run the cable to the curb.
The other option is to use public charging stations.There is a growing number of these all around the UK, and diversity from areas like small parks, to on street parking with charging pods. They’re ideal for keeping topped up when out and about, and with high-speed chargers available, you can even get a full top-up from empty in a couple of hours.
There are multiple apps that will map out the location of these chargers for you, however please click on the link below and put in your area to see where your local charging points are...
PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW.
Are electric cars expensive to run?
Estimates vary since fuel and energy prices have fluctuated a lot in 2022, but it is generally found that Electric cars can cost a lot less to run than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. They usually save on costs including emission zone charges such as ULEZ, road tax (until 1st April 2025), and also require far less servicing due to having fewer parts.
Did you know you can get a second hand hybrid or electric car, like a Peugeot, Ford, Vauxhall from as little as £300 per month.
Please always ask us, about our Electric / Hybrid cars, at Arthurs Motor Group, we offer some great finance and APR packages for ANY MAKE OR MODEL in any one of our 3 dealerships; Newtown, Wrexham and Oswestry.
As with a petrol or diesel vehicle, these factors can affect the range of an electric vehicle:
Load
Driving with load in your boot, on the roof or with an open window increases wind resistance which affects consumption and battery range.
Air Conditioning
Heating and air conditioning can be responsible for 10-30% of your battery consumption.
Driving style
Smooth driving will allow you to maximise your range, try to avoid sharp braking or acceleration
Speed
Speed lessons your driving distance, be mindful of keeping to those speed limits. and ensuring you are fully charged up.
Can electric cars go as fast as non-electric cars?
Electric cars accelerate quicker than non-electric cars, which can give them the overall speed advantage. For general (legal) driving, an EV will hit the speeds you need for the road, i.e. 65 miles per hour, and usually can achieve up to 100mph. This may be a little lower than the fastest petrol or diesel car.
Could an electric car suddenly stop working or shut down like other electrical items?
Electric cars are made with fewer complex working parts than a regular car, so there is less to go wrong. But just like any vehicle, sometimes things do go wrong. No car is immune to break-down, not even electric vehicles. One thing to bear in mind is that car batteries may be under warranty by their manufacturer like Vauxhall or Peugeot, so be sure to visit an approved expert and keep hold of your service history.
Can you buy and sell second-hand electric or hybrid cars?
Most definitely, we have a range of used electric vehicles in Newtown, Wrexham and Oswestry. With the increasing popularity of electric / hybrid cars, they are also becoming more frequent on the second-hand market, making it perfectly possible to buy an electric or hybrid car without having to pay showroom prices.
Arthurs want YOUR car, so if you want to sell an electric or hybrid car to us, please click on our valuations link below and we will be in touch asap.
Are electric cars good for society?
Electric cars are zero-emission. That means no CO2, CO, NOx, or particulate matter are expelled from an exhaust, ensuring cleaner air. The public health risks associated with transport carbon emissions are significant, and in 2020 (a year with much less passenger traffic than usual), While EVs aren’t going to single-handedly save the world, they are indisputably a major pillar of improvement for the environment and public health
Do Arthurs Motor Group in Oswestry, Newtown and Wrexham sell Electric & Hybrid Cars?
That's a resounding yes. Please click on the link provided to view our selection of our quality used Electric and Hybrid vehicles.
If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to contact us directly.
Is it worth buying an electric car in 2023?
Absolutely..The BIG switchover in 2030 will mean only electric vehicles will be manufactured and sold, so now is as good a time as any to make the change.Combustion engine cars can continue driving for decades, but it’s unknown if EVs will age in the same way.
Should I charge my electric car every night?
Electric cars should be kept 40%-80% charged. In most cases, this won’t require an overnight top up, and certainly not one every night. Check your manufacturer’s guide to see how fast your car/wallbox can charge.
Ultra Low Emission Zone is the hottest change since sliced bread and especially now in places like London:
Check if your car is ULEZ Qualifying.
However, if you see the Congestion Charge displayed below, you will need to pay that daily charge to drive in central London.
If you do not see the Congestion Charge, Ultra Low Emission Zone charge or the Low Emission Zone charge displayed in the link, it means that your vehicle meets the emissions standard, or the charging zone does not apply to this type of vehicle.
Central London only - check a postcode or location
07:00-18:00 Mon-Fri
12:00-18:00 Sat-Sun and bank holidays
No charge between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day bank holiday (inclusive)
Information for pricing correct at time publication, from tfl.gov.uk 30/08/23
Make a one-off payment or set up Auto Pay and never miss paying for Congestion Charge, ULEZ or LEZ in London
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR EXPERTS HERE AT ARTHURS MOTOR GROUP,
WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP YOU...
Call any one of our 3 dealerships for more information..
Wrexham - 01978 366333
Newtown - 01686 625422
Oswestry - 01691 652235
or email Paul our motability specialist on:
Motability@arthurscars.co.uk
FLEET & COMPANY CARS?
Discover all of our leasing offers and associated services including full maintenance and cover packages with Arthurs Motor Group.
We also offer alternative financing solutions, insurance contracts, extended warranty options and 24/7 assistance alongside our bespoke after-sales services to ensure complete peace of mind for your fleet and business vehicles.
Please call one of our friendly sales team, in Newtown, Oswestry or Wrexham for more information on our Fleet vehicles.
Business Benefits...
BENEFITS FOR DRIVERS:
Company car tax- For company car drivers there will be Zero or low rate BIK tax. This reduces the amount you would pay.
Charging point for Home - the government electric homecharge scheme, known as the OLEV grant offers a discount off your charging point for your home.
DID YOU KNOW...
Low CO2 emissions are crucial to reducing BiK tax liability.
BIK COMPANY CAR TAX
What is BIK? Whenever a company provides an employee with a non-cash benefit – such as private medical cover or a company car that is available for private use – HMRC deems this to be the supply of a benefit, and the employee is liable for a tax charge. The tax charge is therefore known as Benefit-in-Kind (BiK).
BIK TAX - is one of the methods used by government to achieve its CO2 emissions reduction objectives. It uses a number of attributes to determine how much BiK tax someone should pay. In addition to the P11D value of the car it also takes into account its CO2 emissions (which is used to determine its Benefit-in-Kind Tax band) the type of fuel used, and the employee’s personal tax rate. Please HMRC website for the current P11D values
WHAT IF I HAVE A VAN?
If you are supplied with a company van that is also available for private use, the calculation is much simpler. In this situation, HMRC has established a value of £3,350 for the taxable benefit, plus a further £633 if you are provided with free fuel for private use. Simply multiply these figures by the highest rate at which you pay income tax to calculate your annual BiK Tax liability.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.. At Arthurs, we are always here to Help YOU..