How to Choose Your Perfect Electric Vehicle

As more electric vehicle models are coming onto the market, it can be hard separating each design and functionality for your own specifications. It’s important to analyse certain factors before choosing an EV, including the battery’s range, charging solutions and how it will impact your lifestyle. Let’s assess the key points that can help inform your decision on your ideal electric vehicle.

Electric or Hybrid?

In the electric vehicle market, there are three types of cars to choose from. Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) are completely electric and powered by a battery that will need recharging. There are also plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), which are a mixture of utilising electricity and fuel and non-plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs).

 

It all depends on what you are requiring from your driving. For example, BEVs are perfect for drivers that are environmentally conscious, as they run solely on battery charging solutions. This enormously lowers the number of carbon emissions that enters the atmosphere and helps lower the planet’s overall footprint. 

 

However, drivers may still be concerned about electric vehicles and may not want to completely convert. PHEVs are targeted at drivers that want to help the environment but still require a backup source of fuel. Petrol and diesel savings will still be utilised and if the EV is continuously charged, there will also be fewer carbon emissions. HEVs, on the other hand, have been advertised as “self-charging hybrids”. They cannot be plugged in, unlike PHEVs and they do not benefit from cheap electricity. 

Longest Range

Depending on the choice of electric vehicle and what you are requiring during the day, the range of the battery also is a primary consideration. If you drive long distances for your commute, meaning you need long ranges every day, look at the model’s range. For example, PHEVs have a battery range of around 20 to 40 miles. So, once this charge runs out, you still have the internal combustion engine to fall back on. Whereas BEVs, although they are more environmentally friendly, if it has a shorter battery life, this may cause problems that need charging solutions.

 

Consider portable charging solutions for your electric vehicle. For businesses, these chargers are ideal for customers, staff and other guests to use whilst visiting their workplace. Not only will this help contribute to lowering the planet’s footprint with eco-friendly charging solutions, but it also puts your business on the map as a place concerned about our planet. 

 

Choose an electric vehicle with a long range. For more information on the electric vehicles with the longest range, read our previous blog here.

Can I Save Money With an EV?

In vehicles with the finest built battery technology, fuel savings are greatest. Consider a vehicle that has a 50 kWh battery pack. If battery efficiency is high, that 50 kWh of stored energy will provide you with an average range of roughly 200 miles. You might only get 150 miles out of a 50 kWh battery, though, if the manufacturer didn’t use as much ingenuity in the design of the battery. It would only translate to 3 miles per kWh.

 

In order to choose an EV, evaluate battery efficiency. You can achieve this by multiplying the battery’s useful capacity in kWh by the official WLTP range. The better the number, the higher. Because they are lighter, cheap electric vehicles frequently exhibit better efficiency.

Charging Solutions

There is a maximum quick CC charging rate for any BEV. For example, it could be 50 kW, 80 kW, 100 kW, or 150 kW. What does this actually mean? You can instantly add more range to your automobile with DC charging. For instance, 20 minutes at a 50 kW rapid charger at a highway service station will add around 60 miles to your range. More recent rapid chargers have a 150 kW rating. However, if your car’s internal maximum DC charge rate is at 50 kW, even with a 150 kW charger, it can only charge at 50 kW.

 

However, if you are still concerned about the charge rate, why not consider portable charging solutions? Drivers can utilise portable chargers whenever and wherever they want, not having to worry about public charging stations that may have unstable networks. Find out more here. 

Our EV Charging Solutions

Elite EV Charge provides temporary and permanent charging solutions for electric vehicles across the country. Whether this is overnight charging or charging at events in off-grid locations, EV drivers should be aware of their options and understand that they do not have to rely on unstable public charging stations. 

 

For more information, or to receive a quote, fill in our form here. Or follow us on Instagram and stay up to date with the latest news and electric vehicles with the longest range.