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What is a ULEV?
A ULEV (Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle) is a vehicle that emits 75g or less of CO
2 per kilometre. There are two main types:
- Electric vehicles (EVs) – these are solely electric and run off an electric motor using electrical energy stored in their batteries (or another energy storage device). With a standard range of up to 100 miles, these cars are most suitable for short journeys, such as commuting to work and doing the school run.
- Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) – these vehicles run off both a traditional engine and an electric motor. They can be driven on both the engine and motor at the same time or individually – a great design that suits most lifestyle needs. On average you can drive around 30 miles on electric before moving onto the engine. The driver has the option to choose whether to drive electric, use the fuel engine or a combination of both.
There are also others which are referred to as ‘mild hybrid’ which means the battery charges as the car is driven and can reduce fuel consumption. These cars usually have lower emissions but are not always classed as ULEVs because their emissions are over 75g CO
2/Km
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What is the difference between a ULEV and an EV?
ULEV stands for Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle, which are cars with less than 75g CO2/Km and tend to be hybrid. Electric vehicles (EVs) have 0 emissions and drive purely on electric power.
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What are the benefits of electric cars?
There are lots of benefits of driving an electric car. Two of the main benefits are the cost savings and also the greener, more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Electric cars have low running costs and many also consider that electric cars offer more technology and a better driving experience than petrol or diesel vehicles as they are more responsive. By choosing an electric car through a company car scheme also means you benefit from the lowest level of company car tax. Plus for salary sacrifice cars, along with the lowest company car tax, employees also benefit from income tax and National Insurance savings which can be significant.
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What are electric cars like to drive?
Electric vehicles have instant responses when accelerating due to 100% of torque being available at all times, they’re extremely quiet, and very refined. Most EVs have their batteries in the floor, resulting in a low centre of gravity, and therefore good handling.
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How many makes and models are there?
Lots! Almost all manufacturers have an electric car model in their range and you can get electric vehicles in most car bodystyles from a small city car up to large SUVs. Plus, the number of makes and models of electric cars continues to increase year on year ready for the Government's commitment to end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030.
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Are electric cars automatic?
Yes, they don’t have gear boxes.
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Can electric cars tow?
Some can. There are a few models available, including the Tesla Model 3 and the Audi e-Tron which can tow and we expect to see more options available as more electric cars come into the marketplace.
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Do electric cars have enough electric range?
A typical electric range is around 250 miles and for hybrid cars this can vary but can often be as low as 20. It’s worth checking what this is expected to be before ordering a ULEV car.
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Which electric cars have the longest range?
This is changing all the time as more and more models are being made available in the UK. Some now have ranges of over 350 miles. It would be worth using a car comparison tool if range is an important factor for you.
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How much does it cost to charge an electric car?
It costs on average £2 to drive 100 miles. In a petrol car, this would be £10 on average.
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Are electric cars expensive?
ULEVs do tend to have a higher list price than their petrol or diesel counterpart if you were planning to buy them outright due to the technology involved. However, we believe salary sacrifice is one of the cheapest ways to drive an electric car due the tax savings and low company car tax for electric cars. When you look at the cost of them on the scheme, the monthly amount is often lower due to the savings made through Benefit in Kind tax as they have a much lower CO2.
Plus, running an electric vehicle can offer savings of around £100 per 1,000 miles depending on the vehicle and driving conditions due to the fuel savings you can make.
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How do I charge an electric car?
Just like a lot of technology – simply by plugging it in. You can charge your car via a normal 3-pin plug (like you would your phone) but for faster charging, you may want to fit a wall charger.
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How do I charge my car at home?
In most cases you can get a chargepoint installed at your house by a 3rd party installer. CPC Drive and Tusker partner with an approved installer who can offer a small discount to our drivers but there are also many other providers available. Details of any installation offers will get emailed to drivers once an order has been placed.
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How long will it take to get an electric charging point?
This will vary depending on the home suitability survey, availability of assessment appointments and turnaround of paperwork. We’d advise starting the above process as early as possible once you’ve ordered your car.
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How much does a home chargepoint cost?
This will vary depending on the type of installation required, the installation company you use and the type of home charging point you choose but will be several hundred pounds. However, if you live in a flat or rent your property, there is a current OZEV Grant (also known as Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) in place, which provides a 75% contribution to the cost of one chargepoint and its installation. A grant cap is set at £350 (including
VAT) per installation.
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How do I know if I can get a home charge point?
Before an electric charging point can be installed at your home, you’ll need to have a home suitability survey carried out by the electric charging point provider. They assess the suitability of a charging point and confirm that you’re able to install one. You may also need a suitable data network connection, which will be tested by an engineer. The suitability survey will identify if you need any remedial work like a new isolation switch, an earth plate or ground works, which can be arranged but the additional cost these works might incur, will not be subject to the funding available through the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS). For more information and the latest guidance about the EVHS, please visit
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/customer-guidance-electric-vehicle-homecharge-scheme
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Do I have to own my home to get a charge point installed?
No, you don’t need to own your property to have a charging point installed but you do need permission from the homeowner. You also need to have dedicated off street parking with an area for a charger to be wall mounted. We would recommend that you check that you have the means to regularly charge your car before ordering a pure electric vehicle. If you live in a flat or are renting your property you may be eligible for the Governments Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme which provides a 75% contribution to the cost of one chargepoint and its installation. You can find out more from the Government website
here.
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What charging cable comes with my car?
This varies between manufacturers so please check under the options section on the car quoting system. Electric vehicles are normally delivered with one charging cable so if you need an extra cable, simply let us know and we may be able to source these from the dealership and add the cost into your gross salary sacrifice amount. Alternatively you can source them yourself through a dealership or online.
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Where can I charge my car?
Public charge points – the publicly accessible charge point network – is growing rapidly. ZapMap is a useful source of information to check coverage in your area. In April 2020, data from Zap-Map revealed 11,325 locations with a public charging point installed, with a total of 31,638 connectors and they continue to get installed on a regular basis. When you find a charge point in your area you’ll likely need to register with them (free of charge) to be able to start charging.
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How long does it take to charge an electric car?
How long it takes to charge an electric car depends on the type of charging point, which is defined by the power (kW) and speed at which they charge. There are three main charging speeds: Slow, Fast and Rapid.
Slow chargers (up to 3kW)
Slow charging is the most common method of charging an electric vehicle and is typically done by owners at home and overnight. Other slow charging points can be found in office car parks, but public points are uncommon, as a full charge can take 6-12 hours.
Fast chargers (7-22kW)
These are the charging points you’ll find in supermarket car parks and shopping centres. A 7kW will recharge an EV in 3-5 hours; while a 22kw point will be faster, typically charging a car in 1-2 hours.
Rapid chargers (43- 120kW)
Travel on a motorway and the chances are you’ll find a rapid charging point at a service station. A rapid charger can provide up to 80% of charge in 20-40 minutes.
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Does an electric car need an MOT?
Like all cars, electric cars have to pass an annual road-worthiness inspection after they are three years old. The main difference is that there is no emissions test. As soon as an MOT is due, we'll let the driver know.