Category Archives: Buying/Leasing

‘Hyundai’s Ioniq electric car range is wiping the floor with rivals’

April 21, 2023Buying/Leasing, Electric Cars, Hyundai, News, Reviews and Comment, OpinionRepost

If, a decade ago, those ‘in the know’ were asked to predict which country and company would clean up on the international awards front in the early 2020s, I suspect the experts would have opted for a German firm – Audi, perhaps? Or an up-and-coming US one such as Tesla? Another safe bet – maybe a less exciting, but more dependable Japanese brand?

Back then, nobody in their right mind would have gone for an Asian country whose land area, population and access to natural resources were – and still are – smaller and lower than the UK’s. Even less likely was that an unglamorous, non-premium firm from that tiny Asian peninsula would headline on the global awards stage and in other international arenas.

But that’s exactly what Hyundai, its designers and its Ioniq models have done. Almost unfathomably, they’ve taken on and beaten countless ‘better’ and longer-established premium firms and products.

The ball started rolling in summer 2021, when the Ioniq 5 was crowned Auto Express Car of the Year, and autumn saw it crowned Germany’s Car of the Year. By the winter, a panel of bestcarsoftheyear.com judges from the global motor, motorsport and media industries named the Ioniq 5 the New Car World Champion. And in spring 2022, the same model won 50 per cent of the World Car awards for that year.

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How much does charging an electric car cost? Is it cheaper than petrol?

April 18, 2023Charging, Charging, Cost of ownership, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Your electric car charging costs are simple to calculate. Here’s how to work it out

There are plenty of reasons for going electric: that pesky CO2 stuff, for one thing. But there’s another incentive for making the switch other than doing your bit for the polar bears: electric car charging costs.

You see, charging an electric car has been – historically, at least – cheaper than filling up with conventional fuel. And that means over the course of electric vehicle ownership, you could save yourself a lot of money in running costs. Really.

There are, of course, a couple of important caveats: to make the numbers work, you will need to do the majority of your charging at home. This is where electricity is most affordable (even with energy costs ballooning) and some tariffs will allow you to make the most of cheaper overnight rates when demand is low.

Public charging points – including the so-called ‘rapid’ chargers popping up at motorway service stations – tend to be a lot more expensive. And while they’re a godsend for topping up quickly on a long journey, you will be paying for the privilege. So much so that the price per mile of driving might not be that much different to that of a petrol or diesel car. Boo! Hiss!

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Every brand’s cheapest electric car on a lease deal

April 11, 2023BMW, Electric Cars, Leasing a new car, News, Reviews and Comment, VolkswagenRepost

Think all electric cars are expensive? Prepare to think again, because we’ve gathered leasing deals starting from just £313 per month on models from Audi to Volvo…

Tempted by a new electric car? One way of getting one on your driveway could be with a lease deal.

Sometimes called personal contract hire or personal leasing, leasing is one of the most affordable ways to access a new car. The way it works is similar to other forms of car financing, because you pay for the car with a deposit and regular monthly payments.

Contracts usually last for three or four years, with a pre-agreed annual mileage limit. Unlike Personal Contract Purchase (PCP), there’s no option to buy the car at the end of the term. In effect, this means you’re renting the car, but the benefit of this is that the monthly payments are generally lower than with other forms of financing.

BMW i8 in Sophisto Grey (Image: T. Larkum)

So, in this instance we name every brand’s cheapest electric car that’s currently available through What Car? Leasing. Our list includes a wide range of models, including small electric cars to electric SUVs, although some manufacturers are excluded due to a limited number of deals available.

In each case, you can follow the links to learn more about our leasing deals or read our full What Car? review on the car.

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These are the cheapest new EVs you can currently buy

March 29, 2023Buying a new car, Electric Cars, Fiat, MG, News, Reviews and Comment, Nissan, VolkswagenRepost

New EVs are still by-and-large expensive products, but we look at the most affordable models currently available

If Volkswagen sticks to its promise, the ID.2 will arrive as the cheapest new electric car on the market, and tap into the relatively untapped affordable end of the segment, as EV manufacturers have so far been largely prioritising more expensive models that help them generate more money.

Ahead of the Volkswagen ID.2’s arrival, we have a look at the most affordable new EVs that can be bought today.

The entry-level MG4 is still able to travel 218 miles on a charge. (MG)

Volkswagen ID 4 (Image: Volkswagen.co.uk)

MG is now one of the key players in the electric car segment, with its affordable EVs really resonating with buyers that want to go electric, but without having to splash vast amounts of cash

Its new MG4 is also currently the UK’s most affordable EV, with a starting price of £26,995. That buys the entry-level model, equipped with a 51kWh battery that’s able to achieve a credible claimed 218 miles from a charge. It’s also good to drive, well-equipped and offers attractive styling too. MG’s current offers mean you can get behind the wheel for £269 per month over a four-year deal, with a £6,000 deposit.

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Government buys more diesel cars than electric despite zero emission pledge by 2027

March 22, 2023Buying a new car, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Opinion, PollutionRepost

A Freedom of Information request has revealed just 3.5% of the Home Office fleet is electric despite a 2021 pledge for a zero-emission fleet by 2027 – just years away

Tories have been accused of talking hot air over cars – after we found the Government still buys more diesels than electric models.

That is despite a 2021 pledge for a zero-emission fleet by 2027.

Since then, one department has bought nearly three times as many diesel vehicles as electric ones.

The Home Office added 168 diesel guzzlers to its fleet of 1,617 vehicles, and 62 electric motors.

Just 3.5% of its fleet is electric, data obtained under Freedom of Information laws revealed.

Motoring writer Quentin Willson, who founded the FairCharge campaign to make electric cars affordable, said: “These figures show the massive hole between what the Government say and what they do.

“If the UK is going to reap the benefits of electric cars, with high-paid jobs, cleaner air and less reliance on foreign oil, the Government needs to be leading the charge.”

Our research also found that since 2021, the Department for Transport has added 67 diesels compared with 54 electric vehicles, which make up 9.5% of its fleet.

Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said: “Hapless Tories are stuck in first gear. Labour’s plans will turbocharge electric vehicle manufacturing and bring good jobs back to industrial heartlands.”

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Tesla cuts prices for its most expensive electric vehicles to drive demand

March 20, 2023Cost of ownership, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, TeslaRepost

Cuts range from 4% on performance version of Model S to 9% on more expensive Model X

Tesla has cut prices on its two most expensive electric vehicles in the United States, according to the company’s website, days after its chief executive, Elon Musk, said recent price cuts on other models had stoked demand.

The price cuts, Tesla’s fifth adjustment since the start of the year, ranged from 4% on the performance version of the Model S to 9% on the more expensive Model X.

Musk has said repeatedly in recent months that Tesla would focus on bringing prices down to drive demand and that it had seen success in sparking orders with global discounts introduced in January.

“The desire for people to own a Tesla is extremely high. The limiting factor is their ability to pay for a Tesla,” Musk said last week at Tesla’s investor day.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the most recent price cuts.

Tesla slashed prices on its cars across all its markets in January, offering discounts of up to 20% in what many analysts saw as the start of a price war by the electric vehicle market leader.

Petrol and diesel drivers issued ‘word of caution’ before electric car switch

March 17, 2023Cost of ownership, Electric Cars, FAQ, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

A majority of drivers around the UK believe petrol and diesel cars are cheaper to run than electric vehicles, a new poll has found

According to new data, 54 percent of motorists think petrol and diesel vehicles are now the cheapest to run. As the cost of electricity continues to rise, just 18 percent of drivers thought a fully electric vehicle would be cheaper.

This is in stark contrast to 2022, when a survey found 57 percent said cheaper running costs were an incentive to switch to an EV.

Only one in 10 motorists believe that a plug-in hybrid vehicle would be the cheapest to run.

Despite the findings, experts are trying to show drivers that electric vehicles are still significantly cheaper to run when charged economically.

The data, from NFU Mutual, found that the cost of living crisis had a huge impact on drivers wanting to commit to an electric car.

The energy crisis has hit public perception of the cost benefits of electric vehicles, with most now thinking petrol and diesel cars are cheaper to run.

The survey results come as high electricity wholesale prices have pushed up the cost of household electricity bills and public electric vehicle charging.

Jade Devlin, motor insurance expert at NFU Mutual, said EVs still have cheaper running costs than petrol and diesel cars.

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Electric cars are ‘significantly cheaper’ to service than petrols and diesels – but we’re on course to have a shortage of qualified mechanics to work on them

March 15, 2023Cost of ownership, Electric Cars, OpinionRepost

Average servicing costs for an EV is £103 – petrol car is £151 and diesels is £163
Experts suggest lower bills for EVs is a result of having fewer moving parts
IMI is concerned the uptake in technicians earning qualifications to work on battery cars isn’t keeping pace with the growth in EV sales

While many drivers still have their concerns about switching to electric vehicles (EVs) – from high prices to the lack of charging points and battery range anxiety – one benefit is more affordable servicing costs, according to a new report.

Analysis of 280,000 garage quotes given to drivers last year revealed fully-electric models are ‘significantly cheaper’ to service than all other fuel types.

An electric car costs an average of £103 to service, whereas diesels are most expensive at an average of £163, followed by hybrids (£159) and petrols (£151), according to BookMyGarage.com.

While owners of EVs will welcome the findings, the Institute of the Motor Industry is concerned that the number of technicians gaining qualifications to safely work on them won’t keep pace with electric car sales before the end of the decade.

Based on these figures, it suggests electric cars are almost a third (32 per cent) less expensive to service than petrols and 37 per cent cheaper than diesels.

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EV does it: is mass adoption a reality?

March 14, 2023Buying a new car, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Way back in 1832, Robert Anderson developed the world’s first electric vehicle (EV), signalling a historic first step. Since that time, gasoline and diesel have been the dominant energy sources for all passenger and commercial vehicles, with EVs seemingly lost in the future.

But today, people are opting for greener choices in all aspects of life—with EVs being a core component of efforts to decarbonise transportation. According to energy watchdog Ofgem, one in four UK households will buy an EV in the next five years, meaning more than 6.5 million households will invest in an electric or plug-in hybrid model.

There’s now more momentum than ever to get behind the wheel of an EV, just look at this year’s CES which was dominated by EV. news. And from a policy perspective, the UK government is committing to ending the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars by 2030, a game changing milestone in the EV market. It’s not just the UK either; the rest of Europe is following suit, with an estimated 33-40 million electric cars on European roads by 2030.

With lower running costs, no congestion charges to pay for a growing number of cities, and reduced polluting greenhouse gases, it’s easy to see why electric cars are becoming the go-to option. Despite the vast benefits EVs provide, there are still obstacles that must be overcome before mass adoption is a reality.

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The 10 slowest-depreciating electric cars

March 9, 2023Cost of ownership, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Shopping for an electric car and want it to hold on to as much of its value as possible? Then you’ll need to buy one of these…

The slowest-depreciating electric cars

Tesla Model Y with depreciation graph

Image 1 of 21

Electric cars used to lose more of their value over three years than almost any other type of car, because they were seen as a niche choice and there were concerns about how long their batteries would last. Those days are long gone, though.

For a start, batteries are proving much more durable than feared, and the popularity of electric models is rising. Indeed, they have accounted for more than 13% of the cars registered in the UK so far this year. Better still, the depreciation of many of them is as glacial as it gets.

There are still big differences between the best and worst performers, though, so here we’re using our residual value data to reveal the 10 models that lose the smallest percentage of their original price during the first three years. All figures are based on what you can expect for a trade-in that’s covered 36,000 miles.

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