Switch to an EV and get that electric feeling
Around 9 in 10 electric vehicle (EV) drivers would recommend an EV1.
Whether it’s your first EV or an upgrade, now is the time to switch and save up to £3,750 with the government grant.
Why should you switch to an EV?
EVs represent an increasingly affordable and practical choice for British drivers, offering significant financial advantages over traditional petrol and diesel cars.
Discover why there’s never been a better time to switch to an EV:
1Electric vehicle (EV) driver behaviours and attitudes tracker (Year 1 findings, 2025)
Cost
EVs represent an increasingly affordable and practical choice for British drivers, offering significant financial advantages over traditional petrol and diesel cars.
Lower running costs
- Home charging costs from as little as 2p per mile.
- EV owners charging at home off-peak can save up to £1,400 a year on running costs.
- No oil changes, less brake wear and fewer moving parts can mean lower lifetime maintenance costs.
Purchase costs
- New EVs start under £25,000, with some below £16,000.
- Two in five used EVs now cost under £20,000.
- Some used EVs are available for less than £5,000.
- Salary sacrifice schemes offer additional tax savings to help more people make the switch.
Save up to £3,750 on a new electric car
Government has committed £2bn in grants to slash electric car prices, saving UK households up to £3,750 when you upgrade or switch to eligible electric vehicle models with an RRP under £37,000. Available grant amounts are based on sustainability criteria, with the greenest vehicles in band one receiving up to £3,750 and band two vehicles receiving up to £1,500.
If you’re buying a fully electric car, you’ll benefit from lower tax costs, including first-year Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax) of just £10 for zero emission vehicles, along with generous salary sacrifice and Benefit in Kind rates.
From now until 2035, more than £7.5bn has been committed to support the transition to EVs, including grants for EV charge point installation.
Range
Modern EVs offer impressive range capabilities that meet the needs of most drivers’ daily journeys, supported by a rapidly expanding charging infrastructure across the UK.
Range capabilities
- The average range of a new electric car is now 230 miles per charge2 about two weeks of driving for most people.
- There are now over 40 models quoting ranges over 300 miles.
Charging infrastructure
- The UK now has over 87,000 public chargers, with one added every 35 minutes.
- Rural areas saw a 45% increase in chargepoints in 2024.
2Average range of EVs on sale in the UK, as stated by the Electric Vehicles Database (correct on 14 January 2026).
Need to charge whilst you are out and about?
Apps like Zapmap can provide a comprehensive and reliable charge point mapping and data service.
With these apps, you can access real-time charger status, payment options, and up-to-date insights through an easy-to-use platform designed to make EV travel simple and stress-free.
Convenience
EVs are designed for longevity and provide a smoother driving experience compared to traditional petrol and diesel cars.
Battery durability and warranties
- EV batteries must have an 8-year or 100,000-mile warranty, whichever comes first.
- Most batteries retain a capacity of 80-90% after this warranty period.
Driving experience
- Electric motors provide instant torque, delivering seamless acceleration.
- EVs have less moving parts so offer a smoother, quieter driving experience with less vibration and noise.
- Reduced mechanical complexity boosts reliability.
Hear more about how an EV can fit into your lifestyle:
Do you live in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland?
Wales
If you’re in Wales, you can find out more about switching to an EV from Climate Action Wales. Find out more about EV chargepoints from Transport for Wales.
Scotland
If you’re in Scotland, you may qualify for up to £400 through the Domestic Charge Point Fund to help cover the cost of purchasing and installing a home EV charger. Residents without off-street parking may also be eligible for the Cross-pavement Charging Grant.
Northern Ireland
If you’re in Northern Ireland, you may be able to get a grant towards a chargepoint installation. Find out more from the Department for Infrastructure.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Lease
Leasing an EV offers flexibility, with monthly payments often matching petrol or diesel equivalents.
Many lease packages include servicing and charging solutions for peace of mind.
Buy
Visit dealerships and take test drives to compare models, battery range, and features that suit your lifestyle.
Making the move to an electric vehicle is getting easier and more affordable. Some employers also offer salary sacrifice schemes that let you lease an EV through your workplace. You pay for the car through your salary before tax, saving on both income tax and National Insurance.
Thanks to the government, you can also benefit from support and tax savings designed to help more people make the switch.
Find out more about the Electric Car Grant (ECG) today.
Advancements in technology mean EVs are going further than before on a single charge and charging from home means a journey from London to Sheffield can cost less than £5*.
On the cheapest home tariffs you can run an EV from as little as 2p a mile and some public charging is available for less than the equivalent cost of running a petrol car.
*See substantiation below.
If you don’t have a drive way or if you are unable to install a chargepoint at home, you can still make the switch.
Apps like Zapmap provide EV drivers the ability to see the network of chargers in their vicinity or on common routes. You can filter by power, connector type and network, with further detail on the markers.
Discover the network in your area:
Supporting Data and Analysis for EV Campaign Messaging
Published 16 January 2026
The driving distance from London to Sheffield using the shortest route is 167 miles using Google Maps.
Calculations are based on a high-selling electric vehicle (EV) model with a stated range of 259 miles1.
Calculations are deliberately conservative. Official energy consumption and range figures are obtained under specific laboratory test conditions to allow direct comparison between different models. To maintain strict comparability of results achieved by the tests, they cannot be fully representative of real-life driving conditions.
A typical usable range for this example EV might reasonably be estimated at 177 miles:
To reflect real-world driving, an adjustment factor is applied, reducing the range by 24%. This was developed by Element Energy as part of work commissioned by the Department for Transport in 2021. The adjustment factor reflects that the usable range can often be lower than the stated range, for a range of reasons including road topography, climate, heating system use, motorway driving, etc.
A further adjustment is made to reflect the real use of the battery discharging to 10%. It is assumed the vehicle is charged up to 100% at the start of the journey and reduces to 10% at the end of the journey.
1Recent analysis by SMMT suggests the average stated range of a new electric car is almost 300 miles.
The vehicle is assumed to start the journey fully charged. The usable range for this example EV on one charge is estimated at 177 miles, as detailed above.
Once stopped, for the second leg of the journey, it is assumed the vehicle charges up to 80% and reduces the battery to 10%. It gives a usable range of 138 miles:
259 miles x (100% – 24%) x (80% – 10%) = 138 miles
By adding the distance from the first (177 miles) and second journey (138 miles), the total usable range is 315 miles, which is more than 300 miles with one stop.
The cost of charging is assumed to be incurred at home with access to electric vehicle specific off-peak energy tariffs. Several energy providers currently on the market offer such tariffs starting at 6.5p/kWh. These are energy tariffs available as per January 2026.
The example vehicle has a stated range of up to 259 miles and combined energy consumption of 13.1kWh/62miles.
To estimate the cost of a full charge:
6.5p/kWh x (13.1kWh/62miles) x 259 miles = £3.56, or less than £5.
Running costs are calculated based on the average price of running an EV expected over a 3-year period with an annual mileage of 10,000 miles (equivalent to 16,000km). This includes fuel costs, as well as insurance and maintenance costs.
For this calculation, the example vehicles have an energy consumption of 18.5kWh/100km for electric and 8L/100km for petrol. The cost of charging is assumed at 7.5 p/kWh based on a sample intended to represent average home EV specific off-peak tariffs in 2025. The average petrol pump price at 143 p/L, based on DESNZ weekly fuel prices for 2025.
Annual insurance and maintenance costs are estimated at £1,680 per year for electric vehicles and £1,490 for petrol vehicles. These estimates were developed by Element Energy as part of work last commissioned by the Department for Transport in 2021.
To estimate running costs for electric vehicles:
16,000 km × 0.185kWh/km × 0.075£/kWh + £1,680 = £1,902
To estimate running costs for petrol vehicles:
16,000 km × 0.08L/km × 1.43£/L + £1,490 = £3,320
The difference is £3,320 – £1,902 = £1,420 in savings in running costs, each year.
Journey distances can vary due to road diversions, and longer routes may be recommended due to traffic.
The stated range of the example vehicle is adjusted for typical real-world driving. It should be noted the actual range achieved will vary depending on a range of factors, including driving style, weather and the use of heating or air-conditioning, the topography of roads, and the level of congestion.
The cost of charging does not include the cost of installing a charger and other related charges and may vary depending on energy supplier and the timing of charge. Energy tariffs may change.
Curious about what else you can do to save energy?
Click below to learn more.
