Car insurance - Tips & Advice - Green driving
Electric cars were supposed to be the future of motoring – or so said Tomorrow’s World in 1965. Aside from milk floats they haven’t yet caught on but is their time about to come?
Are you interested in driving an electric car? There can be excellent benefits to be gained from owning one – you don’t have to pay the Congestion Charge in London and parking is free in a number of areas. Some electric cars are also exempt from road tax or have reduced rates. And, of course, Direct Line can provide a good value, low-cost quote for insurance.
There are a number of practical considerations to bear in mind, however. For example, repairs are harder to come by for electric models than for standard cars. Other issues surround charging the cars up; there are relatively few places where you can do so, and although things are improving they are doing so slowly.
There are two basic technologies behind the latest electric cars: battery cell and hybrid. Battery cars, such as the G-Wiz from the Reva Electric Car Company, cost roughly 1p per mile to run, which is clearly better than petrol or diesel, but will run for only roughly 40 miles without a recharge. Hybrids move between petrol and electric power to control emissions, with electricity cutting in at lower speeds (generally under 20 miles per hour). They are most often seen in urban areas where traffic crawls along.
If you want to be a greener motorist you can be assured that the disadvantages are slowly disappearing. 0-60 miles per hour in a reasonable time is now becoming feasible for electric cars. Manufacturers are starting to get behind the technology, with Toyota making serious attempts to put proper electric cars on the market. They also manufacture popular hybrid models such as the Prius and Highlander Hybrid. Current models from other forward-thinking manufacturers include the Honda Accord, Lexus LX 400 Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, Chevrolet Hybrid, Mercury Hybrid and the Saturn Vue Hybrid. If you want to join the handful (so far) of private owners, don’t be put off. Diesel cars were once a rarity but now they represent a significant percentage of cars on our roads. Unleaded petrol pumps also took a while to catch on but since the leaded ban of 2000 you won’t find a forecourt with one.
But will electric cars become widespread? From the noise and pollution point of view let’s hope so. For more information on going electric, visit www.evuk.co.uk. If you have gone electric, get a quote online now and see what we can offer you.
|
