Now, the first thing to clear up before we launch into explaining why every Londoner should go electric in their driving is that we do not believe it should not solely be Londoners to invest in an EV by any means. With over 42,000 charging points across the UK in over 15,500 locations, it’s pretty clear that EVs are far from a London-centric endeavour. Still, if you do live in the UK capital, you’ll find that electric vehicles are massively to your benefit. Why? Read on to discover the eight most attractive reasons EVs are irresistible to those brave enough to tackle London’s chaotic roads.

What Congestion Zone Charges?

That’s right: if you drive an EV, you’re welcome to plough it through the Congestion Zone free of charge. The Congestion Zone costs the average road user a hefty £15 per day to use – and that’s if you know you have passed through it. Ample blameless drivers have unknowingly glided through the ever-expanding congestion zone ignorant to the signage, only to be faced with an £80 fine without prior notification that they needed to pay the charge. The zone operates from 7 am to 10 pm, so there really is no way you can pass through it and avoid the fee unless you’re driving at ungodly hours. That is, unless you drive an EV.

As of October 2021, all battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are eligible for the 100% cleaner vehicle discount. This could save you around £330 a month in congestion zone charges, amounting to a whopping £4,000 per year.

Cut Your ULEZ Charges 

Another charge to catch you out, the ULEZ applies to every vehicle that dares to drive through central London and doesn’t meet the strict criteria, costing drivers of cars, motorbikes and small vans £12.50 per day and larger vehicles up to £100. Pure electric vehicles are also exempt from the ULEZ charges, meaning thousands more pounds can be spared annually on ULEZ fees by switching to an EV.

Zero Emissions

Perhaps the most attractive reason of all: EVs do not emit any harmful greenhouse gases as their petrol and diesel counterparts do, meaning they do not contribute one iota to climate change. 

Even when you consider the production and disposal of the EV battery, in its lifetime, an electric vehicle has a third of the greenhouse gas emissions of a new petrol car. In addition, if we use renewable energy to charge, EVs are even more sustainable.

Overall, going electric means going greener and contributing to cleaner air quality in London and wherever else you choose to take your car.

Cheaper To Run

If you think about how much you spend on petrol each month, having no fuel to pay for is a huge financial burden lifted. This especially rings true when you consider the soaring petrol prices accompanying the cost of living crisis that has hit us in 2022.

On the other hand, charging your vehicle can cost as little as £2.50 to fully charge a 50kWh EV battery powered by an EV-specific tariff. With one full charge, you can complete several short journeys, meaning the charges do not need to be frequent. You need only spend a few hundred on charges per year, a fraction of what owners of a petrol or diesel model would spend on fuel. It’s a no-brainer – you save a fortune with an EV.

Save on Road Tax

And if it wasn’t enough that you save on fuel, congestion charges and ULEZ fees by going electric, you also save on road tax. EV owners pay not a dime in road tax, which could save some drivers over £2,000 per year, according to the Electric Car Cost Index research.

Cheaper To Maintain

There are lower servicing and maintenance costs associated with electric vehicles. This is because an EV engine has fewer moving parts than a regular combustion engine. There is less scope for things going wrong, so you can enjoy an uninterrupted experience out on the roads with your greener choice of vehicle.

Accessible Chargers Everywhere

As we already mentioned, there are currently over 42,000 EV charging stations UK, while London was home to around 6000 chargers back in January of 2021. This was made up of 500 rapid chargers for quick, on-the-go charging, as well as 5500 residential charging points. As such, there is no shortage of chargers for when you need to plug in your car, and with the best EV charging app, finding the nearest charging points is an entirely stress-free exercise.

Great Mileage

The average mileage range for an EV after one charge is 197 miles, with some models now climbing their way towards 500 miles. With this in mind, you can bat away any concerns that you have about EVs not taking you as far as petrol or diesel models and feel reassured that you can complete lengthy journeys through London and beyond on just one charge, so long as they are within the mileage limit of your particular model.

Time For A Change?

Thanks to all of those attractive characteristics, EVs are becoming increasingly popular in the UK’s bustling capital, with a 95% surge in purchases between 2020 and 2021 in London alone. The capital is gently moulding itself into a greener city and rewarding those who join in. After all, London living is already so costly; why let your vehicle add to the financial hardships of living in one of the world’s finest cities? If you’re a keen road user and a London resident all at once, it is well worth considering the switch to an EV.