Pay back for green motorists ELECTRIC CAR IS CHEAPER DRIVE
DRIVERS buying electric cars will be saving money after three years, a study has found.
They can cost up to 47% more than petrol or diesel versions of the same model.
But, based on 10,000 miles a year, the cheaper fuel, tax and running costs will leave drivers £100 better off on average, with some saving more than £1,600.
The figures come from Halfords, who have developed a “Total Cost of Ownership Calculator” to help would-be buyers decide if going electric is good value. Andy Turbefield, head of quality at Halfords, said: “Intuitively we know that electric vehicles can be better value than their nearest petrol and diesel equivalents, but we wanted to make it as easy as possible for people to see it for themselves.
“We’re not suggesting that people should buy electric because of the long term savings, but if people are delaying purchase because of the up-front cost, this should give them pause for thought.”
Halfords looked at bestselling electric models such as the £33,000 BMW i3 and the £25,500 Mini
Cooper Electric. The BMW is over £4,000 more expensive than the petrol equivalent – the 1 Series – but after three years will have saved owners £1,650.
The electric Mini is £9,855 more expensive than the Cooper Classic equivalent, but will work out at £799 cheaper after three years.
Industry figures predict there will be 11million electric and hybrid vehicles on Britain’s roads by 2030 and up to 36 million by 2040.
Currently there are just 235,000 pure electric cars and 495,000 plug-in electric and hybrids.