Electric Vehicle Frequently Asked Questions

The world of electric vehicles is still a new one. Though manufacturers are producing more EVs than ever, there remain some key questions that those who are new to battery-powered vehicles will want answered. After all, the switch to an electric vehicle is a big one and quite a change compared with a traditional petrol or diesel model.

Here at Eden, we’ve got a variety of the very latest electric vehicles that are all available to view and browse today. While this article delves into some of those key questions surrounding an electric vehicle, if you’ve got any more queries - or want to know about a particular car - then get in touch with the team today.

How Do I Charge an Electric Vehicle?

Charging an electric vehicle is pretty straightforward. If you’ve got a home charger, then it’s as simple as plugging into the wall box and hooking it up to your car. When you’re out and about, you’ll need to use a public charger and these often provide ‘faster’ charges so you can top-up in no time at all.

Most electric vehicles - and all of those currently available on our site - have both Type 2 and CCS connectors. Type 2 is what you’ll use for a slower, overnight charge whereas the CCS connection is used at rapid chargers - it provides the speediest charge.

How Much Will It Cost to Install a Charger at Home?

Providing that you’ve got off-street parking, a driveway, or an allocated space, then installing a home charger is one of the most cost-effective ways to top-up your electric vehicle. With it, you can simply plug in while you’re at home and - with most EVs - a full charge will be sorted overnight.

The price of installation does vary, depending on your property and how easy it’ll be to run the upgraded cabling required for an EV charger through your home. However, prices average at around £1,500 which includes both the installation and the charging ‘box’ itself.

How Much Does It Cost to Charge an EV?

Prices vary for charging. The most expensive is usually at the highest-power chargers, which is where you’re paying for convenience and speed - similar to fuel at a service station. On average, rapid chargers cost around 80p/kWh, which would see a full charge of a car like a Peugeot e-3008 coming in at around £40 for 196 miles of range.

However, this is at the most expensive end of the charging spectrum. If you’re able to take advantage of low-cost off-peak home energy rates, then fully charging that same car could cost as little as £3.50, vastly undercutting an equivalent petrol or diesel version. Remember, too, that EVs don’t qualify for road tax.

Isn’t The Charging Infrastructure Bad?

The UK’s infrastructure is an often-cited reason for avoiding EVs but in recent years it has come on in leaps and bounds. For example, recent data from charging mapping service Zapmap shows that there are now just over 70,400 devices across the UK, dotted through 35,810 locations.

It’s a marked increase over recent figures. In fact, the number of chargers has risen from 20,964 at the end of 2020 to more than 70,000 by the end of September 2024. It represents a 41 per cent year-on-year increase since September 2023, too.

How Long Do the Batteries Last?

Another area where EVs do better than you might think is longevity. Batteries are affected by large changes in temperature, and since that doesn’t happen in the relatively mild climate of the UK, you can expect EV batteries to last a long time. There are many very early electric vehicles—like the first-generation Nissan Leaf, for example—still on the road today.

Fortunately, all of the cars that you’ll find on our website today are covered by an eight-year battery warranty so that if something should go wrong, you’re completely protected.

Do Electric Vehicles Require any Maintenance?

Maintenance is one area where EVs dominate their combustion-engined alternatives. With fewer moving parts, electric vehicles don’t require anywhere near as much servicing, while the replacement of components will be few and far between.

Of course, consumables such as tyres will need to be checked at regular intervals, while electric vehicles do need their coolant checked from time to time. Thanks to regenerative braking - whereby the electric motor is reversed to help slow the car down - EVs don’t wear through brake pads as quickly as petrol and diesel cars, too.

Can Electric Vehicles Be Used in the Rain?

Yes! Electric vehicles are completely protected against the elements. Their batteries lie within protected and sealed housings, too, which prevents them from being affected by rain or other bad weather. You’ll be fine to take your EV through the car wash as a result!

Aren’t Electric Cars Slow?

You might think that electric vehicles are slow, but that isn’t the case. EVs deliver their torque instantly - meaning that as soon as you press the throttle pedal they’re away, with none of the ‘lag’ that you’ll experience in petrol and diesel cars.

Take that Peugeot e-208, for example. The single-motor electric version will go from 0-60mph in eight seconds flat, whereas the standard petrol version will take more than 10 seconds to accelerate to the same speed.

The world of electric vehicles doesn’t have to be shrouded in mystery, and here at Eden, we’ve got all of the expertise to guide you along the right path to your next EV. Head to our website today to browse some of the latest electric vehicles available and get in touch to organise a viewing or a test drive today.