The London Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ) was first introduced in 2003. Covering Central London, cars and other vehicles are charged a fee being driven inside it between 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 12pm to 6pm on the weekend. The current charge for entering the zone is £15, which covers the whole day. However, it’s expected that from January 2026 the charge will increase to £18.

Vehicles are recognised by automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR), with the charge managed by Transport for London (TfL). The zone itself has three main aims:

1. To reduce traffic in Central London
2. To reduce pollution in the city centre
3. Raise funds for London’s transport system

There are a few common scenarios where you might have to pay the charge. The Congestion Charge Zone covers Central London, so if you’re visiting London for a day, whether in your own car or a leased vehicle, you’re likely to enter the zone at some point, although there are plenty of routes you can take to avoid it.

The charge applies between the following times:

• Monday to Friday: 7am to 6pm
• Saturday and Sunday: 12pm to 6pm
• All bank holidays

The only days of the year the charge isn’t applied are between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Once incurred, the charge must be paid directly to TfL within three days. Alternatively, drivers who frequently pass through the zone can set up Auto Pay, which automatically pays the charge on their behalf at a discounted rate.

The simple answer is: currently, no, there is a congestion charge discount for EVs. Any vehicle with emissions below 75g/km and a zero-emissions range of 20 miles, which includes all EVs, is exempt from paying the charge.

This doesn’t apply to hybrid cars which, despite having batteries that do allow for limited zero-emissions travel, have had to pay the charge since October 2021. This means that, currently, only fully battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and hydrogen fuel cars don’t need to pay the congestion charge.

However, it isn’t simply a case of not needing to pay. EV drivers must still register their vehicles with TfL and notify them that the car meets the above conditions. In return, they are given the Cleaner Vehicle Discount, which amounts to a 100% discount on the charge.

From 25th December 2025, the Cleaner Vehicle Discount, and thus London Congestion Charge exemption, will end, and electric vehicles will have to start paying the daily charge, currently priced at £15, for driving in Central London.

To apply for the discount:

1. Go online to the TfL website and create a London Road User Charging account
2. Log in to your account and follow the instructions
3. Upload a photocopy or image of your car's V5C logbook issued by the DVLA
4. Pay a £10 registration fee, which needs to be renewed each year

The most common mistakes drivers make with the congestion zone are:

• Not registering their electric car with TfL and assuming their vehicle is simply exempt from paying. If you fail to register your EV, you will need to pay the charge
• Incorrectly thinking that their plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) is exempt. PHEVs were exempt until October 2021, so all PHEV owners must pay the charge even if their car meets the other conditions for the discount
• Driving through without any kind of exemption also means you’ll have to pay the charge, regardless of whether your vehicle meets the requirements for an exemption
• Failing to pay within the time limit. Drivers have until midnight on the third day after travelling in the zone to pay. If you don’t, you’ll be issued a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) of £180. If paid within 14 days, this drops to £90, but if it isn’t paid within 28 days a Charge Certificate is issued and it increases to £270 - and there are further penalties beyond this

It’s common for drivers to confuse the congestion charge zone with the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), but they are in fact two different things. Electric cars are exempt from both under the Cleaner Vehicle Discount, but there are some key differences between them, most notably the area they cover and their hours of operation:

It’s important to note that as they are different charges, drivers could potentially have to pay both charges for driving a non-exempt vehicle around London, totalling £27.50 for a full day.

Exemption from both the congestion charge zone and ULEZ are key benefits to driving an electric car in London. Whilst losing their exemption status for the congestion charge will no doubt disappoint many EV drivers, it’s important to remember that it’s relatively easy to avoid the zone, and there are many other myriad benefits to going electric.

For example, even though you’ll have to pay the charge, electric cars are still better for the environment, and every zero-emission mile you drive still goes a long way towards helping the planet combat climate change.

It’s also worth staying registered with TfL to keep on top of any updates or future exemptions that may come into effect. Whilst there are no indications that exemption, either full or partial, will return from 2026 or beyond, EV drivers are still exempt from ULEZ for the foreseeable future, and there could be a new tiered system introduced with discounts. Either way, electric cars are still completely worth it, and you shouldn’t ditch your EV when the exemption ends.

Automotive brands must submit their electric cars to be assessed by the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA). Once approved, the discount will be applied automatically, unlike other grants which need the driver to apply for the grant.

One of the key requirements is that the car has a list price of £37,000 although this doesn’t include optional extras. For example, if you have two versions of the same EV where one is more than £37,000 and the other is below this threshold, the cheaper model may be eligible to apply for the discount, but the more expensive one won’t be able to.

The Electric Car Grant was announced in July 2025, with a total of £650 million being ring-fenced for the scheme. The UK Government has set a hard deadline of the 31st of March 2029, but of course the scheme could end early if all of the funding gets used up before then. Additionally, the scheme can be amended by the government at any time, so it’s entirely possible the deadline could be extended or even reduced.

The following are our top picks for which EVs are now eligible for the new grant and have the discount applied. Note that there are plenty of other cars beyond this list which you can find here, with more being added all the time.

Band 1 – discount of up to £3,750

1. Ford Puma Gen-E
2. Ford E-Tourneo Courier

Band 2 – discount of up to £1,500

3. Citroën e-C4
4. Nissan Ariya
5. Peugeot e-208
6. Renault Megane
7. ŠKODA Enyaq
8. Toyota bZ4X
9. Vauxhall Corsa Electric
10. VW ID.3

Ford Puma Gen-E

The all-electric version of the highly successful Ford Puma, the Puma Gen-E is a brilliant option for those dipping their toes into the world of electric cars. For starters, it’s one of the cars that has been approved for the maximum £3,750 discount, which is great. Then there’s the fact that, for the most part, it will look and feel very familiar to the non-electric version, except of course the electric motor and 43 kWh battery, giving it a claimed 233 miles of zero-emissions driving range.

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Like many EVs on this list, the Ford Puma Gen-E can use rapid chargers, with a decent maximum charging speed of 100 kW, which translates to about 23 minutes to charge from ~10% to 80%. Plus, it’s a hugely practical car, with plenty of boot space (about 523 litres) and excellent handling in towns and cities, as well as an eye-catching Electric Yellow colour choice.

Ford E-Tourneo Courier

Another Ford car that got approved for the full discount is the E-Tourneo Courier. Designed for the driver that needs lots of space to move things (or, in this case, people), the E-Tourneo Courier is an affordable, all-electric people carrier with five seats. Its 54 kWh battery, equating to a range of about 125 miles in ideal conditions, will be sure to get you wherever you need to go, and can be charged quickly using a 100 kW rapid charger to help make long-distance journeys easier.

Of course, being a people carrier, the Ford E-Tourneo Courier is all about practicality over style. Whilst it may not be the best looking EV out there, it’s because it hasn’t been designed to be. Instead, it offers over 1,000 litres of storage space, and as there aren’t many all-electric people carriers it certainly has its uses, making it an ideal option for those who don’t want to make compromises by buying a crossover instead.

Citroën e-C4

Those looking for an affordable and practical EV could do a lot worse than the Citroën e-C4. As an electric car, it boasts a decent, if not unremarkable, range of around 200 miles; still plenty to get you places on a single charge, but by no means industry-leading. That said, you’re still in for an enjoyable driving experience, with a clever hydraulic system making town and city driving with lots of bumps much more pleasant than in other cars.

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It’s the first car on our list to be eligible for the lower end of the discount, but £1,500 off a brand-new electric car is certainly nothing to be sniffed at. With the Citroën e-C4, you’ll get rapid DC charging and an electric cost-per-mile of just 6.83p and zero-emissions all-electric driving. What’s not to love?

Nissan Ariya

Looking for a practical electric car offering impressive value for money? Check out the Nissan Ariya, now available with a £1,500 discount thanks to the grant. For a car that was revealed many years ago (back in 2020, if you can remember back that far!), the Nissan Ariya was certainly worth the wait, offering a respectable 250 miles of range and rapid charging (up to 130 kW) capabilities.

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Not only do you get a nice discount from the grant, you’ll also get a stylish electric car inside and out that’s big into minimalist design, with plenty of boot space on top. Whilst it sits in a heavily contested market, with plenty of “better” cars (that come with bigger price tags), the Ariya is an excellently priced choice, with a cost that makes sense for what you get. In some cases, you could even argue that you get more – especially in the looks department – for what you spend than some of the more higher-priced alternatives in its market.

Peugeot e-208

The Peugeot e-208 is the car maker’s first foray into the battery-electric market since their iOn model, and it’s been built from the ground up. Thankfully, too, because the e-208 is a very nice looking car. It’s a zero-emissions supermini with a sharp and sleek design inside and out that pays homage to the much-loved 208. It also drives exceptionally well for a small and light vehicle, giving you a WLTP range of 248 miles (real world around 225 miles in ideal conditions) and rapid charging of about 30 minutes for a 10-80% charge.

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It’s another excellent choice for those still on the fence about EVs, giving new drivers the familiarity of the 208 and a new experience with its all-electric driving. What it lacks in room (being a mini) it more than makes up for in driving experience and personality, and the £1,500 discount from the grant goes a long way to bringing its otherwise relatively hefty price tag down.

Renault Megane

One of the most stylish looking EV hatchbacks currently on the market is undoubtedly the Renault Megane E-Tech. In a sector as stacked as it is, with some big competition, it’s certainly one of the best looking, and the extra £1,500 off from the grant definitely sweetens the deal.

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In return, you’ll get a solidly designed electric car with a very respectable ~280 miles of range and a maximum rapid charging rate of 130 kW. That equates to a cost-per-mile of about 6.71p, which makes it very affordable to run. That’s not to mention a super comfortable ride, which is often cited as one of the car’s many strengths, as well as its large boot (around 440 litres) and plenty of buttons to press on its infotainment screen.

ŠKODA Enyaq

If you’re looking for an all-rounder SUV, the ŠKODA Enyaq is one of the best ones out there. It’s got pretty much everything you could ask for – plenty of range, plenty of space, plenty of fun, plenty of style, the list goes on! As if that weren’t enough reasons to consider getting one, the extra £1,500 discount from the grant makes it even more of a bargain.

The Enyaq range starts at 247 miles for the entry level trim, which is plenty to be getting by with, whilst its ability to charge using rapid chargers makes it excellent for long journeys. In fact, the Enyaq has been praised for its motorway driving experience, offering a smooth and quiet drive at faster speeds, whilst its great safety rating (4 out of 5 stars by Euro NCAP) make it a winner for anyone looking for a solid long-distance all-rounder.

Toyota bZ4X

For drivers who want a simple, no-thrills-yet-still-brilliant EV, Toyota’s first purpose-built fully electric SUV, the bZ4X, is the one for you. In short, it gets the job done, with plenty of style and boot space for most driving needs and a quality infotainment system featuring an 8-inch touchscreen and crisp graphics. It’s also incredibly comfortable to drive or be a passenger in it, with heaps of in-built tech to make longer-distance motorway trips more pleasant, such as adaptive cruise control.

That, in a way, is one of the car’s best selling points. Unlike plenty of other EVs, a lot of the fancy tech and gadgets come as standard, regardless of which Toyota bZ4X trim you go for. That means you’ll also get all the other hallmarks of modern cars like keyless entry, LED headlights, and reversing cameras.

Incidentally, for those who’re wondering, the name stands for “beyond zero”. And no, sadly that doesn’t mean it produces negative emissions.

Vauxhall Corsa Electric

Vauxhall’s incredibly popular small hatchback is now available as a fully electric vehicle. Just like the petrol/diesel version, the Corsa Electric gives decent range at an affordable price, made even cheaper thanks to the grant. If you’re looking for a small car with plenty of range, the Corsa Electric pulls ahead compared to other competition in its market segment, with move range (and boot space!) than other popular cars like the Fiat 500, Mini Electric, or Honda e. Plus, it can charge at up to 100 kW, giving you a full charge in as little as 30 minutes.

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If you’ve driven a Corsa before, you’ll find things are very similar here. The Corsa Electric feels very much like its ICE equivalents, with smooth handling translating to an altogether comfortable ride. It’s also less showy than other EVs, with the exterior having had only a minor facelift, which may appeal to drivers who aren’t looking to stand out.

Volkswagen ID.3

For drivers who want a bigger mid-sized hatchback, the Volkswagen ID.3 is a great choice – especially if you’re a fan of minimalist interiors. Digital touchscreen displays are all the rage in modern cars, and the ID.3 takes it to the next level, with very few physical buttons to press. Instead, almost everything is controlled via the car’s massive 12.90 inch screen, which you’ll get as standard, or you can connect using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto if you prefer. Or, for more of a futuristic vibe, you can use the optional augmented reality heads-up display to project some information on the windscreen.

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Other than that, the ID.3 is a solidly reliable car built by a reputable car maker, and even more of a bargain with the £1,500 discount applied by the grant. Ranges start at around 240 miles for the entry-level model, and the battery can be charged using a rapid 120 kW charger for sub-30 minute charging to 80%.

When you look at the data, it’s perhaps no surprise that more drivers are wanting to know how they can keep multiple electric cars charged at home.

Electric cars have surged in popularity over the last few years, with data from Zapmap reporting over 1.6 million EVs on the UK roads as of August 2025. With over a third (34%) of UK households having two or more cars in 2024 according to data from the Department for Transport (DfT), homes in the UK are increasingly becoming multi-EV households.

Being able to charge two or more EVs makes them even more convenient as you can plug them both in and get them both charging at the same time, rather than having to swap the cable over to the other EV when one has finished charging.

Similarly, having separate chargers makes it easier to manage charging and monitor energy usage for people living in shared households. Or, alternatively, landlords may want to offer multi-EV charging via multiple chargers for tenants.

From a practical standpoint, getting multiple electric car chargers installed at home depends on your home’s setup.

For starters, the main limitation will be the property’s power supply. Most households in the UK have single-phase power and between 60 to 100 amp main fuses. This means that even if your household does have enough power for the additional charger, you won’t necessarily get the same charging rate from both.

For example, two 7 kW chargers installed on a single-phase power supply won’t actually charge each car at 7 kW, but more like 3-3.6 kW. So you’ll effectively be getting half the charging rate with each vehicle.

One way around this is to upgrade your home’s power supply to three-phase, but this can be costly and might not be possible for your home. However, it’s worth contacting your DNO (Distribution Network Operator) - in other words, the company that operates your electricity network - to ask about upgrading your power supply, which can in some circumstances be free.

However, this is also dependant on whether you have smart chargers installed with load balancing capability. Load balancing may sound complicated, but it effectively means the charger has the ability to evenly balance charging. Most modern chargers are considered smart chargers and so they have this capability, but older models may not.

So if you want a second charger but have an older model, you may need to upgrade it at the same time. Otherwise, the charging rate might not be evenly spread across both chargers, and you won’t get the same charging experience or have any way to control it.

Whenever you get an EV charger installed, you need to get permission from your DNO. This is so they can assess your home’s power supply and confirm whether your property can safely handle the increased load or if it needs an upgrade.

This is usually handled by the installer, who will conduct an assessment of your home before submitting the relevant forms to the DNO on your behalf. In the case of a second EV charger, you’ll need to get similar permission from the DNO, which may be harder to get approved as your home may not be able to cope with the additional load without an upgrade.

For tenants and renters, you’ll also need to get permission from your landlord to install a charger.

It may be obvious but, as well as technical limitations, it’s important to bear in mind when thinking about getting more than one charger installed that you’ll have to pay for it. Electric car chargers can have a significant upfront cost, not just in terms of the hardware but also its installation.

It’s also unlikely that you’ll be able to claim any grants to reduce the cost for the additional charger. Any home EV charger grants that have been or are currently available have had a limit of one charger, meaning the second charger won’t be eligible for the discount.

You’ll also want to factor in any potential costs for upgrading your power supply so it can accommodate the extra load from the second charger. Sometimes this can be offered for free by your DNO, but often it can come at a significant cost.

Similarly, charging a second car at home will no doubt increase your energy bill, so you’ll need to have planned for that in your household budget.

Even after accounting for the additional costs and any technical limitations, you may find that you don’t actually need to get a second charger installed.

A common misconception about EVs is that they have low ranges. This is simply not true, with many EVs having driving ranges well into the hundreds. Plus, most people actually have a much lower weekly mileage than they think they do, with the average being somewhere around 25 to 30 miles. This means you won’t necessarily need to charge as often as you might think as it’s likely your electric car can more than easily cover your weekly driving on a single charge.

This means a single 7 kW home charger will likely be sufficient for your charging. For example, a typical EV with a 60 kWh battery will take just 8 hours to fully charge on a 7 kW charger. If you can comfortably cover your weekly mileage on a single charge, you could simply charge one EV one night and the other the next. This would be much simpler, and not to mention cheaper, than getting a second charger installed.

Plus, if you do have a higher-than-average weekly mileage, you may find it more beneficial and convenient to rely on the UK’s public charging network and top up your EV throughout the week. And in fact, you might find that having half the charging rate due to the second charger doesn’t give you enough miles overnight to do the longer journey.

Whilst in theory it’s possible to get two chargers installed, sometimes it isn’t always possible, or even necessary. Fortunately, households do have other options that can be just as convenient, and even cheaper, than opting for a second home charger:

1. One charger, two schedules

As already mentioned, a standard 7 kW charger is more often than not sufficient for most of your charging needs. If you have more than one electric car, you will probably be able to get by simply by alternating charging each night, and won’t really need to have both charging at the same time.

2. Make use of the UK’s public network

As of August 2025, there are over 85,000 public charging stations across almost 43,000 locations in the UK according to Zapmap. So if both your EVs need a charge, you could always take one (or both) somewhere and use a public charger for a top up, but do bear in mind it is cheaper to charge at home than in public.

3. Use a 3-pin plug, but carefully

In a pinch, you can always use a charging cable that plugs into a standard 3-pin plug. However, this should only be done in emergencies, and even then only sparingly. Charging like this is incredibly slow, so it will take a very long time for the car to charge to full. This can be unsafe as standard home sockets aren’t designed to handle the long-duration load needed to charge an EV, and they don’t have anything like the protections that dedicated home chargers do.

4. Home chargers with multiple sockets

Although rare, some EV charging providers offer home chargers that have more than one charging socket, as well as the load balancing capability to evenly distribute the charging rate. But again, as mentioned, there are some downsides to charging two cars at the same time, such as a slower charging rate.

As we’ve seen, provided your property has, or can upgrade to, the requisite power supply needed, it’s entirely possible to get two EV chargers installed at one address. However, there are many factors that need to be considered, including having chargers installed with smart load management capabilities and getting permission from your energy supplier, which may make it harder than it’s worth.

Plus, just because you can doesn’t necessarily mean you should, as there are plenty of alternative options for multi-EV households to keep their cars charged, and most of the time a single 7 kW charger will suffice.

Is it safe to run two EV chargers at once?

Provided both chargers have been installed correctly and safely by a qualified EV installation professional, it’s perfectly safe to have two EVs charging at two home EV chargers simultaneously.

Will two chargers slow down my charging speed?

This depends primarily on your home’s power supply and whether it’s single- or three-phase. But in general, yes, even if both chargers are 7 kW chargers, you may find that two EVs plugged into each at the same time will charge at different rates. With smart chargers, load balancing should ensure the cars charge at the same rate, but it will still be at less (around 50%) of a single charger’s charging rate, so around 3 to 3.6 kW each rather than 7 kW each.

Can I apply for a government grant on the second charger?

Whether you’re getting two installed at the same time or adding a second charger to your home, only one of them will be eligible for a government grant. You may also find that you have to install each one separately, rather than at the same time, to qualify for a grant.

Can landlords get multiple chargers installed for their tenants?

Using one of the two government grants available, landlords can indeed provide multiple chargers for their tenants. This can be especially beneficial as it can help make your property more appealing to tenants who are EV drivers, whilst also giving them an easy way to ensure they only need to pay for their own charging, rather than everyone else’s.

If, for whatever reason, you’re on the road and your EV runs out of charge, the best thing to do is to not panic. Just like any issue when on the road, your priority should be to get your car (and, thus, you) somewhere safe. That means popping your hazard lights on and pulling into a lay-by or quiet road where you can pull up on the kerb and park, or in the case of motorways trying to exit or, failing that, using the hard shoulder. This way, you can come to a controlled stop.

Fortunately, when the battery does reach zero, the car doesn’t come to an immediate stop, so you have time to react. In fact, you’ll get plenty of warning before it actually happens, giving you enough time to prepare if you know you won’t be able to get a charge before it happens.

Once it reaches zero, the car itself will gradually lose power, and eventually come to a stop. Your EV should also have safety systems in place which will help you pull over safely.

Just like any stranded car, you should immediately put your hazard lights on once you know your battery will go flat, and do your best to pull over somewhere safe that’s out of the way of other road users. Then, you should contact roadside assistance, who will then have a number of recovery options available.

It’s very important at this stage that you call roadside assistance and don’t attempt to get your EV towed instead. Towing an electric car can cause damage to the drivetrain if done improperly, especially traditional two-wheel towing which can inadvertently cause the motor to generate electricity, which could damage other systems.

Unlike petrol cars, EVs need specialist help, as you can’t simply walk to the nearest station and refill the battery yourself. Thankfully, electric car roadside assistance is getting better, and EV drivers now have a few different options available:

1. Flatbed tow truck

This is by far the most common method of recovery for stranded EVs. As mentioned, towing an electric car isn’t always possible, and it’s much safer and more reliable to put the EV onto a flatbed truck. This way, all four wheels are off the ground and not potentially generating electricity or doing damage to the car’s motor.

2. Roadside mobile charging

Some providers now offer mobile charging services that can charge your EV on the roadside. Although rare, they are becoming more frequent, designed to charge your car enough for you to drive to a public charging station for a full charge. Think of it as an emergency top-up. 

Regardless of which recovery option is used, once you’re recovered and safe, your next immediate step should be to give your car a charge to about 80%, whether that’s at a public charging station or at home if possible.

Obviously it goes without saying that you should avoid hitting 0% whilst driving, as it can be unsafe. But you equally shouldn’t let your battery ever get to 0% before giving it a charge. This is because of the way that EV batteries work. Essentially, longer charges, especially when starting from close to 0%, puts a lot of strain on the battery, which can cause it to degrade a lot quicker over time.

This equally means you should never charge completely to 100%. Instead, the sweet spot for charging is between 20% to 80%. Not only will this keep your battery – arguably the most important component of an EV – healthier for longer, but it also takes less time than to charge from 0% to 100%.

Tip: it’s highly unlikely your EV will naturally get to 0% on its own. That’s because electric cars don’t lose that much charge when parked, so you should never encounter a situation where you try drive your EV only to find the battery is flat!

Fortunately, running out of charge is rare, and it’s easy enough to avoid. Here are our top tips for avoiding hitting 0% charge in an EV:

Plan charging stops in advance

There are loads of apps that can be used to pre-plan where you’re going to stop for a charge before you set off, and with over 82,000 public EV charging stations in the UK, getting access to one shouldn’t be a problem.

That said, always make sure to have back-up options available, just in case your preferred choice is in use by another driver. Also, if you’re planning to use rapid chargers, make sure you’ve checked ahead of time that your EV can actually make use of rapid charging speeds. Even if your car can still connect to it, if your EV can’t charge at those speeds (50+ kW) you could be stopping someone else who could take advantage of the faster rate.

Charge smart at home

Charging at home is undoubtedly the best way to keep an electric car charged. By plugging in overnight, you can wake up to a fully charged cat in the morning and start your journey with the maximum number of miles available. This is much better than setting off with low charge, which increases the risk of running out altogether!

There are plenty of other benefits to having a home EV charger installed as well, such as getting access to cheaper overnight charging, especially if you install a charger with smart charging functionality.

Know you EV’s limits

When you buy an electric car, you should be told, or be able to find out, what its maximum range is, which should tell you how far you can drive it before needing to recharge. But don’t always take this at face value.

The figure you’ll usually be quoted will have been determined by the WLTP, or the Worldwide Harmonised Testing Procedure. Simply put, it’s a test designed to determine the fyuel or energy consumption, and emissions, of a car, be it petrol, diesel, or electric.

Among this, the car’s maximum range will be tested. However, the test is done in a controlled laboratory environment, under assumed ideal conditions, including road surface, weather, driving speed, and so on. As a result, the WLTP gives you an idea of what the range is, but what you may end up with can vary drastically depending on factors like the weather, how you drive, whether you’re on motorways or not, the age of the car etc.

That’s why cars listed in our vehicle guides include both the WLTP – i.e. “official” - range of an EV, our own “confidence range”. As a general rule of thumb, take off about 15% of the WLTP range and you’ll have a much more realistic idea of the car’s actual range in real-world conditions.

Take advantage of regenerative braking

Regen braking is a handy piece of tech that you’ll find in virtually any modern electric car. Essentially, it allows the car to take the energy that’s typically used when you brake and use it to slightly recharge the battery. As well as giving your battery a little boost whenever you brake, it makes the car overall more efficient as less energy is lost or wasted.

That doesn’t mean you can complete a journey entirely with regen braking, as the charge isn’t going to be enough to counter the amount lost from driving the car. But it will reduce your overall energy consumption, so it’s worth using it when you can.

The key takeaway from this should be that yes, the idea of running out of charge on the road is a scary prospect. But it’s not something that happens often, and if it does it isn’t the end of the world as there are plenty of recovery options.

If it is something that still concerns you, deciding against going electric isn’t the solution. Instead, you just need to get used to a little bit more planning than you might normally need to do with a petrol/diesel car to keep your car charged before, during, and after your journey. And if you need them, we have plenty of tips for optimising your EV’s range!

Ready to start your EV journey? Explore our award-winning Solo 3S home charging system today.

Despite what the name suggests, these aren’t actually number plates that are completely green. Instead, they’re standard number plates with a green stripe on the left-hand side (as you’re looking at the front of the car from the outside).

Green number plates are for electric vehicles, and are used to identify them so that the driver can benefit from a range of electric car incentives. Specifically, however, they’re only used on cars that are either hydrogen fuel cell cars or fully electric vehicles. In other words, you won’t find a green number plate on a hybrid or non-electric car.

The UK isn’t the only country in the world to have them, either. Canada, China, Hungary and Norway have similar schemes in place that use number plates to identify cars as fully electric.

UK EV number plates fundamentally work the exact same way as they do with traditional petrol/diesel cars. However, the green stripe or “flash” was added to license plates back in December 2020 by the then-Transport Minister Rachel Maclean as part of the then-government’s wider net-zero strategies, specifically its goal of banning the sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035. The government at the time was looking for ways to encourage drivers to switch to EVs, and it was thought that the stripe on the number plate would help raise awareness around electric vehicles by showing drivers that more electric cars were on the roads and getting them thinking about switching.

At the time, the Department for Transport (DfT) were also hoping that EV drivers with the green number plate would start to see incentives offered by Local Authorities, such as free parking. However, these incentives were never set in stone, and fundamentally never came about, primarily due to concerns that non-electric car drivers could swap their number plates for a green number plate and claim the benefits without actually switching to an EV. There was also the fact that the DVLA already had records of what type of fuel each registered car used, meaning the green flash on the license plate wouldn’t be needed for councils to identify the car as electric.

Despite the DfT’s hoped-for benefits never formally materialising, there are still some benefits to having the green flash on your EV.

For starters, they still help to make it more obvious to Local Authorities how many drivers in their area are driving electric, which in turn could be used to eventually develop new policies that benefit EV drivers. Some schemes that have reportedly been considered include cheaper parking and the use of bus lanes, although how and when these are implemented could vary across councils. By having the green plates already implemented as a system, this would in turn future-proof EVs that have them fitted if and when these perks appear.

Even then, they still help to raise awareness with the public. Making EVs more visible is a great way to get the general public thinking about electric cars, especially considering the long list of environmental benefits to going electric.

And, if nothing else, being an EV driver with an electric car with a green number plate means you can show off your car’s zero-emissions credentials and the fact you’re contributing to the UK’s sustainability efforts.

If you fancy getting a green license plate, the good news is it’s easy to do, whether you’re about to buy an EV or already have one. Remember, these can only be fitted to 100% electric cars or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, so if you have a hybrid you won’t be able to get one fitted. And don’t forget to update your insurance policy and other key documents once the new plates are fitted!

For new EV drivers

When buying a new electric car from a dealership, they should be able to swap out the traditional number plate for a green license plate if you ask them. But if they can’t, or you forget, then...

For existing EVs

If you already have an electric car, or you’re buying a second-hand EV, green plates can be retrofitted to eligible EVs easily provided you order the plates from a registered plate supplier. To do so, you’ll need to provide proof of your ID and evidence that you’re the owner of the car, which can be done with the V5C logbook, which should also indicate that the car is a zero-emissions vehicle as proof of eligibility for the green plate.

You can also potentially change the plates of a car you’re leasing or paying for via finance, but you’ll need to check with the lender first.

Fortunately, you aren’t forced to have a green number plate on your EV if you don’t want to. This is because many zones like ULEZ and Clean Air Zones that charge a fee for driving in them use automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology to identify cars that are exempt from the fee. So if you’re driving an EV and it’s exempt from the fee, you won’t need to worry about not having a green license plate as the actual license plate will have records of what type of fuel your car uses and whether you need to pay or not.

As previously stated, the key thing to remember is that green number plates are only for pure electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell cars. This means if you have a hybrid, even a plug-in hybrid, you can’t get one (which could be another reason why you should buy an EV rather than a hybrid!).

Also, be mindful that if benefits are introduced by Local Authorities, they may not be applicable nationwide. Perks could vary by region, so you’ll want to check beforehand what perks, if any, the council you’re driving through offers.

For London drivers, another important thing to consider is the current rules around the capital’s ULEZ and Congestion Charge zones. Electric cars currently don’t need to pay either, but in December 2025 EVs will start having to pay the Congestion Charge – regardless of whether the car has a green number plate or not.

Similarly, other cities across the UK have their own Clean Air Zones, which electric cars are exempt from paying. However, you may find in the future that the exemption ends, and it’s unlikely that having a green number plate will keep your car exempt.

Despite them not being compulsory, or specifically tied to unique incentives, it seems likely that green number plates will continue to exist. Having the system in place means that it will be easier to identify cars as fully electric if any future incentives come about as a result of rising EV adoption rates. That said, a similar or entirely different system could be used in the future, but that seems unlikely for now.

If nothing else, green number plates are now such a common sight on UK roads that the public have gotten used to seeing them. There’s little doubt that seeing so many EVs on the roads will have helped shape public attitudes towards them, and you could even argue that the green flash on the plate has become something of a symbol of the broad efforts to make transport more sustainable.

It would be a shame for the UK to retire the green number plate, given it’s so iconic. It’s become more than just a bit of green plastic, but rather a representation of a much wider movement, and the huge progress we’ve taken, towards a greener future.

So the next time you see a green number plate, you’ll know it’s a fully electric car producing zero tailpipe emissions. Why not join them?

The vast majority of homes in the UK use some form of gas, either for cooking or, more commonly, for central heating. This means most people in the UK will be familiar with the concept of having two different types of energy bill – gas and electric. Historically, these were billed, and provided, by separate suppliers, but it’s become increasingly common for energy suppliers to provide both.

This, broadly, is what is meant by a dual fuel – sometimes also known as two-rate or dual-rate – energy tariff is. It’s simply one provider supplying and billing for households that use both gas and electric. So if your home only uses electricity, you’ll only be billed for it, and you won’t be on a dual fuel tariff.

Naming conventions for these tariffs tend to vary, but you’ll generally see some popular ones cropping up if you do a quick search online such as Economy 7 (7 hours of cheaper energy overnight) and Economy 10 (10 hours of cheaper energy split between overnight and daytime, but with higher standing charges).

Generally speaking, your energy will cost different amounts at different times of the day when you’re on a dual fuel tariff, which is defined as peak and off-peak hours:

• Peak hours – these are usually during the day and early evening when energy demand is typically at its highest. In other words, peak times are when people use the most amount of energy, for example to run multiple appliances like cookers, TVs, washing machines, lights, and so on.
• Off-peak hours – these are the times when energy demand is lowest. The most common off-peak time is overnight, but some tariffs also offer mid-day off-peak times to coincide with when people and families are at work or school.

Essentially, energy prices change when demand for energy is lowest because it’s cheaper for the UK’s energy grid to generate energy when it’s not as in demand. For example, overnight is the best off-peak time because the majority of us are asleep. This means all the lights are off, and very few appliances are running, so there’s less demand for energy.

The reason energy suppliers are keen to encourage more people to switch to using energy overnight is to better balance the overall demand for energy seen throughout the day. When demand spikes, such as when everyone gets home from work or school, the grid sometimes has to turn on extra generators to accommodate the demand. These are typically fossil-fuel burning power plants which are bad for the environment.

By spreading demand throughout the day, the grid will see fewer spikes and so they can avoid burning more fossil fuels, making the energy we use much greener and better for the planet. Fortunately for EV drivers, this coincides with how most of us charge, meaning we can all charge our electric cars for less.

Charging an electric at home can be very energy-intensive, especially when you factor in how long it takes for an EV to charge. Fortunately, a typical electric car can be fully charged, or at least to the sweet spot of 80%, in around 8 hours on a standard 7kW home charger, which happens to perfectly align with common dual-rate tariffs which offer around 7 hours of cheaper overnight charging.

This means EV drivers could see huge cost savings potential by switching their charging to overnight/off-peak hours. Let’s take a look at a quick example of a standard EV with a battery of ~54kWh:

*Based on the current Ofgem energy price cap

**Average cost of current Economy 7 rates according to Go Compare

As you can see, charging an electric car is a lot cheaper when you plug it in during off-peak hours, which can quickly add up to a huge cost saving.

Plus, as mentioned already, dual fuel tariffs encourage greener habits by getting more people to spread their demand over a wider period, reducing the need to turn on pollution-generating power plants. If you’re an EV driver, chances are you made the switch not only to save money but to do your bit for the planet. By charging overnight, you’ll not only get cheaper charging, but it’ll also be greener too! But how do you unlock this cheaper and green energy?

In order to take advantage of dual rate tariffs, you’ll need to get a smart EV home charger, as well as a smart meter. These chargers include smart charging functionality which includes the ability to automatically schedule a charge for when energy is cheapest

So, rather than needing to manually plug in and start a charge at off-peak hours – which could involve staying up until the early hours of the morning – you can simply plug in before you go to bed and the charger will start charging once your cheaper energy rate kicks in. This also means you’ll never miss an opportunity to save money by charging when it’s cheapest.

But there are plenty of other benefits to getting a dedicated smart home EV charger installed. For example, they’re really just much more convenient to use. All the smart tech they include is designed to make life with an EV easier, such as the ability to easily monitor your energy usage or features that make your charging safer and more intelligent. The ultimate in convenience is waking up to a fully charged electric car, charged on cheaper and greener energy!

With more dual fuel tariffs becoming available, EV drivers are spoilt for choice, but that can make it tricky to choose the best deal for you. For example, dual-rate tariffs can either be fixed or variable, and one may be better for you than the other. Plus, there are some other types of tariff available:

• Variable tariff: your energy price may go up or down depending on wholesale energy prices and Ofgem’s price cap
• Fixed tariff: the price you pay for energy stays the same throughout the contract, regardless of what wholesale prices or Ofgem’s price cap are
• Tracker tariff: these are fundamentally very similar to variable tariffs in that they change depending on market factors like Ofgem’s cap or wholesale prices. The key difference is that they tend to change much more frequently than variable rates, in some cases as often as every half an hour, which could make budgeting tricky but save you more
• Deemed energy tariff: if you’ve recently moved home, or your contract has come to an end, you’ll be automatically put into a deemed tariff, which will likely have a higher rate than you could get by switching or entering into a new contract
• Electric car tariff: EV drivers can also switch to a tariff explicitly designed for electric cars, with favourable overnight rates or discounted rates during the day
• Green energy tariff: these are ideal for the environmentally-conscious as they prioritise supplying energy that’s come from renewable sources like hydro, solar, wind etc. They’re less common than other tariff types, and of course not all the energy will be 100% renewable, but it could be a great way to reduce your carbon footprint

Fortunately, there are plenty of price comparison websites online that will quickly and easily show you the best deals available for your area. This should include plenty of information, including frequently asked questions you might have. For example, you could save money by paying monthly via Direct Debit, and there might be exit fees with your current provider that you’ll need to take into consideration before switching.

Depending on your current rates, moving over to a two-rate tariff could significantly reduce the costs of charging your electric car. If you have a smart home charger, you’ll be in a great position to maximise the convenience and savings benefits of being an EV driver.

That said, it’s important to do your research before switching. The energy tariff industry can be complicated, with many new providers offering unique and sometimes niche tariffs which may or may not benefit you. But if and when you decide to make the switch, you’ll have access to plenty of smart EV chargers, including our very own all-inclusive Pod Drive EV smart charging service from just £40 per month.

As long as cars have existed, knowing how far you can travel before refuelling has been a key question among drivers. To address this, the first fuel consumption and emissions test for cars - the NEDC - was introduced in the 1980s. It was modified over time in an effort to keep up with changing cars and driving conditions. This test wasn’t very reliable, so in 2017, a new testing procedure - the WLTP - was implemented to provide more accurate range and emissions estimates.

The World Light Vehicle Test Procedure or WLTP is a test used to determine the energy or fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of electric and combustion engine vehicles. Established to address criticisms and issues of the previous NEDC testing procedure, the WLTP has become the global standard in testing by assessing a variety of driving conditions.

WLTP tests take place on a rolling road. It’s machinery which allows the wheels to roll while the car remains stationary, meaning the procedure can be carried out indoors in a laboratory environment. The WLTP testing cycle was created using real-life driving data to better represent common driving habits and conditions. The cycle features braking, stopping and acceleration throughout, and is split into four cycles to measure consumption and emissions at different speeds, which are:

1. Low (up to 56.6km/h)

2. Medium (76.6km/h)

3. High (97.4km/h)

4. Extra high (up to 131.3km/h)

The default ambient testing temperature is set at 23°C and adjusted to 14°C to test CO2 emissions for a wider range of climates. Depending on where vehicles are tested, some regions will apply the WLTP test differently to correspond with local laws and conditions.

The Real Driving Emissions Test or RDE is a test that is performed in addition to the WLTP to determine NOx emissions generated by the vehicle. This testing procedure checks if cars remain below the NOx emission limit of no more than 0.080g/km across various driving conditions.

There are two types of RDEs based on the approval and registration year of vehicles:

• RDE1 – approved from September 2017 and registered from September 2019, up to 2.1x of maximum NOx

• RDE2 – approved from January 2020 and registered from January 2021, up to 1.5x of maximum NOx

The New European Driving Cycle or NEDC was a lab test introduced to assess fuel economy and emissions in the 1980s and was last updated in 1997. Similar to the WLTP, it was performed on a rolling road but has become outdated over the years, as driving conditions and technology changed. It has been officially replaced by the more reliable WLTP.

One of the key issues with the NEDC was that the testing cycle was too rigid, meaning it poorly reflected everyday driving.

New electric cars don’t have to do the NEDC and will undergo the WTPL instead. Although EVs sold pre-2017 would have had their range tested using the NEDC, you’ll be able to find the estimated WTPL range for these models online.

The WLTP is the gold standard for vehicle consumption and emissions testing. It’s the most accurate standardised test used globally. With the WLTP range and emission figures, potential EV buyers can reliably compare performance across different cars to help them find the best vehicle to suit their needs.

Although the WLTP comes much closer to the real-life range EV drivers will experience than the now-defunct NEDC, it’s still not 100% accurate. The industry may look to develop another testing procedure to provide an even closer estimation of car ranges in the future.