In recent years, the EV world has witnessed a significant rise in the adoption of electric cars. It signals a clear shift away from polluting internal combustion engine (ICE) cars to sustainable transportation. This growing interest has not only transformed the car industry but has also piqued curiosity about the origins and evolution of electric vehicles.

We’ll explore the rich history of EVs, from the first battery-powered vehicle to mass-produced electric cars, and consider where technology might go next.

Electric vehicles trace their origins back to the early 19th century, during a time of rapid technological innovation. This period saw the creation of the first production EV by Thomas Parker in 1884, two years before the first production gas-powered vehicle was brought to the market by Carl Benz in 1886. So technically, EVs pre-date ICE cars!

• 1832-1839: Robert Anderson invents the first crude electric carriage powered by non-rechargeable primary cells in Scotland.

• 1859: Gaston Planté, a French physicist, invents the lead-acid battery, providing a more practical source of electricity for powering vehicles.

• 1881: Gustave Trouvé, a French electrical engineer, demonstrates a working three-wheeled electric vehicle at the International Exposition of Electricity in Paris.

• 1884: Thomas Parker, known for electrifying the London Underground, builds the first fully electric production car in the UK. He develops a steam-powered charger for his own high-capacity rechargeable batteries. Parker’s invention is a pivotal moment in the history of electric mobility. It arguably comes closest to today’s electric car as we know it.

The evolution of electric vehicles continued throughout the 20th century and in the early 21st century. Here are key milestones that represent leaps in technology, adoption and consumer acceptance:

• 1899: Camille Jenatzy's electric car called "La Jamais Contente" becomes the first vehicle to exceed 100 km/h (62 mph).

• 1900: Surprisingly, electric cars account for around a third of all vehicles on the road in the United States, enjoying popularity for their ease of use and quiet operation compared to fuel-powered cars.

• 1912: The expensive Detroit Electric, produced by the Anderson Electric Car Company, emerges as one of the most popular electric vehicles, offering comfort and a range of up to 80 miles at top speeds of 20mph on a single charge.

• 1971: NASA's Lunar Roving Vehicle, an electric car used during the Apollo 15 mission, marks the first off-Earth driving experience, showcasing the versatility of electric vehicles.

• 1996: General Motors releases the EV1, the first mass-produced electric vehicle of the modern era, sparking renewed interest in electric mobility.

• 1997: Toyota introduces the Prius in Japan, the world's first mass-produced hybrid electric vehicle, blending fuel and battery power for improved fuel consumption.

• 2006: Tesla Motors unveils the Tesla Roadster, the first production electric vehicle to use lithium-ion battery cells and the first to travel more than 200 miles per charge.

• 2010: The Nissan Leaf, one of the world's first mass-market electric vehicles, launches, signalling a significant commitment from major carmakers to electric driving.

• 2012: Tesla launches the Model S, featuring breakthrough battery technology and range, winning numerous awards and increasing consumer interest in electric vehicles.

In the present and near future, electric vehicles are expected to break into new areas never seen before in battery-powered driving. Rapid innovation around EV batteries means it won’t be long until entry-level to high-end electric cars can seriously compete with petrol or diesel vehicles when it comes to range. Advancements in range and charging infrastructure will continue to cause a rising uptake of EVs among the general population.

• 2020s and beyond: The global EV market is experiencing exponential growth, driven by advances in battery technology, environmental policies such as ICE car bans and a growing societal emphasis on reducing carbon emissions. Major carmakers are committing to an electrified future, with plans to phase out ICE cars and expand their EV offering.

• Future milestones: The focus on innovation continues, with developments in solid-state batteries, autonomous driving technologies and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems, promising to further revolutionise the electric vehicle landscape.

With more drivers turning to electric cars in the UK, the government has designed the regulations to set out in law what capabilities home and workplace chargers should have.

One of the key measures is the focus on smart charging functionality to enable chargepoints to prioritise charging when there’s less demand on the grid or when greater renewable energy supply is available.

The regulations have also been designed to give end-users more detailed information and statistics on their charging events, as well as additional security protection.

The widespread adoption of EVs in the UK forms a key part of the government’s strategy to reach net-zero greenhouse emissions by 2050. This includes support in the form of financial grants targeting homeowners and businesses, as well as changes to Building Regulations.

While the rise in electric cars presents a potential challenge to the nation’s energy grid, it’s been assured that the grid can meet this demand - but only if EV charging is optimised in terms of its timeframe.

By creating a more flexible energy system, the grid will be able to support the UK’s transition to EVs. The changes also promote the use of smart charging and associated flexibility that will allow for easier integration of clean, renewable electricity into the grid.

In this way, the regulations seek to raise standards in the EV charging industry and enable an intelligently managed and future-proofed energy ecosystem.

Smart EV charger regulations

• Default charge schedule
• Randomised delay
• Increased transparency on charging stats
• Tamper detection mechanism
• Security event log
• Transparent firmware details
• Updated software and security standards
• Demand-side response services
• Electricity supplier interoperability
• Ability to continue to charge when wifi drops out
• The charger must have a statement of compliance

1. Default charge schedule

New chargepoints must now come with a pre-configured default charging schedule. This schedule only charges EVs during off-peak hours when there’s typically less demand for electricity, which is outside:

• 8am - 11am Saturday and Sunday.

• 4pm - 10pm Monday to Friday.

This has a number of benefits. Firstly, it ensures your EV will charge during the most cost-effective time frame for anyone with a “Time of Use” tariff, with energy being cheaper during off-peak hours. This is because electricity demand is at its lowest overnight. But it also helps the grid operators by moving EV charging away from periods of high demand.

The key takeaway is that chargepoints installed on or after the 1st of July 2022 won’t charge outside these times by default.

2. Randomised delay

Alongside the default charge schedule, chargepoints also need to randomise the start or end of a charging session by up to 10 minutes*.

This measure is for protecting the grid and local substations from instantaneous surges in demand, such as at the beginning of the default schedule when everyone’s chargepoint activates and their EVs start charging. Similarly, it prevents unexpected surges like after a power outage or loss of internet connection.

Instead, the demand is spread out with a random delay of up to 10 minutes*, meaning your charger may not start or end its charging session immediately.

This could result in you losing out on a few minutes of a lower electricity rate, but it’s necessary to protect the energy grid and keep EVs charging reliably.

*This could be increased by up to 30 minutes by energy companies, although we’re yet to see any indication of any intent to make use of a longer delay.

3. Increased transparency on charging stats

Drivers now have to be able to see additional information on their charging sessions. These stats include:

• The total time within a charging session that power flowed between chargepoint and vehicle (including the amount of energy supplied in kWh).

• All your charging events in the past over the last 12 months, which can be viewed individually or grouped by week, month, or year.

Applicable from 30th December 2022: 

4. Tamper detection mechanism

EV chargepoints must now include a tamper detection mechanism. This device records any attempts to remove the front cover and notifies the chargepoint’s owner. 

5. Security event log

Chargepoint owners must now be able to see a log of notifications in relation to their charger via a recorded security event log.

6. Transparent firmware details

As part of the regulations’ aim to improve transparency, users will be able to see which software version their chargepoint has, as well as when a software update is due. 

7. Updated software and security standards

New enhanced encryption and authentication standards further improve the security of chargepoints connected to online networks.

Other requirements from the regulations include:

• Smart functionality - chargepoints must be able to allow drivers to charge their EVs at periods of lower demand, or when there’s more clean energy available. They also need the ability to send and receive information across a secure network.

• Demand side response services - chargepoints must be able to defer charging/vary its rate in response to external signals. This will allow energy firms to offer additional services, such as variable rate electricity pricing when demand is lower or renewable energy supply is higher.

• Electricity supplier interoperability - chargepoints must be able to retain their smart functionality even if the user changes to a different electricity supplier.

• Loss of communications - chargers must continue to charge the vehicle even if it loses its connection to the user’s communications network.

• Safety features - users must not be able to carry out any operation that risks their or someone else’s health and safety.

• Statement of Compliance - all chargepoints sold must now include a State of Compliance document that demonstrates its compliance with the regulations. This also needs to include details of the manufacturer.

As the uptake in EVs continues to rise, more people are set on finding and purchasing an electric car with the best range. But is more always necessary?

The typical car drives roughly 127 miles per week, while the average range of an electric car is around 236 miles. You should weigh up the cost of purchasing an electric car with a long range (at a higher cost) vs the benefit to your day-to-day life. A low to mid-range EV may just be enough for your needs.

Whether you choose a 300-mile electric car, go beyond the 400-mile range mark, or opt for an EV with an average range, the public charging network in the UK makes it fairly easy for you to top up your battery. More than 32,500 public charging locations are available – that’s up 47% in just one year since early 2023.

Gone are the days of 300-mile range electric cars being the longest range money could buy. Today, there are several EVs available on the UK market that go beyond the 400-mile mark. We’ve crunched the numbers to create an electric car range comparison of the top 10 EVs by range.

Top 10 electric car range list from highest to lowest:

1. Mercedes-Benz EQS Saloon (452 miles)

2. Fisker Ocean Extreme (440 miles)

3. Polestar 2 (406 miles)

4. Porsche Taycan 4S (399 miles)

5. Tesla Model S (394 miles)

6. Polestar 3 (392 miles)

7. Tesla Model 3 Long Range (390 miles)

8. BMW i7 (387 miles)

9. Volkswagen ID.7 Pro Match (384 miles)

10. BMW iX (382 miles)

The Mercedes-Benz EQS saloon is currently the electric car with the

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longest range available in the UK. It has an unbeatable range of 452 miles on a single charge. That’s technically enough to take you from London to Manchester and back without a single charging stop.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS is a high-end electric car that comes at an equally high price, starting from £129,470. The model is also available as an SUV, which offers more space but less range.

Fisker is a US-based electric carmaker that offers three SUV models in its Ocean series. The Ocean Sport is the entry-level model with a respectable range of 237 miles, followed by the Ocean One with 379 miles, and the Ocean Extreme at a whopping 440 miles.

The two electric motors in the Fisker Ocean Extreme provide all-wheel drive, and the big boot space offers plenty of room, making it a very stylish and practical family car. Prices for the Ocean Extreme start from £57,900.

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The updated Polestar 2 has a 406-mile range – that’s the third longest range for any electric car currently available in the UK. Offering a top infotainment system and the choice between rear- or all-wheel drive, prices for the Polestar 2 start from £44,950.

The Porsche Taycan 4S is a joy to drive and will let you go up to 399 miles on a single charge when opting for the Performance Battery Plus. It has everything you’d expect from an electric sports car, including rapid charging of up to 270kW, all-wheel drive and outstanding design on the inside and outside.

This sports car isn’t cheap, but that is expected from a manufacturer like Porsche. The Taycan 4S starts from £95,900 and costs more with the battery upgrade that allows you to hit that near 400-mile range.

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Tesla’s Model S is the manufacturer’s top-range saloon. The electric car is available in various configurations, offering a 394-mile range with dual motor all-wheel drive. It comes with all the tech you expect from Tesla and is compatible with rapid charging of up to 250kW. You can purchase the Model S from £93,480.

The Tesla Model S is not to be confused with the Model S Plaid, which trades some of its range for more speed. One downside of the Model S for UK drivers is that the electric car is currently only available as a left-hand drive.

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The Polestar 3 is the flagship SUV offering from the Swedish carmaker. It’s a spacious ride with plenty of legroom for passengers and a modern, minimalist interior. According to Polestar, this EV “drives like a sports car” and can take you up to 392 miles on just one full charge.

The Polestar 3’s dual motor all-wheel drive, sizable range and stylish appearance will set you back at least £75,900 for the base model.

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The carmaker’s more affordable saloon model, the Tesla Model 3, had a recent refresh, and the Long Range configuration is claimed to cover an impressive 390 miles on just a single charge. Like the Model S, it comes with a dual motor all-wheel drive and rapid charging of up to 250kW.

Prices for the Tesla Model 3 Long Range start at £49,000, while the Model 3 base model is available from £39,000.

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The BMW i7 is a premium electric car with prices starting from £101,765. For this price, you get a range of up to 387 miles and luxurious interiors. There are also some unique features in the BMW i7, such as a top-quality sound system and touchscreens integrated into rear doors for infotainment controls. Is it worth the £100k+ price tag? Well, that’s for you to decide.

The only VW making this top 10 is the Volkswagen ID.7 in the Pro Match edition. It’s one of the more affordable electric cars with a long range in this comparison, starting from £55,870.

The ID.7 Pro Match has a maximum range of 384 miles according to Volkswagen. That’s almost identical to the range of the BMW i7 which costs nearly twice as much.

This mid-range electric car comes with a lot less fancy features and extras than pricier competitors on this list, offering good value for money to anyone looking to maximise their range on a smaller but still sizeable budget.

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Last but not least, another all-electric car from the BMW i range is the iX. It’s a luxury SUV featuring 5G connectivity, advanced infotainment and air suspension for a comfortable driving experience. The cabin offers plenty of room for passengers and a lot of storage space in the boot.

The BMW iX is available in three different models, with the xDrive50 providing up to 382 miles on a single charge. Prices for the iX start from £70,985.

The manufacturer’s reported range and the real-world electric car range that can be achieved typically differ. The World Harmonised Light Test Procedure (WLPT) is a standardised way of testing and determining an EV’s range in specific conditions. For this test, an electric car will travel in warm temperatures at an average speed of 28.8 mph, starting from 100% state of charge and going all the way down to 0%.

When you’re driving in the real world, an EV will likely achieve less miles than stated in the WLTP range. You’re more likely to use your battery between 20% and 80%. Plus, several factors can impact an electric car’s range, including the weather, your driving habits, road conditions, and overall weight.

Adopt good driving habits

The way you drive can greatly affect your electric car’s range. Fast acceleration, driving at the top of the speed limit and long journeys on motorways and A roads will generally result in a lower range.

Instead, try to accelerate gently, avoid hitting the top of the speed limit (unless needed) and use regenerative braking to repurpose energy will help you get closer to your WLPT range.
 

Curb your energy usage

Turning the A/C all the way up will eat into your range. Equally, heating your cabin and seats to the extent that you have to take off layers of clothes is wasteful. So when you can, avoid excessive heating or cooling to save energy.

If you have to pre-condition your electric car during colder months to bring the battery up to temperature for better efficiency, make sure your EV is plugged into your home charger. You’ll use up energy, but you won’t drain your battery just to warm up your vehicle this way.
 

Do regular maintenance

Checking your tyre pressure, especially when temperatures and seasons change, should be on your to-do list. Low pressure can lead to more rolling resistance, which in turn makes your electric car more inefficient.

For more tips on how to optimise the range of your electric car, read our guide.

Owning and driving an EV can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience, especially when you have access to a good public charging network. The number of places well-equipped with a high number of chargers is growing, making living with an EV easier than ever before, wherever you are. 

When it comes to driving an EV, some places in the UK stand out as exceptionally EV-friendly due to their highly developed public charging infrastructure.

You may be wondering where the best places to drive and own an EV are in the UK. According to data from April 2024, three London local authorities are at the top of the list.

Hammersmith and Fulham

This London local authority leads the charge with its impressive network of public EV chargers. It’s the highest at 1347.6 per 100,000 people, demonstrating a proactive approach to reducing emissions and promoting sustainable travel.

Westminster

With 1313.1 publicly available EV chargers per 100,000 people, Westminster is a close second right at the heart of UK political life.

City of London

Home of London’s stock exchange and many financial institutions, the City of London has the third most public EV chargers per 100,000 people at 1021.1. 

1. Hammersmith and Fulham – 1347.6

2. Westminster – 1313.1

3. City of London – 1021.1

4. Kensington and Chelsea – 600.9

5. Southwark – 585.2

6. Coventry – 499.0

7. Richmond upon Thames – 460.0

8. Wandsworth – 420.6

9. Merton – 369.2

10. Watford – 330.9

11. Brent – 316.9

12. Camden – 288.5

13. Islington – 260.6

14. Orkney Islands – 244.0

15. East Lothian – 232.7

16. Kingston upon Thames – 209.1

17. Milton Keynes – 207.8

18. Na h-Eileanan Siar – 202.7

19. Hounslow – 201.4

20. Dumfries & Galloway – 198.9

The cities with the most EVs per capita in the UK are Portsmouth, Reading and Leeds. Surprisingly, these cities are not top of the list for public charging infrastructure.

With the question about cities with the highest number of EVs answered, let’s find out which UK cities have the most public EV chargers.

Coventry is ranked number one for the best public EV charging network, closely followed by Brighton in second place, and London (inner and outer) in third place.

Wherever you go, planning your EV journey will help you manage worries about public charging availability. We recommend taking note of charging stops along your route on longer trips and having a backup charging option in case your preferred one is unavailable. The best EV route planners you can use are our Pod Point Network map in the app and ZapMap’s public charging network map.

While the worst places to drive an EV may pose a challenge to drivers reliant on public charging, it’s important to remember that the network is growing at lightning speed. From April 2023 to April 2024, the number of public chargers increased by a huge 49%, showing how quickly the public charging network is growing.

Electric cars get the power to move from their lithium-ion battery pack, unlike petrol and diesel which use traditional fossil fuels.

Just like in a mobile phone, this battery has a bunch of battery cells inside it which can store and release energy. When you start the car, the battery cells produce an electrical current via a complex electrochemical process. This current powers the motor, which in turn drives the car’s wheels.

Importantly, the flow of energy can work in both directions. In other words, when you’re driving, the battery cells are releasing energy. But when you plug the EV into a charger, the reverse happens; the battery cells are being recharged, storing the energy ready for the next drive.

Essentially, the battery is the most important part of electric vehicles, which are otherwise much simpler machines than equivalent petrol or diesel cars. The battery is fundamentally where the majority of the cost of an EV comes from.

You’ve no doubt noticed that the older your mobile phone is, the more often you need to charge it. This is because the cycle of discharging (i.e. using) and recharging the energy cells causes the battery to lose capacity over time.

The exact same thing happens with electric vehicles, meaning that gradually the battery will start to degrade. This could mean your EV’s maximum range decreases over time.

However, the good news is, EV batteries are designed to last for a long time. How long? Well, most batteries will last around 10 years, although it’s not uncommon for electric car batteries to last 20 years before needing to be replaced.

In fact, most manufacturers offer a warranty on the battery, typically either for a set amount of time (around 8+ years) or a set number of miles driven (around 100,000 miles). And this makes sense. After all, if EV batteries couldn’t last long, they wouldn’t be popular, and it would cost manufacturers (and thus owners) a fortune to replace them.

With batteries being the key component of an electric car, manufacturers are pumping thousands of resources towards improving battery technology, including researching alternatives. At the very least, this should mean EVs of the future have more efficient and longer-lasting batteries, and we can already see this happening today. Modern electric car batteries are significantly better in terms of efficiency and size (and thus driving range) than they were even 20 years ago. So, who knows where we’ll be in another 20 years?

The key takeaway from this is: yes, you’ll likely see a slight reduction in range year-on-year. But unless you drive long distances regularly, it’s unlikely you’ll notice a difference.

To avoid the potentially costly endeavour of replacing your car’s battery (although it’s highly unlikely you’ll need to), there are plenty of things you can do now to keep your battery healthy and make it last longer:

1. Avoiding charging your battery to 100% frequently, as this puts stress on the battery. Similarly, avoid charging it from 0%. Instead, aim for the sweet spot, which is charging from 20% to 80%.
2. Stick to fast chargers (up to 22 kW) for the majority of your charging, as high-powered rapid chargers (anywhere from 50 kW and upwards) can wear down the battery faster.
3. Allow the battery and car to warm up first before driving it in colder weather. And, if possible, plug your EV in to charge whilst it’s heating up to keep the battery topped up.

With just a little planning and some good battery care habits, your electric car’s battery will last a lot longer. You can also follow our steps to optimising your EV charging.

There are a few key factors that determine how long it will take for your electric car’s battery to charge:

1. What charging rate the charger has
2. How big the battery is
3. What its current state of charge is, and what level you’re aiming for

As a rough guide, a typical EV battery is about 60 kWh. On a standard 7 kW home charger, this will take about 8 hours for a full charge from 0% to 100%. But you can find out more about how long it takes to charge an EV battery in our handy guide.

Can an electric car battery be replaced, and how much does it cost?

In the unlikely event that you’ll need to, and assuming it isn’t covered by a warranty, replacing an EV battery can set you back around £7235. This isn’t an insignificant amount of money, but it can depend on the battery and the car.

can electric vehicle batteries be recycled?

Thankfully, if the battery does need replacing, most of its components can be recycled – as much as 95% of its components in some cases, such as cobalt and nickel. That said, the recycling process isn’t perfect yet, as it’s not easy to recycle current batteries. But don’t worry, the industry is working on a range of solutions to deal with this challenge.

For those who are interested to go further, it’s worth talking briefly about capacities and voltages. Not all EV batteries are the same, and when you’re buying one you sometimes have the option to choose a bigger or smaller battery.

For example, some batteries have different voltages, and this may sound confusing. Essentially, the higher the voltage, the more efficient the battery. In other words, it will charge faster, but at a higher cost to buy. Most EV batteries are between 300 and 800 volts.

Then there’s capacity, which is measured in kilowatts-per-hour (or kWh for short). In technical terms, capacity is “the amount of energy you’d use to keep a 1000 watt appliance running for an hour”. This sounds complicated, but it’s really just a measure for how much energy the battery can store, and how much you have to use – in other words, how far the car can travel.

Most EVs have a battery capacity between 40 kWh and 100 kWh, with the average electric car having a capacity of 60 kWh. Just like voltage, a higher capacity means more efficiency and a higher driving range, but again with the added cost.

For comparison, these are some popular electric vehicles and their battery specifications:

If you want to see what your particular car’s battery specifications are, check out our Vehicle Guides.

With over 1 million EVs on the roads of the UK, an increasing number of people wonder if electric cars are safe for drivers, pedestrians, and other road users such as cyclists. We explore general safety concerns, potential dangers to pedestrians and people with health conditions, and how an EV would fare during extreme weather.
 

General safety concerns

When it comes to general safety concerning electric cars, two issues often come up – EV batteries and crashes. The question is whether they are particularly dangerous, more so than in the case of ICE cars.

Are electric cars dangerous in a crash?

Generally, electric cars are as safe as, if not safer than, ICE cars, but don’t just take our word for it – the Euro-NCAP, an independent safety body testing cars in Europe, confirms this.

As part of its assessment, the Euro-NCAP conducts crash testing. It’s found that some of the safest cars currently available are EVs, including the Tesla Model S and Model Y, and Mercedes EQE. So no, electric cars are no more dangerous than ICE cars in crashes, and in some instances are actually safer.

Are EV batteries dangerous?

Another safety concern surrounding electric cars is that their batteries may be dangerous. While it’s true that lithium-ion batteries, which are the most common type of battery in EVs, can catch fire, manufacturers go to great lengths to protect the battery pack from damage.

In fact, it’s widely accepted that ICE cars are more likely to catch fire than EVs, but you’ll rarely hear about ICE car fires in the press. Stories about electric car fires are featured far more often, although they’re less likely to happen. 

Electric cars are fitted with a Battery Management System (BMS) to monitor performance and regulate temperature to avoid fires caused by overheating. In the rare instance of an EV catching fire due to a fault, fire services have developed and adopted better strategies to effectively put out battery fires.

Are electric cars dangerous to pedestrians?

Electric cars are significantly quieter than ICE cars, especially at lower speeds. The reduced noise can be dangerous to pedestrians – they may miss an approaching EV or notice it too late. Vulnerable pedestrians, such as visually impaired and other disabled people, children, and the elderly are at an increased risk.

To address this issue, the UK government introduced legislation in 2019 requiring new type quiet electric vehicles to be fitted with an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS). This noisemaker emits a sound at speeds below 20 km/h (around 12 mph) to alert pedestrians and other road users like cyclists.

However, pedestrian safety is about more than making EVs louder. Factors such as driving speed, driver behaviour and safety features all play an important role. Some newer cars, including electric ones, are fitted with emergency braking systems to prevent collisions with pedestrians and other cars.

Are electric cars safe for your health?

Electric cars are great for the environment, which makes them safe for your health and significantly better than petrol or diesel cars.

EVs produce no emissions while driving and contribute to improving the air quality in your immediate area. Short-term and long-term exposure to poor air quality can lead to health issues and may be dangerous for people with pre-existing conditions such as asthma.

What about people with pacemakers?

Concerns have been raised over people fitted with pacemakers and defibrillators using high-powered EV chargers. The worry is that the electromagnetic current from a charger, especially high-powered rapid chargers supplying up to 350kWh, could cause these cardiac devices to malfunction.

However, a 2023 cardiology study found no proof of chargepoints interfering with pacemakers or defibrillators, so using home chargers and fast or rapid chargers is safe for people with these devices.

EVs are built to withstand general weather (so conditions that aren’t out of the ordinary) without compromising their safety. Think warm summer days, light to heavy rain and snow in the winter.

Driving your EV in the rain & icy conditions

While an EV battery and other electrical components won’t be damaged from heavy rain showers, you should still be careful when driving in the rain. Wet conditions can cause aquaplaning and decrease visibility. It’s best to adjust your speed to stay safe on the road.

If it’s icy, you should avoid accelerating, braking or steering too quickly. It could lead to you losing control of your EV.

What about floods or lightning?

Just like ICE cars, EVs can be affected by extreme weather. To stay safe during flooding, you should follow the same advice as ICE drivers: try to avoid high water levels.

The battery pack and other parts of an EV are incredibly well protected from the elements. In the unfortunate event that water reaches electrical components in an EV, it can cause it to short-circuit and break.

EVs are also safe to drive during other extreme weather events like lightning. If you’re in the vehicle when lightning strikes, it acts like a Faraday cage. Any electric current goes through the metal frame, into the tires, and then into the ground, protecting you from harm. So it’s better to stay in your EV during lightning than outside.

That said, it’s advisable to unplug your EV from any charger during lightning storms. A nearby strike can cause an electrical surge, which could damage your electric vehicle’s charging system or the charger itself, although some chargers come with surge protection devices to protect the charger from unexpected surges.

Planning and booking a holiday can be incredibly exciting. If you’re thinking of taking your EV to Europe instead of flying, we’ve got good news: with just a little preparation, you can drive your EV in the EU.

Whether you’re lounging on sunny beaches, hiking through scenic mountains or exploring bustling cities, travelling with your EV offers you the ability to explore Europe on your own terms. It’s a more sustainable alternative to flying, letting you create new memories while keeping your carbon footprint low.

Documents

Bringing these documents allows you to drive in most EU countries:

• Driving licence

• Passport

• V5C certificate, also referred to as log book

• Vehicle insurance details

• Travel insurance details

• Breakdown cover information

In Albania, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Ukraine, you’re also required to carry a green card as proof of your car insurance.

You can drive your EV in most countries with a UK licence. However, you may need an international driving permit if you have a paper licence. Always check country-specific rules for driving in the EU before you start your journey.

Equipment and accessories

The following equipment and accessories are a requirement when driving your EV in most EU countries:

• Reflective vest or jacket (one for each passenger, stored in the car cabin)

• Warning triangle

• UK sticker (if no UK identifier with flag on number plate)

• Headlamp beam deflectors (if beams can not be adjusted manually)

• First aid kit

Does Europe use type 1 or type 2 EV charging cables?

Luckily, you won’t need to bring any adapters or special cables when driving your EV in the EU. The standard EV charging cable across Europe has a type 2 vehicle-side connector, the same used in the UK for alternating current (AC) charging.

Direct current (DC) chargers or rapid chargers have tethered cables, so you won’t need to bring your own. Most DC charging cables in the EU use a CCS connector, another commonly used connector for rapid charging in the UK.

You can learn more about different EV charging connector types and speeds in our guide.

The EU has good EV charging coverage, with more than half a million public chargers available across the continent. Some countries like the Netherlands and Germany offer many more public chargers than others. Generally, eastern European nations tend to have fewer public chargers, resulting in lower coverage.

When preparing for your trip, consider public charging availability and plan ahead by taking note of potential charging stops on your route. You can use Zapmap on web or in the app to find EV charging stations in Europe and filter your search by payment type.

Other sites helping you find public chargers are Chargemap, ChargeFinder, PlugShare and Shell Recharge. Note that you may need to pre-order a card or fob to use specific networks or download an app. It’s worth researching this in advance, so you can prepare ahead of time for a seamless charging experience

If you’re planning to stay in the EU for longer than 90 days in any 180-day period, you’ll need to apply for a visa. For stays shorter than that, you won’t need a visa, but make sure your passport is valid for 6 months or more on the day you start your travels.

You’re also able to drive in most EU countries without proof of insurance. However, there are a few exceptions that require you to carry a green card that proves you have car insurance abroad.

It’s worth checking foreign travel advice before planning your next trip to ensure you meet entry requirements.

Tips for driving your EV in the EU

1. Check your insurance

Check your current insurance policy to see if your EV is covered when driving in the EU. If not, it’s something you can usually add on when you renew a policy. Alternatively, you can purchase one-off cover to insure your EV while driving on the continent.

If you have one or more drivers, check that the insurance policy you have covers all drivers before swapping places at the steering wheel.

2. Get breakdown cover

Similarly to insurance, if you have breakdown cover, it may already include assistance when driving your EV in the EU. If that’s not the case, we recommend buying EU breakdown cover, so you can get roadside assistance or be towed home.

3. Take note of public chargers

Find an EV map that is reliable and shows public chargers in the countries you’ll be driving in. In addition, make sure to check if you’ll need to pre-order a fob or key card to use most public chargers on route, or have to register with public charging providers to use their devices.

Doing this in advance will save you time and make public charging easier.

4. Set your speedometer to the right settings

Speeds and distances are displayed in kilometres instead of miles across the EU. The speedometer on your EV should be able to switch between the two, so be sure to set it to kilometres per hour (km/h) when driving in the EU so you can safely drive within the limit.

The ban on new petrol and diesel cars was originally introduced in 2017 under former Prime Minister Theresa May’s government, with an initial target date of 2040. This was brought forwards to 2030 during Boris Johnson’s tenure in November 2020, then delayed to 2035 due to cost-of-living concerns by Rishi Sunak.

However, this has since been rescinded, with the original 2030 target restored by Keir Starmer’s Labour government in 2024 for the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, whilst new hybrid sales are still expected to be phased out by 2035.

The intention behind the ban is to drive the UK’s transition from ICE cars to electric vehicles and reduce the effects of fossil fuel-powered driving on climate change, with the ultimate aim of moving transport to a more sustainable future.

This includes plug-in and full hybrid cars which, despite using some electric power for driving, still rely heavily on petrol or diesel to power an internal combustion engine.

However, existing diesel, petrol, or hybrid car drivers will still be allowed to drive their vehicles on the roads, and second-hand ICE and hybrid cars can still be purchased and sold – at least for the foreseeable future.

What will happen to petrol and diesel cars after 2030?

At the time of writing, nothing is expected to fundamentally change for drivers of ICE vehicles, and hybrid drivers will still have until 2035 to buy a new hybrid before their sales are banned. However, the UK Government also currently offers no incentives or grants for buying an EV.

Workplaces may offer EV leasing options through a salary sacrifice scheme if you’re lucky. This means your employer would lease the electric car for you and take the cost off your gross pay (so pre-tax), making it cheaper to lease than if you leased privately.

That said, there are some grants available to help lower the costs of buying and installing dedicated home EV chargers. Find more information on the all the EV chargepoint schemes currently available in our guide.

Alternatively, if you’re thinking of going electric due to the upcoming ban, but a brand-new EV is not in your budget and you have no EV salary sacrifice scheme at work, consider buying a second-hand electric car.

Can I still drive my diesel car after 2030?

You’ll still be able to drive your petrol or diesel car after 2030 if you wish. The ban won’t stop people already owning ICE cars from using them.

But that might not be the case everywhere. If current Clean Air Zones expand or become stricter, we may see the total ban of ICE cars entering certain areas at specific or all times. This could make diesel, as well as petrol cars, less future-proof than EVs.

There are currently no plans to stop the sale of petrol or diesel fuel in the UK. It’s not impossible for petrol and diesel to eventually be phased out, becoming either less available or more expensive in the future.

The ban of new ICE cars will mean that you’ll see fewer of them, as old models come to the end of their lives and are scrapped. This means the demand for petrol and diesel will eventually reduce, meaning supply will likely drop, too. But for now, an outright halt to the sale of petrol or diesel doesn’t seem to be in the pipeline.

What will happen to classic cars when petrol is banned?

Classic cars using petrol or diesel will not be banned when legislative changes happen in 2030, but it’s likely that the rising uptake of EVs will present a challenge to classic car drivers in the future.

You may see an increase in electric charging stations in public as demand grows, whilst simultaneously the reduction in demand for petrol and diesel cars may reduce the availability of petrol and diesel stations. This would make it more difficult, or certainly more expensive, to drive classic cars reliably. But even then, it’s not a change that will happen immediately, so for now it shouldn’t be of immediate concern for classic car owners.

When will all cars be electric in the UK?

As much as we’d love to see it, there are currently no plans for all - existing or new, petrol and diesel vehicles, LPG-fueled or hybrid cars - to be replaced by electric vehicles on a mandatory basis in the UK. It’s expected that ICE cars will gradually disappear off the roads as the ban on their sales comes into effect from 2030, with hybrids following suit after 2035.

However, drivers will still be able to buy a used ICE car, making them likely to remain a sight on UK roads for some time.

Unsurprisingly, we were very happy to see the date brought forwards back to 2030. It was always our belief that demand for EVs from drivers will help achieve this objective much sooner than the previous 2035 target. Indeed, it was our view that drivers will only want to buy electric cars anyway by 2030, making the 2035 delay somewhat meaningless. This was based on global trends that indicate the rise in electric cars is inevitable.

We equally hope there are no further delays or that it doesn’t get pushed back again, as if there’s any one thing the car industry dislikes, it’s uncertainty!

Manufacturers across the board have taken EVs as a concept seriously, with plenty of fully battery-electric models entering the market over the last few years. This gives drivers lots of choice to choose the right car for their needs and experience the superior performance of electric motoring, such as instant acceleration, assured handling, and effortless driving.

And that’s to say nothing of the unbeatable convenience of top-up charging at home, work, or their destination. Whilst charging is regularly seen as a concern for those not used to living with it, the reality is it’s a huge convenience win for drivers. No longer do we have to detour to refuel, spending fuel in the process; instead, electric cars fuel themselves whilst we work, sleep, and play. There’s nothing quite like waking up every morning to a fully charged car, or getting a top-up whilst you work or do the weekly food shop.

Even for the occasional longer journeys when you need to charge en-route, the UK has a network of high-powered public chargers that can put over 150 miles into your car in the time it takes to have a coffee and a refresh!

Think of it like the evolution of portable music. We had tapes, then CDs, and then the digital age when we first had MP3 players, before eventually uploading music directly to our phones. Then came along the likes of Spotify and Apple Music, and we never had to do our own uploading and instead could simply stream music. And people adopted it in droves, because the new technology was both cheaper and better for consumers.

But there’s also a significant cost factor. Electric cars are already cheaper to run than ICE equivalents, and with battery prices continuing to fall, they’ll soon be cheaper to buy as well. In fact, we’re already starting to see some solidly affordable mass-market models with decent ranges arriving.

Of course, there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done to build the charging infrastructure we need to support the mass uptake of electric cars over the next decade. But rest assured, that work is well underway, encouraged by the demand for EVs and our collective need to safeguard the environment and halt climate change.

So it’s already easy to see why you might buy an EV in 2030, and hard to imagine why you’d bother with an ICE car, even a second-hand one. This means falling residual values will make them unviable, pushing the UK closer to 100% electric sales.