Thinking of going electric? Great news. Before you do though…make sure you’ve thought about these 3 key things before you make the big purchase. Buying an electric vehicle is not the same as a traditional car, but with a little preparation you can ensure you make the right choice and invest your hard earned cash wisely.

Research the market

With any car purchase, it’s crucial to do your research before jumping in. But, given the cost of electric vehicles, it’s even more important. Typically, if you’re buying on finance it’s going to be at least £100 extra per month, or £2,000 more if you’re buying outright, compared to a similar non electric vehicle.

So… make sure you’re getting the right model for your needs. Electric vehicles (EVs for short), have a really varied range of models these days. There’s spacious, family style vehicles like the Tesla Model Y at the top end of the market, or supermini models like the Peugeot e208 which focus far more on performance and practicality. Think about what you need from your vehicle before getting into the sales process. Important criteria include:

•   Size of the vehicle needed.
• The mile range the vehicle is capable of.  Is your car just going to be used around town, or are you going long haul?
• Price point on purchase.
• Typical aftercare and repair costs from either a dealership, or a specialist vehicle electrician (like us!).

Do a PROPER test drive

First thing you’ll notice when driving an electric car is the noise. Well, actually you’ll notice the complete lack of noise that is a feature of electric vehicles. You’ll also probably notice that the car tends to break and increase speed dramatically compared to a petrol engine. These are things it’s really important to be comfortable with before you decide to make a purchase. We all know that as soon as the car leaves the forecourt it depreciates, so make sure you’re happy with the unique quirks of your new vehicle, before the cash leaves your bank account.

Think about charging

If you’re leaving the world of petrol behind then you need to think about how your new car is actually going to be powered. There are two key aspects to this, home charging and public charging.

Home charging can be done from a simple plug socket. But, in reality this is a BAD idea. It takes ages. And we mean ages. Instead, you need to seriously consider getting a wallbox  installed. These get the job done quickly and efficiently. Plus, dealerships will often give you a complimentary one on purchase. The only catch? If you’ve not got your own drive or garage, then you might struggle to fit it anywhere. This could pose a real issue.

You also need to think about public charging. If you’ve done your research right, you’ll hardly ever need one as you can stay in your range and use your wallbox when returning home. However, if they are required, you need to be prepared. Download an app such as Plugshare to find charging points and make sure electric vehicles are viable in your area. Coverage in urban areas is fine. But…if you’re in isolated areas, then you could run into real issues given charging points are not maintained as well as they should be just yet.

So, three things to consider when purchasing a car. Although, to be fair there’s plenty more. We hope you’ve found this guide useful as a starter though– good luck with taking the first step into a more efficient and greener way of driving.