Myths about Electric vehicles

Common Electric vehicle myths busted by Kia

With so much information about electric vehicles and their capabilities, it can be hard to make a decision about whether an EV is right for you. To help, we've busted some of the most common EV myths for you.

An electric car yields substantial savings in tax and running costs for your business, but it's easy to be put off by the many EV myths floating around. To help you make an informed choice on electric vehicles, we'll look at some of the most common EV myths and give you the facts so you can stop wondering and start driving

Myth: You can't drive very far in an EV

Actually, the Kia e-Niro and Soul EV have a real-world range of more than 280 miles - the distance from London to Newcastle. That's plenty when you consider that 98% of journeys in the UK are less than 50 miles - which would leave you with around 82% charge remaining.

Myth: There's nowhere to charge EVs

Most vehicle charging is done at home or at work, so the majority of drivers wake up or leave work without having to think about charging on the road. If you do need to charge on the road, there are more than 30,000 public charge points in the UK across more than 10,800 locations*.

Myth: Electric cars take too long to charge

It's very rare that you need to charge an electric car from empty - the majority of the time you're just topping up. However, if you did want to charge from 0%, a 7kW home or workplace charger will charge an e-Niro to full in around 10 hours. If you're on the road, a 100kW rapid charger will give you 80% charge in just 45 mins - the perfect amount of time to stop for a break or grab a coffee after 280 miles of driving.

Myth: Electric cars are too slow

A few seconds behind the wheel of an EV is enough to debunk this myth. Electric vehicles, such as the Kia e-Niro, produce maximum torque at all revs, so only need one forward gear. This means instant, rapid acceleration without needing to find the correct gear first. As a result, the Kia e-Niro sprints from 0-62mph in just 7.8 seconds.

Myth: You can't drive or charge electric cars in the wet

You most definitely can - you can drive or charge an electric vehicle whatever the weather. It's also fine to drive them through a car wash.

Myth: Electric cars are too expensive

Electric cars usually have a slightly higher P11D price, but this is offset by the plug-in car grant and considerably reduced running costs. EVs have lower service, maintenance and repair costs, cost significantly less to fuel and could save you thousands of pounds per year in BIK tax alone. You can also deduct the full cost of your vehicle from your profits before tax through First Year Allowance*. When you look at Whole Life Costs, electric vehicles can cost considerably less than traditional cars.

Myth: Electric cars are less safe in an accident

Electric vehicles are subject to the same safety tests and standards as regular cars. In fact, some studies have shown that electric vehicles are safer in an accident and less prone to catching fire than petrol or diesel equivalents. Electric cars such as the Soul EV and e-Niro, are also equipped with a suite of advanced safety technologies, that will help you to avoid accidents altogether.

Myth: The batteries in electric cars don't last

The battery packs in the Kia e-Niro and Soul EV are covered by Kia's 7-year, 100,000-mile warranty. Modern Lithium-ion Polymer batteries have turned out to be far more robust than originally thought - a recent study has shown that a Soul EV that's almost three years old have lost just over 1% of its total battery capacity.