With more electric vehicles (EVs) on the road, more people are looking into the benefits of getting an EV and the differences between them and petrol or diesel cars.
So, if you’re potentially thinking about getting an EV and wondering what driving an electric car is like, then keep reading our guide.
What’s it like to drive an electric car?
Electric cars are easy to drive because there are fewer moving parts and things to think about while driving.
An electric car can feel more comfortable to drive as you don’t need to change the gearstick to change your speed. Also, there tends to be less vibrations when driving an electric car, which makes your journey smoother.
Are EVs smoother than petrol?
Many drivers claim that electric cars are smoother to drive than petrol or diesel cars.
An electric car doesn’t have a traditional gearstick or clutch. Instead, electric cars have a single-speed transmission, which make them a lot smoother to drive.
The automatic transmission means that there’s no need for gear shifting, so you don’t feel a gradual acceleration as you do in a petrol or diesel car.
Electric cars also have regenerative braking, which can be used to slow the car down gradually without coming to an abrupt stop.
How do you drive an electric car?
Driving an electric car is almost the same as driving any car. Instead of turning the ignition to start the engine, all you need to do is press the power button to turn on the automatic transmission and start driving.
There’s usually a dial or selectors in the car for you to choose whether you want to drive forward or backwards. To reduce your speed, you can ease off the pedal to slow down gradually or use the conventional brake to come to a complete stop.
Electric car battery life
Poor batteries are one of the most common misconceptions about electric cars (you can find more misconceptions about EVs in our myth buster article), but they aren’t as bad as people think.
Most electric car batteries last up to 10 years and are usually covered under warranty.
Make sure to check the warranty’s terms and conditions when you buy an electric car.
How long does an electric car battery last?
Generally, a fully charged electric car battery should allow you to travel between 150-300 miles.
There are ways that you can save your battery’s life on a car journey.
Using regenerative braking will help you to save energy as the battery is automatically refilled with kinetic energy.
It’s also worth remembering that the more electric devices and features you use within the car, the more energy you’ll use.
If you’d like to know more about batteries for electric cars, you can read our tips on how to charge an electric car.
Electric cars for learners
Electric cars might be an easier option for those who want to learn how to drive and will be driving an EV or automatic car once they’ve passed their driving test.
Do EVs make a good first car?
An electric car is a great first car for inexperienced drivers.
That’s because there are no gears, so an electric car is easier to drive, and it doesn’t need a lot of maintenance.
The downside to having an electric car as a first car, is that while it can be cheaper to run, the upfront cost can be much bigger when you consider the price of an electric car.
Can I learn to drive in an EV?
Yes, you can learn to drive in an electric car and take your UK driving test in an EV.
If you do pass your test in an EV, you’ll have a Category B Auto Licence, which means you won’t be able to drive a manual car, only an EV or a car with an automatic gearbox.
Are EVs cheaper to insure?
Generally, the average premium for electric cars (cost of an insurance policy) is slightly higher than the premium for internal combustion engine cars. This is because they’re generally newer vehicles and there are fewer second-hand models on the market.
As with any car insurance product, there are various levels of cover to consider, which will also affect the price of your electric car insurance.
To give you more of an idea of how much it costs to insure an EV, take a look at our article on the cheapest electric cars to insure.
