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20250408 SmartGrandad "EASY BEV" Guide 1 - "The Elephant in the Room"
SmartGrandads “EASY BEV” Guides
Through a series of “EASY BEV” Guides, specifically aimed at potential and new Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) owners, SmartGrandad will help remove any lingering fears.
SmartGrandad will give you some common sense, practical advice, making it easier to be informed about what BEVs are, how to choose which model is best for you.
With 6 plus years of driving different BEVs across Europe/UK and 30 years of delivering successful projects, I have plenty of Real World experience of assessing facts, dealing with challenges and reducing risks.
To “Kickoff” the “EASY BEV” Guides 1 question that those who have not had electric car before will ask,
“Should I Play Safe and Buy a Hybrid?”
If you are “Risk Adverse” like we were, a plugin Hybrid can seem to give “the Best of Both Worlds”, an electric motor for nipping around town or a short commute plus a fossil engine for those with longer commutes or that holiday in the south of France.
Here’s a few factors that convinced us, 5 years ago, to choose a 100% BEV instead of a hybrid.
Zero Exhaust Emissions:
- With no exhaust, BEVs produce absolutely zero emissions, contributing directly to cleaner air, especially in urban areas. This helps reduce vehicle pollution and the health for millions of people.
- Studies suggest that even when accounting for the emissions from electricity generation and battery production, BEVs typically have lower lifecycle emissions than hybrids over their lifespan, and this advantage is continually growing as the electricity grids become cleaner.
Low Running and Maintenance Costs:
- Electricity is generally cheaper per km/mile than fossil fuels, leading to significantly lower “fuel” costs.
- If you are lucky to be able to charge at home / office on cheap “Off Peak” can easily reduce running costs by more than half.
- Even if you have to charge at a charging station, there are an increasing number of monthly membership deals that reduce the costs of charging “on the go”.
- BEVs also have far fewer moving parts than hybrids (which have both an electric motor and a combustion engine). This results in reduced maintenance needs and costs, with no oil changes, transmission fluid flushes, or exhaust system repairs required. When the hybrid vehicle gets older, This can be really significant, as the complexity of the motors and batteries is at least double. batteries
- Regenerative braking in BEVs also reduces wear on brake pads, extending their lifespan. Our experience has seen “Service Costs” reduced by 50-75%.
Superior Performance and Simplified Driving Experience:
- BEVs offer instant torque, resulting in quick and smooth acceleration.
- They also provide a quiet environment and refined driving experience due to the lack of engine noise and vibrations.
- One Pedal driving, with no gears and regenerative braking, enables simplified urban driving as the use of the brake pedal is reduced to almost zero.
Incentives and Reduced Annual Road Tax:
- Although as BEVs become more common place, government incentives to by BEVs have reduced, there are normally significant reductions in Annual Road Tax for BEVs compared to fossil vehicles.
- Also, as manufacturers balance supply and demand, there are currently many offering great deals in buying BEVs.
Charging Infrastructure Growing and Vehicle Prices Reducing:
- BEVs represent the direction that car owners and the majority the automotive industry is heading. In most countries, mandates for the reduction of fossil fuel vehicle to be sold are progressing.
- Maybe the biggest worry was the previously poor Charging Infrastructure. This is finally catching up and in most countries, nearly all motorway services are offering Rapid Chargers. We have used Ionity & Tesla stations have rarely needed anything else.
- With battery technology still in its infancy, over the next 3-5 years, there are likely to be vehicles offering even greater range (e.g. solid state batteries), faster charging times.
- Now that manufacturers have completed their initial investments in factories, etc. we should see more price performance models being introduced to the mass automotive market.
Choose the Right BEV and Enjoy Clean Transportation
The electric car industry has matured significantly, both in the vehicles but also the infrastructure.
Over the last 5 years the range of vehicles has exploded with options for most needs and budgets. See SmartGrandad Manufacturers & Models.
Those early day “Range Anxiety” issues are mainly a thing of the past with most BEVs navigation systems including “On Route” charging stops.
The decision ultimately depends on individual needs and circumstances, but for those looking to minimize their environmental impact, reduce long-term costs, and enjoy a modern driving experience, a BEV is the more compelling choice.
In SmartGrandads “EASY BEV” Guide 2,
to be posted soon, I will cover some practical advice and what to take into consideration when on choosing the right Size Segment and Body Style depending on your needs. Future SmartGrandad BEV Guides will be covering factors like Charging, Purchase & Usage costs, Safety & Reliability, “Essential” Technical Features….
So, keep your eyes open for when the next SmartGrandad “Easy BEV” Guide is posted.
SmartGrandad “EASY BEV” Guides
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