Electric Vehicles - Ringways Motor Group

Electric & Hybrid Vehicles – Clear, Simple Advice!

After 69 years in the automotive business we are proud to embrace change and the evolving landscape. As a forward thinking business and with electric vehicles on the increase we have been working really hard to ensure we can offer all our customers the right buying experience.

Electric cars can be a confusing subject, but don’t worry we’re here to help you with clear, simple advice to ensure we find the right car for you.

You will be spoilt for choice with our fantastic electric vehicle range from Ford and Kia.

TYPES OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Electric vehicles can be confusing. With so many acronyms flying around, it’s no wonder that some people are put off by the range of options available. Here we break down the different electric vehicle variations so you can make an informed decision.

Mild-Hybrid Electric Vehicle

In the case of a mild hybrid, the conventional combustion engine is assisted by a battery driven electric motor. Although the electric battery cannot power the car itself, the assistance it provides reduces emissions.

Hybrid Electric Vehicle

A Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) utilises two sources of power - conventional and electric. The vehicle will automatically switch between the two depending on the speed of travel. When crawling through heavy city traffic, for example, a HEV will switch to electric power and will not use the conventional engine at all.

Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle

A Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) is similar to a HEV in that it uses both conventional and electric power sources, but the battery is much larger and as a result the vehicle is able to travel further distances using solely electric power. They need to be plugged into a charging point in order to recharge the electric battery.

All-Electric Vehicle

The All-Electric Vehicle (E) is driven purely by electricity. Simply plug in to a charging point to charge and the car will take care of the rest. The e-Niro will take you 282 miles on a single charge, so if you’re planning on making a long journey don’t forget to plan your charginging points in advance.

How and where to charge your EV

Charging an electric car is a little different to filling the tank with petrol or diesel, but the basic concept remains the same. You need to make sure your car has sufficient power to get from A to B, stopping to top-up along the way if necessary. With over 100,000 charging points across Europe you can rest assured that you’ll never be far from your next charge.

Charging at home

As long as you have off-street parking, you’ll be able to get a charging point installed.

You’ll receive a cable from the manufacturer to connect to the socket - simply plug it in to your EV to begin charging, just like a smartphone.

You can also connect your electric car to a standard 3-pin socket in your house, but this takes a lot longer to achieve full charge.

Charging on-the-go

Plenty of public destinations now provide electric charging points including supermarkets, shopping centres, restaurants and car parks. They’ll often let your charge for free to encourage you to visit, but you usually need to bring your own cable.

For longer journeys, most motorway service stations now offer rapid charging points.

Charging at work

A lot of workplaces are getting on board with the electric revolution and now offer charging points in their car parks for employees to recharge during the work day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will an electric car save me money?

Although the initial purchase outlay tends to be higher than petrol or diesel cars, an EV will save you money in running costs, you can also save on maintenance, service and fuel. You’ll also pay absolutely zero road tax with a fully electric vehicle!

How do I charge an electric vehicle?

Electric cars can be charged at home, at work, or at one of the many thousands of public charging points across the UK. Just like charging your smartphone, you just hook the vehicle up to a power outlet with a cable supplied by the manufacturer. Having a specialist charging point installed at home will speed up charging times significantly - you can even get a government grant to go towards the cost of installation.

How far can an electric vehicle travel before recharging?

That varies greatly from model to model. The average range of a fully electric vehicle at the moment is around 130 miles, but this grows with each new model release. The upcoming Ford Mustang Mach-E, for example, will be able to travel nearly 370 miles on one charge and the All-New Kia Soul has a driving range of up to 280 miles on a single charge.

Is an electric car more reliable than petrol or diesel?

In theory, yes. With fewer moving parts than a conventional car, technically there’s fewer things that can go wrong. That also means you’re likely to pay less in servicing and maintenance costs.