Like many modern technologies, electric vehicles (EVs) faced a lot of scepticism in the beginning. For the longest time, people held misconceptions and shot down the concept as purely a PCO that wouldn’t be practical. Cut to 2022, and many of the biggest names in the automotive industry are coming up with their EV options. Adaptability is a major part of the automotive world and those that fail to catch up get lost behind, and EVs right now, are the main focus in many regards.
Despite this, they’re still not unanimously viewed as a great option as the experts might have you believe. Unfortunately, there’s a shroud of mystery in some aspects that might need clearing out with facts. Here are some myths about EVs and PCOs:
EV Cars Are Not Cost-Effective For PCO
One of the biggest misconceptions about electric vehicles is that they’re expensive to run regularly, especially for PCO drivers. On the contrary, there are numerous ways PCO with an EV is much cheaper than a vehicle running exclusively on petrol. You don’t have to buy the car outright, and there are numerous PCO car rental options out there that provide you access to some of the most in-demand EVs on the market.
One of the biggest costs for PCO, in general, can be congestion charges, which not only are a huge burden for your earnings but also prevent people from getting customers. For EV cars, there are no congestion charges until 2025, as the UK incentivizes people to shift towards eco-friendly solutions. The mileage you get out of an EV easily rivals and often beats petrol variants, with strategic charging sessions offering great value. And if that wasn’t enough, the rates you pay for charging at home or a station in various parts of the UK are much cheaper.
Not Enough Charging Stations
One of the most common fears that people looking into EV options when they’re planning PCO car hire in Chelsea is if there are a sufficient number of EV charging stations for them. While there’s always an option to have a charging station installed at home, it might not always be perfect for someone who’s getting a PCO car to rent for the most part, especially those who live in an apartment where installation might be an issue. In such a scenario, people are forced to rely on the charging stations set up by many of the larger companies providing EV charging.
In 2021, it was reported that London alone had more than 500 rapid charging stations. Across the UK, there are 50,000 points in 19,000 unique locations. Every month, you can expect a new electric charging station to pop up. While it’s not as cheap as having a setup at home to top up, it’s still much cheaper than paying for petrol or diesel, making it a no-brainer for people who drive as much as the average PCO car hire in North East London.
EVs Need to Be Charged Everyday
A fact that might surprise many people is that you won’t always be charging your EV every day when you go with a PCO car hire near London. On average, the latest electric cars provide excellent mileage, and you can expect around 160 miles out of a full charge. This number might be impressive, but this is actually for the base variants. Top-of-the-line options will give you 230+ miles on average, which when compared to the 100-150 miles that the average Uber driver travels each day in London might seem overkill.
If all of that wasn’t satisfactory, EVs do a lot better in cities thanks to their regenerative braking. Each time you hit the brakes, the car’s battery charges by a certain percentage, which can be helpful due to the cumulative effect of braking throughout the day and offer improved mileage. You won’t get a full top-up out of it but it does make a considerable difference. By adjusting your driving style, you can easily get a full day’s use out of a PCO car hire in West London.
EV Batteries Lose Their Range
Another common argument petrol heads tend to make is that the reliance on electric batteries is the Achilles heel for EVs, as they degrade heavily over the years. Because petrol engines don’t have to rely on batteries, they don’t have the same issues, as is a common belief. According to a study by KIA, their various Soul models were observed for battery degradation over 3 years, and they reportedly lost just 1% of their overall capacity. It’s a clear sign that EV batteries are reliable and offer excellent longevity, making them considerable for PCO car hire in Edmonton.
Manufacturers take this in great confidence, providing a battery warranty of 7 years or 10,000 miles on average. This longevity and confidence are some of the main reasons why PCO rentals are offering more options for EV cars, as they can take on the arduous usage that a car might go through. To sweeten the deal, you also have the option of battery replacement, allowing you access to a good new experience to get that optimal mileage all over again.
The UK Winters Make EVs Inadequate
This is one of those myths that has some truth to it. In a traditional petrol car, you burn through a lot more fuel in the winter as the engine needs to heat up to perform properly, which drives up fuel consumption and negatively affects your mileage. The same applies to electric cars, and you can expect a drop of 5 to 8 percent in the overall mileage of your vehicle. If you crunch the numbers, you’re still getting approximately 145 out of the 160 miles that you’d get under warmer, optimal conditions. This number is still well within the acceptable range for the average PCO car hire in Croydon.
While you might be losing out on some mileage, you have a huge network of conveniently set-up electric charging stations that you can rely on. If you’re low on charge, you can always head to a charging station and get the necessary top-up to keep yourself mobile. EVs have some of the most accurate mileage tracking systems onboard, which can help you make sure you’re not running on empty before you reach the charger.
Charging Takes Up Too Much Time
Like many misconceptions, this one is based on some factual evidence. Home chargers are slower for various reasons, and it won’t be smart to rely on them for a quick top-up when you’re on your lunch break. It can take around 10 hours or more to charge your car battery to 100%. Many people see the pro of lower costs that your home charger offers as positive while not worrying about the fact that you need to charge your car overnight.
Where this becomes a myth is when you’re relying on public charging stations. Depending on their specification, you can get variable charging rates from them. Many of them can charge your car battery like your smartphone giving you around 70% or more range in half an hour. Anyone with a PCO car in hire Hammersmith will benefit heavily from this, allowing them to keep a calculated amount of juice in between breaks. People can chain charging sessions alongside their trips to get the most benefit out of their EV’s long-range and fast charging speeds available at public stations.
EV Cars Are Slower Than Petrol Cars
There’s more than can be said about this statement, and it requires some clarification. When it comes to top speeds, numerous petrol cars can reach and sustain higher speeds. The way power distribution works in electric cars, they currently get beaten out on the fastest tracks. But in reality, you might not be hitting those speeds unless you’re on a racing track, and not in average London traffic. They’re not sustainable or legal on most roads, making them useless for the typical person trying to keep fuel consumption in mind.
What matters is acceleration on a day-to-day basis, and EVs take the crown. For acceleration, the 0-60 mph test is standard, and a majority of the fastest accelerating vehicles on the market are all-electric. Electric vehicles produce maximum torque at all revs, and thanks to the simplicity of the electric motor compared to combustion engines, can pick up from standing still to rapidly accelerate instantly without losing momentum. For PCO car hire in Acton, this is the variable that will be more relevant to you and electric cars will leave many petrol options catching up in the acceleration department.
EV Cars Are Unsafe
While other myths have some form of truth to them, this is a statement that’s generally based on scepticism and rumours. Just like petrol vehicles, EV cars go through the same review and safety inspection process. Many services like Uber are fairly stringent in the UK, not allowing vehicles that fail to receive the appropriate safety rating through NCAP. Considering they represent the future of the automotive industry, EVs are packed with features and many of them are heavily focused on making cars safer.
Many models like the MG5 and Volkswagen ID.3 have achieved 5-star safety ratings, making them some of the safest options on the market. For PCO car hire in Chelsea, it’s necessary that your customer feels safe at all times and an EV has all the relevant features that you’d need to provide the quality experience that they expect from you. The various lane-assist tools, cruise control, and blind-spot monitoring options available in modern EVs are becoming industry standard thanks to their great value and how they offer extra safety on the road.
The Power Grid Can’t Sustain Charging So Many EVs
In recent years, global power consumption has increased rapidly, which has led to the argument that it will not be able to sustain and meet the demand. With EVs, many have the idea that the consumption of electricity will exceed the production rates. A study in 2018 suggests that even if 80% of vehicles around the globe became electric, the spike in overall energy consumption would only be by 10-15%. Many people think about conscious consumption and sustainability as major considerations when getting an EV, so it will be an important factor to iron out when going for an EV rental.
Such a surge in the number of electric vehicles is impossible, and at the rate at which people are adopting electric vehicles, more refined infrastructure and projects are being developed to sufficiently meet the demands of the market. Not only will there be enough electricity to support a higher volume of EVs, but the technology will rely on more sustainable means to create a more reliable system that will not peak consumption as easily.
If you’re looking for a PCO car for rent, you can look into G&M Direct Hire. We have numerous options in our lineup of PCO cars to rent, whether you’re looking for petrol, diesel, or EV options for Uber car rental. We provide PCO-licensed car hire in London, covering areas like Ilford, Wembley, Ealing, Slough, Edmonton, and Harrow among many others.
Rather than having to outright purchase a car and deal with various maintenance affairs, have access to a reliable, well-maintained option on rent. We offer others benefits to add extra perks to our loyal clients. Reach out to us today.