I want an electric car but worry about range and charge time. What do you think?

I'm almost at point of purchase of a new vehicle to replace my ageing, although utterly reliable, Citroen C5. I find myself wanting to do the eco thing by buying an EV, yet I am somewhat sceptical about availability of charging points. It's not only the access to a charging point that concerns me but also how long it would take to charge up again. I know with diesel/petrol it's going to take 5 minutes or so but with an EV, how long does it take?

Asked on 13 June 2020 by johni

Answered by Andrew Brady
It depends on the model of EV you're looking at. Generally, a rapid charger (like those usually found at motorway services) will add about 80% charge in around 40 minutes. It probably comes down to how often you plan to do such journeys. If you can charge a car at home and rarely travel more than 100 or so miles a day, an EV makes a lot of sense. If you're a high-mileage driver, regularly covering 300+ miles a day, it takes a bit more commitment (although it's certainly doable). If you're hesitant, have you considered a hybrid or plug-in hybrid car as as kind of stepping stone? The latter will be able to cover local journeys under electric power alone, but has a petrol engine on hand for when you wish to travel further afield.
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