Last month, diesel and petrol car sales dropped by 20% and 14% respectively while around 30,000 electric vehicles (EVs) were sold – an increase of 25% on October 2023 despite overall sales falling by 6%. Clearly, many drivers are switching to or considering changing to an EV.
September saw the highest ever UK electric car sales, fuelled by an expanding range of options from automakers. However, diesel and petrol vehicles still dominate the market, with many drivers remaining cautious. This caution is due to the initial expense of EVs, concerns about the availability of UK charging stations, or the ‘range anxiety,’ of feeling uncertain about an EV’s range compared with the reliability of a full tank of petrol or diesel.
Yet advancements in battery size, charging technology, and a variety of long-range models promising 300 miles or more on a single charge, have made EVs a more attractive option.
The longest range Genesis the GV60 model line-up offers Face Connect Technology, ultra-fast charging of 10% to 80% in 18 minutes, 225 bhp, acceleration of 0-62mph in 4.0 seconds and crucially, an optimum range of almost 300 miles awarding it Best Electric SUV award at the 2023 What Car? Awards (UK).
For entry level buyers, the Hyundai The Ioniq 6 Premium model offers 224bhp with an impressive potential 338 mile range. In Ultimate trim, it has a lower range of 322 miles but a power increase to 320bhp, earning it Best Company Car in the 2023 Autocar Awards.
With the UK version said to have a 387 mile range, the BMW i7 gets great press write-ups and was deemed worthy of Best Luxury EV at the Top Gear Electric Awards 2023 and comes with a 31 inch 8K TV screen. According to Jack Rix, Editor of Top Gear Magazine,
“…the i7 is extraordinarily comfortable…the Curved Display user interface is crisply executed, and the rear-seat cinema is a marvel.”
As a slightly more modest option, the i4 offers up to 365 miles in range – although it lacks the i7’s onboard TV.
The Mercedes-Benz EQS 350 luxury SUV is claimed to have a range between 380 and 408 miles, while the bigger 450 claims a range of 446 to 480 miles, while the sportier AMG, the range is from 341 to 377 miles – all powered by a new generation of high-density batteries.
Tesla’s Model S offers impressive performance statistics with a 0-60 time of just under 2 seconds (the quickest acceleration of any vehicle in production), a top speed of 200 mph, and a range of near enough 400 miles. It also benefits from Tesla’s powerful and extensive fast-charging network. In addition it was rated the best executive saloon, and the best-performing electric car on sale from a safety perspective at the 2022 Euro NCAP safety awards.
Feeling tempted? The choice of long-range electric cars continues to grow, and with it, the appeal of a greener, more powerful driving experience.