Electric & Hybrid Myths | Kia UK
Common Electric Vehicle myths busted by Kia
With so much information about electric vehicles and their capabilities, it can be hard to make a decision about whether an EV is right for you. To help, we've busted some of the most common EV myths for you.
An electric car yields substantial savings in tax and running costs for your business, but it's easy to be put off by the many EV myths floating around. To help you make an informed choice on electric vehicles, we'll look at some of the most common EV myths and give you the facts so you can stop wondering and start driving.
Myth: You can't drive very far in an EV
Actually, the Kia e-Niro and Soul EV have a real-world range of more than 280 miles - the distance from London to Newcastle. That's plenty when you consider that 98% of journeys in the UK are less than 50 miles - which would leave you with around 82% charge remaining.
Myth: There's nowhere to charge EVs
Most vehicle charging is done at home or at work, so the majority of drivers wake up or leave work without having to think about charging on the road. If you do need to charge on the road, there are more than 30,000 public charge points
in the UK across more than 10,800 locations1
.
Myth: They take too long to charge
It's very rare that you need to charge an electric car from empty - the majority of the time you're just topping up. However, if you did want to charge from 0%, a 7kW home or workplace charger will charge an e-Niro to full in around 10 hours. If you're on the road, a 100kW rapid charger will give you 80% charge in just 45 mins - perfect time to stop for a break or grab a coffee after 280 miles of driving.
Myth: They're too slow
A few seconds behind the wheel of an EV is enough to debunk this myth. Electric vehicles, such as the Kia e-Niro, produce maximum torque at all revs, so only need one forward gear. This means instant, rapid acceleration without needing to find the correct gear first. As a result, the Kia e-Niro sprints from 0-62mph in just 7.8 seconds.
Myth: Electric cars are too expensive
EVs have lower Service, Maintenance and Repair costs, cost significantly less to fuel and could save you thousands of pounds per year in BIK tax alone. You can also deduct the full cost of your vehicle from your profits before tax through First Year Allowance2
. When you look at Whole Life Costs, electric vehicles can cost considerably less than traditional cars.
Myth: You can't drive or charge them in the wet
You most definitely can - you can drive or charge an electric vehicle whatever the weather. It's also fine to drive them through a car wash.
Myth: They're less safe in an accident
Electric vehicles are subject to the same safety tests and standards as regular cars. In fact, some studies have shown that electric vehicles are safer in an accident and less prone to catching fire than petrol or diesel equivalents4
. Electric cars such as the Soul EV and e-Niro, are also equipped with a suite of advanced safety technologies, that will help you to avoid accidents altogether.
Myth: The batteries don't last
The battery packs in the Kia e-Niro and Soul EV are covered by Kia's 7-year, 100,000-mile warranty. Modern Lithium-ion Polymer batteries have turned out to be far more robust than originally thought - a recent study has shown that a Soul EV that's almost three years old have lost just over 1% of its total battery capacity3 .
Electric & Hybrid Range Brochure
Our Electric Cars
Kia e-Niro
Discover a world of smart convenience and amazing sensations. The Kia e-Niro gives you instant acceleration, easy charging and long-range driving. All in the comfort of a spacious, stylish and extremely quiet cabin. And all of this with zero emissions. Sustainable driving has never felt so good.
Soul EV
The all-electric Kia Soul EV steers clear of the status quo – taking bold to a whole new level bringing a fresh perspective to zero-emission driving.
More about Electric & Hybrid cars
-
What is a battery electric car?
A battery electric vehicle is better for the environment than a petrol or diesel car, cheaper to run and simpler to own. Like the sound of that? Our simple guide can tell you more.
Read More -
What is a Hybrid car?
A hybrid car switches between petrol and electric automatically to optimise driving performance, improve fuel economy and lower emissions. Simply get in and the car generates power as you drive. No plugging in required.
read more -
What is a Plug-In Hybrid car?
Plug-in Hybrid cars use a combination of petrol and electric to offer you many of the benefits of an electric car and a petrol engine combined.
read more
-
What is a Mild Hybrid car?
Kia’s mild hybrid cars use a very small battery and a clever motor/generator to save fuel and lower emissions.
Read More -
How does charging work?
Don’t worry, charging may seem complicated, but in reality it’s very simple.
read more -
What is the cost of running an electric car?
Owning an electric car is cheaper than you might think, with tax incentives and lower running costs.
read more
Images shown for illustration purposes only and may not be to UK specification.