What is a good energy consumption figure for electric vehicles

As we edge towards the ban on new fossil fuel-powered cars by 2030, UK drivers are beginning to get more curious about electric vehicles and more questions are emerging about how they work. Many of these questions are to do with how energy efficient electric vehicles
really are – electricity is cheaper than petrol and diesel but how far can you get on a full charge and how much will you end up spending on electricity? In this blog, the experts at Duratek will explore what good energy consumption figures look like for electric vehicles and explain what these mean for you.

What does good electric car economy look like?

Based on the information gathered from electric cars on the market at the moment, there are rough guidelines that we can follow to determine whether an electric car has good energy consumption. However, remember that the amount of electricity a car uses does depend on a raft of variable factors, such as how fast they are driven, the weather and road conditions, and the size of the car.

The efficiency of an electric car is often shown using how much electricity a car uses to travel a set distance, often in kWh per 100 miles. In general, it is considered excellent economy when a car uses from 19 to 23 kWh per 100 miles. Anything from 24 to 26 kWh per 100 miles is good, but 27 to 30 is the average. Anything beyond 31 kwh per 100 miles is poor.

However, this isn’t to say you should simply opt for the electric car that has the best economy. Check how far the range of the battery is first to ensure that you can make the journeys you need to without running flat. Electric cars with good economy tend to have smaller batteries that are quicker and cheaper to charge up but may lack in performance.

How much does it cost to charge an electric car?

The answer to this question depends on many factors, such as which electric vehicle tariff that you opt for and the price of energy in your area. Do your research to find the best tariff that suits your needs – some have good deals on charging vehicles at night which may work really well if you need your electric car fully charged by the morning.

On the other hand, you may wish to charge your car at work or on the go which can work out at very different prices. And of course, all of this depends on how much you drive and the type of car. Do your research to work out how much money you might spend on average to charge an electric car that has the right mileage and features for you before you make the change.