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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 30,200 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
Electric cars usually have a slightly higher P11D price, but this is offset by the plug-in car grant and considerably reduced running costs. 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 8-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 . *
Eco Range Brochure
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Call our Business Centre on 0800 294 0417
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View all of our contract hire offers available.
EV/PHEV Lithium-Ion Polymer Battery
Cars registered up to 31/12/2023:
The Lithium-Ion Polymer Battery warranty covers a minimum capacity for a period is 84 months or 100,000 miles from the date of first registration, whichever comes first.
Cars registered from 01/01/2024:
The Lithium-Ion Polymer Battery warranty covers a minimum capacity for a period is 96 months (84 months for PHEV) or 100,000 miles from the date of first registration, whichever comes first.
This warranty covers repairs needed to return the battery capacity to at least 70% of the original battery capacity. Where possible, the original EV/PHEV Battery components will be repaired and will be returned to the vehicle. If unrepairable, the EV/PHEV Battery will be replaced with either a new or remanufactured Lithium-Ion Polymer Battery.
Images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be to full UK specification. Features shown are not standard across the Kia model range and availability will vary dependant on model. For further details please refer to the individual model specification sheets.
*Fuel economy and emissions: driving range standards are calculated using the World Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP).
**There are certain situations in which the petrol engine will automatically activate even when the vehicle is in EV mode. Examples could include: when the hybrid battery state of charge is reduced to a certain level, when acceleration demand is high and/or when it is required to heat up the cabin.
*** Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA)
Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) is an assistance system and does not relieve the driver from their responsibility to safely operate the vehicle at any time. The driver still has to adapt their driving behaviour to their personal driving capabilities, to the legal requirements and to the overall road and traffic conditions. FCA is not designed to drive the vehicle autonomously. For further information, please refer to the owner’s manual.