What Is An Electric Car? | Kia Eco Cars | Kia Motors UK
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What Is An Electric Car? | Kia Eco Cars | Kia Motors UK

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How does a battery electric vehicle work?

In simple terms, energy is stored in a large battery, which drives a powerful electric motor. Easy. To charge it, simply plug it into a home chargepoint, or a public charger when you’re out and about, and the car will take care of the rest. Plug it in at home, and you wake up every morning with a ‘full tank’* – in the case of the e-Niro, that’s a potential 282-mile range! The car then drives on battery power alone, there is no need to add petrol or diesel. It can even add charge to the battery while you are driving by recovering energy that would normally be lost – when braking for example.

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What are the benefits of going electric?

There are many substantial benefits to owning a battery-electric car. Here are just few reasons to Stop Wondering. Start Driving.

Cheap to run

Cheap to run

Luckily, being kind to the environment is also good for your wallet – electricity is much cheaper than petrol or diesel, so your journey may cost less than a third of what it would in a combustion-engined car. And that’s before you take into account the fact that battery-electric vehicles can also travel in the UK’s new and upcoming Clean Air Zones – and London’s Congestion Zone – for free. There are tax incentives, too. There’s a £3,000 plug-in car grant available, plus, for company car drivers, battery-electric cars are subject to a lower company car BiK tax, which for battery-electric cars registered after 6th April 2020 is 0%. This increases to 1% in 2021/22 and then 2% in 2022/23.

Zero Emissions

There are no exhaust emissions from the tailpipe of an electric vehicle – in fact, it doesn’t even have a tailpipe – this is particularly helpful for improving air quality in urban areas.
Charge at home

Charge at home

Another major perk is home charging. Imagine waking up every day with a ‘full tank’. You can get a £350 OLEV grant to help you pay for the home charger, too. Just plug in when you get home, and your car takes care of the rest.

Vehicle eligibility and grant figure correct as at June 2020. UK sales only (excludes Channels Islands and Isle of Man). Grant scheme may be withdrawn and eligibility/amounts may change at any time without prior notice.

Relaxing drive

Of course, electric cars are incredibly quiet inside, making for a relaxing atmosphere. Driving is easy, too, because electric motors produce maximum torque at all revs, so acceleration is instant.
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What is it like to drive an electric car?

Rather fun, actually. Electric cars are incredibly responsive. That’s because unlike combustion engines, electric motors produce maximum torque at any rpm. So you can enjoy brisk, instant acceleration at any speed without worrying about gear changes – all that torque means electric cars only need one forward gear! The All-New e-Niro can surge from 0-62mph in just 7.8 seconds.

Handling can be impressive, too. Because the batteries are in the floor, electric cars have a low centre of gravity, which helps minimise body roll while making the car feel planted, providing a fun, dynamic drive. The All-New e-Niro even has a sport mode!

If efficiency is your main concern, there’s an eco mode, too. The All-New Kia e-Niro offers a driving range of 282 miles (WLTP combined cycle) on a full charge – that’s London to Newcastle! For some everyday context, the average UK commute is just 10 miles – so the average person could do more than two weeks of commuting without needing to charge once.

Most charging with an electric car is done at home. But If you want to top up on the go, there are more than 7,000 public charging locations in the UK, and most of them have multiple connectors. Plug an All-New e-Niro into a 100kW fast charger and you’ll have 80% charge in just 54 minutes – that’s enough to travel 225 miles!.

Find out more about charging

Electric Vehicle Myths

An electric car could massively reduce your running costs, but is it right for you? To help you make an informed choice, we’ve dispelled some of the most common EV myths.

Explore More

Kia’s battery-electric cars

If you like the idea of emission-free driving, why not check out the Kia e-Niro or All-New Soul EV? Stop Wondering. Start Driving.

Kia e-Niro: rewriting the rulebook on electric driving

Powerful acceleration. A generous equipment list. Impressive range. It’s little wonder the Kia e-Niro is WhatCar?’s Car of the Year. The e-Niro’s revolutionary powertrain means an emission-free range of 282 miles, with enough power to sprint from 0-62mph in just 7.8 seconds. Find out more about the Kia e-Niro

The All-New Soul EV

No more searching for petrol stations, no more oil changes, no more loud, vibrating engines and absolutely no emissions. Instead, the All-New Kia Soul EV gives you long-range driving with easy charging and instant acceleration – in a modern atmosphere where the only thing loud is your music.

Still Wondering?

Hybrid and self-charging hybrid cars

What is a hybrid car?

Hybrid cars can offer you improved fuel economy and lower emissions, without the need to change how you use your vehicle. No plugging in required.

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Cost of running electric car

What is the cost of running an electric car?

Owning an electric car is cheaper than you might think

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What is a Plug-in Hybrid car?

What is a Plug-in Hybrid car?

Plug-in hybrid cars can offer you many of the benefits of an electric car, they have a shorter electric range but can rely on a petrol motor for longer trips.

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What is a mild hybrid car

What is a mild hybrid car?

Mild Hybrids allow your engine to switch off more frequently, which improves fuel economy and reduces emissions

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How charging works

How does charging work?

Don’t worry, charging may seem like a whole new world, but in reality it’s very simple

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Request Eco Brochure

Request Eco Brochure

Request the Eco Brochure to find out more about various Eco powertrains within the Kia range, helping you to find the one that suits you.

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*Based on charging using a 7kW charger