When selecting an electric car for the first time, often after having run either a petrol or diesel car, there are a few key considerations that are well worth researching so that you end up with an electric vehicle (EV) that best fits with your needs.
Arval has identified the five most important factors to consider when choosing an electric car. And we’re not talking about style, brand or space here, we’re talking about range, battery size, efficiency, charging speeds and the ability to perform certain tasks, such as tow or carry a roof box.
1. Range
You may never have considered how far your petrol or diesel car can go on a tank of fuel, however, due to recharging times typically being longer than it takes to refuel a car, an EV’s range becomes more important. Generally speaking, a range of above 200 miles is more than adequate for most drivers’ regular journey requirements.
Official range figures are stated for EVs just as you’d see an official miles per gallon (mpg) figure. And just like quoted mpg figures, the range can be a bit lower in the real world than when they were tested in a lab.
Remember, you may not need the longest range. Think about how you will typically be using your electric car. It may be better to favour other criteria, such as its efficiency, the size of the vehicle depending on your needs and its charge speed.
2. Efficiency
For electric cars efficiency is usually stated as miles per kilowatt hour (m/kWh). As it says, it’s a measure of how far you can go on a kilowatt of electricity. It’s the equivalent of miles per gallon (mpg), which is used in petrol and diesel vehicles, but for EVs. Occasionally, efficiency is quoted the other way round, in watthours per mile.
Let’s take an example of an MG 4, the SE Long Range version has an efficiency figure of 3.8m/kWh and a useable battery capacity of 61.7kWh. This would give a range of 234 miles because you can go 3.8 miles for every kWh in the battery.
As a comparison, the new VW ID3 with a 58kWh battery that has an official efficiency of 4.1m/kWh will have a range of 238 miles. Which illustrates why efficiency is just as important as battery size when it comes to how far you can go on a full charge.
3. Battery size
Battery size is one of several factors that impacts range. Everything else being equal, the bigger the battery the greater the range. Battery size, or capacity, is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh).
Some EVs are offered with just one size of battery, while others with perhaps two or even three battery size options.
With our MG 4 example, it is available with either a 51kWh battery, one at 64kWh, or an even larger one with 77kWh capacity.
When comparing electric cars, it’s worth finding out the usable battery capacity via sources like the EV Database or direct from the manufacturer. This is smaller than the total capacity, which can sometimes be used.
4. Charge speed
For petrol and diesel, the rate at which fuel goes into the car isn’t something that’s ever considered. With EVs the speed with which they can charge varies hugely.
The two main points governing charge speed are how fast the charge point will deliver electricity – a rapid charger typically charges at 50kW or more, and ultra-rapid chargers operate at 100kW+ – and then how quickly your car will accept that electricity.
While you can’t adjust the delivery side of charging – other than picking a faster charge point – you can help yourself by picking a car that allows a higher rate of charge using websites, such as evdatabase.org. You can find out more about charging in our dedicated section on the topic.
5. Will it tow (or carry a roof box)?
The final point in our list won’t impact many, but it is very important if it matters to you.
Firstly, not all EVs can tow or carry a roof box and while electric cars are great to tow with due to their seamless power delivery, they often have different towing capacities to petrol and diesel equivalents. It’s worth checking your chosen EV will do what you need.
The same goes for roof boxes. A few electric cars have lower limits on the weight you can put in a roof box. Again, check with the manufacturer’s website to be sure.
NOTE: Data correct at time of writing May 24.
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