Have you ever considered switching from petrol or diesel to an electric car? What factors might play a role in your decision? We explore the common reservations held about electric vehicles (EVs) to provide further insights that can help you to decide. Myth 1: “EVs are much more expensive than petrol and diesel cars” Whilst it is true that the upfront cost of an electric vehicle is usually more than a fossil-fuel powered one, upfront costs are not the only thing to think about. If you are able to regularly charge your EV at home, you will spend less on ongoing running costs with an EV than a traditional car. Public charging is significantly more expensive than charging at home, although subscription services can offer discounted rates for drivers that depend on public charging. The RAC’s Charge Watch has tracked the average rates across the UK’s public charging network since 2022. EV public charging costs | RAC Charge Watch According to the National Grid, servicing costs are often less too, as maintenance is simpler and less frequent because EVs have fewer moving parts to malfunction or degrade over time. 6 myths about electric vehicles busted – National Grid The University has launched the Tusker EV Salary Sacrifice, which aims to support staff to transition from a petrol or diesel vehicle to a fully electric vehicle via a leasing scheme with a significant tax saving. Pay & Reward | Tusker EV Salary Sacrifice The secondhand market for EVs is growing. The Scottish Government offers a loan scheme to help lower-income households to purchase a secondhand EV. Used electric vehicle loan Myth 2: “An EV would run out of power before I reach my destination” Battery technology has improved a lot in the past decade, resulting in lighter, more efficient batteries. The average range of a pure electric vehicle is now 211 miles on a single charge, with many managing more than that.2 So if you are going on a long road trip, you will need to recharge every few hundred miles – but you should be stopping for a rest that frequently anyway, so that you can stay focused on the road. In normal usage though, the vast majority of journeys will not challenge an EV’s battery range. In 2023 the median car journey in Scotland was 6.7 km. Scottish Transport Statistics 2024 Myth 3: “I won’t have anywhere to recharge” Given the improved range of electric vehicles, you may not need to charge your EV as frequently as you might assume. However, EV charging is becoming more accessible. Can I charge my EV at home? With a home chargepoint, you can charge your Electric Vehicle overnight in your driveway, when electricity is cheapest, for further cost savings. Usually you need to ask yourself two questions: Do you own your own home or have permission to install a home charger from the property owner? Do you have dedicated off street parking with an area for the charger to be wall mounted? If you can answer ‘yes’ to both of these questions then you are likely to be able to have a charger installed. If you are considering the University’s EV Salary Sacrifice scheme, the supplier, Tusker, can help to coordinate the installation of a home charging point prior to the delivery of your vehicle. Ensure that you arrange this with Tusker as once your vehicle has been ordered. Alternatively, the cost of installing chargers can be reduced if you are eligible to take advantage of the EV chargepoint grant, available through the UK Government. EV chargepoint grant (Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles) If you have purchased a second-hand EV through the Scottish Government’s loan scheme, or live in a remote rural area, you may also be eligible for the Energy Saving Trust Domestic Chargepoint Funding Scheme. Domestic chargepoint funding (Energy Saving Trust) If you have off-street parking, installing a home charge point is the cheapest and most convenient way to charge. You may be able to switch to an EV-specific energy tariff. These tariffs usually offer cheaper rate per unit on electricity used at night when most EV drivers choose to charge. Charging at Home | Home Energy Scotland [External] What about charging on the public network? The UK has a public network of over 20,000 charging points across the UK, and there are over 2,400 public charging points across Scotland. This network is expanding rapidly, and it is easier than ever to find public charging points, although the cost of public charging is significantly higher than charging at home. You can view a map of public charging points on the Chargeplace Scotland website. Chargeplace Scotland There are also EV chargers at most University of Edinburgh campuses. EV Charging Map Myth 4: “EVs are just as environmentally harmful as petrol or diesel cars.” Although emissions from EV production are generally higher than those created by building a petrol or diesel vehicle, according to the European Energy Agency EVs emit less – often one-half to two-thirds less over their lifetime – than ICE cars. European Energy Agency: Electric Vehicles The vast majority of EV emissions come from their energy-intensive battery manufacturing process. Further environmental damage is caused by the mining of precious metals used in batteries, including EV batteries. EV manufacturers are now aiming to produce their electric cars in carbon-neutral ways and new technology is beginning to improve the efficiency of batteries, making them lighter and less resource-intensive. When we factor in the lack of exhaust emissions from driving, EVs repay the carbon ‘debt’ from their production very quickly. A 2020 analysis from Carbon Brief calculated that after just two years of driving (based on 14,000 miles driven per year) a new Nissan Leaf will have emitted less carbon than an equivalent new ICE car. Replacing an existing ICE car with an EV will cut emissions after just four years of use. This gap grows year after year, and EV emissions will continue to fall as countries decarbonize their energy mix. Fact check: How EVs help to tackle climate change Electric cars are better for the climate than petrol or diesel A graph from Carbon Brief showing that a new Nissan Leaf EV would start paying back its battery production emissions after less than four years, relative to continuing to drive an average existing conventional car in the UK. Electric vehicles do not provide a silver bullet for solution for tackling climate change – but their low carbon footprint relative to petrol and diesel cars and comparatively small maintenance and running costs make EVs a climate-friendly and cost-effective option. Fact: The most sustainable way to get from A to B is via active travel and public transportation The greenest and healthiest way to travel is by walking, cycling or wheeling, collectively referred to as ‘active travel’. Regular active travel can improve your mental and physical health, save you money and reduce your environmental impact. The University offers a Cycle to Work scheme, which is designed for employees to save money on a new bike to commute to work. The costs are spread over monthly instalments taken from your pre-tax salary. The scheme can save you between 29% - 48% on a bike and accessories (depending on your tax bracket). The scheme can be used for pedal bikes, electric bikes, cargo bikes and adapted bikes. Cycle2Work | Pay & Reward For longer journeys across the city and Scotland’s Central Belt, public transport is often the most sustainable way to travel, and often the fastest and cheapest too. The University offers an interest-free public transport loan for purchasing season tickets, to encourage staff to use public transport where possible. Find out how you can get the most out of walking, cycling and public transportation at the University of Edinburgh. Walking & Cycling Public Transport Support for switching to an electric vehicle From the 24 June 2025, the Tusker EV Salary Sacrifice scheme is open to eligible University of Edinburgh staff. Tusker EV Salary Sacrifice The Scottish Government offers a loan to support residents switch to electric vehicles. Used electric vehicle loan and chargepoint funding (Home Energy Scotland) This article was published on 2024-02-13
