One of the biggest barriers to electric vehicle (EV) adoption is the cost of purchasing a new car. Don’t let that put you off because with so many companies now offering monthly leasing deals, driving an electric car is more affordable than ever before. Plus, most deals include tax, insurance and servicing making life even easier.
With rising fuel prices and fuel shortages, the interest in electric cars is greater than ever for good reason. Not only is leasing great value but thecost of running an electric vehicle is far cheaper and will also save you money, up to 40 percent, on maintenance.
ElectricDrives caught with Lash and Charnjit Saranna at Electric Zoo to find out about their thoughts on leasing an electric car, how it can help with electric vehicle adoption and what’s currently hot on their zero-emissions forecourt.
EDs: How important is leasing in the transition to electric vehicles?
Leasing a car is probably the easiest way for people to transition to an electric vehicle because the biggest barrier to entry is the price.
EDs: What are the best ways of convincing people to make the switch?
The best way to convince people to make the switch is to get them to drive an electric car. Once they realise how smooth, quiet and quick they are, added to charging at home and not having to regularly visit a fuel station, works every time.
EDs: What do you see as the biggest hurdles stopping people from making the switch?
The biggest hurdles for the transition to electric cars are the price, the range not being ‘big enough’ and where to charge.
EDs: Do people need to move away from the car ownership idea and look at driving in a different way?
Car ownership will be replaced by car usership as the electric transition happens. This usership model is best highlighted by the subscription model now being offered in the market.
The new way of looking at driving will be on a monthly budget where the car, insurance, maintenance and road tax are all included in one monthly fee, along with the freedom of not having to deal with these items on an individual basis.
EDs: How important is it for businesses to make the switch, especially with more zero emissions zones being enforced?
Business has the biggest opportunity to make the switch to electric cars en-mass. The benefits for them to do this are huge because they can raise their corporate social responsibility (CSR) with zero-emission cars and provide employees with charging at work as a benefit in kind or reduced pricing. This also increases their appeal for recruitment as people now want to work for more ethical and green-focused companies.
EDs: How hard is it to convince businesses and business owners to make the switch compared to individuals?
Businesses appear to have two barriers to entry; the price being too expensive and the range not being enough. However, the manufacturers are addressing both of these pain points as we have seen over the last couple of years.
EDs: Is range anxiety still an issue?
Range anxiety still exists although it is being eased due to the cars now being offered with bigger and better battery technology hence, they have a longer range.
EDs: What about charging anxiety?
Charging anxiety is being diminished because of the increase in the number of charge points across the UK with higher-powered charging, hence reducing the time taken to charge. Payment methods are also being made easier with credit card tap’n’go being available on 90 percent of the charging network.
EDs: What is the most popular electric vehicle you lease?
The most popular electric car on our platform is the Renault Zoe.
EDs: What is the best value electric vehicle you lease?
In our case, it is the Hyundai Kona Electric because it has a massive real-world range of 250 miles (402km). It’s a full-size family SUV and is just great to drive all at a very affordable monthly price.
EDs: What will be the biggest driver of mass adoption of EVs?
This will be when charge points are available within one-two miles range and the number of charge points increases. This will mean you won’t have to wait to use a charge point and with higher-powered chargers, it will reduce charge times.
