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Considering Switching to Hybrid or Electric?
Less Fuel, Reduced Tax & Low - No Emissions
Our Hybrid and Electric vehicles can help you save money and reduce your carbon footprint, without compromising on style and practicality offering a vehicle to suit every type of drive.
Reasons to Drive an Electric or Hybrid Vehicle
Hybrid and Electric vehicles use either a combination of electric and petrol or diesel power to drive the engine or 100% electric power, which makes them more economical to run with lower emissions than a traditional petrol driven vehicle. So, whether you want to reduce your carbon footprint, or simply wish to lower your running costs, there are plenty of reasons to go electric and making the switch may be much simpler than you might think.
The Eco-nomical Choice
Because Hybrid cars use an electric motor as an additional source of power to support the combustion-engine less fuel is used, which in turn cuts down your running costs.
Tax Incentives
For company vehicle drivers, battery-electric vehicles are subject to a lower company BIK tax, which for battery-electric vehicles registered after the 6th April 2020 is 0%. This increases to 1% in 2021/22 and to 2% in 2022/23. All hybrid powertrains also benefit from lower BIK tax rates and still have the potential to save you thousands of pounds compared to a traditional petrol or diesel equivalent.
Relaxing Drive
Electric vehicles are incredibly quiet, making for a more relaxing atmosphere. Driving is easy too, because electric motors produce maximum torque at all revs, so acceleration is instant. While all Hybrids handle just as smoothly as conventional cars, with the added bonus that they are extremely quiet in electric mode, plus the shift between the two powertrains is so seamless that it is practically inaudible.
Better for the Environment
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. Hybrid vehicles, in general, also emit less pollution than standard vehicles. For example, in traffic or at a red light the engine automatically switches off and uses the electric motor to restart or reboot the engine.
Kia Hybrid Models
- Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) Petrol
What is a Mild Hybrid?
A mild hybrid (mHEV) use a small battery and a clever motor / generator to save fuel and lower emissions. This helps lower your costs without changing how you drive. There is no requirement to connect the battery to a power source. While a mild hybrid doesn’t offer the same level of benefits as a full hybrid, the mild hybrid’s smaller battery means the initial purchase cost is lower.
What is a Hybrid?
A hybrid (HEV) or full hybrid (FHEV) switches between petrol and electric automatically to optimise driving performance, improved fuel economy and lower emissions, simply get in and the vehicle generates power as you drive. No plugging in required. The lower emissions also mean a reduced VED rate and lower BIK tax.
What is a Plug-In Hybrid?
A plug-in hybrid (PHEV) gets all the benefits of a hybrid, but it has a larger battery. This means you can plug it in at home or at a public charge point to give you up to a 35 mile electric range. When that electric range is depleted, the vehicle automatically switches to hybrid mode. Electricity is much cheaper than petrol or diesel, so when running on battery power, your journey may cost less than a third of what it would in a combustion-engine car.
KiaPeugeot Electric Models
Kia Charge
For those who own an electric or plug-in hybrid Kia, Kia Charge makes access to the UK and Europe’s public charging stations easy. You can find a station, charge and pay all with only one solution.
What is an all-electric vehicle?
All-electric vehicles run on battery power alone. Zero fuel. Zero emissions on the road. So, they’re better for the environment and with reduced road tax and no penalties in some low emission zones, they’re good for your wallet too. The latest 100% electric vehicles offer an impressive range between charges with the Kia EV6 capable of achieving up to 328 miles on a single charge.
What is the cost of running an electric vehicle?
Owning an electric vehicle is cheaper than you might think, with Government grants, tax incentives and lower running costs. There is no yearly or first-year tax with an electric vehicle, which could save you around £500 over the first three years of ownership compared to a mid-sized petrol or diesel equivalent. Electricity is noticeably cheaper per mile than petrol or diesel, particularly when you charge your vehicle at home. When you look at cost per mile, driving on electricity can cost around a third of an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle. Electric vehicles only have three main components and far fewer moving parts than a combustion engine, which means servicing and maintenance is simpler and cheaper, which saves you money.
Charging is Easy
When charging at home with a 7kW fitted wallbox vehicle charger, you can plug in overnight and guarantee yourself a full charge in the morning, just like your phone. Studies suggest that up to 95% of electric vehicle charging occurs at home or work and it’s likely to be the cheapest option. You can also use a normal 2.3kW three-pin home socket without any rewiring however charging is much slower, but it can be handy for topping up your electric vehicle when you’re away from home or visiting friends without any charging facility.
There are also now more than 100,000 public electric car charge points across Europe. You’ll find them at supermarkets, shopping centres, motorway service stations, and many other locations.
The Ultimate Convenience
You can control your vehicle battery from your phone via a mobile phone app – wherever and whenever you need to. The app can also allow you to:
- Monitor your charging status of your electric or plug-in vehicle
- View the remaining charging time
- Schedule charging based on your departure time or at cost-saving off-peak times
- Find out where the nearest public charging points are and how to get there
- Find out how much it will cost to fully charge your vehicle
- Find out which public charge points are on your scheduled journey – meaning you can charge your vehicle without compromising your current route.
- And much more
Find out more or arrange a test drive today.