Buying your first electric car?

Forget paying more for petrol and road tax – there’s a new generation of electric cars that’ll take you further than ever.

From hybrids to PHEVs, Arnold Clark has a model that can easily plug into your busy life.

The benefits of electric cars

An electric car is great for people who make lots of short journeys and want to reduce fuel costs and their impact on the environment.

Low to zero CO2 emissions No petrol costs Smooth driving experience No road tax Government grants and incentives

What car should I buy?

If you choose electric driving, there are three choices to suit your lifestyle:

Hybrid

The petrol engine is connected to a small self-charging electric motor, which kicks in at lower speeds. You get a more fuel-efficient journey and fast manoeuvring in traffic (using electric mode).

View hybrid cars

Plug-in hybrid (PHEV)

A PHEV is an electric vehicle with a petrol-powered back-up engine to extend its range. It has lower emissions than a hybrid and less reliance on traditional fuel.

View plug-in hybrid cars

Electric (EV)

These fully electric cars run entirely on an electric battery, which you either buy or lease when you purchase the car. No emissions, no road tax, and tons of government incentives.

View electric cars

Charging and charging points

If you have driveway or parking space outside your home, you can charge overnight using a traditional plug socket.

There are also 12,000 electric car charging stations all over the UK, and the number is growing daily. You access them using a network tariff card.

Use of these will be determined by which connector your car has.

Slow (up to 3kW)

Overnight, 13 Amp socket (home and on-street)

Fast (7–22kW)

3–4 hours, from most on-street public chargers

Rapid (22kW+)

30 minutes to 80% charge, from public chargers

Who makes electric cars?

Many of your favourite manufacturers are getting plugged into the electric and hybrid market, so there are plenty to choose from. Here are just a few:

BMW

The BMW is the ultimate luxury electric car, capable of 125 miles per charge, and perfect for city driving and daily commutes.

Toyota

One of the pioneers in electric and hybrid car travel, Toyota has seven models in its electric and hybrid range, offering economical and sustainable travel.

Kia

With a number of electric car models – including the SOUL EV and the new Kia Niro hybrid – Kia’s bringing electric vehicles to the forefront of its business.