Are Zero-Emission Vehicles Affordable Enough Yet?

For a long time, the only running costs that were associated with owning a car were mainly restricted to fuel, insurance, and maintenance. Until one major hidden cost was discovered – pollution.

The impact of motor vehicles on the environment quickly led to vehicle manufacturers designing cars that leave a very small footprint on the environment – zero-emission vehicles. These are vehicles that use a power source that is considered green. In other words, they don’t burn fossil fuels. The bulk of zero-emission vehicles use battery packs or run on hydrogen fuel.

But is the adoption of zero-emission vehicles catching on as fast as it should be?

The Rise of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles – Important Stats You Need to Know

Perhaps you’re looking to purchase a “green” car and wondering whether this technology has really caught on well enough to drive you into the future. Well, let’s quickly take a look at some stats that will show us what the landscape really looks like.

• 15,000 public charge points. One of the biggest inhibitions to the adoption of zero-emission vehicles, particularly electric vehicles, was the lack of adequate public charging stations. Thanks to parliamentary support, charging stations are becoming a more common sight.
• 200,295. That represents the number of zero-emission vehicles licensed to be on the road in the UK by the end of 2018. While it’s still a small portion of the market, it’s a steady increase compared to the number of zero-emission cars that were on the road in 2013 (6,300).
• Price drop. The price of electric cars has dropped by 49% as compared to prices from 2016. While that is a great step to making them accessible to everyone, buying an electric car is still a bit of a big investment for most people in the UK.

Which brings us to our next point…  

Should High Purchase Costs Keep You from Owning a Zero-emission Vehicle?

With the way global warming is reducing the quality of life on earth, everyone should be turning to eco-driving in a bid to slow down the damage to our already compromised ozone layer.

But with the high prices of green cars, is it possible for the ordinary person to enjoy a trip to work without harming Mother Nature? Let me give you a couple of points to ponder (and hopefully drive you toward a decision to go green).

Take Advantage of Government Grants

In a bid to advance the adoption of zero-emission vehicles by the public, most governments offer grants. These grants (up to £3,500) help individuals in transitioning to cleaner modes of personal transport. Taking advantage of these will definitely lessen the blow the price of buying an electric car can give to your bank balance.

Finance Your Car

Let’s face it, not everyone can dole out cash when buying a new EV – particularly of the electric kind. That’s why vehicle financing should be one of your first options as you endeavor to reduce the carbon footprint you leave in your commute.

Financing a car allows you to budget more efficiently, thus helping you save your pocket as well as the world.

So are zero-emission vehicles cars affordable yet? From a financial standpoint, there may still be a long way to go before we reach the point where electric cars will be accessible to everyone. But considering the way we are destroying the environment, we have no choice but to go green.

What Does the Future Hold?

Ready for a frightening fact?

There will be no future if we don’t reduce our carbon footprint on the environment.

That’s why everyone should make the transition to greener fuel. In the UK, for example, the government is pushing for zero emissions by 2050. That, coupled by the low running costs of zero-emission vehicles, points to a bright future for green cars.