Frequently asked questions

We are committed to providing products and services of the very highest standards. If you think that we haven’t lived up to your expectations in any way, we would like to know so we can put things right for you.

In order to do this, we need from you some information such as your personal and company information, details of your complaint, what would be your desired outcome.

We will be in touch with you as soon as possible to let you know what will happen next, we will investigate your complaint objectively and fairly and we will be in touch to let you know the outcome.

We will do all we can to resolve your complaint within 24 hours from receipt, however, if we are unable to do this, we will contact you within 5 working days to both acknowledge and update you on the progress of your complaint, and also let you know when you can expect a proposed solution.

When we have dealt with your complaint, we will see what we can learn from your experience and feedback in order to continuously improve.

Please visit our raise a complaint page for all details on how you can complain.

Your initial payment will be taken once we have been notified that you have accepted delivery of the vehicle. This payment will be collected via direct debit on or around 10 working days after. If you are unsure of the amount of your initial payment you can view this on page one of your contract.

You will then be charged monthly on the day you chose on the Direct Debit mandate. Occasionally, there could be a delay with the delivery notification. This will mean, you may find that your first two payments are in close proximity to each other, and in some cases there could be two payments in one month. This would only occur in the first month and all following payments would be monthly as described above.

No. You can view the regular amount you need to pay on page one of your contract. The only time we will get in touch, is in advance of any additional charges, such as a parking fine or maintenance charge.

You are responsible for paying rentals from the point the vehicle is delivered until it is returned to us. You must contact us prior to the end of the lease term to organise the collection of the vehicle and termination of the lease.

During the contract life, we will charge you for the vehicle in advance. However, if the vehicle is still with you for a few days after the return date, we will bill you in arrears on a pro-rata basis for the number of days you had the vehicle.

It is your responsibility to return the vehicle at the end of your contract. If your vehicle has not been returned as required, then your monthly payment will reset to the actual true monthly rental.

You will be aware that when you first entered into your contract, you made an initial payment which was applied across the term of your contract. This initial payment adjusted the amount you actually paid each month.

At the end of the contract, that initial payment has effectively been used up and so any payments after that will be for the actual monthly rental. Please contact your account team as soon as possible to arrange for your vehicle to be collected.

Any charges which are not the monthly rental for your vehicle will be issued on a vehicle services invoice and this will either be posted to you or available online with an email notification.

Road fund licence is included in your monthly rental payment, this means one less thing to worry about.

When we receive a demand relating to the use of your lease vehicle, we will provide the Issuer making the demand with the name and address we hold on record for you. They will then contact you directly. Where you are entitled to a discount period, it will restart from the date the demand is re-issued to you by the Issuer. When this is not possible we will pay the fine on your behalf and recharge you.

Although your lease car is registered to us, you are the hirer. When you signed the Personal Leasing agreement at the start of your lease, you agreed, as the hirer, to accept all responsibility for liability. This includes taking all appropriate actions resulting from legislation for the payment of fines or penalties for parking, driving or similar offences or contraventions in connection with the car.

Once Arval has transferred the fine or penalty notice charge to you, our responsibility for the fine or penalty notice charge ceases.

No, because we have asked the Issuer to transfer the fine or penalty charge notice to you. They will reissue the fine with the correct details to you directly. The timescales may vary depending on the Issuer. You might be able to view the fine or penalty charge notice online by visiting the Issuers website and entering the fine or penalty charge notice number.

Arval is unable to provide evidence of the fine or penalty charge notice (for example photographs or CCTV). This will be provided by the Issuer upon reissue. The quickest way for you to see the evidence is to visit the Issuers website and enter the fine or penalty charge notice number.

You may be able to appeal your fine or penalty charge notice by following the Issuers process. Please make sure you have the evidence required to make the appeal. For more information on how to appeal, please visit the Issuers website and enter the penalty charge notice number.

If you do not believe you were driving the vehicle at the point the fine or penalty charge notice was incurred, you will need to inform the Issuer. You can do this by visiting the Issuers website and entering the fine or penalty charge notice number. If you were not the hirer of the vehicle at the time the fine or penalty charge notice was incurred, please contact your Customer Services Team.

This means that we have received a Parking or Penalty Charge Notice for the car you are leasing with us. As the hirer, and consistent with your Personal Leasing agreement, we have written to the Issuing Authority to ask that the Parking or Penalty Charge Notice is transferred to you. The Issuing Authority will then send you the Parking or Penalty Charge Notice. Timescales for this may vary depending on the Issuing Authority. If you agree with the Parking or Penalty Charge Notice:

OR

• Wait for the Parking or Penalty Charge Notice to be reissued to you for payment. Instructions on how to pay will be explained on the back of the notice;
• Using the letter or e-mail notification sent by us, visit the Issuing Authority’s website, enter the Parking or Penalty Charge Notice number and follow their instructions on how to pay online.

If you disagree with the Parking or Penalty Charge Notice and want to appeal:

• Make sure you have the evidence required to appeal. Examples: include proof of pay and display ticket, hotel reservation e-mail or job sheet.
• The quickest way to appeal is to visit the Issuing Authority’s website, enter the Parking or Penalty Charge Notice and follow the instructions.
• Alternatively, you can write to the Issuing Authority and provide supporting evidence to appeal the Parking or Penalty Charge Notice.
• If the Parking or Penalty Charge Notice is not in your name, please contact fines.team@arval.co.uk to request a third-party authorisation letter to send with your appeal. Once you have this you should make your appeal directly to the Issuing Authority.

We cannot redirect some fines because the authorities do not allow us to. We will continue to pay these and invoice them through to you. These types of fines or penalty notice charges may include:

• Congestion Charge
• Some Bus Lane fines
• Tolls – Humber Bridge, M50, eflow (applicable to motorways in Ireland) and Euro Parking Collection
• Fines that relate to Railway Byelaws (parking at train stations)

Yes. If you want to appeal visit the Transport for London website for details on appealing the congestion charge: 

www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/

You can only appeal Transport for London charges within 28 days of the date of issue.

It’s a legal requirement to have the following documentation:

- An original VE103 Documentation
- Insurance Certificate
- Passport

We issue a VE103 document for all foreign travel which is an acceptable replacement for the registration document. There is a charge of £18 including VAT per certificate, which is valid for 1 year from the date of issue. Please contact the Arval team on 0345 600 4499 at least 14 days in advance of travel and provide details of your travel destination and dates and details of drivers and any additional drivers.

Yes. Within the VE103 documentation we will provide contact details for the AA, who will then through their partner arrange the necessary assistance. For tyre issues when abroad, you would need to pay for the repairs yourself and then we would reimburse on receipt of the invoice.

Details of the countries covered are provided in the VE103 documentation. Within this we will provide contact details for the AA, who will then through their partner arrange the necessary assistance. For tyre issues when abroad, you would need to pay for the repairs yourself and then we would reimburse on receipt of the invoice.

Please contact the Arval team by email at myaccountteam@arval.co.uk, who will be happy to help you through the process.

You can choose to have a private plate on your Arval leased vehicle. Just contact your Customer Services team who will be able to help you with the completion of the certificate. At the end of the contract, if you want to retain the plate you will need to arrange this in advance of collection. We need a minimum of 6 weeks to liaise with the DVLA to process your request. The charges for this will be:

 - Private plate going onto an Arval vehicle from a retention certificate £20 + VAT.

 - Private plate being retained £80 + VAT (DVLA charge £80 for 10 years to retain a private plate).

 - Private plate being transferred from one Arval vehicle to another, or from an Arval vehicle to the customers’ own vehicle £80 DVLA fee + £20 Arval admin fee.

Six months before the end of the Personal Leasing agreement, we will contact you to discuss your options, and ensure that you understand how to organise the return of your car. The car will be collected without any additional cost at an agreed mainland UK address (England, Scotland, Wales and Isle of Wight). For any other UK locations, an additional collection fee will be charged.

If the car is returned and the damage has not been repaired, Fair Wear & Tear charges will apply. More details and a guide to returning your car can be found on our Fair Wear & Tear Guidelines.

You are responsible for making monthly lease payments from the point the car is delivered until it is returned. If the car invoice has been issued for the final payment, the car can be collected and will be treated as a normal termination. No rentals will be credited. If the car is returned after the Personal Leasing agreement end date, we will revert to billing in arrears at the end of the Personal Leasing agreement and continue until the car is collected by our authorised supplier. Pro-rata billing will apply for the final month.

We will organise for the collection of the car 5 working days (Monday to Friday) after you tell us it is available and you no longer need it. We won't automatically collect the car on the last day of its Personal Leasing agreement, so it is really important that you contact us promptly to arrange this.

The car will be collected without any additional cost at an agreed mainland UK address (England, Scotland, Wales and Isle of Wight). For any other UK locations, an additional collection fee will be charged.

When you return your car, you will be charged at a pence per mile for any miles driven that exceeds the agreed total mileage. Any charges will be billed within 7 days from the date of your car collection.
If a car is returned before the Personal Leasing agreement Term, we may also charge for any excess mileage on the car. This will be calculated on a pro-rata basis by looking at the daily mileage allowance multiplied by the total number of days the car has been in service with us.

You are responsible for making rental payments from the point the vehicle is delivered until it is returned. If the vehicle invoice has been issued for the final payment, the vehicle can be collected and will be treated as a normal termination. No rentals will be credited. If the vehicle is returned after the contract end date, the rental invoices will revert to billing in arrears at the end of the contract and continue until the vehicle is collected by our authorised supplier. Pro-rata billing will apply for the final month. We will organise for the collection of the vehicle 3 working days after you tell us it is available and you no longer need it. We won't automatically collect the vehicle on the last day of its contract.

The charge is treated as compensation because we do not undertake the repair and therefore the charges are exempt from VAT. This charge is to compensate us for the damage caused to our vehicle and the impact of this on its value. This is standard industry practice. To avoid these costs at the end of the lease, you can have the damage repaired before the vehicle is returned to us. More details and a guide to returning your vehicle can be found on our Guide to returning you vehicle page.

The Personal Leasing agreement with us does not include an opportunity for you to purchase the car at the end of the Personal Leasing term.

With the Arval Maintenance Package, we cover all routine work that is due to occur during the vehicle’s contract term (based on manufacturer guidelines).

This will include: routine servicing, maintenance, repairs, tyres*, batteries, breakdown cover, exhaust and any worn items.

Work not covered includes: glass/windscreens, accident damage, driver abuse, damage and replacement as a result of neglect. If we are asked to carry out this work, charges will be billed via a vehicle services invoice.

Van charges: tyres replaced due to Fair Wear and Tear will be charged inside the maintenance budget. Damaged tyres on vans will be recharged as a percentage based on the tread remaining.

• 0.0 mm – 3.9 mm No Recharge
• 4.0 mm – 5.9 mm 25% Recharge
• 6.0 mm – 6.9 mm 50% Recharge
• 7.0 mm – 7.9 mm 75% Recharge
• 8.0 mm 100% Recharge

*Arval has a Fair Play policy on car tyres. This means that damaged tyres will be replaced inside the maintenance budget on cars. Replacements in the event of abuse, neglect, theft or vandalism will be recharged.

Yes, your maintenance package will include breakdown assistance with roadside recovery.

Please contact the Arval Contact Centre on 0370 600 4499 and select the relevant option.

There is currently a £420 notification threshold. Any costs below this threshold should be covered within your maintenance agreement. If the work is over this amount and a recharge is applicable, we will contact you.

You must ensure the vehicle is serviced at the manufacturer’s recommended service intervals, and any other occasions when faults arise. At all times ensure that the tyre pressures, oil and coolant levels, and anti-freeze levels or similar matters are maintained to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Ensure that a current MOT test certificate is obtained for the vehicle when this becomes necessary. If you are unsure as to the date of expiry please contact your customer services team. Please do not allow the vehicle to be used without a current certificate in force.

We recommend contacting your insurer in the first instance. Alternatively, Arval can organise this for you and will automatically bill you for the cost. If you are an Arval Total Care customer, please contact the Arval driver line and choose the glass option.

When the car is 3 years old it needs to have an MOT. We will issue you with an MOT reminder in advance to prompt you to complete this, as it is your responsibility to ensure the car has a valid MOT certificate. Please do not allow the car to be used without a current certificate.

To book a service or MOT choose one of the following options:

• Book your service/MOT online*
• Call the Arval team on 0370 600 4499 and select the relevant option. We are open between the hours of 9:00am and 5:15pm Monday - Friday (excluding bank holidays). We will locate your nearest Serving Garage at a date convenient to you.

*A few things to make you aware of if you book online: please do not use this web link for tyres and glass enquires. Instead, contact us on 0370 600 4499 and select the relevant option for assistance. There is an agreed service level with our dealerships of 10 working days for courtesy vehicles or delivery and collection for routine maintenance and service (subject to garage availability). The delivery calendar presented in this tool is populated by the supplying dealer. Please use the dates provided as a guide only.

If you are experiencing any technical issues with your vehicle i.e. warning lights, start up issues, concerns around warranty, please contact your Customer Service Team and select the relevant option. This will direct you to our Technical Team who can assist with next steps.

Improving air quality is high on the political agenda. From September 2015, when the EU’s Euro 6 emissions legislation came into effect, the majority of new diesel cars and LCVs will feature technology called Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). This uses a liquid called Ad Blue to help reduce harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from the exhaust.

Ad Blue is a non-toxic, non flammable, biodegradable additive that is 32.5% high purity urea, mixed with 67.5% ionised water.

Consult your vehicle's handbook for further details.

Ad Blue is stored in a tank within a vehicle that will typically hold between 18-30 litres of fluid. Tank locations and capacity differ between makes and models and, as with fuel, the Ad Blue range is also affected by driving style and vehicle loading. Ad Blue will be needed to react with 100 litres of diesel.

Each vehicle’s Ad Blue tank will typically be filled during routine servicing but top-ups might also be required. If this is the case, Arval recommends visiting your local dealer or an approved Service Centre where it can be filled for you. Also, Ad Blue is available at most UK filling stations and motor factors. You can also refer to your vehicle handbook for specific guidance.

Ad Blue belongs to the lowest water pollution hazard category and is nontoxic, non-flammable and biodegradable. Drivers do not need to wear masks or protective clothing but Ad Blue is a skin irritant and a corrosive liquid that can cause injury if it touches the skin, eyes or respiratory organs, so gloves are recommended. It will also corrode many metals such as aluminium alloys, copper, bronze and iron, and therefore represents instant destruction for electrical components if it is spilt on them.

Potential pollution to surface and groundwater is also an issue, so appropriate precautions must be taken when storing or dispensing it. Drain interceptors will not prevent it entering watercourses as, unlike oil, it mixes with water. If left puddled on concrete for long periods it may cause problems too, so equipment to absorb spills needs to be readily available at the point of storage.

Ad Blue also freezes at -11 degrees centigrade based on the high water content, so issues may arise in very cold operating conditions.

Most modern diesel vehicles are fitted with a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) which removes harmful soot from the exhaust gases before they enter the atmosphere.

The DPF traps soot particles (particulates) that are produced in the exhaust gas. The DPF continues to do this until a predetermined level is reached. At this point it will promptly clean itself by heating up and burning off the accumulated soot particles. This process is known as DPF Regeneration.

In order to carry out the regeneration, the DPF needs to reach and maintain a higher exhaust temperature than normal. Under most conditions, your car can do this unaided.

However, in some circumstances, it can’t reach the required temperature (usually due to frequent short journeys or stop start driving), in which case the driver is normally alerted by a warning light and/or a message appearing in the instrument panel, depending on the make and model of the vehicle.

Firstly, do not ignore it. If the light has come on, it does not necessarily mean there is a fault. It’s simply telling you that the Diesel Particulate Filter on your car needs help in carrying out the DPF Regeneration. To do this, you need to drive in a particular way to increase the exhaust temperature. Please refer to the driver handbook or contact your local dealer for specific guidelines relevant to the make and model of your vehicle.

If the DPF is unable to regenerate, you may experience a reduction in power and in the worst case scenario, you could end up with a complete DPF blockage.

If this happens, the only way to remove the particles is to take the filter out of the vehicle and have it professionally cleaned or replace the filter altogether. This is likely to be an extremely expensive exercise, as replacement DPF units can cost thousands of pounds.

We don’t provide personal injury cover for the driver. In the event of a non-fault incident, you will be able to make a claim through the Official Injury Claim Portal, www.officialinjuryclaim.org.uk/.

Alternatively our accident management service may be able to offer an alternative solution, subject to acceptance conditions.

Personal belongings aren’t included with Arval Total Care.

Yes, the Arval Total Care package covers both business and personal use of your leased vehicle. You aren’t restricted to the types of journey you make, subject to the trade usage criteria detailed in your contract. Please note that if you make a misrepresentation of your eligibility, then cover can be withdrawn and no claim will be paid out.

• An incident means an event or accident including fire, theft, glass and weather events that results in damage to the Arval Total Care vehicle, damage to third party property, personal injury or death of a third party.
• An incident will be considered at fault if we are unable to recover the costs from the responsible third party. This includes theft, fire, vandalism and weather events.
• Where it’s been established that you aren’t at fault, we’ll attempt to recover costs from the responsible party. This could involve legal proceedings, where you may need to give evidence to support the claim in court.
• If the losses aren’t recoverable due to any act or omission by you or your driver, then we reserve the right to invoice any losses to you.

• In the event of an incident where it is considered that you are at fault, or we are unable to recover costs from the responsible party. This includes for example theft/attempted theft, fire, weather events and damage found caused by an unidentifiable third party, you’ll need to pay the CIC. The CIC varies depending on the number of ‘at fault’ incidents for the vehicle.
• We have an escalating CIC dependent on the number of incidents incurred during the contract term. This is designed to prevent price increases and maintain a fixed monthly rental for the duration of your contract. The CIC is a contribution to the losses incurred by us as a result of the incident. Some high value electric vehicles incur an increased CIC due to the cost of repairs. A full list of these is included in the ATC Acceptance Criteria document.
• The CIC will not apply where we are able to recover 100% of the costs from the responsible party.
• Where we’re unable to recover costs from a responsible third party, a CIC will be charged as shown in the table below. Please note that where the repair costs are less than the CIC, then we’ll only charge you the actual cost of the repair.

Example of incident costs:

1st at fault incident - £250 CIC

2nd at fault incident - £350 CIC

3rd at fault incident - £750 CIC

We can provide a driver history letter which will detail the number of years ‘claim free’ for the duration of the lease. This will be available upon request. Please note that we cannot guarantee all insurance companies will accept the documentation we provide.

Yes, we currently have a wide range of models on offer covering various manufacturers, body styles, transmissions and fuel types. The vehicles available will be regularly refreshed as new stock becomes available.

The vehicles we offer have been inspected, and if necessary, refurbished. They are all in good condition but might have minor areas of damage such as small scratches or scuffed alloy wheels. Such minor damage is far from uncommon on used vehicles. All of the used vehicles we offer have been priced accordingly.

Yes, we offer Re-Lease as a Personal Contract Hire and a Business Contract Hire product.

You can lease a vehicle for 12 or 24 months and you can select an annual mileage of 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25 thousand miles per annum.

You have the choice of paying 1, 3, 6 or 9 months up-front payments, which will affect your monthly rental. As an example, if you take out a 24 month contract with 3 up-front payments and the monthly rental is £200, then you would pay £800 up-front followed by 23 instalments of £200.

You will need to sign a contract, an order form, and complete a Direct Debit mandate with the preferred date you want the payment to be taken.

Delivery is included at no extra charge for addresses in mainland UK.

RFL is included in the monthly rental price and we will make sure that the vehicle is taxed for you.

The process should take as little as 1 week from the point you confirm your order to delivery.

Your initial payment will be taken once we have been notified that you have accepted delivery of the vehicle. This payment will be collected via Direct Debit on or around 10 working days after.

If you are unsure of the amount of your initial payment, you can view this on your quotation. You will then be charged monthly on the day you chose on the Direct Debit mandate.

Occasionally, there could be a delay with the delivery notification, this will mean your first two payments are in close proximity to each other, and in some cases there could be two payments in one month.

With the Arval Maintenance Package, we cover all routine work that is due to occur during the vehicle’s contract term (based on manufacturer guidelines).

This will include: routine servicing, maintenance, repairs, tyres*, batteries, breakdown cover, exhaust and any worn items.

Work not covered includes: glass/windscreens, accident damage, driver abuse, damage and replacement as a result of neglect. If we are asked to carry out this work, charges will be billed via a vehicle services invoice.

Van charges: tyres replaced due to Fair Wear and Tear will be charged inside the maintenance budget. Damaged tyres on vans will be recharged as a percentage based on the tread remaining.

• 0.0 mm – 3.9 mm No Recharge
• 4.0 mm – 5.9 mm 25% Recharge
• 6.0 mm – 6.9 mm 50% Recharge
• 7.0 mm – 7.9 mm 75% Recharge
• 8.0 mm 100% Recharge

*Arval has a Fair Play policy on car tyres. This means that damaged tyres will be replaced inside the maintenance budget on cars. Replacements in the event of abuse, neglect, theft or vandalism will be recharged.

Because you are leasing a used vehicle, the manufacturer’s warranty may have expired, or could expire during the lease. We will give you details of this before you sign the contract.

If you wish to review your contract mileage as you may exceed your allowance, or the contract term, please contact your Customer Services Team who will advise on the options available to you.

There are a number of websites providing a huge amount of essential information and guidance on choosing and running an EV:

• www.ev-database.org is an independent website providing comprehensive information and data on every EV available including both real-world and official data
• www.zap-map.com is the UK’s leading charging point website providing both an interactive charge point but also supporting information on charging and EVs.

The electric range of an EV varies by make and model with published WLTP figures starting around 120 miles but going up to more than 350 miles.

However, it is important to remember that the actual range achieved during real-life driving is likely to be different to the published WLTP range and so careful consideration needs to be given to the specific model chosen.

If you are able to complete your regular journeys on a single charge then the model chosen should be suitable for you. However, this does not mean that other models (with a lower range capability) are unsuitable but just that a bit more planning will be required.

Like any car, personal driving style, speed, load weight, the weather, driving conditions and the terrain will affect the efficiency of the car. However, the temperature has a big impact on battery efficiency affecting the range, battery regeneration whilst driving and charging speeds.

The level of regenerative braking will also affect the range, long steady motorway journeys which have less opportunity for braking/slowing down benefit less.

Manufacturer websites often provide ‘range calculators’ to help drivers understand the variance in battery/range performance.
The website www.ev-database.org is also a good independent source of model information including typical real-life ranges in different conditions.

Regenerative braking is a system in which the electric motor that normally drives an EV essentially operates in reverse (electrically) during braking or slowing down. Instead of consuming energy from the battery to propel the vehicle, the motor acts as a generator that charges the battery with electrical energy that would normally be lost as heat through traditional mechanical friction brakes. Most EVs also have the ability to adjust the level of regenerative braking which will have an impact on the range achieved.

The time it takes to charge an EV depends on the speed of the charging unit and the size of the battery (or how much electricity is required) and the capability of the on-board charger in the car (which does vary by model). The car will only draw power as fast as the on-board charger allows even if the charge unit is capable of delivering more power.

• A slow charge (from a domestic 3-pin socket) will only provide about 2.5kW
• A fast charge unit (both home and public) is typically about 7kW
• A home fast charge unit will fully charge a 50kWh battery in around 8 hours which would usually be done overnight
• A rapid charge unit is typically 50kW whereas a Super or Ultra charger can be from100kW to 350kW
These are found at most motorway service stations but are also appearing in retail location carparks. Only one car can charge at a time even if there is more than one connector available on the unit
• A typical rapid charge unit would charge a 50kWh battery to 80% in about 50minutes

Estimated charge times for a selection of models based on different charge units are shown in the table below:
 

• Model: Audi e-tron Battery(kWh): 95 Range-miles (WLTP): 277 Slow (0-100%): 44h Fast (0-100%):14h Rapid (10-80%):76min
• Model: BMW i3 Battery(kWh): 42 Range-miles (WLTP): 193 Slow (0-100%): 19h Fast (0-100%): 6h Rapid (10-80%): 36min
• Model: DS3 cross back e-tense Battery(kWh): 50 Range-miles (WLTP): 199 Slow (0-100%): 24h Fast (0-100%): 8h Rapid (10-80%): 53min
• Model: Hyundai Kona Battery(kWh): 67 Range-miles (WLTP): 298 Slow (0-100%): 33h Fast (0-100%): 10h Rapid (10-80%): 63min
• Model: Kia e-Niro Battery(kWh): 67 Range-miles (WLTP): 283 Slow (0-100%): 33h Fast (0-100%): 10hRapid (10-80%): 63min
• Model: Jaguar i-Pace Battery(kWh): 90 Range-miles (WLTP): 292 Slow (0-100%): 43h Fast (0-100%): 13h Rapid (10-80%): 75min
• Model: Mercedes EQC Battery(kWh): 85 Range-miles (WLTP): 259 Slow (0-100%): 41h Fast (0-100%): 13h Rapid (10-80%): 75min
• Model: MINI electric Battery(kWh): 33 Range-miles (WLTP): 145 Slow (0-100%): 15h Fast (0-100%): 5h Rapid (10-80%): 28min
• Model: Mercedes EQC Battery(kWh): 85 Range-miles (WLTP): 259 Slow (0-100%): 41h Fast (0-100%): 13h Rapid (10-80%): 75min
• Model: Nissan Leaf e+ Battery(kWh): 62 Range-miles (WLTP): 239 Slow (0-100%): 29h Fast (0-100%): 10h Rapid (10-80%): 62min
• Model: Peugeot e-208 Battery(kWh): 50 Range-miles (WLTP): 211 Slow (0-100%): 24h Fast (0-100%): 8h Rapid (10-80%): 53min
• Model: Renault Zoe ZE50Battery(kWh): 50 Range-miles (WLTP): 245 Slow (0-100%): 27h Fast (0-100%): 9h Rapid (10-80%): 56min
• Model: Tesla Model 3 Battery(kWh): 75 Range-miles (WLTP): 348 Slow (0-100%): 37h Fast (0-100%): 12h Rapid (10-80%): 75min
• Model: Vauxhall Corsa-e Battery(kWh): 50 Range-miles (WLTP): 205 Slow (0-100%): 24h Fast (0-100%): 8h Rapid (10-80%): 53min

The speed at which a battery can charge slows down the more it ‘fills up’. This effect is less noticeable, in terms of charging times, when using a slower charge unit however it is much more significant from a rapid charger. The benefits of using a rapid charger are essentially lost once the battery reaches about 80% capacity and the additional time to charge the remaining 20% is disproportionally long compared to the 80%. Rapid charge time figures are therefore always quoted ‘up to 80%’ partly from a manufacturers marketing message perspective but also from a practical one.

The cost to charge an EV depends on your electricity tariff and the amount of electricity (kWh) that is used. A domestic tariff is approximately £0.34 / kWh and so a car with a 50kWh battery would cost about £17.00 to fully charge the battery, whereas a car with a battery in the region of 80kWh would cost more like £27.20

Energy suppliers are increasingly offering off-peak tariffs to encourage EV drivers to charge up at different times of the day particularly late at night. These rates can be as low as £0.12/kWh between 00:30 - 04:30 every night.

The cost to charge your EV using the public infrastructure will depend on the network provider, the location and the type of charge point.

• The faster the charger, the more the electricity is likely to cost
• Premium locations, such as motorway services, are likely to cost more
• Public charging is generally more expensive than charging at home

Most charging networks can be accessed on a pay-as-you-go basis usually through the individual network App or increasingly via a contactless payment facility.

• All new rapid and super/ultra-chargers in the UK are now required to accept contactless payments. Many of the existing Rapid chargers are also being retro-fitted with contactless technology as well. Some networks also have a subscription based model which gives you free or subsidised electricity at their locations.

• The BP Chargemaster Polar network is the largest of these. The cost to charge can vary significantly by charger/network and whilst most charge based on a pence per kWh some may charge a flat fee based on time.

• Unlike traditional fuel stations, the charging costs for every charge unit are available online/via Apps, so with careful planning, you should not have any ‘nasty’ surprises.

There are more than 11,000 public charging locations across the UK with nearly18,000 charge units. These are also growing by approximately 500 units a month. Approximately 20% of these locations have Rapid chargers.

Longer journeys in an EV beyond the range of your car will require some planning to ensure that you have no charging problems on route. Understanding what the realistic range is particularly taking into consideration the weather and type of driving is very important to this. There are a number of Web and App based resources to help you plan your journey both in the UK and for driving across Europe:

• ‘Zap-Map’ not only provides a significant amount of general information about EVs but also maintains a comprehensive and interactive map of all public infrastructure. There is also a journey planning facility with a number of filters, such as by charger network, to tailor your charging needs.

• ‘WattsUp!’ is a dedicated UK EV route-planning App that calculates a route in real time for your specific EV model and shows the live operational status of chargers on the route. It also has a ‘low charge’ feature to show the location of the nearest rapid chargers.

• ‘A Better Route Planner’ is an international EV route-planning Web and App based tool. Again tailored to your specific EV, it will allow you to set charging stops as way points on the route and will also calculate the approximate cost of the charge and show you the expected level of battery charge at the end of the journey.

• ‘Plugshare’ is an international community based Web and App route-planning tool tailored to your specific EV model. Drivers can also pay for charging sessions directly from the Plugshare App at participating networks (this is not common in the UK at present). Drivers can also share their experiences and photos.

• Google maps also now shows charge point locations although there is minimal useful information beyond the type of charger and the network provider.

No. Whilst your car is charging (and whilst the car is still locked once charged up) the cable is interlocked with the car and the charge unit so it cannot be disconnected from the car or the charge unit by anyone other than the driver/key holder.

Like any car, the cost per mile for an EV depends on how much the fuel (electricity) costs and the efficiency of the car. Assuming that your home electricity tariff is £0.34 per kW and you achieve about 3 miles per kWh then your mileage will be approximately £0.11 per mile.

A higher electricity cost (from public chargers, particularly Rapid units) and a lower efficiency (larger, heavier cars will consume more energy per mile) then the cost per mile will be higher. However, the tariff rate needs to be significantly higher (> £0.40 per kWh) for an EV to be costing more per mile than an equivalent petrol or diesel car.

Just like a petrol or diesel car, an EV has a ‘fuel’ gauge or range indicator so the chances of you running out of charge are minimal or no more likely than if you were in a petrol or diesel car.

As you near low battery levels the car will be alerting you to this fact with warning signs and graphics on the dashboard and so this is less likely to go unnoticed. Many EVs will also be prompting you or will have the ability to direct you to the nearest charge point. In reality, EV drivers are much more aware of the battery capacity of their car compared to drivers of petrol or diesel cars.

If you do run out of electricity then you should treat this like any other breakdown and call the roadside assistance number. The major breakdown recovery suppliers all now provide services for EVs in the same way as conventional vehicles and their mechanics are High Voltage Awareness trained.

Some recovery vehicles are equipped with a power pack which will give an electric boost however it is perhaps more likely that you will get taken to the nearest charging station or to your destination. It is recommended that EVs are not towed as this can cause damage to the electric motors.

EVs can potentially tow things (trailers, caravans etc.) however, this will obviously noticeably affect the range of the vehicle in the same way that the fuel consumption will increase on a petrol or diesel car.

Battery packs are very heavy and so EVs weigh much more than the equivalent petrol or diesel car which significantly limits any potential towing weight capacity. The additional weight can also overload the electrical system during braking regeneration when slowing down or particularly when driving down a steep hill.

However, not all EVs will have manufacturer type approval for towing and so you should check this together with the weight capacity with the manufacturer prior to order.

Yes, most (if not all) EVs can be fitted with roof bars. However, like any car, roof bars and particularly roof boxes will significantly increase the energy consumption and reduce the range. A roof rack on its own can reduce the fuel efficiency of a petrol or diesel car by up to10% and so you can expect the same impact in an EV. A roof box or carrying bicycles could reduce the range by up to 30%. Like for any car, roof bars and attachments should be removed when not required.

New EVs typically come with a battery warranty of at least 8 years or up to 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. Although there will be some slight battery capacity degradation over time, which will vary by make and model, it is expected that batteries will last for significantly longer than the warranty period and mileage.

The high voltage battery and electrical systems are fully sealed and so there is no additional safety risk of an EV in deep or flood water. Unlike, petrol or diesel cars, EVs do not have an air intake and so the propulsion system isn’t impacted in the same way as an engine is when immersed in water. However, normal precautions should always be taken when driving through standing water in any car.

All EVs should come with two cables; a 3-pin charging cable that plug into a regular domestic socket and a fast charge ‘Type 2’ charging cable that you would need for a home charge unit and for accessing public charge points.

It is recommended that whenever possible your EV is charged from a dedicated charge unit rather than a domestic socket, partly for convenience as it is up to 3 times faster but also from a potential safety perspective as domestic sockets are not designed to deliver such a large amount of power over extended periods.

Using the 3-pin cable should be seen as a short term solution when visiting family or friends or whilst you are waiting for your charge unit to be installed. You must never use an extension cable to connect your EV to a domestic socket.

It is recommended that, if you have off-street parking and you are able to, you should install a home charging unit. A home charging unit will typically be 3 times faster than a domestic socket (which will make a significant difference when charging a 50kWh+ battery).

It will also be much more convenient than using a socket that may well be in a garage inside the house. When investing in a charge unit, we recommend that you install the fastest one possible (for most homes, this will typically be approximately 7kW).

The cost difference between this and a much slower unit (typically 3.5kW) is generally relatively low but the difference in charging times is significant (twice as fast).

Yes, however running an EV will be that bit harder for you but not impossible. You will need to seriously consider your daily driving patterns, where you might be able to regularly charge and the types of charger available. If you are office based or are close to the office, then you will have regular access for extended charging periods.

You should also review your local charging options in car parks or supermarkets and consider whether you can utilise them without any significant disruption to your normal daily activities. You also need to bear in mind that public charging, in particular rapid and supercharging, is noticeably more expensive than home charging which will obviously impact your mileage costs (although it will probably still be cheaper than your current petrol or diesel mileage costs).

If you undertake regular business mileage, then you need to consider whether the Advisory Electric Rate (AER) will be sufficient to cover your electric costs.

Although EVs are typically currently more expensive than the equivalent conventional vehicle, battery prices are steadily reducing which is improving this position. However, EVs are significantly cheaper to run and so the overall cost against the equivalent petrol or diesel car is much more comparable.