What is an electric car?
An electric car uses a battery-powered electric motor to drive the vehicle. Essentially the electric motor replaces the petrol or diesel engine as the means of moving the car.
Battery charged
The battery in the motor is charged by connecting to a charge point, either:
- at your home
- at your work
- at a public point
There are also plug-in hybrid cars available. They are powered by a combination of petrol or diesel engine and an electric motor which is charged by connecting to a charge point.
How much do electric cars cost to buy?
Electric vehicles currently available in Northern Ireland cost between £28,000 and £30,000, depending on the model, before the £5,000 Plug-In-Car Grant is applied.
How do I insure an electric car?
When you insure an electric car the process is no different from when you insure a petrol or diesel car.
What vehicles will be coming to NI?
The number of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles available on the market is increasing every year. Many of the major car companies are investing heavily in developing technology and vehicles that will make electric vehicles even more attractive to consumers.
Vehicles that are already on the market include:
- Nissan Leaf - Nissan website
- Mitsubishi iMIEV - Mitsubishi website
- Renault Kangoo (van) - Renault website
- Peugeot ion - Peugeot website
- Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid - Toyota website
- Citroen C-Zero - Citroen website
- Tata Vista - Tata website
- Ford Transit Connect EV - Ford website
Vehicles that are coming to the market soon include:
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