Electric Vehicles
In this section you will find our commonly asked questions around electric vehicles. We understand that driving an electric vehicle may be a new experience which can cause uncertainty, therefore this set of FAQs should help you to feel confident before renting our electric vehicles.
Frequently Asked Questions
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An electric vehicle is a vehicle powered by an electricity rather than petrol or diesel fuel. It is commonly referred to as a battery electric vehicle (BEV) and uses a rechargeable battery that is charged from an external source to power an electric motor to produce zero emissions.
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A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) combines a petrol engine with a small electric motor, but cannot be plugged in. Its battery recharges automatically while driving, giving only a short electric‑assisted range. The petrol engine remains the main power source, with the electric motor supporting efficiency.
A plug‑in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) uses a larger battery and electric motor and can be charged from an electrical outlet. It can also be filled with petrol or diesel fuel, allowing it to operate on electric power for short trips and switch to the combustion engine for longer journeys.
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Costs vary depending on where and how you charge:
Charging at home: You can install a wall point charging box in your garage or driveway. You can charge overnight and often find off-peak electricity tariffs.
Charging at work: More employers are making charging points available to staff. There is no requirement for this to be a benefit so there are no tax issues.
Public location charging: To pay for charging when you are out on your travels, you can pay at the charging point, or you can create accounts with different providers. You can look into different options including subscriptions.
In general, charging an electric car is usually cheaper than using petrol or diesel fuel.
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Charging an electric car is simple:
- Plug the charging cable into the car
- Connect the opposite end of the charging cable to a charging point
- The car should automatically begin charging
You should see the level of charge on the dashboard of the car or on a mobile app.
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The ranges of an electric car varies by model, battery size, route and weather conditions. The standard range is between 150 and 350 miles on a full battery. Please make sure you check your range and the charging points available before you go on a long drive.
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Click here to use Zapmap to find a selection of charging points near you. Alternatively, speak to your chosen retailer.
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This depends on the type of vehicle, a standard hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) does not need to be plugged in but will require petrol/ diesel fuel. However, plug-in hybrid vehicles have a larger battery which will require charging for electric-only range.
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Yes, they are completely safe to charge in the rain. The charging cables and ports have to meet strict safety standards which means they are designed to be weatherproof.
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Yes, all electric cars are automatic as they do not have a clutch or manual gear box. Therefore, they can be driven with any UK valid car license.
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Similarly to other vehicles, they can drive through shallow water such as puddles and flooded roads.
However, driving through deep flooded water should always be avoided as it can be dangerous. For safety, all high voltage components and electric vehicle components are always fully sealed. -
Cold weather can slightly reduce an electric car’s range as some of the battery’s energy is used to heat the vehicle.
Please be reassured: Electric cars still start instantly no matter the weather, preheating the car while charging will help maximise the range.
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When renting a vehicle from VWFS Rent-a-Car, you do not need to be concerned with this. However, from April 2025 the rules changed so that electric vehicles are now required to pay road tax. The amount is dependent on the car’s age and list price.