Challenging 5 EV Myths

The world of electric motoring is bigger than ever. It’s no longer niche or unusual to own an EV; it’s the norm for many in 2025. As of September 2025, there are over 1.7 million fully electric cars on UK roads – around 5% of the total. By comparison, this figure stood at just under 400,000 at the end of 2021 (around 1.2% of total cars).

Additionally, there are around 930,000 plug in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) on the road, bringing the total percentage to 6.2. Lastly, 33% of all new cars registered in 2025 so far have been either EVs or PHEVs.

While EVs or PHEVs are now very common on UK roads, there are some persistent questions and myths around the value of purchasing, owning, and maintaining an EV – amidst all the concerns, is it worth it?

In this blog, we look at five common EV myths and misconceptions that may re-focus your decision of whether to jump into the EV world.

EV Myth 1: EVs are more expensive than petrol/diesel vehicles

This is both correct and incorrect, depending on what you are defining as ‘expensive’ and whether you consider just the initial purchase or the cost over the overall life of the car.

Generally, the cost of purchasing an EV is higher than the equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle, with the average price for an EV in the UK standing at approximately £46,000. However, the cheapest (the Dacia Spring Electric) can be bought for around £15,000.

The long-term saving

The real cost savings from EV motoring come over the life of the vehicle. Following this initial purchase, your EV will cost less in the long term. Although the Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax) benefits have been removed by the UK Government, you will still be exempt from low-emission zone charges, which in London would save you paying the daily rate of £12.50, and the £8.00 rate in Birmingham. EVs are also exempt from the London Congestion Charge until 24th December 2025.

Secondly, the cost to charge your electric vehicle is significantly lower than the cost of fuelling a petrol or diesel vehicle. Figures as of January 2024 suggest it costs around 8p per mile to charge an EV at home, whereas it costs between 13p and 17p per mile to run a petrol or diesel car. If you have solar panels and a suitable smart EV charger, or access to a reduced tariff rate overnight, this charging cost could reduce even further.

Finally, the maintenance costs for your EV are also lower than those for an ICE vehicle. Go Ultra Low estimates that the costs of EV maintenance are approximately 70% cheaper than maintaining your petrol or diesel vehicle.

Therefore, whilst the initial expenditure for an EV is higher than an ICE, the long-term savings are incomparable.

EV Myth 2: There is less choice for EVs on the market than ICE vehicles

Just as the demand for EVs continues to grow, more and more models are being released from all the major manufacturers, including Nissan, Kia, BMW, Hyundai, Jaguar, Volkswagen, Peugeot, Renault, Toyota, Audi, and many more, as well as EV-specific makers such as Tesla, BYD, NIO or Polestar.

As we’ve seen, a brand new EV can be bought for as little as £15,000, but battery and plug-in cars are now available for all budgets and classes. From small runarounds to executive saloons, family SUVs to thoroughbred sports cars, we’ve compiled a list of the best EVs coming to market.

EV Myth 3: EVs are bad for the environment

No manufacturing process is ever wholly environmentally friendly, and there are certainly emissions and pollution associated with manufacturing EV batteries. From mining the lithium to making and transporting the battery itself, it can be energy-intensive, but the long-term environmental benefits of driving an EV outweigh the impact your ICE vehicle has on the planet.

Firstly, your fully-electric EV produces zero emissions at the exhaust, meaning it does not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution to the same extent as an ICE vehicle.

Another important aspect of the EV driving experience is the energy source used to charge your vehicle. At Mer, the electricity at our public charge points is zero carbon, 100% renewable energy generated through wind, hydro, and solar sources, meaning you can power your vehicle with completely green energy.

For charging at home, you can buy smart chargers that work with solar panels or choose a 100% renewable electricity provider to reduce your car’s overall emissions. What’s more, if you charge from your own solar panels, it’s effectively free!

EV batteries

Another important aspect of the EV driving experience is the energy source used to charge your vehicle. At Mer, the electricity at our public charge points is zero carbon, 100% renewable energy generated through wind, hydro, and solar sources, meaning you can power your vehicle with completely green energy.

For charging at home, you can buy smart chargers that work with solar panels or choose a 100% renewable electricity provider to reduce your car’s overall emissions. What’s more, if you charge from your own solar panels, it’s effectively free!

EV Myth 4: The rise in EVs on the road will hurt the grid

It is predicted that the demand on the National Grid would rise by only 10% should everyone in the UK start driving an EV.

What’s more, there are laws in place to prepare the grid for the increasing number of EVs on UK roads. Government regulations were introduced in June 2022, which stipulated that charge points in the UK must have smart functionality so that chargers are pre-configured to ensure drivers are charging during off-peak periods, thus reducing the demand on the grid.

Vehicle-To-Grid charging offers another option for reducing demand. This process takes electricity stored in your EV’s battery and directs it back to the grid, which provides both extra capacity at peak times and allows you to earn money from the energy you are providing.

EV Myth 5: The journey takes longer due to the difficulty of finding a charger

Some people suggest that because EVs take longer to charge compared to filling a tank with petrol, journey times are extended. This is especially true of longer journeys, where you are likely to exceed your EV’s range.

Although range anxiety is largely a thing of the past, some motorists continue to worry that they’ll get stuck on the side of the road with a flat battery. And that even if they get to a charge point, they’ll have to wait for ages.

However, this is not the case. As of September 2025, there are 86,021 public charging stations across the UK, many of which are rapid or ultra rapid. These can charge most EVs from 20% to 80% in around 30-40 minutes, a fairly normal stop at a motorway service station.

It is easier than ever to find Mer UK chargers. You can use Zap Map to search for Mer UK charge points. You can also use our Driver Portal to find your nearest charger. Simply head to our website to use the Portal, or download our free app.

Distribution is improving

Another EV myth is that charging infrastructure is localised within London, leaving the rest of the UK barren of any EV chargers. While London and the South East do have the highest number and concentration of EV charge points, they are now commonplace across the country.

As of September 2025, the UK’s charge point distribution is as follows:

• Greater London – 26,668
• South East – 11,007
• West Midlands – 7,664
• Scotland – 7.355
• East of England – 6,398
• South West – 6,133
• North West – 5,872
• Yorkshire & The Humber – 4,373
• Wales – 3,811
• East Midlands – 3,482
• North East – 2,520
• Northern Ireland – 738

Although there is still some way to go, you can see that no matter where you live, you can take advantage of the UK’s growing public charging network.