Most common EV myths
• While electric cars can be more expensive to buy outright, the overall cost of ownership (fuel, maintenance, tax, insurance etc) can be lower. So for a higher initial outlay, you could end up saving money in the long run.
• Electric cars are becoming increasingly affordable. For example, the cost of a battery has fallen by around 80% in the last ten years.
• If you are a fleet driver, you may also want to take a look at our Whole Life Cost Calculator below.
• Compared to a combustion engine, which has more moving parts and requires a lot more maintenance, electric vehicles are less likely to break down than a petrol or diesel engine. At Audi, we offer bespoke service and maintenance packages for your electric Audi, and all Audi electric car batteries come with an eight year or 100,000 mile warranty, whichever comes first.
• Electric vehicles run on electricity - which is around two-thirds cheaper than petrol or diesel - so you can save on running costs if you make the switch.
• To keep your running costs as low as possible, make sure you’re on the best EV home tariff for your needs. We have partnered with Octopus Energy, who offer a great value green energy solution while helping customers to keep fuel costs low.
• Also, you may wish to consider signing up to a public network tariff with competitive rates. We’ve designed the Audi Charging Service to make it simple and affordable to pay for charging with just one card or app.
• The electric car market is expanding rapidly, with more and more electric models being launched.
• At Audi, we have a fantastic range of fully electric and plug-in hybrid models, with plenty more to come. By 2025, we will have 30 new electrified models and by 2030, all our models will be electric.
• Electric cars have plenty of power, particularly when accelerating. You can push the pedal down and be pushed firmly into your seat – almost like being on a plane. This is because electric engines have access to full torque from the start. Add to this the dynamic road holding, as the batteries in the vehicle floor push the car into the road.
• Furthermore, electric cars offer more leg room, as they need neither a combustion engine nor a gearbox or centre tunnel. They are also really eye-catching - just look at our Audi e-tron GT below, which looks stunning while still offering breathtaking performance.
• Yes, you can! The range of EVs has improved significantly over the years, with most modern EVs – like Audi vehicles – having a range that comfortably suits most people's daily journeys.
• Also charging infrastructure is improving continuously, with thousands of charging stations across the UK, and more being added every day - particularly on motorways.
• The range on a single charge will depend on the battery size and model, as well as other factors - please refer to the model specific information below.
• Most electric car owners charge their battery at home or work, but public charging infrastructure is important for top-ups and longer journeys, as well as for drivers without off-street parking.
• The number of public electric charging stations is growing rapidly. Today, there are thousands of public charging stations in the UK – and that number is growing by the day. Supermarkets, hotels and car park operators are installing charging stations for their customers, while companies are doing the same for their employees. Take a look for yourself below via Search & Find map.
• We’ve designed the Audi Charging Service to make it simple and easy to pay for charging with just one card/app and great rates.
• Charging your electric Audi is easier than you think – choose a charging unit, connect the cable and let the car charge.
• The technology in electric vehicles has improved significantly and many charge at incredible speeds, just like our Audi e-tron models. However, the charging capabilities of chargers do vary from slow, fast, rapid and ultra-rapid, as well as the capabilities of each electric model.
• How often you charge and how quickly you need to charge will depend on your journeys and mileage requirement, lifestyle and access to home, work and public charging. It’s a different mind-set and planning ahead is important.
• The most convenient way to charge an EV is to use a home wall box; whilst it’s parked, the vehicle can be charging, ready with a full charge for the morning if left overnight. For example, a 7kW home wall box charges an Audi e-tron 55 from empty to full in about 14 hours, and provides around 18 miles of range per hour of charge. For a Q5 TFSI e, a full charge takes about two hours and provides around 12 miles of range per hour of charge.
• If you do need to top up when out, there are thousands of public chargers available.
• The slow-fast chargers (3-22kW) are perfect for topping up whilst out; these tend to be found on high streets, shopping centres and at small retailers.
• Chargers found in larger retailers and motorways tend to offer rapid charging speeds of around 50kW. Ultra-rapid stations are also available, offering charging speeds of 100-350kW - on an Audi e-tron 55, for example, an 80% charge takes around 30 minutes, under optimum battery conditions. The numbers are currently limited, but numbers are planned to increase quickly over the coming years.
• For charging times, please refer to the model specific information below. For Audi e-tron models, you can use the charging calculator.
• You can drive your electric vehicle through a car wash in the usual way - though we recommend folding in your door mirrors.
• Of course, you can still drive or charge an electric car in the rain. You can drive through puddles safely and take your EV through a car wash whenever you like - EVs are built to cope with all weather conditions.
• Electric cars guarantee the highest possible degree of safety, as do all Audi vehicles. Special safety systems avoid the risk of fire and electric shock. For example, in case of a crash, the electricity flow from the battery is terminated immediately.
• Furthermore, Audi installs its batteries in a large, crash proof block in the underbody, thus protecting them from deformation. A solid protective frame and a combination of aluminium profiles and cast components ensure a high level of crash safety. The protective coating and seal are designed to fulfil very strict leak-tightness requirements. The battery systems have also been designed to provide resistance to corrosion and environmental factors.
• Electric cars make a valuable contribution to climate protection. They produce far less CO₂ than diesel and petrol-powered cars - even when you take into account the production of the car.
• Over the next few years, this environmental advantage will become more important as an ever-increasing amount of green electricity is fed into the grids. As a result, electric cars will be charged with renewable energy.
• We’ve partnered with Octopus Energy - pioneers of affordable 100% green energy solutions for electric vehicle owners.
• At Audi, we are fully focused on electric vehicles and building a sustainable future. We built the world's first CO₂ neutral factory in Brussels (where our first fully electric car - the Audi e-tron - is built) and we are working hard to ensure all Audi plants are set to be carbon-neutral by 2025.
• We are also looking at every phase of a vehicle’s life cycle to ensure resources are being used responsibly, reducing waste and carbon emissions, and improving recycling practices. This isn’t just with measures in the electric vehicles manufacturing stage, but also processes that have an effect earlier on, such as in the supply chain.
• According to the National Grid*, it can! There are two aspects to whether the UK national grid can cope with the surge of EVs – whether we have enough energy, and whether we have sufficient capacity on the wires to carry that energy to where it’s needed.
• With the energy element, the most recent high demand for electricity in the UK was 62GW in 2002. Since then, due to improved energy efficiency such as the installation of solar panels, the nation’s peak demand has fallen by roughly 16%. Even if the impossible happened – we all switched to EVs overnight – the National Grid thinks demand would only increase by around 10%. This is less demand than in 2002, and is well within the range of manageable load fluctuation.
• When it comes to the capacity of the wires required to deliver that power to the nation’s EV charging points, the National Grid’s transmission system is ever-evolving and suitably robust to cope with the forecasted uptake in EVs. Investment is being targeted to ensure there are appropriate places for drivers to access sufficient high-power charging away from home. In addition, Ofgem and the Energy Networks Association (ENA) are investing £300 million to expand the UK’s electric vehicle charging network over the next two years by upgrading cables, substations and other infrastructure required.
• The issue of when that power demand actually happens is slightly more complicated – is it all at once, or spread through the day and week? The traditional evening peak of electricity demand is between 6pm and 8pm, likely coinciding with people returning from work and plugging in their cars. If we want to provide sufficient infrastructure and affordable energy for EVs, we need to spread that demand better so as not to add to that evening peak. This is where the importance of smart chargers come into play; EV owners can plug in their vehicles, and the smart chargers will top-up at times most beneficial to managing energy demand and reducing the peak-time load. The National Grid estimates that around 45% of homes will actively help to balance the grid, offering up to 38GW of flexible electricity to help manage peaks and fill troughs in demand.