When researching various electric vehicle salary sacrifice benefits, understanding which scheme might be the right fit for you and your company can often be challenging. Here are some reasons why: 

• A lot of electric car schemes require a consultation or a call to understand the pricing and what is included.
• You won’t know if your company is eligible until you apply.
• The monthly lease could be too expensive for employees, or the early termination policy won’t be a good fit.
• There might be hidden fees that won’t appear until later in the implementation. 

The main thing to keep in mind when comparing electric car salary sacrifice schemes is that you’re often comparing apples to oranges. 

Many schemes will include different services and have different eligibility criteria and policies, which can make it harder to compare them directly. 

What you really need to look for is quality of service and product and weigh that up with the monthly service cost. It’s also incredibly important to read through the fine print, so you know what you’re getting. 

Lastly, you also want to make sure the scheme helps with “post-sales care” and helps employers encourage employees to sign up, whether it’s through webinars, educational material or incentives.

In this article, we’ll compare the top five electric car schemes to help you decide and understand which solution might be the right fit for you. 

We’ll discuss:

• Best salary sacrifice car scheme comparison table
• loveelectric
• Tusker
• Octopus EV
• Electric car scheme
• Wevee
• What to look out for when choosing an EV salary sacrifice scheme

Note: Looking to get started with a salary sacrifice scheme that has no hidden cost and offers the best early termination policies? Get started with loveelectric for free.

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Comparing the best electric car schemes on the market

Below is a chart summarising some of the leading electric car schemes in the UK. 

Before getting into the specifics of each scheme, note that most of the five electric vehicle salary sacrifice car schemes include the following:

• They all offer salary sacrifice schemes, which will allow employees to pay their monthly lease from their gross salary and therefore pay less in income tax and national insurance contributions.
• They all offer electric cars which will result in a lower Benefit in Kind (BiK) tax and no road tax.
• They are all directly authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), apart from the Electric Car Scheme which is an Appointed Representative of a firm that is directly authorised.
• None require an upfront deposit from an employer or employee.
• All include car insurance, breakdown cover, servicing, repair and MOT (although some are optional).
• Most have early termination protection (but each one will include different terms, so make sure to ask).
• All allow you to customise your car: from the colour and trim to the interior and additional features, you can personalise your brand new car to your requirements.
• Most cars are home delivered.
• Most offer a dedicated account manager.

Since we’re the ones who are writing this article, we thought we would start with ourselves.

loveelectric

loveelectric was founded when our CEO, Steve, wanted an electric car and realised that purchasing one was out of budget. He noticed some other issues with salary sacrifice schemes and decided to set one up himself to address the market gaps and help democratise electric vehicle access. 

You can read more about our story here: Electric Cars are Expensive. Here’s How We’re Democratising Electric Vehicle Access At Loveelectric. 

Here are some of the features and benefits of setting up a salary sacrifice scheme with loveelectric:

We’re specialists, so we take care of the entire process from start to finish.

Whereas other electric car schemes bolt on salary sacrifice as an additional feature to their core service offering, we are specialists in the EV salary sacrifice benefit.

That means we can set you up with the scheme from start to finish. We’ll write up the contracts, set you up with the employee and company portals, and help you manage payroll when it’s time to pay salaries. 

It also means we know how to help employers encourage employees to take advantage of the benefit and order cars. Setting up the perk is just one part of the process – encouraging employees to use the benefit is also a big part where our expertise comes into play. 

We’re a broker (not a leasing company), so we offer the best prices. 

Many salary sacrifice schemes are operated by leasing companies who own the vehicles, which often means that the monthly lease cost can be higher. It’s a little bit like going directly to a retail bank for a mortgage rather than using a specialist broker that can access the best rates from a range of lenders. 

We partner with major leasing companies, which means we have direct access to market-leading rentals. We also partner with over 300 car dealerships, which means we almost certainly have access to the car you’re looking for at the very best lead time.  Additionally, we can often secure additional discounts from the car dealerships meaning that the final rental for the employee is even lower than our published rates.  It also means that our monthly lease prices are almost always the best on the market. 

Although a core part of what we do is sourcing the vehicles and arranging the finance agreements behind the scenes, we also help employers set up the scheme, educate employees and offer assistance throughout the entire engagement. 

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We offer the best early termination terms on the market for complete peace of mind

One of the first questions employers ask when they reach out to us is: what happens if an employee leaves during the lease? Or if we enter a period of financial difficulty and need to make some employees redundant?

That’s where it’s important to have early termination protection in place. And at loveelectric, we provide one of the best policies on the market.

At all times, if an employee resigns they can transfer the lease to another employee or take the lease with them to their new employer (if eligible) at no extra cost.

‍Employees:

At all times, if an employee resigns they can transfer the lease to another employee or take the lease with them to their new employer (if eligible) at no extra cost.

If the employee resigns after 3 months into the lease (and doesn’t transfer the contract or take it with them to a new employer) they will only have to pay a one-off fee worth one month of the gross lease payment. 

For example, if their gross monthly lease is set at £500 per month for a 24-month term and they resign at month four, the termination fee would be £500. Keep in mind that this amount cannot be salary sacrificed so the fee will the gross amount before taxes.

If the employee resigns in under 3 months (and doesn’t transfer the contract or take it with them to a new employer), early termination protection cannot be applied and the employee would be liable for up to 50% of the rest of the lease.

Employers:

If the employer makes the employee redundant after 6 months, the employer will pay a one-off fee worth the gross amount of one month of the lease payment. 

Read more about our early termination protection here: Early Termination Protection for Salary Sacrifice Car Scheme: How It Works And What You Need To Know

We’re strong on transparency, so you’ll know everything you’re paying for

With many car schemes, you might get initially excited with the affordably priced monthly leases viewed on the main page. But once you get set up, almost all the monthly leases will be more expensive and are likely to be a lot higher than a personal lease. 

Different suppliers have different revenue models. For example, Tusker and Octopus EV are leasing companies and set the rentals themselves. They are a lot smaller than traditional leasing companies, owning 10,000 vehicles compared to large ones that might have over 350,000 cars. 

By being smaller, it’ll mean they can’t negotiate discounts with manufacturers, and since they aren’t owned by a retail bank, their cost of capital will be a lot higher. It simply means their rental prices cannot match the ones of large leasing companies. And as a leasing company, rather than finding the best rates, they will simply offer their own products. 

Electric Car Scheme, for example, are not a leasing company nor a broker. Since they don’t have a direct relationship with leasing companies, they can’t charge a commission. So their fee comes out of charging double rent for the first 6 months, as well as an additional fee to the employer. 

Wevee and loveelectric and other brokers make money by charging a commission on top of the rental. However, that means you’ll want to know how much that commission is.

At loveelectric, we simply charge a small commission against the P11D value of the car (you’ll never pay more than 1.5%) which is incorporated into the prices you see on our site. 

We also charge a small administration fee to the employer for each lease taken out (typically around £10 per month) to cover the ongoing costs of managing the lease over the 24-36 month period. 

This cost is simply deducted from the employer's national insurance savings generated by the scheme, so the loveelectric service is cost neutral for your company. 

In addition to that, we’ll provide employers and employees with all the information they need to make a decision, including a webinar, a driver handbook and an online community. loveelectric is also a B Corp (pending).

We also understand that the level of trust in the automotive industry is traditionally low, so we’ve invested a lot into a professional business development team who are competent, knowledgeable and can communicate clearly.

However, there are a couple of things to keep in mind when working with us:

We only offer electric vehicles via a salary sacrifice benefit

We don’t offer combustion cars or access to cars via Personal Contract Purchase, personal leases or business hire.

If this is quite important for your company, then a different supplier might be a better fit.  

We’ll set you up with smart home charger with one of our partners

We work with two partners, Hypervolt and Egg, to offer incredible deals on market-leading smart home chargers. Click here to read more about smart charging and our offers exclusive to loveelectric customers.

Who is loveelectric good for? Companies of any size that want to offer employees an affordable car and care about a good car ordering and employee experience.

We understand that loveelectric might not be a good fit for everyone and that other salary sacrifice companies might be a better fit at times. Here are some features of other salary sacrifice schemes:

Tusker

Tusker has provided salary sacrifice schemes to companies for over ten years and offers everything from fleet management to brand new electric cars and company cars.

Features

• Employees can access both combustion and electric cars.
• They have a Carbon Standard offsetting project that offsets all their salary sacrifice cars.
• Employee portal (driver site).
• They offer cars via contract hire and salary sacrifice.
• They offer daily rental service.
• Employees can buy the car after the lease period is up (however you won’t get a settlement figure in advance)
• They offer a StopGap car while you wait for your new car.
• They allow employers to set up an entire car fleet.
• Option to buy the car at the end of the agreement.

What to keep in mind:

• Tusker monthly lease prices may be higher because they are a leasing company and offer “lifestyle protection”.
• Tusker primarily works with companies with 1,000+ employees.
• There is less of a focus on post-care and helping employees get set up with cars (based on Trustpilot reviews).

Who’s Tusker good for? Companies with 1,000+ employees that want to offer combustion cars and possibly a salary sacrifice scheme.

Octopus EV

Octopus is best known as an electricity and gas provider, but in 2018 they branched out to electric vehicles and the salary sacrifice scheme. 

Features

• At home charger and installation is included in the lease cost.
• 5,000 car miles included.
• Employees can do test drive days – possibly only for larger companies
• Employees are tied to Octopus’ own app, “Electric Juice”, which can include offers and discounts.
• HR portal.
• Offer Intelligent Octopus tariff from Octopus Energy is designed especially for electric car drivers – charge your car between midnight and 7 in the morning for a heavily discounted rate  (although non-Octopus customers can sign up for this as well).
• Option to buy the car at the end of the agreement (however you won’t get a settlement figure in advance)
• Offer business contract hire.
• Can set up a fleet solution.
• Offer personal leases.
• They are a leasing company and own some of the cars.

Keep in mind

• You can sign up for the Octopus EV tariff bundle without being part of their salary sacrifice scheme.
• Lease prices are higher  because they are a leasing company that is considerably smaller than the market leaders and they have a higher cost of capital. 
• Early termination only covers 10% of claims or ten cars – whichever is greatest.
• You are tied in to their full bundle, which may be right for some employees, but almost certainly will not be right for all employees

Who is Octopus EV good for? Employers and employees who want everything bundled together and include a charging solution and home energy tarriff.

Electric Car Scheme

Electric Car Scheme was started in 2021 with business contract hire leases, and launched a salary sacrifice scheme in January 2022. 

Features

• Their early termination policy covers dismissal.
• Not a broker or leasing company: they are an authorised representative of a third party broker
• Maintenance, servicing, MOT, breakdown cover and tyre replacements are optional rather than automatically included.  
• Electric charge point and installation are also optional.
• Leases are 1, 2, 3, and 4 years.

Keep in mind

• Electric car scheme customers will have to pay double rent for the first six or 12 months.
• Their monthly lease prices may be higher because they are middle-men to middle-men, serving as an appointed representative of a broker.
• Since they do not own the relationship with the leasing company, they won’t have full responsibility over their regulatory conduct, systems and processes.

Who’s Electric Car Scheme good for?: Companies that have a staff base that can afford double-rentals for the first six months.

WeVee

WeVee is a car leasing company that offers electric cars via corporate leasing, car sharing as well as the salary sacrifice scheme. 

Features

• Offer corporate leasing, corporate pool cars and car sharing.
• Soon to be releasing features such as WeVee app, preloading with multiple years’ worth of prepaid energy and other features. 

Keep in mind

• No employee portal.
• Outsourced post-care to India
• Not much post-care or educational content for employees.

Who is WeVee good for? Companies that are interested in business car leasing as well as salary sacrifice.

What to look out for when getting set up with an EV salary sacrifice benefit?

Due to the increasing demand for electric vehicles, there are more electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes that are set up every year.

Although many are legitimate and offer a great service, some are simply looking for a quick commission fee and will have artificially high monthly payments to cover costs. 

When selecting an electric vehicle salary sacrifice provider, there are a few things you want to look out for:

Clear communication

Leasing a car means entering a long-term relationship with a provider, which means it’s important that you feel comfortable with the provider and trust that they will follow through on what they say. 

For this reason, you want to ensure the team communicates clearly and quickly. Are their answers a little wishy-washy and not specific? Then it might be a sign that they don’t have high standards or simply don’t fully understand the complexity of an EV salary sacrifice scheme.

Once you set up the salary sacrifice scheme, employees will have many questions, so it’s important that someone on their team is responsive and can answer all their questions. 

Read the fine print carefully

As we mentioned above, each salary sacrifice monthly lease will be different and include different services. Make sure to understand what you’re paying for and what the terms are.

For example, make sure to ask what the providers’ partners are. Are they self-insuring, or do they have a legitimate third-party and comprehensive insurance provider? If they are self-insuring for specific claims, could that be a risk if they are hit with too many claims?

Make sure you know what is included in the monthly lease and exactly what happens in case of early termination, including:

• Resignation,
• Accidental death,
• Parental leave,
• Sick leave,
• Redundancy.

You also want to know what happens:

• In the case of a car write-off: what happens if what the insurance pays out is lower than the net book value on the leasing company? (gap protection covers this, which is included as part of our default service offering).
• If a car has more wear and tear than usual.
• If an employee needs breakdown assistance.
• If an employee needs repairs (what is and is not included in the scheme).

Look at after care and post sale

Getting the scheme set up is just half of the work: the other half is encouraging employees to use the portal and order a car. If you’re an employer who’s set this up for talent acquisition and retention, then you want to ensure employees make the most of it. 

Yet many salary sacrifice schemes will mainly focus on signing up a company rather than taking care of what happens afterwards. Ideally, you want the confidence that employees will take advantage of the benefit – and that’s something that the provider should help with. 

You also want to ensure employees have an outstanding customer experience when ordering a car. Ideally, they aren’t spending hours trying to order a car, and the experience is relatively intuitive.

Some questions you can ask are:

• What will the onboarding experience be like for the employee?
• How do you manage the employee’s salary and payroll?
• How are you going to help us activate employees?
• What happens after the set-up?
• Will employees get their questions answered quickly?

Most importantly, you want to ensure the company knows what they’re talking about and can offer guidance. Ideally, they should have a document that clarifies the responsibilities of each party, so you are not liable for employee errors.

We hope this comparison is practical and will help you navigate the field of electric car vehicle salary sacrifice schemes. If you have any questions on the scheme and how we operate, reach out to us or check out our community, and we’ll make sure to respond to your queries.

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Even though electric vehicles have only become staple of UK roads in the past couple of years, there is already an abundance of noise and information to digest. It's difficult to sift through the endless blogs, clickbait YouTube channels and podcasts full of fluff.

Just like our EV salary sacrifice benefit, we like to offer the most streamlined experience for drivers and businesses alike.

Below is a handpicked selection of the best YouTube channels, EV-dedicated podcasts and all-electric automotive outlets. You'll find the most accurate and entertaining EV reviews and clean energy news available on the internet.

Watch Electric Vehicles on YouTube

Fully Charged Show

The Fully Charged Show is the internet’s premier all-electric motoring show. Co-created by Robert Llewellyn - of Scrapheap Challenge and Red Dwarf fame - Fully Charged is arguably a one-stop shop for everything related to clean transportation.

The presenting team spans the globe; UK, China, America, Europe and the UK. Multiple videos are released every week. Nearly every imaginable topic is covered. From upcoming electric car reviews to the latest in solar tech, Fully Charged is likely to have a video on it buried in the depths of its extensive back catalogue.

If you’d like to get hands-on with some of the latest offerings from the all-electric motoring world, then why not head to Fully Charged LIVE? They have two UK shows: Harrogate and Farnborough, but have also expanded to Canada, Australia and the USA. 

Save up to 60% on the brand new Hyundai IONIQ 6 lease.

The Late Brake Show

Hosted by Jonny Smith - who you may recognise as a former Fifth Gear presenter - actually started out on YouTube as a presenter for Fully Charged. Jonny departed Fully Charged at the beginning of 2020 to create his own channel - The Late Brake Show.

Although not a channel dedicated wholly to electric motoring, there are plenty of high-quality, longform reviews of the latest and greatest EVs on the market.

As an established motoring journalist, Jonny Smith is incredibly knowledgeable and reviews each electric car within the context of the wider automotive market. The no-fluff, down-to-earth approach will be familiar to any fans of traditional motoring journalism, granting an accessible entry point for those maybe less familiar with electric vehicles. 

Go forth in luxury - save £100s on a BMW i7 lease with loveelectric.

Transport Evolved

Much like Fully Charged, the team at Transport Evolved don’t just cover electric vehicles, but everything that goes along with them. With over 20 years of combined EV motoring experience under their belt, Transport Evolved are a great independent channel for catching up on all things electric.

Bringing a much needed female voice to the world of all-electric motoring, host Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield reviews upcoming electric cars, reports weekly on the latest industry news and researches green energy on your behalf.

The weekly 30-minute news rundown is a definite highlight. Presented in a traditional news format, these easy-to-digest episodes give a concise look at everything that happened within the all-electric industry the previous week. 

Get an all-electric SUV from the legacy manufacturer with the most experience - see Nissan Ariya salary sacrifice deals.

Read Electric Vehicle Blogs

RAC

Founded in 1897 as the Automobile Club of Great Britain, the RAC has provided services and advice to the UK’s motorists for over 125 years. It epitomises the term ‘established’. Seeing through the rise, sustainment and eventual fall of the internal combustion engine, the RAC is better poised than most to provide expertise on the latest electric cars and the associated tech.

There’s plenty of written EV reviews, along with some comprehensive 1hr+ videos to accompany the most popular models.

Their Volkswagen ID.3 review for example, scored the German hatchback a solid 75/100, going as far to even say it will “change the way you think about Volkswagen” and is clever enough “to make a conventional family hatchback seem hopelessly outdated.”

Strong words from Britain’s most established auto-club. Why not take their lead and get a Volkswagen ID.3 lease for £100s less than normal - no deposit required!

Discover EV

This motoring outlet aims to provide the “latest unbiased facts, news and reviews about EVs, battery tech, charging and everything AFV” directly to drivers. From road tests to news updates, Discover EV cover a comprehensive list of everything electric.

Story highlights include: pitting the Mercedes-Benz EQB against the Tesla Model Y to see which is king of the all-electric SUVs. 

We’re spoiling the verdict of the test somewhat, but you can get up to 60% off the winner - Tesla Model Y lease - here.

Electric Road

Who better to review electric vehicles, than electric vehicle owners themselves?

Electric Road is a completely independent outlet. Home to an extensive amount of EV reviews generated by its users, the Electric Road is an online EV community whereby the potential bias of commission, maintaining manufacturer relationship and/or salesmanship is completely eliminated.

Even though the reviews are not produced or written by professional automotive journalists, they’re still a useful insight into the day-to-day realities of owning a specific model of electric car.  

Users can also submit reviews and offer insight into the ancillary aspects of owning an electric vehicle. There’s plenty of posts addressing specific home charging set ups, along with anecdotal records of how drivers have found using the UK’s public charging network. 

Electric Road crowned the BMW iX3 as its highest rated electric car in 2022 - why not see how much you could save on a BMW iX3 lease deal with love​electric?

Listen to Electric Vehicle Podcasts

Fully Charged Podcast (hosted by Robert Llewellyn)

The most prolific electric vehicle outlet also has a dedicated podcast. 

Released weekly, Robert Lllewellyn takes the reins and recaps the largest industry news stories, clean energy breakthroughs and announcements from the globe’s biggest automakers. Experts are frequently brought on as guests to discuss specialist subjects, but Robert’s infectious enthusiasm is the real reason to listen.

Like many podcasts of late, the Fully Charged Podcast is available to listen to via all the usual outlets, but is also available to watch on YouTube - whichever suits best.

The Big Green Money Show (hosted by Deborah Meaden)

Famous for being a Dragon’s Den stalwart, Deborah Meaden talks to some of business’ biggest names “about the biggest problem facing the planet: climate change.”

While the focus of the podcast is more generally about the symbiotic relationship between business and carbon output, it’s an incredibly insightful look into the way companies are handling their responsibility to reduce harmful emissions and pollution.

For many of our client businesses, implementing the loveelectric employee benefit is a crucial, cost-neutral and stress-free solution to reducing Scope 3 emissions and overall carbon impact of their company.

See how loveelectric could help your business reach its climate goals

Inside EVs (hosted by Domenick Yoney)

The Inside EVs podcast takes the crown as the longest running show on the list, consistently putting out an episode per week since early 2020. 

This quantity of episodes has not come at the expense of quality. 

Hosted by Domenick Yoney, each episode delves into a few subjects in detail, offering insight into new tech or brand new EVs. Often accompanied by a few panellists to keep conversation flowing, the Inside EVs podcast is one of the most established and astute sources of information on our list.

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Whether you’re a driver looking to dip your toe in all-electric motoring or an early adopter, these nine resources are home to a deep knowledge base. Keep up with the latest EV news, get to grips with the latest electric cars and brush up the importance of climate-conscious business practices.

Make the first step in reducing your carbon footprint below.

2023 started with a roar at loveelectric, with the team smashing milestones and preparing exciting new projects ready to launch.

As we move through 2023 and beyond, we’re ready to reposition electric cars from a nice-to-have to a must nationwide. Transitioning from fossil fuels to electric isn’t a perk or benefit: it’s a priority. Reducing our collective carbon footprint – whether as an individual, within our communities or in large organisations – is time critical, and the EV revolution is a big step in that journey. loveelectric was created to support people and businesses to reduce their impact on the world around them – and help employees save big on their monthly EV leases along the way. 

So what is loveelectric’s role in this future, and how will we help the UK get there? We sat down with Steve Tigar, loveelectric co-founder and CEO, to hear more about his entrepreneurial journey, how we support our clients’ sustainability journey, and what’s next for loveelectric. 

💚 What inspired you to start loveelectric?

I've always been entrepreneurial. 

At school, I got my first taste of working with a paper run and realised that I could optimise by delegating the work to my little brother and splitting the proceeds 50-50. Of course, it was a short-lived endeavour before he clocked on: but by then, it didn’t matter – I had caught the business bug. It was the first of many entrepreneurial pursuits throughout my school days.

At university, I came up with product prototypes, new ideas and loved the process. I loved thinking about how to get them off the ground and move into the business world, but the timing was never quite right.

It was while I was in America with the Saltire Foundation it all came together. I completed an entrepreneurial M.B.A. there, building a foundation for my future career. The scholarship gave me a fantastic grounding in starting a company. So, I was excited to return to Edinburgh in 2011 and start a business.

But - as life does - other plans got in the way. Lyndsey, my wife (and co-founder of loveelectric), fell pregnant – so I needed a job. Over the next ten years, I led several businesses, including the largest property letting portal in Scotland and the award-winning money-managing app Money Dashboard. They were all incredible experiences, but the desire to start my own thing never went away.

loveelectric was the first time everything aligned: the opportunity, timing and experience. There has never been a more time-critical moment. Our business model ensures that transitioning to an EV is more affordable and accessible than ever. I’m hardwired to be an entrepreneur, and leading loveelectric is the perfect intersection of my skills, motivation and experience. It’s the right place for me to be. 

💚 What do you wish you'd known before starting loveelectric?

Before launching loveelectric, I was fortunate to have benefited from a decade of experience in running two high-growth technology businesses. I wish I’d known the hard and soft leadership skills before taking on the highs and lows of leading these companies – but I was fortunate to have learnt many lessons I needed before founding loveelectric.

More than anything, I learnt that I needed more focus. Now, we are laser-focused on the one thing that really matters in our business: the North Star. Instead of going in lots of different directions without any clear intention, we now build clarity and unite the team. It’s easier to rally your team behind the mission if you lead purposefully with culture and values! 

While I feel lucky to have brought the knowledge and lessons I have to loveelectric, there’s still plenty I wish I’d known before starting a business in this industry. Specifically: how slow-moving the automotive industry really is. While we came in as a disruptive digital native, it quickly became clear that picking up the phone, attending industry events, and networking is essential in this business. I’d underestimated the importance of industry habits – something I wish I’d known earlier!

💚 What makes Scotland a great place to start a business?

As a proudly Scottish, Edinburgh-based company, I’m a huge advocate for starting a business in Scotland. I have been actively involved in Edinburgh’s business community for the past decade and have built a fantastic support community with the people, networks and government organisations that operate here. 

Edinburgh offers the best of both worlds in high-growth business support and purpose-driven business development. Tech events, including Turing Fest, bring people together to share knowledge, and groups such as Scottish Development International ease the process of expanding internationally – just to name a few. In particular, Scottish Enterprise has been an enormous support throughout my entrepreneurial career, as has the community hub, Codebase.

The launch of Scotland’s Tech Scalers last year has invigorated the country’s focus on developing highly successful, community-focused tech organisations. From its emergence in Mark Logan’s flagship Scottish Technology Ecosystem Review, Tech Scalers lays a framework to bring the entrepreneurial communities across Scotland together to share knowledge and support. Being part of the community as we grow together is what I believe makes Scotland the best place to start and build a business. As a Tech Scaler member, I look forward to getting involved in the community as it grows, offering support and learning from other entrepreneurs. 

💚 How does loveelectric stand out from the competition? 

Neo-banking had a tremendous impact on the banking industry. New entrants, Starling and Monzo, took a digital-first approach and revolutionised how we bank. We take a similar approach with loveelectric, separating us from our competition. 

loveelectric is a disruptor: a neo-broker. 

Where competitors rely on the phone, our approach allows us to conduct almost 100% of our business online. loveelectric’s bespoke platform scans the market for the most affordable prices, allowing customers to view the best deals and order a car in minutes. Behind the scenes, our proprietary CRM system manages the complex ordering and invoicing processes. 

Not only is this tech-first approach efficient, but it also supports our fantastic service. Within the app, customers find everything they’ll need: service, maintenance, motor insurance, home chargers and early termination protection are all bundled in. 

Finally, our B Corp (pending) status sets us apart. We believe businesses should be a force for good. As such, we hold ourselves accountable and to a high standard to deliver on this belief, and we hold ourselves to the high ethical and environmental standards the certification sets.

We are currently working with partners to address the full scope of our carbon footprint. Once we understand this impact, we’ll set to work improving it through behaviour change and carbon offsetting. We are also working with Ecologi to be a climate-positive workforce. This partnership allows us to offset our entire team’s carbon footprint, including their home living, personal travel, holidays, food and hobbies. 

However, our sustainability strategy extends beyond our own business: we also actively support our clients on their ESG/CSR journey. Utilising loveelectric’s service positively impacts our clients’ commuting and business travel carbon emissions. 

💚 What’re your ambitions for the future?

We’re laser-focused on our mission: to decarbonise UK road transport. We have huge ambitions for improving the environmental and social impact of transportation in the UK – and the first step in that mission is our strong EV salary sacrifice offering. 

We’re on an exciting path with clear scope and space to develop over the next ten to twenty years. Salary sacrifice EVs is a fantastic place to start: with our pipeline of business, we expect to be one of the fastest-growing companies in our market in the next few years. The electric market is growing fast, and our approach to leasing is disrupting an already destabilised, antiquated industry. loveelectric is primed to be at the forefront of this modern approach to transport, setting us up to be one of the fastest-growing companies in the UK in the near future. 

The opportunities are endless. It’s exciting to think about the role of autonomous vehicles and car sharing in the future transport industry: how this will change how we experience and interact with our roads. Likewise, how businesses structure their car fleets will change quickly in the near future – and loveelectric is well-positioned to provide innovative solutions as the market grows. 

Here at loveelectric, we’re incredibly proud of our industry-leading service. From our robust early termination protection to our unique tech platform, we continue to pave the way for the next generation of electric car brokers.

But that doesn’t mean we’re finished innovating. Far from it. Behind the scenes, we’re working tirelessly to improve our service and adding value for our customers.

Here’s how we’re making employers' and employees' lives easier. 

Ready to see our market-leading service in action? Get started with our EV salary sacrifice employee benefit. 

Improved early termination protection

Top of the mind for anyone thinking about signing up for a lease is what happens if it ends early or unexpectedly. As an EV salary sacrifice provider, we know that both company and driver need to have peace of mind that they will be protected if the lease ends for any reason.

That’s why we’re thrilled to share an essential update to our early termination protection that will further safeguard employers and employees. 

There are now no financial penalties if the employee:

• Loses their driving licence due to ill health
• Dies in service
• Goes on long-term sickness leave.  

Only 3 months rental penalty if the employee:

• Goes on international secondment
• Has their licence revoked for any reason other than ill health 
• Has reduced employment hours, and they can no longer afford the lease
• Retires during the lease term.

‍These additions to our robust early termination protection solidify loveelectric’s position as the market-leading partner for companies nationwide. With us, you know that you have complete peace of mind – so you can sit back and enjoy the benefits EV salary sacrifice offers your business. 

Of course, this cover is the final step in our risk management process. If an employee resigns before the end of their lease, we can often migrate the lease to the new company or another employee within your business. 

Learn more about our market-leading early termination protection

National Minimum Wage changes: adding extra security

We love salary sacrifice because it offers employees an incredible perk at a below-market rate. This saving is so substantial that, simply by choosing to take on an electric car lease, many of our drivers see an effective raise.

But it’s important to remember that your gross salary will decrease slightly by taking on this lease. We must ensure our drivers do not fall below the minimum wage when accounting for this lower take-home salary.

In the Autumn budget, we learned that the National Minimum Wage will rise to £10.42 in April 2023. This increase means that some employees who once could afford a specific EV may now see it fall out of their price range.

We want to ensure that this change is as clear as can be for employees when searching for their new car on our app. Our app now reflects this planned increase, ensuring that all potential drivers only see vehicles that will keep their pay above the national minimum wage threshold after paying for their EV lease. 

Critically though, this change ensures that the companies we work with comply with employment legislation. 

If you are a loveelectric customer, you will see that we have already updated this change in our app.

Find your EV here

Feature updates in the company and employees portals

We’re delighted to share that both employee and company portals are now available for loveelectric customers! 

We designed these portals to support individuals and organisations in keeping track of their scheduled delivery dates, engagement levels, paperwork and much more.

Next time our drivers log in to the app, they’ll see our favourite new update: our delivery tracker. For many of our customers, having total clarity about when their ordered EV will arrive is imperative – now they can see any updates to their lead time and expected delivery date at a glance. 

To access the company or employee portal, simply log in to the loveelectric app. Haven’t created your account yet? Click your company’s magic link and create an account.

Want to have a sneak peek into our app? Join our weekly webinar for a tour.

Salary sacrifice chargers are here!

Did you hear the big news? We’re hyped to finally offer home smart chargers through salary sacrifice alongside our friends at Hypervolt.

Roll a Hypervolt smart charger into your EV lease, and you'll take advantage of salary sacrifice tax savings - that’s up to £500 off a fully-installed, beautifully-designed charger for your home.

Learn more about how smart charging can ease the pressure off your wallet – and the planet. 

48-month contracts are BACK

After a temporary pause on 48-month contracts, we are thrilled to finally reinstate them across the board! 

We implemented this pause while we awaited last year’s government announcement on the EV Benefit in Kind (BiK) rate. The BiK rate is a form of tax for any benefit offered to an employee in place of monetary compensation. Previously, there was uncertainty about the EV BiK rate beyond 2025, and we decided to pause this offering until we had complete certainty.

Last year, the UK Government confirmed an ultra-low EV BiK rate until at least 2028, so we are delighted to reinstate 48-month contracts for all of our customers. 

What is the BiK rate and how does it affect EV salary sacrifice?

Meet our EV Experts! 

Know that you’re ready to transition to electric but are unsure which EV is best for you? Can’t make heads or tails of the different models, ranges or trims available? It sounds like you need to meet our EV Experts! 

Our EV Expert team is just that: experts about all things EV. They are on hand for any potential driver who needs support or a friendly face to help match them with their perfect car. 

And because our EV Experts have a deep knowledge of the market, they always have a list of special offers and in-stock electric cars ready to go. That means you could be doubling up on your savings or getting your new EV ASAP – no need to twiddle your thumbs while you wait for your car to roll into your driveway. 

Our EV Experts are available to anyone with access to our app. Register now for your first weekly email about our in-stock and special offers. 

Get started here

We recently published an article which outlined the best ways to reduce the wait for an Electric Vehicle. But why are EV lead times so long in the first place?

From manufacturing issues to an exponential increase in demand, we outline the entire picture below.

Manufacturers can’t keep up with demand

The all-electric boom happened just as the globe’s supply chains saw unprecedented disruption. Manufacturers around the world are still playing catch up, which directly impacts the price-premium of electric cars today.

100,000s of UK drivers up and down the country now want access to zero tailpipe emission motoring; reducing their personal impact on the planet and saving £100s in running costs every year.

Because of this seismic shift in motoring habits, manufacturers have been unable to keep up with the demand for EVs. 

With loveelectric, you get exclusive access to our bespoke app - therein lies hot offers, in-stock EVs ready for delivery and the ability to produce bespoke quotes just for you.

All you need to do is get your employer on board

Manufacturers are slow to adapt

Since 2019, EV uptake has grown hugely year-on-year. This rapid uptake in electric cars happened to coincide with the largest disruptions to contemporary society outside of war. 

The repercussions of that period are well documented and still being felt by the largest manufacturing industries today. Not least of all the automotive industry.

The automotive industry has typically deployed a ‘just in time’ build-strategy, whereby OEMs will order key components - such as semiconductors - just before the vehicle is due to start production. Manufacturers actually pared back their orders due to dwindling car demand in 2020, resulting in a stock deficit that is still felt today.

In short, manufacturers are still playing catch up. The combination of global supply disruptions in 2021, coupled with the giant shift towards electrified powertrains has exposed the car industry’s weakest manufacturing points.

However, it isn’t all doom and gloom. Cars are being made and rubber is being put to the road. See the EVs with the shortest lead times below.

Working from home

Although it may sound like a peculiar link, the dramatic rise in working from home (WFH) has also had an impact on the automakers’ supply chain.

Semiconductors and microchips are used in nearly every piece of business tech out there: laptops, mobile phones, wireless comms etc. all rely on the same semiconductors. So as the increase in WFH rose sharply, so too did the requirement for more tech and the semiconductors powering them.

Additionally, other industries - such as electronics manufacturers - typically don’t rely on the “just in time” manufacturing process like automakers. This left OEMs at the back of queue, as competing industries procured all of the extra semiconductors as a consequence of automakers reducing their typical order.

With the production of semiconductors stalled, experts predict supply won’t satisfy demand until 2024. Luckily, we have plenty of stock available to order right now.

Get up to 60% off an EV here

loveelectric has direct relationships with manufacturers and the largest leasing companies in the UK. That means exclusive access to stock at a hugely discounted monthly price, before it goes public.

See how much you could save - both time and money - on the latest electric cars via salary sacrifice by clicking below.

The Electric Vehicle revolution is well on its way, with UK roads now home to 695,000+ pure battery EVs.

But that number is just a drop in the water when we consider the number of people who are ready to switch to electric. At loveelectric, we’re on a mission to make EVs accessible and affordable – but, unfortunately, the incredibly long lead times are holding many new adopters back.

That’s why we’ve made it our business to bring our clients the shortest lead times possible, so they can get behind the electric wheel ASAP.

Keep reading to learn how we do it!

Below, we give a rundown of how to reduce your wait and why lead times are so long in the first place.

Order an EV that’s in-stock

This may sound obvious, but ordering an EV that’s ready to be delivered to your door is the quickest and easiest way of getting behind the wheel. The tricky part is getting access to that stock and knowing where to look.

With loveelectric, we have direct access to exclusive weekly stock sheets, thanks to close relationships with manufacturers and dealerships across the UK. 

This means our drivers can have a brand new Tesla Model Y delivered to their door in only two weeks: from clicking ‘order’ on the loveelectric app to getting the keys (or card in Tesla’s case) in their hand in only 14 days.

Get access to exclusive stock with loveelectric

Be flexible on trim, options or features

So, you have your heart set on a particular make and model of electric vehicle. However, the lead time is horrendously long and you need a car now. What do you do?

Time to be flexible - no yoga required.

Auto manufacturers are keen to offer drivers a bespoke vehicle that suits their needs, but this typically leads to hundreds of different configurations of the same vehicle.

Consequently, one of the best ways to reduce the wait time on an EV is to be flexible on the trim, optional extras or features that are available on the car. 

Because manufacturers will bulk-build specific configurations of a vehicle in batches, your desired trim may not be due for manufacture for six months. By compromising on small trim options, such as sat nav being included or size of wheels, you broaden your chances of finding an available car.

Sometimes even changing the paint colour can take months off a lead time!

For loveelectric drivers, we constantly scan the market for manufacturers’ build slots and which configuration of car will be available the earliest. We then proactively advise our customers of what stock will shortly be available, allowing them to order it before it becomes widely available.

Find your perfect EV

Keep an eye on lead times

If budget isn’t a concern, you have no particular model in mind and your main priority is just making the switch to electric - then use our public lead time tracker.

Our live list updates automatically with the latest lead times for all makes and models as soon as the manufacturer announces it. Check back regularly to see if your desired EV has hit the production line or there are some available.

Cars go quickly, though: make sure that your boss has set up loveelectric's employee benefit so you can take advantage of these short lead times.

Refer your employer now

Think ahead and order early

The 2030 ban on petrol and diesel cars is looming. With it, the demand for EVs is growing exponentially. So think ahead and order early. Of course, manufacturers will continue to ramp up their production numbers, but it’s uncertain when production output will match demand.

The fact of the matter is: lead times are long.

If you’re in the early stages of considering an EV, we’d suggest starting the process now - especially if you’re interested in one of the more popular makes and models of electric car. Get the wheels in motion so you can hit the road exactly when you want to and get signed up to loveelectric now.

Let us do the hard work for you

When your company signs up to loveelectric’s employee benefit, you get access to our exclusive app. Here we list the latest and greatest EV deals the auto-industry has to offer.

You’ll also be signed up to our special offers newsletter. Every week, we handpick some of the best deals from across the UK and give priority access to our drivers. That means the lowest prices and quickest delivery times available nationwide. 

See how much you could save by going electric by clicking below.

Published March 6th, 2023

EV salary sacrifice company loveelectric, and Hypervolt, Britain’s preeminent EV charging brand, have today announced their new partnership. The collaboration will save new EV drivers more on a new home charger than the UK Government’s phased-out OZEV £350 grant that came to an end in March 2022. 

Hypervolt’s smart and beautifully-designed charger is now available for loveelectric customers to roll into their EV order –  saving the average customer over £500. The collaboration will ensure that getting a new electric car and charger is simple, accessible and affordable for drivers across the UK. 

This new partnership is one of the first of its kind, as drivers can now get both a new electric vehicle and smart charger through salary sacrifice. In exchange for a small portion of their gross monthly salary, drivers get a brand-new electric car and charger – leading to savings on National Insurance contributions and Income Tax. 

For Hypervolt and loveelectric’ customers, this means that they can save up to 60% on the cost of a new electric vehicle and save over 50% on a fully installed home charger. Customers are promised outstanding service, too, with both companies rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot.

Steve Tigar, CEO of loveelectric, said, “Our partnership with Hypervolt is a game changer for our customers and the EV market. We created loveelectric to ensure electric cars are accessible and affordable for people across the UK. With Hypervolt, we’ve supercharged this offering by ensuring our drivers can access state-of-the-art, affordable chargers, too. The loss of the OZEV £350 grant towards home chargers was felt across the market and has held the UK’s transition to green transport back."

"Alongside Hypervolt, we’re so excited to offer our customers this huge saving that will ensure that more people can afford to make the jump to electric.” - Steve Tigar, loveelectric

The charger comes with access to Hypervolt’s app, allowing users to schedule their EV charging sessions to access cheaper off-peak energy tariffs, integrate with solar and other smart home features, and track their energy usage and expenditure.

David Woodford, Head of Partnerships at Hypervolt, said, “March 2023 is a big month for us as we celebrate the second anniversary since launch. However, having this occasion coincide with the announcement of our partnership with loveelectric makes this milestone even more special.”

“We're obsessive about the customer experience, and what we've built with loveelectric brings absolute simplicity and clarity to the EV buying journey, from end-to-end,” Woodford continued.

“Disruptors like to work with disruptors, and we are both extremely excited and highly motivated for our two burgeoning brands to roll out this one-stop-shop for EVs.” - David Woodford, Hypervolt

“Salary sacrifice is a game changer for the electric revolution, and finding a charging partner who can also access those savings has been a priority for us for some time,” Tigar concluded. “We’re so excited to work with Hypervolt to help employees across the UK make their salaries go as far as possible – and build together towards a green future.”

For more information, please contact our press team.

Even with the cost of energy soaring, electric cars continue to beat petrol and diesel cars when it comes to cost per mile. 

However, for the most price-savvy of drivers, finding the most efficient electric car is a priority to make sure you make the most of your EV savings.

And the good news is: you can save hundreds of pounds a year on motoring costs if you choose the most efficient models on the market. 

Of course, it’s not just cash savings you’ll see when choosing an efficient EV – the carbon savings are just as sweet. 

Keep reading to learn about some of the most efficient EVs on the market, the benefits of choosing the best charger and energy tariff, and how you can save cash along the way.

⚡ Looking for the most efficient EV – and the most efficient use of your money? With our EV salary sacrifice benefit, you can get up to 60% off your monthly lease. Check out how it works here. 

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What does it mean that an EV is ‘efficient’?

We're all used to looking at how many miles per gallon a car can achieve when car shopping, but electric cars have a different metric to consider: miles per kiloWatt hour (kWh).

A big EV battery might have a 100kWh capacity, but just because you have more kWh does not necessarily mean you have the most efficient car.

Just like petrol and diesel cars, not all EVs are made alike – and the impact on your wallet can be huge depending on which electric car you choose. Just as a big fuel tank will be less efficient in a large, heavy car, so too will a large EV battery in a large, heavy car. This means that a vehicle with a 50kWh battery that does 5 miles per kWh could cover the same 250 miles as a car with a 100kWh battery that only does 2.5 miles per kWh. So when it comes to efficiency, it’s all about bang for your buck – and the miles per kWh measurement is king. 

Not only does efficiency ensure that your EV will go the miles you need for less cash, but it also directly relates to your overall carbon footprint. While EVs do not create tailpipe emissions like their petrol and diesel counterparts, there is still some carbon to account for in electricity creation. It’s no secret that some of this energy creation comes from carbon-based resources. In Scotland, the electricity grid was 57% renewable in 2021, while England and Wales’ grid was 36.2%. Of course, this is still infinitely better than driving a petrol or diesel car powered by 100% fossil fuels. 

Simply put: the less energy you use, the smaller your carbon footprint. 

🌱 Read more about the myth of the carbon-heavy electricity grid

The final thing to consider when choosing an efficient EV is what you consider to be ‘efficient’. Your definition may be entirely different from the family down the street. While the standard definition of efficiency is directly related to energy consumption, efficiency rankings differ when we include other factors such as affordability, performance or charging infrastructure. 

In our lineup of five of the most efficient EVs of 2023, we consider all of these additional factors and how they influence the car’s overall efficiency. That way, you can make sure you’re making the best decision for your wallet, requirements and the planet. 

VW ID.4: The efficient all-rounder | 4.3 miles/kWh

Don’t take it from us: review superpower Which? chose the VW ID.4 as their best SUV buy in 2023. 

And it’s easy to see why: with an enviable balance of efficiency, performance, range and available infrastructure, the VW ID.4 is the goldilocks of our efficient EVs.

The 2023 ID.4 sports some impressive stats that bring it to the top of our list. Zooming from 0-60mph in around 7.6 seconds, having access to the We Charge network (Volkswagen’s answer to Tesla’s Supercharger network) across the UK and Europe, and a decent range of up to 275 miles, the 2023 VW ID.4 is the pick for anyone who wants a balanced, light, efficient SUV. 

Browse our VW range

‍

Tesla Model 3: The most efficient EV for public charging | 4.9 miles/kWh

Tesla has been ahead of the game since the EV revival in the 2000s. The Model 3 stands above the rest on our efficiency list due to its excellent 4.9 miles/kWh rating. 

Its impressive 374-mile range only adds to the fantastic efficiency, meaning you’ll really get bang for your buck when charging your new Tesla. 

But why we love the Model 3’s efficiency so much is its fantastic connectivity to charging infrastructure across the country. You’ll always be in range of Tesla’s Supercharger network, meaning you can hit the road without a care in the world. 

Better yet? Plug your Model 3 into a supercharger for just 15 minutes and get up to 171 miles of charge. That’s what we call efficient. 

How much could you save on a Tesla Model 3 with EV salary sacrifice?

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Kia Niro EV Estate: The most efficient high-range EV | 4.45 miles/kWh

Range and efficiency go hand in hand, and the Niro has got the balance juuuuust right. 

As an SUV, one might be forgiven for not immediately considering the Niro efficient. But it is incredibly good at turning electricity into the maximum amount of miles. Best yet – you’ll get plenty of mileage. Get behind the wheel stress-free with a range of up to 282 miles on a single charge and an efficiency rating of 4.45 miles per kWh.

Check out if the Niro is the one for you

Hyundai Kona: The most efficient affordable EV | 4.8 miles/kWh

With a starting price of just £31,000 and an impressive efficiency rating, the Kona proves that you can easily balance affordability and efficiency.

Hyundai has been ahead of the game for quite some time, seemingly matching Tesla’s pace when it comes to popularising electric cars. And you can see why with the Kona: its impressive range and efficiency means that the affordable 39kWh model brings the Kona into one of our top efficiency spots. 

Find out how EV salary sacrifice can help maximise the Kona’s affordability.

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BMW i4: The most efficient performance EV | 4.35 miles/kWh

When you’re looking for a punch when you hit the motorway, you’d be forgiven for not considering efficiency – but BMW has proved that performance and efficiency can go hand in hand with the i4! 

Driving our roads since 2013, the BMW i3 was one of the first cars to offer performance electric transport with a decent range. And the i4 is set to be the next top choice: with an acceleration time of just 5.7 seconds from 0-60mph and an efficiency rating of 4.2 miles per kWh, the BMW i4 tops our chart when you love efficiency, but you’re not ready to sacrifice performance.

Browse our range of BMW EVs

A final thought: choosing a smart charger and EV energy tariff

Choosing the right car can hugely impact your energy efficiency – but so too can choosing the right smart charger and EV energy tariffs.

We’ve teamed up with our friends at Hypervolt to offer their beautiful at-home smart chargers through salary sacrifice. Our drivers can now roll a Hypervolt smart charger into their EV lease and take advantage of salary sacrifice tax savings: up to £500 off a fully-installed home charger.

Of course, you’ll also access Hypervolt’s app so you can schedule your EV charging sessions to access cheaper off-peak energy tariffs, integrate with solar and other smart home features, as well as track your energy usage and expenditure.

🙋 Learn more about smart charging

But if you really want to supercharge your at-home charging efficiency, choosing an EV tariff is the right way to go. OVO recently announced their new EV charging plan that will unlock a lower rate of 10p per kWh any time you charge your car from your home charging point. How efficient is that! 

Where can I find more information about EV efficiency?

This quick overview about efficiency and our top picks is just that – quick. If you’re looking for more information about how efficiency is calculated and other resources, check out some of our top picks below.

Go Ultra Low

Go Ultra Low is a joint government-industry initiative aimed at promoting electric vehicles in the UK. Their website offers a range of resources, including a car and van selector tool to help consumers find the right electric vehicle for their needs.

Zap-Map

Zap-Map is a website and app that helps electric car owners find charging stations in the UK. They also offer a range of resources for consumers looking to learn more about electric cars, including reviews and guides. (Source: Zap-Map - )

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)

The SMMT is the trade association for the UK automotive industry. They offer a range of resources for consumers, including a guide to electric vehicles and a directory of electric vehicle manufacturers.

With the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars looming for the millions of drivers in the UK, electric vehicles (EVs) are fast becoming the most prevalent form of personal transport. They’re better for the environment, have lower operating costs and pack in the latest tech the motoring world has to offer.

But old habits die hard. Since the introduction of the Ford Model T in 1908, drivers across the planet have grown accustomed to internal combustion (ICE) as their primary source of personal propulsion. Our historic reliance on fossil fuels and the perceived convenience of a traditional car has led many to feel anxious about switching to an all-electric vehicle.

We’re here to allay those fears.

Below is our step-by-step guide on how to make the switch to an electric car seamless, enjoyable and exciting.

​​🤔 Is an electric vehicle right for me?

For 99.9% of drivers, the answer is yes. 

We’ve outlined the most common concerns that drivers typically have before making the switch to an EV. 

Range anxiety

The most prevalent concern for many prospective drivers is ‘range anxiety’. That is, the fear of running out of charge and not having access to a chargepoint. 

Before discussing charging and electric vehicle range, it’s important to put into perspective what sort of daily mileage the average driver does. According to the Department for Transport, the average car trip distance in England is only 8.3 miles.

With the average median range of electric cars in the UK sitting around 212 miles, the typical driver in England could run their EV for 25 ½ days before needing to charge it.

Of course. There are always exceptions to the rule. But many EVs on the market - like the Tesla Model Y - comfortably achieve 250+ miles from a single charge. On the flipside, business reps or those in sales may have an above-average daily mileage. 

One-off long journeys are also a factor in the decision making process. Occasional ‘staycations’, domestic trips and summer holidays may push the mileage of a single trip into triple digits. However, longer trips like these can be easily accommodated for, with most only requiring only a single stop to recharge. 

Lack of Public Charging Infrastructure

Contrary to what certain tabloids would have you believe, the charging infrastructure in the UK comfortably serves 100,000s of electric cars every day.

As of January 2023 in the UK - there are:

• 22,355 public charging locations
• 37,851 public chargers in total
• 7,597 rapid public chargers

ZapMap uses GoogleMaps to plot every single public chargepoint in the UK - see if there’s a public charger near you, here.

‍Too Expensive‍

Electric cars do currently carry a premium retail pricetag over their internal combustion equivalents. However, the operating costs of an EV are far lower than a petrol or diesel car. 

🔌 Even with the current energy crisis, EVs are still a cheaper pence-per-mile option than an ICE equivalent. This price gap is exponential if you’re able to utilise a smart charger at home, charge with an off-peak energy tariff and/or install solar panels.

🔧 Because there’s less moving parts in an electric vehicle, they require far less maintenance and servicing than a petrol or diesel car. 

💚 With loveelectric’s employee benefit, you can get up to 60% off a brand new electric car via salary sacrifice. Included in our monthly price is:

• Servicing
• Maintenance
• Tyres
• Fully comprehensive insurance

See which car you can afford here.

⚖️ Find the best deal

There’s plenty of options to get behind the wheel of an electric car. However, the most popular are compared in our table below.

loveelectric is firm in its belief that salary sacrifice is the most affordable and accessible way of getting an electric car. To access complete peace-of-mind motoring at the lowest monthly cost, we just need your employer on board.

This employee benefit is a bit like the cycle-to-work scheme but for electric vehicles.

Your employer leases the car on your behalf via the company. Each month, you then pay for the lease using a proportion of your gross salary.

The key is that the monthly payment for the lease is taken from your salary before tax. This means you pay less Income Tax and reduce your National Insurance Contributions, maximising your take-home pay and you get to drive a brand new electric car. 

It’s a simple process to implement as we do all the heavy lifting for your company. Once the benefit goes live, you’ll get access to the latest and greatest in all-electric motoring - all for a low monthly sum.

Implement the benefit here.

Once loveelectric is ready to go at your company, it’s time to do the fun part: choosing your brand new electric car.

🚗⚡Which Electric Vehicle should I get?

There are ranges, budgets and body-styles to suit every requirement. loveelectric grants you access to every electric car available on the UK market. Below are our top picks in each category:

Best electric city car - Fiat 500e

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For drivers who live in a city, space is at a premium. However, charging points are plentiful and being able to avoid emission-zone charges can result in £1000s being saved annually. The Fiat 500e is the perfect city runaround. It sticks with the classic Italian styling of its petrol-powered predecessor but gives it a futureproof powertrain. The instant power delivery and lack of gears hugely compliment city driving, hopping from traffic lights and diving down side stress with ease.

Get the best of compact Italian motoring here.

Best affordable electric car - MG MG4

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The MG MG4 is arguably the best electric car deal currently on the market. At an incredibly low price point, the MG4 features: 

• 215+ miles from a single charge
• 5 seats | 5 doors
• 289l luggage capacity
• 0-60mph in 7.7s

See how much you could save on an MG4 here.

Best electric family car - Kia Niro EV

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When the first generation of the all-electric Niro EV was introduced in 2018, it’s unlikely the public would have pegged Kia to become one of the most popular EV manufacturers to date. The Kia Niro EV is an electric vehicle simplified to serve the family: industry-leading build quality and warranty, spacious cabin and a very impressive range - all at a very affordable price point.

Get the Kia Niro EV - our pick for best electric family car - here.

Best premium electric family car - Tesla Model Y

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This much anticipated ‘crossover’ - part hatchback/part SUV - from Tesla caps off the automaker’s S-3-X-Y lineup of electric vehicles. Distilling everything the American automaker has achieved with its previous electric cars, the Model Y continues the trend by offering one of the best cars available today. Plenty of range, plenty of space and plenty of tech.

Get access to the best pricing available for a Tesla Model Y here.

Best electric company car - Tesla Model 3

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Arguably the electric car that changed it all. The Tesla Model 3 had its UK debut in 2019 and has dominated the EV market ever since. It changed the definition of what a company car could be: no longer were businesspeople shackled to oversized German diesels. It set the tone for mass adoption and has been a staple of Britain’s roads ever since.

Join the 10,000s of Model 3 drivers today, see how much you could drive the cost down by going with loveelectric.

🏠🔌 Charging at Home

The most notable change when ditching your old ICE vehicle in favour of a brand new EV, is the method of ‘refuelling’. If you’re fortunate enough to have off-street parking, a driveway or garage - then wave goodbye to inconvenient pit-stops at charging stations. 

Say hello to convenient, cheap and smart, home charging. 

Hypervolt

We’ve teamed up with Hypervolt to get you up to 50% off a fully installed smart home charger. Simply roll the cost into your monthly salary sacrifice payments. 

Simply add on your Hypervolt charger once you've ordered your EV, and we'll handle the rest.

We make charging at home affordable, smart and easy.

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Egg Smart Charging

We love a crackin’ deal and our partnership with Egg gives our drivers exactly that. With Egg, you can have a smart charger installed for only £24.50/month over the course of 36 months.

Alternatively, you can pay upfront and get the entire payment out of the way.

Regardless of how you choose to spread the cost, loveelectric will cover the £108 fee for 3 years of Egg Plus - their premium smart charging solution.

Rightcharge

Charge the right way, with Rightcharge. 

Charging isn’t just about the physical point installed on the wall - your energy tariff can have a sizeable impact on the cost of charging an EV at home. Rightcharge takes the hassle out of both, offering smart home charging solutions as well as bespoke energy tariffs that work for you.

Their handpicked network of installation companies ensures a short installation turnaround time, getting your charger installed in less than three weeks and saving you an average of £360 on your annual electric car home charging costs.

Plus, if you enquire and order via this link, we’ll donate our £20 referral fee to Asthma UK. Get the best deals on charging and feel good about it. 

🛣️🔌 Charging Nearby & On-The-Go

If you aren’t able to charge at home, there’s no need to panic. As we mentioned above, the UK has 10,000s of charging points - some of them are even free to charge up at. 

Charge for Free

With the current cost of living crisis, every penny helps. So why not charge up for free at one of the thousands of zero-cost charging points. It’s especially good news for our fellow Scottish drivers, as there’s 1,300+ locations offering free charging across the nation.

ZapMap

First and foremost - download the ZapMap app or have a look at their live chargepoint map. Here you can find:

• User reviews of each chargepoint
• Extensive list of every chargepoint in the UK
• Live availability status to avoid frustration upon arrival 
• Colour-coded pins display whether a point is compatible with your car
• Their integrated ‘Zap-Pay’ system allows you to pay directly for your charge at participating networks. 
  

Locating your most convenient chargepoint will allow you to plan for the cost of recharging, how frequently you’ll need to visit the charging station and for how long. 

PlugShare

Chargepoint locating - gone global.

If you’re planning on venturing further afield, then PlugShare has your journey covered. It has a comprehensive list of chargepoints across the globe. 

That’s right, PlugShare allows you to plan a transcontinental electric car trip if desired, spanning every continent and available country.  

Now we have charging sorted, it’s time to get rid of the old and in with the new.

💵 Selling Your Car

Now that your new electric vehicle is on its way, it’s time to sell your old car. There’s just one problem: selling a car is possibly the least pleasant part of owning one. However, we have the solution - Motorway. 

The Motorway Way

Take the hassle out of selling your car and use Motorway. 

Simply enter your registration number below and 5,000+ dealers across the UK will compete to give you the best possible price.

If your brand new EV is going to replace your old car, we’d recommend holding off selling it before your electric car has arrived - or you at least have a confirmed delivery date.

If you’re still not convinced by Motorway - let’s remind ourselves of the often gruelling process of selling a used car.

The Traditional Way

It typically begins by spending money: large insertion fees to advertise on a used marketplace or an auction site, only for the latter to take an additional cut of the final auction price.

Then it’s time to block out your evenings and weekends for viewings. Be prepared to field calls from timewasters, tyre kickers and dreamers. You’ll receive lots of absurd offers: “would you take £100, a Maroon 5 CD and my old Playstation for it?”

A serious offer is made, only for them to inspect the car and the prospective buyer demands 20% off the asking price.

By this point, you accept the much lower offer. You’re tired, frustrated and just want to get rid of the car. Not only do you end up with less money, but you’re exhausted from all the viewings. 

Cut the hassle, use Motorway.

🚗 Getting to grips with your new Electric Vehicle

Once you’ve accepted delivery of your vehicle from loveelectric, it’s time to read the Driver’s Handbook and get to grips with your shiny new EV.

Taking Delivery

We offer door-to-delivery, so your new car will be dropped off directly to your home address. The car delivery agent is there to help. They’ll show you how to use key functions of the car and help you get to grips with all of its features. 

They're there to help, so if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask! You can always get in touch with loveelectric too.

The car should be delivered in excellent condition, but it’s best to double-check that everything inside and out looks to be in pristine condition. Any issues, please raise them either with the delivery agent or loveelectric.

Running through the Driver’s Handbook and Manufacturer’s Handbook

We know you’ll be itching to take the car for a spin, but we strongly recommend reading through the Driver’s Handbook and Manufacturer’s Handbook before setting off. 

Both of these documents will give you extensive information on everything you need to know about the specifics of your lease, the servicing/maintenance intervals and how to operate your new electric car properly.

Go for a drive!

Finally, it’s time to hit the open road. 

Take the first step on ditching your diesel and petrol car now.

💚 Ask loveelectric for any further support you need 

We don’t hit the road once your car is delivered. If you have any questions or clarifications about your lease, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the loveelectric team.

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