Driving towards clean air: How electric vehicles transform UK cities

As the UK strides towards a greener future, electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming an increasingly common sight on our roads. The UK government aims to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, making electric cars even more attractive. But what does this mean for UK cities?

The sustainability of electric vehicles

Towns and cities are currently suffering from poor air quality. Nine years ago, the first reported death from air pollution was officially signed by the coroner in London.

Road vehicles are one of the biggest contributors to air pollution. Electric vehicles do not produce any carbon dioxide or other emissions which means they will be improving air pollution when there are more of them on the road.

As well as air pollution, EVs are quieter than their petrol or diesel counterparts, so there will be a reduction in noise pollution as well. Cities will be cleaner and quieter with more electric vehicles trundling about.

Cleaner Air Zones and UK urban benefits

You may have noticed Cleaner Air Zones (CAZ) sprouting up across the country in cities such as Bradford, Bath and Sheffield. These areas aim to discourage the use of high-emission vehicles by charging them more to enter certain cities and areas. This will result in cleaner air for the residents and protect their health.

Getting a compliant electric vehicle may be an expensive purchase that you cannot readily afford. To avoid the charges for driving in a CAZ, you could explore getting an electric car on higher purchase. Remember to get your insurance sorted as well as contract hire gap insurance to protect yourself in the event of an accident.

Charging infrastructure and accessibility in the UK

Electric vehicles need charging points, and whilst many will include installation at your home, you will need charging points whilst you are out and about. At present, these points are mainly located in public car parks, supermarkets and service stations. This makes them easily accessible whenever you are near a city, town or motorway.

The government has introduced a Workplace Charging Scheme for businesses. This is a voucher-based scheme which supports eligible applicants in the purchase and installation of EV charging points.

This grant covers up to 75% of the total purchase and installation costs but is capped at a maximum of £350 per socket and up to 40 sockets across all business sites. There are various criteria to be considered eligible, but this is a great incentive to get businesses thinking green too.

Again, this scheme aims to encourage the use of electric vehicles by giving workers the chance to charge their cars whilst they are working. If there is not this option, people may opt for a diesel or petrol car for convenience and reliability.