In August 2018, the sales of electric vehicles in the United Kingdom reached their highest total yet, responsible for one in every twelve cars bought.

Currently, cars are, by a significant margin, the most common way we travel in Britain, with 253.7 billion vehicle miles per year, 12.3% more than two decades ago. Therefore, they are a major contribution to the issue of air pollution in the UK, which also has a much wider affect than our own country, with world-wide issues such as rising carbon dioxide levels. This is why we desperately need to find a solution for non-polluting cars that provide the same functionality without drastic changes to infrastructure. Electric cars are an ideal solution; they can be introduced into society imminently without many problems.

Electric vehicles use an electric motor to propel it forward, charged by electricity from charging stations. It is a clean, non-pollutant, eco-friendly solution to the ever-emerging issue of global warming. This is just one of the many reasons it has seen a surge in sales in the UK.

Firstly, these cars offer considerable financial bonuses in comparison to the average petrol car, for example in London as you release zero emissions you do not pay a congestion fee. In addition, with more technological advancements, both the upfront cost and maintenance fees have gone down. The increase of mass production of batteries and the ever-growing tax incentives have further decreased the price of an electric vehicle.

Another reason these cars are booming in popularity is due to the rising prices in fuel. In fact, on average people spend £3000 annually on fuel, and this is a large, unnecessary fee to have to pay, when with an electric car you will save money every time you fill up. Over time, the extra fee you pay for an electric car, will be recovered and this will save you a substantial amount of money.

However, it could be suggested that electric cars are constantly limited by a small mile range and top speed. The average driving range before needing to recharge is around 180 miles, which can be a major restriction for the scalability of these cars. As well as this, for a usual car, it only takes a maximum of five minutes to refuel, but it can take up to 6 hours for an electric car with no advanced charging methods. While this may restrict high mileage motorists, it is perfect for a city car, as very rarely will the car need to go for long distances, and the charging stations will be in closer proximity that in normal circumstances. All considered, at the moment this is perfect, as cities are where we are starting to see the devastating effects of pollution.

Neil Warren, the owner of a small electric car, a Nissan Leaf, was fully convinced that “Having had an electric car I would never go back to a conventional car. They are so smooth to drive I find it more convenient.”

The feel of the car is often ignored, but it is commonly a feature expressed with positivity from owners of electric cars. It should also be noted that electric vehicles require less servicing on the whole, and as they are a new development, the infotainment systems are usually quite advanced, comparative to its fossil-fuelled equivalent.

A variety of air pollutants are known to have harmful effects on human health and the environment, for instance Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulphur Dioxide, Ozone and fine particles. Some short-term effects of air pollution on health include the increased risk of dangerous heart and lung conditions, which in itself is a deterrent for anyone. If we continue to blindly use fossil-fuelled cars it is going to have a detrimental effect on our lifestyle and livelihood. Furthermore, there is the looming issue of the non-renewable fuels running out, at which point we are forced to have an instant alternative.

For the reasons suggested above, we know that we need to find a new, clean and renewable method of transport for the short and long term. It is now apparent that electric cars are definitely the future of the UK for the foreseeable future, due to the availability and potential of the vehicles.