Electric Cars Explained With Ford!

If the fuel queues last month taught us anything, it’s that electric cars are the future.

But buying your first electric car can be confusing, will you really save money when you’re charging your car using your household electricity? What on earth is a MHEV? Will it still perform like a traditional fueled car?

We’re here to help. This blog will take you through what you need to know about electric vehicles, using examples from some of our Ford range!

First, let’s talk about fuel savings.

Fuel savings

If we’re talking numbers, an electric car will cost you around £627 to run for a year compared to the yearly cost of £1,971 of a petrol car. That’s a yearly saving of £1,344. It’s a common misconception that it’s “free to run,” but as you can see by this example, we’ve taken into account the cost of electricity at the UK average of 19pence p/kWh. Your electric vehicle can be charged fully at home for as little as £3.00!

Whether you choose to drive a Ford Hybrid or you’re making the full switch to Ford electric, you can be certain you’ll be spending less on fuel from the very get go.

So what’s the difference between a mild hybrid, a hybrid, a plug in hybrid and an all-electric car?

Whilst it sounds difficult to get your head around, it’s actually quite simple.

A mild hybrid Ford such as the Ford Puma uses a small electric motor to help power a conventional engine, the electric motor will never drive the car and the car will never solely run off electric power.

A hybrid Ford, like the Ford Kuga, is similar in that it has two main power sources, a conventional petrol engine like you might have in your car now, and an electric battery. You’ll be able to seamlessly switch between petrol and electric, or both at the same time for maximum efficiency! Your hybrid will never require plugging in to charge, as it charges itself on the go, perfect for car owners who don’t have the infrastructure to charge at home!

A plug in hybrid is exactly what the name suggests. With a similar set up to a hybrid, it also features a larger, higher voltage battery which means you can drive on electric for longer distances, which is perfect if you’re a worker needing a van, as the Transit Custom is available with a plug inhybrid engine! With a hybrid Ford, you’ll be able to plug your car in and charge it to get the electric miles up faster.

All-Electric is the most eco-friendly of the Ford family, as it runs solely on electric power and therefore has no emissions. Depending on the model, you could get up to 370miles of driving range and it can be charged using a 230V power socket at home, a wallbox or a public charging station! A great example of this is the reimagined Mustang, the Mustang Mach-E.

Now you know the differences between the various engine types, you might decide to do your own research and find the car that’s right for you yourself. But if that sounds like too much hard work, our showroom team are more than happy to help you out!