Electric vehicles are more popular than ever, with EV sales increasing year on year. This guide is just that — a guide. Whatever conclusion you come to, we'd still encourage you to do your own research, and our team is always happy to help if you have questions.

1. Do you have off-street parking?

If you have off-street parking, your best option is likely a home charge point — a wall-mounted, weatherproof unit fitted to the outside of your home or in a garage, giving you a plug-in point for your car's charger.

Charging at home can also save you money, since many electricity tariffs offer cheaper overnight rates — it's worth shopping around for the best deal.

Home chargers typically run at 7kW, which can fully charge a typical 60kWh battery in under eight hours.

Worth knowing: most Wagonex supply partners provide a charging cable with the vehicle, but not a home charge point or its installation — that's arranged and paid for separately by you.

2. Could you get a charge point installed at home?

If you don't have off-street parking today, it's still worth checking what's possible:

• • If your property has its own driveway, installing a home charge point is usually quite straightforward.
  • If your property doesn't have a driveway but still has off-street parking, you may have options to install a charge point, though it's worth a bit more research into what's possible for your setup.
  • If you own or rent a flat with a dedicated parking space, you'll need permission from your freeholder or landlord in advance.

The average cost of a home EV charger, including installation, is between £800 and £1,000.

3. Do you have access to a local charge point for regular use?

If you don't have off-street parking, you may still have access to charge points on lampposts or other roadside units. There are plenty of other options too — chargers can often be found at supermarkets, retail parks and most service stations.

Apps like Zap-Map are a good way to check what's available near you before you commit.

4. Do you have access to a second petrol or diesel car?

If there's a second petrol or diesel car in your household, you could use that for longer journeys, while still getting the most out of an EV for most of your day-to-day trips.

5. How many miles do you travel in an average week?

It's worth measuring a typical week's driving, to make sure you'd choose a vehicle with sufficient range.

The average official range on electric cars at the moment is approximately 250 miles, and it's increasing as new models come to market. There are also plenty of lower-range EVs well suited to local, everyday commutes. High-mileage drivers should plan journeys in advance and consider EVs with a larger-than-average range.

So, is an EV right for you?

An EV is likely to suit you if: you have a convenient way to charge — whether that's at home or somewhere nearby you'd use regularly — and your typical weekly mileage fits comfortably within the range of the EVs you're considering, or you have a second petrol/diesel car for longer trips.

If that sounds like you, there's a wide range of EV types and styles to choose from, new and used. The main things to weigh up are range, charging options and speeds, budget, and vehicle size or type.

Browse electric vehicles on Wagonex

We work with a range of vehicle supply partners — including Kinto, Drivalia and Flexible Vehicles — who between them offer a wide choice of new and used electric vehicles. Get in touch with our team and we can help answer any questions and get you set up with a vehicle agreement.

An EV may not suit you right now if: you don't have a convenient way to charge, or you're a high-mileage driver without a second car for longer trips.

That said, this is only a guide, and the UK's electric vehicle landscape is changing fast — thousands more charge points are installed every year, and new models are arriving with longer ranges and faster charging. You could be ready for an EV sooner than you think. If you're a high-mileage driver, it's worth researching longer-range EVs, which are becoming more widely available.

If an EV doesn't fit your lifestyle just yet, a plug-in hybrid could be worth a look — it runs on electricity for shorter journeys, with petrol or diesel as backup for longer trips or when you can't reach a charge point. It can also be a good stepping stone toward a fully electric car in future, once you've had a chance to get used to driving on electric power.

Whatever you decide, browse our range of vehicles — electric, hybrid and petrol/diesel — or talk to our team, who can help you find the right fit.

This guide is intended for general information only and shouldn't be used as the sole basis for your decision. We'd always recommend doing your own research before choosing to drive an electric vehicle.