Electric and hybrid cars

Rather than using a conventional petrol or diesel engine, electric cars pair a large battery with an electric motor. This means you'll need to plug in to a home charger or use the public charging network, rather than visit a fuel pump. Some motorists are concerned about running out of charge — often referred to as range anxiety — but with most EVs now capable of more than 200 miles on a charge, and some closing in on the 500 mile mark, this is less of a concern than ever before.

Still, you'll need to think ahead, and charging overnight on a dual-rate EV tariff will deliver the lowest costs. You may need to factor in charging stops on longer journeys. But as with so many things, the more you do this, the more familiar it all becomes — and few EV drivers miss the cost of having to visit a petrol station.

The electric car market is booming in response to growing demand from consumers, driven in part by financial incentives, and pressure from governments to force car makers to lower emissions. As a result, there are more electric cars coming soon than ever before.

Electric car technology is changing rapidly, with driving range going up and charging times coming down. This can make picking the best electric car for your needs tricky — but our list of the best electric cars can help.

Electric car makers declare official ranges for their electric vehicles but, as with all cars, real-world performance is subject to variables such as driving style and climatic conditions. To help guide buyers further What Car? conducts its own independent Real Range tests on electric vehicles.

Our list of the longest-range electric cars is your ready-reckoner the EVs which will cover the longest distances based on official figures.

The electric car charging infrastructure is rapidly growing. Not only does that mean there are more chargers around, but they are increasingly fast, which can slice the time it'll take to charge your electric car. Our rundown of the best public EV chargers can help you find the most reliable on the roads. You can simply turn up, plug in, follow the steps on the screen and pay using a contactless credit or debit card.

Electric cars are easier and cheaper to drive if you have a home charger, though. These are far slower than public chargers, but allow you to plug in every night and can ensure you have a full battery by the morning. Our reviews of the best home EV chargers can guide you to the perfect unit for you. Similarly, our rundown of the best EV tariffs can help you drive down the cost of charging by taking advantage of overnight off-peak charging.

The cost of charging an electric car varies according to where and when you charge it. Charging at overnight at home, using a dual-rate EV tariff means it could cost a few pounds to travel several hundred miles. Fast public charging will cost much, much more, and in some places prices are comparable with petrol or diesel.

The vast majority of electric cars use Type 2 and CCS-style plugs, meaning there's far more standardisation than you might expect. Type 2 plugs will be used for home charging — 7kW (kilowatts) in most cases, although could be as much as 22kW if your electricity connection supports it. 

CCS (Combined Charging System) is the high-speed charging standard, and adds an extra element to the Type 2 plug. It's the plug you'll be using if you use a high-speed public charger.

A handful of older EVs may use the increasingly rare CHAdeMO standard, and even fewer use a Type 1.

As with all cars, servicing costs vary by manufacturer. While technicians have to be trained specifically to work on electric cars because of the risk of shock, though, the work is actually easier because there are substantially fewer moving parts than in an a car with an engine. According to our survey into the most reliable electric cars, they are becoming increasingly robust.

The Government's Electric Car Grant provides a discount of up to £3750 off the price of new electric cars. The criteria for eligibility is tight, however, and is based on a range of criteria, including some sustainability factors. Other cars are eligible for the lower level of £1500.