It’s easy being green – you just need an EV and the right smart tariff

We hate to say it, but everyone’s favourite fictional frog was wrong. It’s actually pretty easy being green – especially if you switch to driving an EV. (We’ll be in touch with Kermit’s team asap to let them know).

Here’s why EVs are so much more eco-friendly than petrol and diesel cars, and how choosing the right tariff can reduce your environmental impact even further.

No tailpipe emissions = no harmful greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere. In fact, by switching from a petrol or diesel car to an EV, you release 1.5 tonnes less of CO2 annually. And, you make an immediate difference to the air quality in your towns and cities.

That’s a pretty big impact for just one person, but it doesn’t stop there.

By choosing an EV, you are driving demand for more investment in EV infrastructure and technology. In turn, this makes them more affordable and accessible for a greater number of people.

Put another way: you’re not just reducing your own carbon footprint, you’re making it easier for others to reduce theirs too.

The manufacturing process for EVs does produce greenhouse gases. Lithium ion battery production is probably the most resource-intensive step in the process.

However, EVs still produce 58% less emissions than petrol cars on average, even when taking into account the emissions during production. This is because:

• EV batteries last a long time – currently the estimate is around 10-20 years. Compare that with the number of parts a petrol or diesel car needs!
• EVs don’t produce tailpipe emissions, offsetting a significant chunk of the emissions associated with battery production.
• The EU recently drew up new regulations for the recovery and reuse of materials from old EV batteries for use elsewhere, such as in electricity storage on the grid.

On top of this, manufacturers are constantly searching for ways to improve the sustainability of their production process – from Tesla’s solar-powered Gigafactory to BYD’s drive towards removing rarer minerals from battery production.

And improvements in EV battery technology and manufacturing techniques are extending their lifetime, resulting in more sustainable production. Check out how BYD are trialling a super-fast, lithium free battery already.

There’s just one thing greener than a car that produces zero emissions – and that’s a car that produces zero emissions whilst being powered by green energy sources.

You can do two things to make this happen:

1. Opt for a green energy supplier, so that the majority of your energy comes from sustainable energy sources such as wind and solar.
2. Charge your EV during off-peak hours, when it’s much more likely that the national grid is using green energy.

And how about this - with vehicle to grid (V2G) technology you can use your EV to power your home at peak times, reducing the amount of non-sustainable peak-time energy you use (and saving yourself a nice chunk on your energy bills).

If your employer has signed up for our company car scheme, there are even more benefits.

• Paying for your car out of your salary saves on your tax and personal benefits.
• Free home-charger (worth £899) or 4,000 miles of public charging.
• Further savings with our special charging tariffs.
• Servicing, maintenance, MOT, breakdown cover included.
• Fully comprehensive insurance as standard.
• 5-Star customer support: Our expert team is here whenever you need them, making your EV journey smooth from start to finish.

(Ts&Cs apply)