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MINI Countryman S E charging
An Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) is a low emission car or van that emits 75g/km CO2 or less, based on the NEDC test. ULEVs include pure electric vehicles, electric range-extender vehicles, and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).
This section includes everything you need to know about ULEVs, including independent reviews.
ULEVs can benefit from a range of financial incentives including:
ULEVs include pure electric vehicles, electric range-extender vehicles, and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).
Most people charge their electric cars at home overnight using a home charge point. Grants are available for home charge points (see above). There is also an ever-increasing public charging infrastructure around the UK (there are more than 13,000 public charge points across the UK), with around 1,000 rapid chargers – many of them at motorway service stations (96% of motorway services have rapid chargers).
Some public charging points are ‘open access’ (free). But most belong to one of the main network providers. You may need either their contactless RFID card or mobile app, depending upon the provider.
There’s an agreed standard for the sockets found on the latest charging points – all now using the universal ‘Type Two’ socket.
There’s only a small variety of electric vehicles
The range of electric vehicles is increasing month by month, and this trend is set to accelerate over the coming years. Already there is an electric vehicle in most car body styles, there is an increasing number of electric vans coming to market, and their are even electric trucks and buses.
Electric vehicles are expensive
Some electric vehicles are more expensive to buy than similar petrol vehicles, but electric vehicles have much lower running costs – typically around one-fifth of the running costs of petrol vehicles – so electric vehicles are typically cheaper to run on a whole life cost basis than a petrol or diesel vehicles.
Electric vehicles have limited driving ranges
Many electric vehicles had real-world ranges of around 80-100 miles over recent years, but real-world ranges are now typically over 200 miles in the case of many pure electric vehicles, subject to individual make and model.
Electric vehicles are difficult to charge
Most electric vehicle owners charge their vehicles at home overnight using a home charge point. There is an ever-expanding public charging infrastructure, with rapid chargers at virtually all motorway service stations.
Electric vehicles aren’t good to drive
This is a common statement from people who haven’t driven electric vehicles. People who have driven electric vehicles have a very different view. Electric vehicles have instant responses when accelerating due to 100% of torque being available at all times, they’re extremely quiet, and very refined. Most EVs have their batteries in the floor, resulting in a low centre of gravity, and therefore excellent handling.
Hyundai IONIQ Electric – Launch
Hyundai IONIQ Electric – Living with
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV long-term test
smart fortwo cabrio Electric Drive
Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine Launch
All the above vehicles have electric, electric range-extender, or plug-in hybrid powertrains. However the following vehicle also currently emits less than 75g/km CO2 based on the NEDC test and therefore meets the current UK government criteria for a ULEV.
