Electric vehicles the new hire car of choice in the wake of VW diesel scandal
According to British car hire firm, Flexed.co.uk, the recent Volkswagen diesel scandal has seen demand for electric cars go “through the roof in recent weeks…petrol and diesel cars just aren’t getting a look in.” Another reason for the surge, according to Flexed.co.uk representative, Mark Hall, is simple economics; in the UK it is cheaper to operate an electric vehicle than a petrol one. “The motor trade was well prepared for increased interest in green driving this year,” stated Hall, “But they’ve been caught out by the spike in orders following the VW scandal…Electric cars are no longer the preserve of the rich minority. They’re now available to anybody who wants a reliable, green, cheap-to-run car. The days of spending £50 per week to fill up your polluting car will soon be over.”

The recent Volkswagen scandal involving diesel car emissions seems to have caused a surge in electric vehicle interest, according to a UK-based car rental firm.

The surge has been so great, according to Flexed.co.uk, that lead-in times for rentals have increased notably — largely owing to the scandal, but also partly due to simple economics. After all, it’s often a bit cheaper (in the UK, as well as some other places) to operate an electric vehicle (EV) than it is a petrol or diesel car.

“We’ve seen enquiries for electric cars go through the roof in recent weeks,” stated Flexed.co.uk representative Mark Hall, “Petrol and diesel cars just aren’t getting a look in.”

Interestingly, the surge seems to pertain mostly to pure all-electric vehicles rather than to plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). PHEVs have reportedly remained largely unchanged.

“There seems to be a wave of disgust at Volkwagen over the emissions scandal, and it’s driving customers away from petrol, diesel, and hybrid cars, no matter what the make.”

A recent email sent to EV Obsession provides some of the assumed reasons for the surge in interest:

Vehicle prices which compare favourably with petrol and diesel equivalents

Electric cars have no emissions, so pay no road tax

Running costs are as little as 3p per mile, a quarter of the cost for petrol cars compared with an average of 13p per mile for petrol cars

Speed, performance, and range have vastly improved, dispelling the electric car ‘milk float’ image

Easily-accessible rapid charging points now available across the UK, with main dealers offering free forecourt charging

“The motor trade was well prepared for increased interest in green driving this year,” stated Hall, “But they’ve been caught out by the spike in orders following the VW scandal.”

“Electric cars are no longer the preserve of the rich minority. They’re now available to anybody who wants a reliable, green, cheap-to-run car. The days of spending £50 per week to fill up your polluting car will soon be over.”

Image Credit: Nissan