Why our local Warrington Electric Car Lease customers could be enjoying amazing EVs

Amazing EV's our Warington Electric Car customers could be enjoying

The move into electric cars has to be productive for both personal (retail) and business (fleet) customers. As we push through 2024, we have witnessed a long-list of pros and cons behind the transition battery tech.

With a new Labour Government seemingly more pro-EV than their predecessors, the pressures on the entire electric vehicle community are clearly palpable.

But even at this point, we still have certain hurdles and obstacles which do need to be addressed if mass-adoption does happen in both the new and used aspect of the market. Charging, in terms of availability and speed, is one such topic that has persisted, even though we are some years into this mature market.

Charging speed is often something which is misunderstood. To be clear, there are two facets with your charging - AC and DC. The former, AC (Alternating Current) will refer to slower forms of charging facilities which you find at home, work or at some destinations like supermarkets or train stations.

On your car there will be a maximum capacity denoted which will say 7 / 11 or 22 kW. Most home (domestic) charging will be 7kW, which are designed to gradually charge your vehicle over a period of 6 - 12 hours. However, with 3-phase electric infrastructure you can install an 11 or 22kW charging facility but these are more common in commercial and business premises.

While more EVs are being built with 11kW AC abilities, there are a smattering of 22kW options now available. The key to this will be the ability to charge a bigger battery vehicle in around 4 - 6 hours. Since AC charge points are far cheaper than DC or rapid charge ones, this can be more cost-effective.

The Direct Current, or DC rapid charge points, are what customers will see at service stations and dedicated charging areas. These are far more expensive for charge point operators to install, especially for what are considered as ultra-rapid (over 150kW). As per Zap Map, there were 5721 of these installed between 2020 and July 2024 .

Not unlike AC, each EV will have different capabilities on rapid charging, so customers should familiarise themselves with the car’s ability coupled with the battery size. As the BBC reported on 14 August 2024  the Zeekr brand, which operates in China, now have the ability to achieve 10-80% in just over 10 minutes.

While not yet in the UK,  Zeekr are owned by Geely, who are also involved with brands like Volvo, Polestar and Lotus. If charging infrastructure can feature 250kW to 350kW facilities, then these breath-taking stats are maybe achievable.

For our local Warrington customers there is some good news when it comes to their public charging infrastructure. The Warrington council have now confirmed that 150 sockets will feature in 35 locations across the town. As per the press release  a company called Zest has been appointed to roll-out the install and maintain the various infrastructure, including the 52 installed at Time Square multi-storey car park.

The Warrington Council have published the locations for the charge points  - so that local residents are aware of the robust facilities in their area. Using the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding and private investment, Warrington are a prime example of what can be achieved.

At a time when more retail customers are moving into used-EVs, these types of initiatives are fundamental to the success of our entire project. Overcoming the obstacles are not always cheap, or quick, but there is clear evidence we can now do this at a local level.

For any Warrington customers or businesses looking to go electric, just speak to experts here for more information

In terms of the car shown, the Volkswagen ID.5 COUPE 210kW Style Pro 77kWh 5dr Auto (Pure Electric Vehicle), this is based on the following configuration:

•  Grenadilla Black Metallic Paint
•  Art velours microfleece cloth - Soul black/Platinum grey
•  Soul black dash trim
• 19" Hamar black diamond turned alloy wheels
• Type Two charging cable

But how does the ID5 model perform?

This has a usable battery of 77 kWh which offers 210kW (2828hp), top speeds of 112mph and 0 - 62 times of 6.7 seconds. Real-world ranges suggest a combined 235 miles in colder weather with warmer temperatures to allow for 325 miles (on a full charge) - a combined 285 miles.

The 11kW AC allows for 0-100% charging times of 8 hour and 15 minutes with the 143 kW DC enabling 10-80% in 28 minutes. The ID.5 has no Bidirectional charging. It has a 150 mpg equivalent, 549L cargo volume and offers towing capacities of 750kg (unbraked) and 1000kg (braked). This is a RWD option.

Browse our VW ID.5 Deals