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Ask us Anything about Electric Cars – Our Answers
With now over 1,000 electric cars in our fleet, we know you may have some questions about how best to use an electric car. So, we gave you, our members, the chance to ask our Fleet operations team anything about them. Here are your questions, and here are their answers:
How do I charge an electric car?
If you're using an electric vehicle for the first time, we understand that you might be unsure about how to charge it. But don't worry - charging an electric car is just as easy as filling up a traditional car with fuel. Plus, using an electric vehicle is eco-friendlier and more cost-efficient than using a traditional petrol car. Visit our Help Centre for some handy hints. You’ll also find more information in the cars when you scan the ‘Tips on how to drive me’ QR code.
How long does it take to charge a car?
With a rapid charger, which is 50kW and above and has a charge cable included, a full charge can take around 40 minutes. The higher the kW, the faster the charge! We'd recommend planning your route ahead of time to make sure you aren't stuck without charge.
Should electric vehicles be charged at 100% or is 80% best?
Current research shows that charging an electric car battery to 80% is the best way of gaining a quick charge. Once the battery reaches 80%, the rate at which the battery charges slows dramatically. So, if you’re running low on time, charging to 80% is a good option.
How do I find a charge point when travelling?
Our Zipcar team use the Zapmap – an interactive map that shows the location and status of charging stations around the UK. We recommend using this tool. For longer electric journeys we do recommend you plan your route ahead before travelling. For more information, please see our Help Centre.
What if the vehicle is on low battery when I get it?
If a car battery is too low for a short journey our systems automatically block it (meaning members cannot see or book the vehicle) and one of our team will charge the car. However, if you’re not sure if the battery range will last for your trip, you do have the option to charge the car. What’s more, we offer a charging incentive programme which gives you money back (and off!) when you charge an electric Zipcar.
What do Zipcar members need to do when the battery is low?”
If your charge level goes below 20% during your trip please call our Member Services Team right away who can help direct you to the nearest charging station or back to the Zipzone. It’s best to ensure you are monitoring your charge level throughout your trip to be confident you have enough left to finish your planned journey. In the unfortunate event that you completely run out of charge, please find the nearest safe location and call Member Services on 0333 240 9000.
Is there any incentive in place to charge an electric car?
Yes! We have an Electric car charging incentive in place: If you take one of our electric cars on a journey over 6 hours and end your trip with over 60% charge, we’ll reimburse the cost you paid to charge the car, plus refund £20 off the cost of that trip. If your journey doesn’t qualify for the incentive, then currently Zipcar do not cover the journey time it takes to charge, but we do pay for the charge – just like we pay for fuel. We also have a team whose job it is to service, clean and re-fuel and charge the cars as well, so there should always be a suitable vehicle near you.
How far in miles can an electric car go?
All our electric vehicles have a slightly different range, which can depend on many factors including how you drive. It's important to check the range on the vehicle dashboard before you set off and regularly during your trip, which tells you how far you can go with the current change. Remember, 0% charge means the car can no longer drive, so it's important to prepare ahead to ensure you don't get stuck without charge and incur extra costs!
How do I search for electric cars only?
The easiest way to find one of our electric cars is to look out for the blue speech bubble on the image of the car in the app. The names of the vehicles are also a great indication – for example, they usually mention their electric status: Corsa-e, e-Golf. Lastly, the vast majority of our electric cars are in our one-way Flex fleet, so that’s a great place to start.
Why do EVs only appear to be available for Flex bookings and not Roundtrips?
The majority of our electric cars are in our one-way Flex fleet (over 1,000 of them!), because when we first introduced electric cars in 2018 the battery life was only suitable for shorter, usually inner city journeys. However, as vehicle battery life has drastically improved we’ve now hugely extended our EV fleet and are starting to place a few vehicles into Roundtrip. Watch this space!
I live in an area outside of the Zipzone and there don’t seem to be any electric cars to book, why is that?
The majority of our electric cars are available in our Flex fleet, and we're looking to expand into new Flex areas at the moment. Plus, the great news is we’re adding more EVs to our Roundtrip fleet so there may well be one near you soon.
Do electric cars cost the same as petrol cars?
Yes, our electric Flex cars cost the same to hire as a vehicle in the same category (size, for example) as a petrol car. This is because we are firmly of the view that electric cars are key to the future of creating cleaner air for everybody.
Does an electric trip always need to be ended near one of those electric charger things when the trip has ended?
No, a one-way Flex car can be parked in any approved parking bay within the Zipzone. If it is a Roundtrip electric car, you must return it to the bay you picked it up from (as with a petrol Roundtrip car).
Do I need to charge the car before returning it or ending my trip?
If the battery is below 20%, we would ask you to charge the vehicle before the end of your trip. This gives the next member sufficient charge to start their journey. To make this as easy as possible, we have a charging incentive programme whereby you receive back the cost of the charge plus £20 off that journey if your trip is over 6 hours too. Find out more here.
Can I drive an EV anywhere in the UK?
Yes you certainly can! Just keep in mind if you’re taking a trip further afield, you’ll likely need to charge the electric car. It’s easy, and we’ve got lots of tips on our Help Centre, plus the QR codes in the cars, to help you out.
Why don’t you have hybrid cars?
We have chosen the most sustainable options for our fleet as we’re working towards helping to create cleaner, greener cities for us all.
Ready to get on the road?
Search the Zipcar app to find cars near you and take to the road in one of electric cars.