Electric cars are an exciting choice for adventures away or daily commutes. They are easy to drive, great fun and produce zero local emissions which means their cleaner and better for our environment.

But there’s lots to consider, how do you charge an electric car? How long do the batteries last? And do you need to service an electric car? At FOW Car Supermarket, our electric vehicle experts are here to help answer these questions and so much more.

And then there’s the savings you can make, very real savings too. How many miles do you drive each day? What’s your annual mileage and do you cover most of your miles around town or on the Motorway?

At FOW, we’re here to help, not hinder. Friendly and approachable, we have no bias, only the knowledge so you can research and buy with confidence.

That’s why we’ve created a fun, quick fire quiz on everything you should consider when buying a new electric car. And, if you pass with flying colours, we have a fantastic prize up for grabs too - one that will help you get the most from your electric car.

How many moving parts does an electric motor have? Five, fifty, one hundred? One - yes, really! Electric motors only have one moving part. You’ll find an electric motor in a lot of household appliances, everything from a children’s toy, vacuum cleaner and refrigerator to a fan and microwave. So we’re already familiar with an electric motor, but did you know the first electric car launched in 1884?

That’s a whole year before the first internal combustion engine! But, how does an electric motor work? Firstly, there are two types of electric motor, an AC motor (Alternating Current) and DC motor (Direct Current). The majority of electric cars are equipped with an AC motor because they provide superior performance and energy efficiency, while unlocking the capability for brake regeneration systems.

So, in an electric car, the AC motor uses alternating current to generate mechanical power. The alternating current is transferred to the stator which produces an electromagnetic field, it’s here things get interesting! The rotor, which is the only moving part spins as polarity moves. This motion is how torque is generated and with an axle, how mechanical power is sent to the driven wheels.

But, that’s just an electric motor, for an electric car to work you’ll also need a battery. Battery technology is always evolving with most electric vehicles benefiting from a lithium-ion or lithium iron phosphate battery to deliver excellent performance and efficiency. Solid state batteries are in a research and development cycle, it’s hoped these will drive costs down further and improve charging speeds.

There’s more to an electric car too. The transmission - most cars are equipped with a single speed gearbox, cooling systems (this is very important for maintaining battery longevity and performance) and auxiliary battery (the same as you’ll find in a petrol or diesel car). There’s also an onboard charger and charging port as well as a power electronics controller to regulate charging speed and delivery.

And, the latest electric cars are engineered to accommodate this technology without compromise. Batteries are located lower in the chassis to reduce the centre of gravity and promote positive driver feedback. The packaging also extends to interior space, some have a ‘frunk’, or front boot alongside a traditional boot and flat interior floor.

More good news, electric car manufacturers offer long warranties for the battery systems. This is typically 8 - 10 years and usually guarantees a minimum capacity of around 70%, but this can vary between manufacturers. At FOW Car Supermarket we also offer an electric vehicle warranty. Powered by the RAC with preferential terms and conditions so you can enjoy every journey behind the wheel of your new electric car.

Great question and one we get asked regularly! There is a wide selection of electric cars available with a manufacturer claimed maximum range of 400+ miles on a single charge - Mercedes, Peugeot, Audi, Volkswagen, Polestar and Tesla are just some of the models available at FOW Car Supermarket.

But, we don’t get asked this question from those shopping for a petrol or diesel car? While we get the reservations, electric cars are often in the same ballpark as a petrol car, while promoting greener energy usage. For instance, the Peugeot e-3008 and Peugeot 3008 1.2 PureTech can both travel 400+ miles based on WLTP figures (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) - plus there is only an 11 mile difference in favour of the petrol model.

The average distance we drive each day in the UK is 20 miles. This means the average motorist could drive a compact electric car, such as the Renault 5 E-Tech with a 40kWh battery for a total of 9 days without charging. If you opt for a model with a 400+ mile range, this increases to around 20 days. Of course, there are a lot of variables to consider, but this demonstrates just how usable an electric car is.

And there’s the technology to consider! Adjusting your driving style and adapting brake regeneration technology can increase your range by up to 20%. Sounds impressive? There’s more you can do too, adjusting your tyre pressures can add 4% to your range, while bigger wheels and tyres can reduce range by up to 6%. Travel on the Motorway? Reduce your speed from 70 mph to 60 mph and you’ll net a 10% range increase. Boot full? For every 45kg removed, you’ll increase your range by around 2% - this can soon add up with passengers and don’t forget to schedule charging at home to start each day with a full charge.

To unlock the maximum savings you’ll need a charger at home. The Optimus from Go Zero is perfectly designed to complement your electric car - and it means you can start every day with a full charge. The charger is also monitored remotely with options to measure spend and charging insights from the Go Zero app. If you’re really creative, you can activate Holiday or Solar mode to earn or save you money too.

Most important though - you have the ability to schedule your charging! It’s really easy to do and gives you access to cheaper, more sustainable overnight energy. A home charger also let’s you pre-condition the car from your smartphone, so if it’s warm outside you can cool the interior ahead of your journey, and if it’s cold, you can warm the interior too - both without affecting your maximum range.

Charging overnight also helps balance energy usage. You’ll be charging your electric car when demand is lower and if you’ve got a green energy tariff, you’ll also be charging sustainably too. British Gas, E.on, EDF, Ovo and Octopus are just some of the companies with electric vehicle tariffs - and with the fantastic rates available you could save over £1,000 a year vs an equivalent petrol or diesel car over 10,000 miles.

Explore nearly new and used electric cars at FOW Car Supermarket - multi-award winning electric car retailer with hundreds of quality models available in Cheshire and Manchester.