What to Know Before You Go Electric
Here at MOOV by Al-Futtaim, we firmly believe that the petrol engine car will be with us for some time yet. But we also recognise that green is the way to go and that more environmentally-friendly forms of motoring are going to shape our future. So we offer both hybrid and full EV options such as the Polestar 2, an innovative and ground-breaking electric car that is taking the UAE by storm.
But if you are thinking of making the switch from the internal combustion engine to a full EV, what should you think about before you take the plunge? Here are our top five tips on what you should know before you go electric.
1. Is electric right for you?
This will entirely depend on the kind of driving you do. If you just use your car for short hops commuting, the school run, or trips to the nearest city mall then an EV may be right up your street. These zero-emission cars are ideally suited for life in the city, producing no emissions and with a sufficient range between charges to get you to where you want to go. But if you do a lot of long-distance driving then an EV may not be the right choice and a hybrid may be a better option.
2. Could you have a home-charging unit?
While there are more and more charging units popping up at car parks all over Dubai, many people will still need to recharge their EV overnight from a home charging port. These have to be fitted specially, so if you live in an apartment building there may not be the option for charging your car up while you catch some sleep.
3. Is the infrastructure in place for green driving?
EVs, while not a new concept, are relatively recent when it comes to the overall driving landscape. And while there may be plenty of petrol stations, electric charging points are still not as common as gas pumps. If you’re travelling any distance, you’ll need to plan your journey carefully so that you don’t end up suffering from ‘range anxiety’ and worry if you’re going to make it to the next charging spot.
4. Different chargers work at different speeds
Unlike petrol pumps, chargers do work at different speeds that can be as fast as 350kW or as slow as under 10kW. Bear in mind that EVs have a maximum charge rate too, so even if you plug into a fast charger, you may still be waiting for quite a while to top up those batteries. If you’re in a hurry, a charging stop could add a couple of hours to your journey so be prepared to be flexible or plan well ahead to make sure you keep charging times down to a minimum.
5. Buy or lease?
If you’re not sure about making the final plunge and buying an EV, why not ‘try before you buy’? At MOOV by Al-Futtaim, you can take out a car subscription for a month or more that allows you to choose an EV or hybrid car as part of our Drive Green package. This will give you the chance to see if an EV suits your lifestyle, your budget, and your driving habits. And if it doesn’t tick all the right boxes, you can switch at the end of the month and try something else instead.
Find out more about our Drive Green package and our range of EV cars at MOOV by Al-Futtaim. No matter whether you choose a traditional petrol-engine city runabout or a state-of-the-art Polestar 2 EV, we’ll keep you MOOVing.
