Driving expert debunks claim EVs are more likely to catch fire and offers buying advice
A motoring YouTuber who has reviewed a number of electric cars has shared advice to help drivers understand if an EV is right for them, debunking a common myth.
A popular automotive personality has offered drivers a number of tips to help them decide whether an electric car is right for them.
Shahzad Sheikh runs the Brown Car Guy channel on YouTube, often posting videos in which he reacts to the latest developments on the motoring scene and shares tips that can help drivers save money and get a dependable new or used car.
In one of his latest videos, Shahzad discusses the pros and cons of buying an electric car, stating that there are many myths that need to be debunked.
He explained: "One of the things about electric cars is that they're really quite good now. There's a lot of myths and misconceptions, I'm not going to go into those right now, but just to briefly touch on them, they are far-far-far less likely to self-combust than you think they are and than everybody says they are.
"The most likely vehicles to self-combust or actually to catch fire are hybrids, this is according to data and stats, and electric cars came a very distant third. But, the problem is that, if they do catch fire, it's pretty spectacular and virtually impossible to put out."
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), sales of electric vehicles nearly doubled during 2023, with 118,973 sold in the UK over the 12-month period.
However, whilst Shahzad highlighted that many models have improved significantly over the past decade, he suggested that some motorists are still concerned over various factors including their safety and running costs.
A recent study conducted by Bridgestone Tyres found that 27 percent of drivers have no plans to buy an electric car, despite the Government pledging to bring the ban on new petrol and diesel cars back to 2030.
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Later in the video, the YouTuber suggested that many of the current incentives to encourage people to buy an electric car are due to be phased out, but drivers can get a discount if they buy it as a company vehicle.
He added: "Should you get one? I would say that would depend on your circumstances. First of all, they are expensive, but there is a situation where you can buy one as a company car and get certain tax incentives. However, keep in mind that some of the traditional advantages of having an EV are being errorded.
"For example, they will be subject to road tax and vehicle excise duty (VED) from 2025, that's happening. In addition to that, if you live in London or around there and think you can drive into the congestion charge zone because they've registered it, that goes away from December 25 2025."
Finally, Shahzad recommended that drivers should consider the sort of motoring they intend to do, with the majority of smaller electric cars best suited to town and city driving.
He continued: "Now, in terms of the daily realities of an EV, if most of your driving is around town, particularly if you live in a busy metropolis, they're actually really good. You do have to keep in mind that the range manufacturers quote is not the real world range that you'll get. You can take 30 percent off that figure easily.
"Having said that, it fluctuates quite a bit. If you're someone who does a lot of motorway miles, you're not going to see anywhere near that [quoted] range because the more sustained high-speed driving that you do in an EV, the faster you'll drain the battery."