Are electric vehicles (EVs) actually more expensive? Do they really take all day to charge? If you use a car wash are you in for a shocking surprise?

Chris Jackson, Head of Fleet Partnerships at Centrica Business Solutions, says the answer to all of those questions is a resounding no – Chris has driven pretty much every EV there is over the past 15 years, covering tens of thousands of miles and by his own account, experiencing “the good, the bad and the downright ugly of the UK’s charging infrastructure”.

He spoke with future Net Zero’s Jonny Bairstow to dispel some of the most common myths surrounding battery-powered cars, as well as some more uncommon beliefs too.

He started the conversation with an explanation why EVs might not be as expensive as you think: “In the fleet world, there’s this long-established concept of total cost of ownership, which just means accurately measuring all of the fixed and variable costs of motoring for as long as you have the vehicle, not just on the initial list price of it.

“We’ve seen this start to translate into the retail market as people understand how the low running costs of an EV offset its higher purchase price, however the list prices are actually reducing themselves now, thanks to models from MG, Fiat, Vauxhall, Peugeot and others.”

He noted that it is also important to take potential future government intervention into account too, such as the internal combustion engine costs of driving into clean air zones, higher fuel duties, lower resale values and higher taxes.

Listen to the full podcast to find out more.