Choosing the perfect car has always been a difficult task for parents; it needs to be reasonably priced but not feel cheap or flimsy, have enough space to carry everything including the kitchen sink but not be hard to park, and be both safe and easy to drive.
The family car of choice has evolved over the years, with modern families now being steered towards SUVs. These come in all shapes and sizes, from more compact SUVs to bigger seven-seaters. Fortunately for families, there are plenty of full battery and hybrid electric SUVs to choose from, as well as crossovers, that make great family cars.
Why are more families making the switch to EVs?
The simple answer is: electric cars are for everyone. They’re better for the environment than equivalent petrol and diesel cars, making them an excellent choice for eco-conscious families that want to be able to do the school run without harming the planet.
They’re also cheaper to run, both in terms of their charging costs, and how much it costs to maintain them. This means switching to an electric car help families reduce their driving costs, giving them more money to spend on their children, or save money towards their futures.
Plus, having an electric car won’t cause any disruption to your family’s routine. If anything, it will enhance it. Family life can be incredibly hectic at times, but with their ability to charge at home overnight, you can rest assured that your electric car will always be fully charge and ready to go.
What to look for in a family-friendly EV
Not all families are alike. What’s important for one family may not be as necessary to another as something else. But there are probably some key themes that emerge in terms of what makes an electric car a good family-friend vehicle:
Cost
Children aren’t cheap, so parents are constantly on the lookout for ways to save money whenever they can.
New cars, whether electric or otherwise, can be a bit hit on expenses, although EV prices have been gradually coming down over the last few years as more drivers switch to them. This in turn makes the second-hand electric car market bigger and better, with more reasonably priced models available. Additionally, it’s generally cheaper to charge an EV than refuel an equivalent petrol or diesel car, and their maintenance costs are much lower. So simply making the switch to an EV should, in the long run, save you money.
Space
As a parent, you won’t just be transporting your children, but also all of their bags, filled with their clothes and everything you need to keep them fed, entertained, and (hopefully) content. That means you’ll need a boot with plenty of space to hold everything.
Depending on how many people you’re transporting, you may also need more than five seats, especially if your school run involves picking up other people’s children on the way. In this case, a standard hatchback won’t cut it, and you’ll probably be looking at an SUV – the modern-day people carrier.
Safety
Being a parent means keeping your family safe at all times, whether at home or on the road. Fortunately, modern cars have to be built with a plethora of safety features in mind. This means any modern electric car will be more than safe enough to put your mind at rest. If in doubt, it should be easy enough to find out which safety tests the car you’re thinking of buying has been put through and how it fared.
Plus, EVs don’t carry a highly flammable (and not to mention toxic) source of fuel which is purposefully combusted in order to make the car move and that you have to come into very close contact with when refuelling.
Range
Most school runs tend to be on the shorter end of our daily drives. But adventurous families that regularly drive long distances and do long road trips may want to prioritise driving range.
The idea that electric cars can’t drive very far is a myth, with many having driving ranges in the hundreds of miles. Plus, the UK at least has a reliable network of public EV chargers for when you need a top up, making range anxiety a thing of the past.
Onboard technology
We undoubtedly live in a technological world, and the modern car is packed with all kinds of features to make the act of driving as easy and convenient as possible. Electric cars are no exception, being equipped with cutting edge technology, meaning you can expect the usual onboard features like sat nav, large touch screens (if you can keep your kids from touching them with their likely sticky fingers!), parking sensors etc.
Families may pay particular attention to a car’s onboard infotainment such as rear seat displays, allowing your kids to watch their favourite TV shows (hopefully in silence) so that you don’t have to suffer through the constant barrage of “are we there yet” and “I’m bored”.
Charging tips for busy parents
If you’re thinking “I’ve got children, they demand a lot of my time, so how am I going to find time to fit charging an electric car into the rest of the day?”, we’ve got good news for you: charging an electric car is easy.
How easy? Well, technically so easy and safe that your kids can do it, although you should probably still supervise them. Charging an electric car is really just a case of plugging a cable into the side, pressing a button or two on a phone app, and then walking away. It really is that simple!
Plus, if you can get a home charger installed, you won’t need to drive anywhere to fuel it. So, if anything, having an electric car will actually give you more time to do other things.
Better still, there are some things you can do to make it even more convenient:
Charge overnight – unlike non-EVs, you can charge an electric car overnight when you (and, hopefully, the kids) are asleep. That’s one less task you need to remember to do during the day. Plus, energy demand is lower overnight, which usually translates to cheaper and greener energy.
Get a smart charger – smart EV charging is all about features of dedicated home EV chargers designed to make charging as easy and convenient as possible. For example, charge scheduling means you only need to set your charging preferences once; then, all you need to do to charge is plug your car in and the charger will take care of the rest. It couldn’t be easier!
Take advantage of public chargers – charging at home is undoubtedly the best way to go. But when you’re out and about, there are plenty of places you’ll likely visit regularly, like supermarkets, where you can find public chargers. This means you can park, plug in, and go do whatever you need to do and come back to a more charged car. This is doubly the case if your workplace offers employee charging.
Get your kids involved – fuelling petrol or diesel cars is too dangerous for children to do it, but electric cars are much safer and easier to charge. There are no harmful substances involved; just a charging cable and a socket. If your child can lift the cable and reach the port, you could save yourself some valuable seconds by teaching them how to correctly (and safely!) plug the car in to charge.
Why electric cars are perfect for the modern family
We could go on for hours about how electric cars are great for any driver, but families in particular can effortlessly benefit by making the switch to an EV:
EVs are cheaper to run and maintain, and there are plenty of ways to reduce the costs associated, such as government grants for home chargers
With their lack of tailpipe emissions, EVs are much better for the planet, making them great for eco-conscious parents who want their children to have a greener future
With smart charging, charging electric vehicles is so simple and convenient. If you can charge at home, you don’t need to take time out of your day to refuel. And if you can’t, you can likely plug in at your destination and charge whilst you’re busy doing something else
Charging overnight means recharging your electric car won’t be added to the long list of jobs parents need to do throughout the day, saving you money and time. Time not spent standing around fuelling your car is more time you have to spend with your family or do chores
Modern electric cars have superior ranges reaching well into the 100s, giving you more than enough driving range to do the school run twice a day, the weekly shop, your commute to work, and any other trips you need to take throughout the week
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