Battery Electric Vehicles at Donnelly Group Northern Ireland

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) are becoming more common on our roads, but there are still many questions that come up no matter how much research you have carried out before starting your electric vehicle journey. Here at Donnelly Group, we will explain everything you need to know about owning a battery-electric vehicle right here to ensure you find the electric vehicle that’s right for you.

What is a BEV?

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) are fully electric with rechargeable batteries and no petrol engine. These cars rely solely on the electricity stored within the battery pack of the vehicle to run the motor to drive, and power all the electronics onboard such as your headlights, DAB radio, and satellite navigation.

What are the benefits of an electric car?

Electric vehicles offer many benefits over their petrol and diesel counterparts, such as lower running costs, easy and convenient to drive, government grants available to help get you on the road, less maintenance and of course, they’re better for the environment!

What should I look for when buying an electric car?

One of the most important things to consider when purchasing an electric car is what you’re going to be using it for. If you need it for driving around the towns and cities of Northern Ireland, you might have a small electric car in your sights, or maybe you’re looking for both an environmentally and family-friendly model that needs to be suitable for your expanding household. Whatever electric car you’re going for, you need it to fit well with your lifestyle – consider a few of the following things:

  • How far will you be travelling? Most of the electric vehicles on the market now will handle weekly commutes on a single charge, but if you need it to go that bit further or regularly take long trips it’s worth considering a model with a longer range such as the Jaguar I-Pace with a 292-mile range, or Renault ZOE with a 245-mile range.
  • How will I charge the car? Most of the time, it might be cheaper to charge your car overnight at your home. However, if that’s not an option you then need to ensure you find a secure location near your home to charge your vehicle. Sometime’s charging at public points is free for a short stay.Find electric vehicle charging points near your home with ZapApp
  • Will my driving style impact the range? Similar to petrol and diesel cars, how you drive will affect the amount of electricity you use. Slow, smooth driving maximises your range, while high speeds and heavy braking will drain it quicker.

What is it like to drive an electric car?

While there are a lot of benefits to focus on, such as being environmentally friendly and low maintenance, electric cars are a lot of fun to drive. They are highly responsive, and with less noise and fewer vibrations, they’re smooth and effortless to drive!

What electric car models are available at Donnelly Group?

Thinking of making the switch to electric? Check out the fully electric vehicle range available at our Donnelly Group showrooms across Northern Ireland! We also have a range of used electric vehicles available, or if you’re not ready to go fully electric check out our plug-in hybrid and mild-hybrid electric vehicle range!