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Posted by Athena Electrical on

In our last blog post we mentioned the electric car rental scheme that will be unveiled in London next year, and the grants available for people interested in installing their own off street parking Charging Points.

Keeping on the Electric Vehicle (EV) theme, there is a much anticipated uptake of EV usage in the next few years, and as a company that pride ourselves on our eco-principles, Athena Electrical have been leasing a pure electric car for the last six months, which you can see above.

So what are the benefits? Well, aside from producing zero emissions, which benefits everyone, the cost of driving an EV is about six times cheaper than a petrol or diesel car. The cost to fully charge an EV is between £2 and £3, allowing you to drive up to 120 miles. If you have solar panels on your home you can use your FREE solar generated electricity to reduce your charging costs further.

If that’s not enough to get your attention, then EVs are road tax exempt and if like us, you’re London based, then you will not have to pay the London Congestion Charge, which if you drive into the City regularly could save you up to £2,400 a year. Parking in London can also be quite pricey, but EV owners receive free charging and parking at Source London Charging points. 

On a more personal note, EVs have excellent acceleration and are brilliant to drive in London traffic and as they have fewer components than conventional vehicles will save you quite considerably on servicing and maintenance. 

Although EVs have a higher initial cost compared to petrol or diesel vehicles, Government subsidies are available and the long-term savings are quite considerable. For more information about pure EVs, we suggest you take a look at the Energy Saving Trust website, which has information and videos that will hopefully answer any questions you might have, should you be considering joining the EVolution. 


There was understandably much in the news about the smog and pollution in London last week. One of the major contributing factors is vehicle pollution, which in itself is adding to the number of people affected by respiratory problems and other illnesses. A move towards low emission vehicles is essential if we are to ease pollution. This time next year, a brand new electric car rental scheme will have been unveiled by Mayor Boris Johnson in London, allowing users to borrow an electric vehicle (EV) for as little as £5 for 30 minutes. 

The proposed scheme follows a similar trial that has taken place in Paris over the last 3 years, which has been so successful, that over 10,000 journeys in 1,800 electric vehicles now take place in the French capital every day, which means that not only does it have more electric cars on the road than most other cities, but more charging points. 

In preparation for next years EV scheme, and to help stimulate the uptake of electric vehicle usage, the Government has committed £13.7 million for the installation of domestic off-street parking Charging Points. As recently qualified installers and in association with the government’s Office for Low Emission Electric Vehicle (OLEV) grant funding, Athena Electrical can offer you a free Domestic EV charging station, even if you don’t plan to purchase an electric vehicle.

To be eligible, you must have an off street parking space and agree to let OLEV collect charging data for 3 years. We will take care of the grant application and paper work, and you will not be asked to contribute any funds for the installation of a 3kW domestic charging point. However, as part of the grant eligibility, you must keep the Charging Point switched on so that the government is able to collect the data transmitted by the meter over the next 3 years.

By agreeing to have a Charging Unit installed in your off street parking space, you will be supporting the adoption of electric vehicles in to the city, improving the environment and air quality of the local community, and, should you wish to purchase an EV in the future, save yourself the cost of the installation. If you would like to join the EVolution and have a free Domestic Electric Vehicle Charging Point installed at your home, please get in touch


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