Photo credit: Nissan. 

By Anders Lorenzen

The Christmas period is a busy time of year for transport networks, with many traveling to see friends and family it’s also a bustling time of year for travel emissions.

New UK research has found that if you travel home in an electric car you can save a few pennies as well as emissions.

This is according to research by New Motion, the largest Electric Vehicle (EV) charging partner in Europe.

Their research, which was based on traveling by electric vehicle (EV) in the UK, found that Britons could save over £100 by EV’s over trains and traditional petrol cars this Christmas. Needless to say, it would also reduce emissions, and if the car was charged using renewable energy sources you could further reduce the carbon footprint of your Christmas travels.

New Motion which is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands and was recently acquired by Dutch oil and gas giant Shell, found that a return journey from London to Glasgow in an EV could save you £124 compared to traveling by train. That’s the same as 60 kilos of Brussel sprouts. The company is urging the public to consider EVs as a viable option for travel this Christmas.

Setting off from London and traveling to and from Manchester by EV results in impressive savings, worth £73, the savings of a return journey to Newcastle are £123.

NewMotion calculated these figures based on a fully charged Nissan Leaf, which has a battery capacity of 30kWh and driving range of 250km. Of course with different EV models, the calculations will change slightly, ranges also depend on the speed you’re traveling. UK train tickets also fluctuate wildly depending on what time you book and during what time you travel – but during Christmas, due to the high demand, the price of train tickets soar.

The UK Business Developer for NewMotion, Lee Feihn on the research: “For many, Christmas is a time to be reunited with friends and family. We wanted to show that traveling via an Electric Vehicle is a real and cost-effective option for travelers this festive season.”

There’s currently 115,000 electric cars registered in the UK and 13,000 charge points across 4,500 locations. Demand for EVs, and a dedicated infrastructure to support them is growing according to the company. Feihn states: “While the infrastructure in place for EVs has improved significantly in recent years, there is still an urgent need for continued expansion to ensure we keep up with the demands of consumers to choose a cost-effective and eco-friendly option.”