Are you together in electric dreams or living in the past? Find out in our great EV quiz

How long does it take to charge an electric vehicle? Photograph: Maskot/Getty Images

1. What actually is an EV?

   1. It’s short for “electric van”, as opposed to “EC”, which means “electric car”.

   2. It’s a model of electric car. You pronounce it “evvv”.

   3. It stands for “electric vehicle”.

2. In a nutshell, why should you switch to an EV?

   1. Because everyone will think you’re a massive legend.

   2. Because they’re the future of cars, and the future starts right now.

   3. Because everyone will get one soon enough and you don't want to be left out.

3. What sort of range are we talking about on a fully charged EV in 2022?

   1. About … 20 miles?

   2. It depends on the car, but these days decent triple figures are not unreasonable.

   3. One million miles.

4. How quickly can an EV accelerate from 0-62mph?

   1. Trick question: the top speed of an electric car is never 60mph.

   2. Er … a minute?

   3. Probably quite quickly, given it doesn’t need to warm up.

5. 

   Is there actually much choice when it comes to getting an EV? Do you just have to buy something weird looking?

   1. Some of them are weird looking, yes, but at the end of the day they’re just cars – they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, many very normal.

   2. Absolutely, you will look like a massive hippy in front of all your gas-guzzling friends.

   3. Only weird looking in the way fire was weird looking to cavemen: see the future and quake, puny humans!

6. Can I actually afford to get an electric car?

   1. Can you afford not to get an electric car?

   2. Sorry – you can't.

   3. You’re clearly not going to get one for a bargain-basement price, but they’re more affordable than they were, surely?

7. How much does it cost to recharge an electric car battery?

   1. Actually, they pay you!

   2. As much as a full tank of petrol.

   3. The average cost of fully charging an EV at home is £15.10.**

8. Don’t you have to spend ages hanging around waiting for an EV to charge?

   1. Yes, it’s basically impractical unless you have loads of time or have a driver to do it for you.

   2. Well, it takes a while, but you can just leave it to charge overnight, surely.

   3. No: these days they charge just as fast as filling a petrol car.

9. BUT WHAT IF I RUN OUT OF ELECTRICITY?

   1. Just … get towed to a charge point?

   2. It has to be taken to a specialist garage to be revived.

   3. Stuff some AAA batteries into the emergency backup?

10. Am I just going to have to get an electric car anyway?

    1. Yes: petrol cars will be made illegal in the UK after 2030.

    2. Maybe: the sale of new petrol cars will be made illegal in the UK after 2030.

    3. Never! The government has no power to stop the private sale of cars.

Solutions

1:C - You guessed it! Or knew it already! Electric cars and vans are referred to in the industry as EVs (plug-in hybrids are PHEVs). Welcome to team EV! Now you’re ready to begin in earnest., 2:B - While point A contains an element of truth that informs B, the simple fact is cars are driving in the electric direction, both ethically and aesthetically. Big car manufacturers such as BMW are not sitting around churning out the same old same old – they’re putting out exciting new EVs such as the BMW i4 Gran Coupé and BMW iX Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV)., 3:B - The days of pitiful EV batteries are long, long behind us. Comparing a full battery and a full tank is a bit of a false comparison given you can recharge your EV at home, when in a meeting, shopping or out for lunch, but should you need to drive long distance, a fully charged BMW i4 can do up to 365 miles* given reasonable conditions, the BMW iX xDrive50 M Sport a little more: perfectly comparable to a petrol car., 4:C - An electric engine doesn’t need to warm up and is far less sensitive and temperamental than a combustion engine, so it can hit top speed pretty fast. The i4 M50 goes from 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds and the BMW iX xDrive50 M Sport will hit 62mph in a shade under five seconds, should that be your bag., 5:A - Yes, there is lots of choice – there are cars in all sizes and shapes to choose, from more affordable family cars to top-of-the range models. Some of them scream I’M AN ELECTRIC CAR, but most drivers prefer something more … normal. The BMW i4 is a Gran Coupé with five-door functionality and to all intents and purposes looks like a BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé, except it’s all electric. The iX is a luxury SAV that guzzles precisely zero gas and has zero driving emissions., 6:C - EVs are indubitably not that cheap at the bottom end, but they’re predicted to be around the same average price as a standard new combustion engine car within a few years. There are also various savings to be made: for starters you get a government grant simply for the act of buying one (currently £1,500); they’re also cheaper to maintain than combustion engine cars because they have far fewer parts. And to estimate the potential fuel savings that can be made on journeys, BMW has a handy calculator. EVs are clearly a serious investment, but a worthwhile one., 7:C - It’s cheap to recharge an electric car – some public charging points are in fact free, while the cost of doing it at home is not going to add a huge amount to your electricity bill., 8:B - It doesn’t really make sense to think of charging an EV in the same terms as filling up a car, because you’re overwhelmingly likely to simply charge it overnight unless you’re on a long-distance journey. Charging publicly, while time-consuming, can be free. However a BMW i4 will go from zero charge to 80% in 34 minutes*** when using a high-powered 250 kW charging station., 9:A - Running out of battery is a lot harder than it sounds: in a modern EV such as the BMW i4 you’d have to exhaust a battery that can drive up to 365 miles* (in laboratory tests), ignore miles of warnings that you need to recharge, and then power through the emergency low energy “turtle mode”. But sure, if you run out of electricity, just get towed somewhere that has electricity: it’s not the most efficient way of doing it, but all EVs can charge (slowly) off a three-pin-plug if push comes to shove., 10:B - As the law currently stands, the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans will be banned in 2030, with hybrids following in 2035. Come 2030, nobody is going to make you scrap your old car and you’ll still be able to buy petrol. But this is really happening, people! EVs are literally the future.

Scores

1. 10 and above.

   You know your EV onions and maybe even own one already. And if you’re looking to trade in, upgrade, or buy that long-planned first EV, consider the BMW i4 Gran Coupé or the BMW iX, a luxury and stylish SAV – the future of driving is already available.

2. 9 and above.

   You know your EV onions and maybe even own one already. And if you’re looking to trade in, upgrade, or buy that long-planned first EV, consider the BMW i4 Gran Coupé or the BMW iX, a luxury and stylish SAV – the future of driving is already available.

3. 8 and above.

   You know your EV onions and maybe even own one already. And if you’re looking to trade in, upgrade, or buy that long-planned first EV, consider the BMW i4 Gran Coupé or the BMW iX, a luxury and stylish SAV – the future of driving is already available.

4. 7 and above.

   You probably like the idea of an EV and have doubtless even considered owning one, but have you actually seriously looked into becoming an owner? With terrific models such as the BMW i4 already available, now is the time.

5. 6 and above.

   You probably like the idea of an EV and have doubtless even considered owning one, but have you actually seriously looked into becoming an owner? With terrific models such as the BMW i4 already available, now is the time.

6. 5 and above.

   You probably like the idea of an EV and have doubtless even considered owning one, but have you actually seriously looked into becoming an owner? With terrific models such as the BMW i4 already available, now is the time.

7. 4 and above.

   You probably like the idea of an EV and have doubtless even considered owning one, but have you actually seriously looked into becoming an owner? With terrific models such as the BMW i4 already available, now is the time.

8. 3 and above.

   It’s probably fair to say that you’ve thus far not taken the biggest revolution in motoring since the Model T Ford very seriously. Perhaps you think electric cars are something that only happens to other people. Well, let this be a wake-up call to you: the future is very much electric.

9. 2 and above.

   It’s probably fair to say that you’ve thus far not taken the biggest revolution in motoring since the Model T Ford very seriously. Perhaps you think electric cars are something that only happens to other people. Well, let this be a wake-up call to you: the future is very much electric.

10. 0 and above.

    It’s probably fair to say that you’ve thus far not taken the biggest revolution in motoring since the Model T Ford very seriously. Perhaps you think electric cars are something that only happens to other people. Well, let this be a wake-up call to you: the future is very much electric.

11. 1 and above.

    It’s probably fair to say that you’ve thus far not taken the biggest revolution in motoring since the Model T Ford very seriously. Perhaps you think electric cars are something that only happens to other people. Well, let this be a wake-up call to you: the future is very much electric.

Book your BMW iX test drive⁺ here. To test drive⁺ the BMW i4 click here

_{* These figures were obtained after the battery had been fully charged. The i4 is a battery electric vehicle requiring mains electricity for charging. Figures shown are for comparability purposes. Only compare electric range figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the starting charge of the battery, accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load.}

_{** pod-point.com}

_{*** 250kW charging station required. Most charging stations provide under 50kW and deliver slower charging times. Charging times are also affected by other factors, such as the battery temperature, condition and starting charge, vehicle equipment running during charging, the outside temperature and other factors. Stated charging times are based on optimum charging conditions. Charging over 80% slows to protect the battery. Network provider charges apply.}

_{⁺ Test drive subject to applicant status and availability.}