The VW ID.5 Electric Car Lease

Leasing the VW ID.5 Electric Car

2022 has been a year of almost negative-only news for the automotive industry (combustion and electric). In no particular order, we were informed about parts shortages, microchip shortages, logistic delays (and price increases to ship), mis-builds, vehicle price increases, vehicle discount reductions, agency models, insufficient public charge points, energy crisis and a general cost of living crisis.

This brief synopsis probably misses out at least 10 or 20 equally notable disasters, wars, instabilities or uncertainties but we proceed regardless. With almost all of our business focused on electric cars (called BEVs or PEVs in the media), you may have thought that it was a disaster year.

But you would be wrong in saying that with us, and many similar to us. We were enjoying one of our best years with the transition to electric cars and vans being met with a robust enthusiasm from personal, business/fleet and salary sacrifice customers.

So this week’s new headline from the BBC  wasn’t altogether surprising with total new car registrations down significantly but with EV registrations on the rise dramatically. And for a media outlet with historically mixed opinions and support for zero-emission transport, the “electric vehicle demand soars” headline makes for some pleasant reading.

With the UK Government mandating an all-electric new car fleet by 2030 / 2035, many thought this was outside of the realms of possibilities. Would there be enough choices? Could manufacturers meet the demand? Is the charging infrastructure ready for this transition? All of these seemed wholly justified and until the last 18 months or so, even hardened pro-EV ”ers” like our team did see potential pitfalls and gaps which needed addressing.

But the recent statistics have proved that this is more realistic from the perspective of supply and demand, with December proving to be a watershed moment in the electric v combustion debate; some 42,284 registered vehicles mean that over 30% of the market was a zero-emission vehicle!

To have 1 in 3 new vehicles for December as electric is a truly monumental moment. But one month doesn’t make a year, and further evidence from SMMT demonstrates just how key 2022 has been for EVs with 267,203 registered. This just over 15% of the UK’s market share, being a 40% increase on the 11% from 2021. Taking account of just some of the issues above, in particular a more recent anti-electric rhetoric, this is truly amazing.

SMMT Data  

And VW have certainly been one of the leading protagonists in the electric transportation debates. In their December report, New AutoMotive  have set out some very interesting data on who sells what in the electric car sphere. At December 22’ Tesla continues to dominate the UK with a sizeable 15,000 cars registered (many of which will have been the Model Y SUV).

And while this innovator and mass-adoption institution is setting the industry standard, VW are not too far behind with an impressive 3,500 registrations for the same month. This made VW the UK’s 2nd most popular electric car brand! And, on a side-note, well done to Oxfordshire where 53% of new car sales were EV .. making them the most pro-EV part of the UK!

VW have really made inroads in the electric vehicle segment, with a number of key options like the e-UP!, ID.3, ID.4, ID.5 (shown here) and the ID.Buzz (a people carrier and commercial vehicle option). And to showcase their investment and dedication, an ID.7 is set to launch later in 2023, as VW intend to enter the Sedan “upper” segment currently enjoyed by Mercedes with their EQE/EQS, BMW with their i7 and Tesla with their Model S. See VW news more ID.7 info.

A new ID.7 will offer prestige and luxury to VW customers, with a new display concept, augmented reality HUD, 15” touch screen and voice activated “smart air vents”. Essentially a driver can tell the car to warm up the cabin, seats or steering wheel, by voice command. And the battery configuration is aiming to provide some 400 miles of range (WLTP) on a full charge, making this is an ideal company car for high-mileage drivers.

But where VW have been successful already is that they are making more affordable and cost-effective cars for the general public, and which are equally affordable among personal and business customers. One of the issues surrounding EVs is cost - the reality is that they are not cheap cars and this does make it uneconomical compared to equivalent petrol/diesel options taking into Whole of Life costs like fuel, insurance, maintenance and so forth.

For businesses, there are tax advantages enjoyed by employer and employee which are not equally enjoyed by those consumers using HP, PCP and leasing products. Vehicles therefore need to sit in more targeted price brackets, which this German best-seller has managed to do. Not every customer need a high-mileage solution, so more modest battery capabilities and ranges do not impede the popularity. With VW aiming to be selling at least 10 individual electric vehicle models by 2026, it is not inconceivable to assume this group are the one to watch.

What should I consider before leasing a VW ID.5 Electric Car?

But EVs are a nuisance to our lives as we know it! Or so says Howard Cox at the Sun - Is this true and does the picture represent our dystopian future? The recent pictures from Tebay Services and Gretna Services suggest so. And rather berate or derail the article, it’s probably worth agreeing with some of the sentiment … the EV lifestyle does place more responsibility, planning and obligation on the driver as part of the experience.

And, as the article discusses, public charging for mass-adoption is something which needs addressing. The issue with articles like this is that they only tell part of the story and can influence a reader very quickly to avoid all-electric transport at all cost. Most EVs will be charged at home (or via some domestic solution) but admittedly those drivers in apartments, flats and terraced houses do need solutions.

This is where curb side charging solutions are becoming popular, as streets will need to upgrade in-keeping with demand (not unlike the broadband upgrade we have been going through over the last 10-15 years!). Employers, key destinations and service station solutions are needed to offer more immediate remedies to driver charging. Again, there are some seismic changes afoot and companies like our trusted customer Raw Charging  are busily installing rapid (or DC) charging facilities in key destinates across the UK. Want to know how many public EV charging points there are? Use Zap Map  to review and pay for your charging session.

What becomes more clear to us is that EVs are not an issue so long as both the consumer and selling party (dealership, manufacturer or broker) are having the RIGHT conversations. Before any customer places an order on a new EV they should understand:

•  Real world range - how does the EV perform in colder and warmer weather on a motorway or in urban situations. Never trust just one WLTP figure; 
• Charging speed - what is the maximum AC and DC charging capability. Speed of charge is the MOST crucial facet;
•  Charging times - based on the above, how long is an overnight charge actually going to take and what would a rapid session take you to charge;
•  Charge points - what charge point infrastructure do you have at home, work or in your local area (download Zap Map) i.e. do your research;
• Charging costs - what will it cost you at home, or on the public network, to “fill the tank” compared to your combustion equivalents;
•  Attitude/Aptitude - what are you prepared to do as a driver. What is your understanding of a “quick charge” and “convenience”. Don’t believe all the narrative, make a decision based on objective facts. 

Not unlike combustion engines, the EV motoring lifestyle isn’t perfect. But many of the “inconvenienced” drivers in the recent pictures didn’t complain about their almost zero company car tax bills, the lower maintenance spend, the better driving experience, the improved spend on fuel or their impact on the environment.

It would have been nice to hear those submissions in contrast to their  (probably one-off) charging session delays. And, how many combustion drivers complain of fuel price increases, fuel duty or issues about engine degradation and servicing costs? If you want to believe in a perfect motoring solution, then you do so at your own peril. It doesn’t exist.

In terms of the car shown, the Volkswagen ID.5 COUPE 128kW Style Pro 77kWh 5dr Auto (Pure Electric Vehicle), this is based on: 

•  Moonstone Grey Solid Paint
• Art velours microfleece cloth - Soul black/Platinum grey
•  19" Hamar alloy wheels
•  Mode 3 32-amp / 7.2kW charging cable for charging at public charge points 

What is the range of the VW ID5 Pro?

What is the battery capacity and charging speed on the VW ID5 Pro?

How long does it take to charge the VW ID5 Pro?

Where can I charge the VW ID5 Pro? 

What is the company car tax on the VW ID5 Pro?