Free events give people a chance to learn more about electric vehicles

A series of free, hands‑on EV events across Oxfordshire will give residents the chance to explore electric vehicles up close, learn about charging options, and see how switching to cleaner transport could fit into everyday life.
Six different-coloured EV cars line up in a town square on a sunny day, vertical banners flying next to each one.
A Go Electric event.

Are you thinking about switching to an electric vehicle (EV), but want to know more about what it involves? Maybe the current rises in petrol and diesel costs at the pumps have got you considering an alternative to fossil fuels – but you want to know how easy it is to buy, lease, or charge your vehicle?

 

If so, then you’re in luck!

 

A series of free events are coming to Oxfordshire, starting this month, to give residents an opportunity to explore the world of EVs. Starting on 21 March, Go Electric Oxfordshire events are happening in every district to allow residents to learn about EVs and explore the wide range of vehicles and charging solutions that are currently available.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are cars and vans powered by electricity rather than petrol or diesel, using efficient electric motors and rechargeable batteries to drive with zero tailpipe emissions. They work by storing energy in a battery pack, which supplies power to the motor and is recharged either at home, at work, or through the growing public charging network. Because they don’t burn fossil fuels, EVs significantly reduce air pollution and carbon emissions, especially when powered by renewable electricity. This makes them an important part of tackling climate change, improving local air quality, and supporting a cleaner, quieter, and more sustainable transport system for the future.

These fabulous, free events are open to all and are organised in partnership between Oxfordshire County Council and Oxfordshire’s City and District councils, with support from Let’s Experience Electric. It is part of an overall programme to provide a confidence boost to drivers looking to switch to EV and build on our leadership in this field.

 

Alongside hugely expanding Oxfordshire’s public EV charging network, it’s also part of a bid to make sure residents are better informed and more familiar with the types of electric vehicles that more of us will be driving in the near future.

A black EV car sits in a car park with it's doors open on a sunny day as three people have a look inside it.
The Gul-e in use charging a white EV car at the side of a road.

The Gul-e in use charging an EV.

Four EV cars sit in a row parked in a car park on a sunny day as five people take a look at them.

The series kicks off on Saturday 21 March at the Woolgate Centre in Witney from 10am - 3pm. To register your interest visit the Eventbrite website. Further events are planned for Abingdon, Banbury, Oxford and Didcot later this year. More information is available at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/goelectric.

 

Free EV test drives will be available across a wide range of vehicles of all shapes and sizes and to suit all budgets, courtesy of local dealerships. Attendees can also receive tips from experts and explore options such as car clubs and leasing, try out e-bikes, gain practical information on things like renewable energy and energy efficiency, and find out more about Oxfordshire’s plans to expand the public EV charging network and to explore other charging options such as charger sharing and cable channels.

 

It’s great to see large-scale events like these helping give residents real world experiences with electric vehicles. Come along and discover how it feels to drive an EV and explore the various ways it might be more viable than you think to make the switch.

A close-up picture of a white EV car charging port with a charging cable plugged into it.

Myth Busting!

“But aren’t EV batteries bad for the environment?”

While battery production does have an environmental footprint, studies show that an EV’s total lifetime emissions are significantly lower than those of petrol or diesel cars, even when accounting for battery manufacturing. Once on the road, EVs produce zero tailpipe emissions and become cleaner every year as more renewable energy is added to the grid. Battery recycling is also advancing rapidly, with valuable materials increasingly being recovered and reused.

“But isn’t manufacturing an EV worse for the planet than manufacturing a petrol car?”

EVs do require more energy to produce, mainly because of their batteries. But this “upfront cost” is quickly outweighed by the far lower emissions generated during their lifetime. Most drivers break even on carbon savings within one to two years of normal use. After that, every mile driven creates much less pollution than a petrol or diesel equivalent, making EVs a cleaner choice overall.

“But don’t EV batteries not last very long, and aren’t they expensive to replace?”

Modern EV batteries are designed to last for many years - typically well over 10-15 years in normal use. Most new EVs come with long battery warranties (often eight years or more), and real‑world data shows that batteries degrade far more slowly than many early predictions suggested.

“But you can’t drive very far in an EV, can you?”

Today’s EVs come with a wide range of real‑world driving ranges, many capable of 200–300 miles on a single charge. That’s more than enough for typical travel, and long‑distance trips are increasingly easy thanks to the rapidly expanding public charging network. This will only get better and better as increasing demand for EVs and EV charging stations encourages producers to improve driving ranges and the availability and speed of charging stations.