Should I buy my teenage daughter an EV to learn to drive in?
My 16 year-old daughter is dead set on getting an EV as a first car. She'll start learning to drive in October when she turns 17, and I have some big reservations about her learning in and driving an electric car. Firstly, I'm concerned insurance will be astronomically expensive. Secondly, I'm worried about her not being able to drive a manual car. Thirdly, I'm worried that she'll end up charging in unsafe places. We had a deal that my wife and I would buy her a nearly-new car if she got a Saturday job to pay for the insurance and fuel. She's entirely held up her end of the bargain there.
She'll be sharing it with her mother and will pass it on to her younger brother in a couple of years' time (he's also keen on an EV). She says her mates are getting EVs and she wants to be environmentally friendly. Can you advise me if my reservations are warranted or I'm just being an old fuddy duddy? David, Nottingham. Daily Mail and This is Money electric cars expert Freda Lewis-Stempel replies: David, welcome to the joys of independent teenagers. 10 years ago I was getting my first car, and although I wasn't getting an EV, the family 'debates' around what ended up being my 1.6-litre Peugeot 207 are still etched on my memory today.
I completely understand that you want your daughter to have the safest, most sensible, best value for money first car. And you're asking the same questions as many parents because so many young people now want to own an EV: almost half of learners want lessons in an EV . So to make sure you're armed with all the facts, I've asked some of the leading experts in each area to give you their best insight and advice. The rest I'm afraid is down to trusting your daughter – as you've said she's done everything asked of her, and just because you wouldn't chose an EV doesn't mean it's the wrong choice for her. Also the 'my friends all have one' is always hard argument to resist... Good luck with that one!
How insurance costs for an EV learner compare
Alicia Hempsted, car insurance expert at MoneySuperMarket says: 'Generally, insurance premiums for electric vehicles (EVs) are higher than petrol and diesel cars because EVs tend to be more expensive to buy upfront and repair, batteries are costly components, and repairs often need specialist knowledge and parts. 'As a result, insurers will factor in the greater cost and complexity of claims when calculating premiums. 'Between 01 January 2025 and 29 July 2025, the average price of an annual premium bought through MoneySuperMarket by under-25s was £1,771 for an electric vehicle and £1,467 for petrol.
'However, there has been an increase in the availability of more affordable EVs that are suited to learner and newly passed drivers. Models like the Renault Zoe, Vauxhall Corsa-e or Nissan Leaf often come with lower insurance group ratings. 'As more people buy EVs and insurers build more detailed risk profiles, the cost gap between EV and petrol car insurance will continue to fall. The average annual car insurance cost for electric vehicles has fallen by more than £100 since 2023 according to MoneySuperMarket data.' Freda Lewis-Stempel adds: So, while you're not wrong David that insurance will indeed be higher for an EV, it's not 'astronomically' higher as you feared.
In fact insuring a used EV (which is the case for your daughter) tends to be cheaper than insuring a brand-new one, mainly due to depreciation. Ms Hempstead also said that adding an experienced driver like a parent (in this case your wife) to the policy can reduce the premium as it's seen as lower risk by insurers. But she warns that while it's fine if the parent occasionally uses the car, the main driver must be accurately listed on the policy or it will be viewed as 'fronting' which is illegal. If the main driver is your daughter then make sure she's named as such. She also points out that newer EVs often have the latest safety technology including automatic emergency braking, lane assist and crash avoidance systems which 'can help reduce the likelihood of accidents and may be rewarded with slightly lower premiums'. These safety devices can also lower your amount of 'dad worrying' too.
Is it a bad idea to learn in an EV rather than a manual?
A major concern is that passing your test in an EV is likely to mean not being able to drive a manual car. It's true that your daughter won't master manual car skills including clutch control, stalling or hill starts because EVs don't have a manual transmission or clutch pedal, but Geraint Lewis, Head of Training at Red Driver Training said there are 'benefits' to EVs too. He comments: 'The quiet operation of an EV allows students to better focus on instructions and the road environment. Many EVs feature regenerative braking, which slows the car when you lift off the accelerator.
'This helps learners understand braking dynamics and can reduce reliance on the brake pedal. Some models even let you adjust how strong the regenerative braking feels. 'Driving instructors teach students how to respond to the EV just as they would with any car, so learners quickly adapt to the different feel.' Geraint added that while EVs deliver instant torque and smooth acceleration 'many EVs include settings that reduce throttle sensitivity, making it easier for beginners to control the car while they're learning.'
Which are the best EV models for learners?
We asked our friends at Auto Trader to recommend some great learner EVs, so you can feel confident you're buying your daughter the right set of wheels. Erin Baker, of Auto Trader, said: 'For learners, affordable models like the VW e-Up! and Mini Hatch, or the T03 from new brand player Leapmotor are all excellent options. 'The electric versions of learner favourites like the Vauxhall Corsa are also great choices for new drivers on a budget. 'The Hyundai Ioniq is another great choice for value, with it being praised for its spacious practicality and smooth ride, which is also ideal for new drivers. What's more, the car is very sustainable due to their battery life being incredibly long. A full charge can be achieved in around 35 minutes, and even a quick 7 minute top-up can add 30 miles of range.'
EV charging – is it cheap?
You've mentioned that you're getting a home EV charger, so before we get into how safe public charging is, let's address home charging. EV home charger provider Ohme looked into the home charging cost savings to be made for us. Ohme charging specialist Nat Barnes says: 'Charging at home will always be the cheapest place to charge your car – especially if you are on a smart home energy tariff such as Intelligent Octopus Go and have a compatible charger such as those from Ohme. That gives you electricity at just 7p/kWh compared to the standard rate of 25.73p/kWh.
'That's the difference of a full charge for a Vauxhall Corsa Electric [a popular learner EV] costing £3.57 or £13.13 for its 266 mile range and 51kWh battery. By comparison an equivalent petrol car over 266 miles would cost more than £40 at 40mpg average fuel economy.' Freda Lewis-Stempel adds: Costs aside, from a safety point of view if your daughter is mainly charging from home then that is of course as safe as it gets. For when she does occasionally charge on the go it's unlikely that this will be late at night or at remote locations. But as a young woman charging myself, I will say that there's been a huge step to ensure safe EV charging all times of the day in recent years.
The new InstaVolt Superhub at Winchester that I visited recently is a great example. It has 'comprehensive security features', which include 24/7 CCTV site surveillance on high-performance 8MP cameras. There is on-site security when the on-site coffee facilities are closed, lighting illuminating all walkways, charging bays, and parking areas, as well as intelligent monitoring advanced recognition cameras, ANPR-enabled cameras that instantly detect and notify InstaVolt of any blacklisted vehicles, and remote monitoring of the entire site managed by InstaVolt's head office. I appreciate that sounds like a list for Mission Impossible's Ethan Hunt, but it really goes to show how advanced EV charging safety is becoming – far better than most petrol stations.
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