So, you’re considering buying an electric car, and you’re looking at the maintenance and running costs. One of the things to consider, is does it need an NCT? In short, yes. All cars younger than ten years old or aged 30 – 39 years old require an NCT every two years for them to be legally driven on the roads. Vehicles above ten years old require an NCT certificate to be issued yearly. NCTs cover every safety-related aspect of your car, checking it to make sure it is roadworthy. There are exemptions for cars registered before 1980, public services and armed forces vehicles.
With no emissions, an electric car doesn’t need to pass the emissions test, so this saves time at the test centre compared to cars with combustion engines, and it saves money if any repairs would be required at this point.
Some electric cars use regenerative braking, which is where the car uses the momentum of the vehicle to slow the car down, rather than conventional breaks, when an instant stop isn’t needed. Rarely using the brakes means less wear and tear on the pads and discs, and therefore a lower maintenance spend around the time of the NCT.
The NCT test could change in future with different tests being carried out, but with fuel savings, fewer parts to replace, less wear and tear, tax deductions, and no emissions to worry about, the incentives of owning an electric car are many!
At CarTakeBack, we buy cars in any condition. So if you have an old car that is too expensive to repair after an NCT failure, or it has broken down, we can provide you an instant quote to sell your old car, start by entering your reg and address.