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I'm trying to avoid the London cognition charge. Should I go hybrid or electric?
I have a really difficult decision to make and I am struggling, so any help would be appreciated. I work as a private hire driver in London and currently try and avoid the congestion zone as much as possible. I drive a diesel Mercedes-Benz E-Class, but should I purchase a newer diesel E-Class for approximately £20,000? Or should I go electric? An electric is considerably more to buy and I don’t think the extra expense will cover the cost of the £15 congestion charge. There also isn’t currently a suitable electric alternative yet. What would you consider as I also need a decent boot space? Is a hybrid ruled out? Thanks in advance.
Asked on 28 October 2020 by Simon Fisher
Answered by
Andrew Brady
A hybrid sounds like an ideal solution if you're looking to work in Central London. We'd recommend a Toyota Corolla - it's a really good car that'll prove to be very reliable and cheap to run. There's an estate version, too, if you need a big boot. Alternatively, if you'd prefer something a bit more premium, look at the Toyota Camry - although it'll stretch your budget a bit.
If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.
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