There is so much nonsense, both spoken and written, by detractors of the UK’s fast-emerging electric vehicle (EV) market.

The perpetrators generally don’t speak from personal experience of EVs, or even well-researched data. Instead, they rely on urban myth or plain prejudice.

The internal combustion engine (ICE) has been the power source for cars, vans and lorries since these forms of transport were invented. These engines have served us well but, as our understanding of the environment has grown, it is clear that something has to change.

Electric cars have come a long way in a short time, although I will admit that the infrastructure to support them has still not caught up yet. But it is already a lot better than 18 months ago when I swapped my “demonised” diesel for an EV.

One of the complaints about EVs then was that they were too expensive to buy, and they were few and far between on the used car market.

But latest figures show UK used car transactions had grown 5.1pc in 2023, with 7,242,692 changing hands as an improving new car market re-energised supply.

Across the year, sales of used electric cars (EVs) almost doubled, rising 90.9pc to a record 118,973 units and a 1.6% share of the overall market, up from 0.9pc in 2022.

That means you can pick up a used EV that has shed a good proportion of the differential cost of a used ICE car. Manufacturers like Kia (seven years), Hyundai (five) and MG (seven) come with long warranties, so on a three-year-old EV there is plenty of cover left.

So it was with some surprise that I read a piece in this paper a few days ago that said some Norfolk dealerships did not want to deal with used electric cars. I quote: “The elephant in the room is that these vehicles need new batteries every eight to 10 years, which is hugely expensive.”

The commentator added: “Anyone who has to drive around the country a lot would be painfully aware of the problem with EVs. Who wants to sit in a Tesco car park for three hours waiting for their car to charge?”

So let me deal with the battery myth first.

This is a prominent myth which still seems to be putting people off buying an electric car. They worry that they will need to buy a replacement battery for it, which they believe will be an exorbitant cost.

The average life expectancy of an internal combustion engine is around 13 years – based on an average mileage of 10,500 – while an electric car’s motor and battery should exceed 20 years of operation without needing a change.

To put that in terms of mileage, in 2021 the US Department of Energy conducted an extensive study of internal combustion engines and found that they typically last up to 133,000 miles. While further studies have placed the average EV battery life at around 200,000 miles.

This isn’t just theory. The popularity of EVs as taxis – owing to their lower running and maintenance costs – meant the study had empirical data from EVs which had covered over 300,000 miles.

It showed that EV batteries had lasted 16 to 20 years. The cost of EV batteries has fallen by 89% since 2010, yet range and reliability have increased. Many EVs now have a range of around 300 miles.

It is a common misconception that an EV battery will just conk out and die one day, but this could not be further from the truth. The degradation is slow and gradual – and not prone to sudden failures like ICE cars.

Importantly, internal combustion engine vehicles have thousands of moving parts, making them much more prone to wear and tear. This means that they become less efficient over time.

Electric cars, on the other hand, only have a handful of moving parts. This means they require a lot less maintenance, lowering average running costs by around 78pc per year compared to an ICE.

Crucially it also means that they are less prone to faults. In fact, EVs are 59pc less likely to break down says Start Rescue, one of the UK’s leading breakdown providers.

As for as the myth that you need to sit outside Tesco for three hours to charge your car – more and more charging sites have rapid and ultra-rapid chargers. It means you can recharge many of the newer models from 10 to 80pc in about 30 minutes.

These are facts, not myths or fiction.

The increased availability of EVs in the UK used market means they now are more affordable and not just the domain of the wealthy. Prices of new EVs have come down a little, which will also be reflected in used prices. At the budget end of the market, you can buy a new all-electric Dacia for under £15k and it has an eight-year battery warranty.

So don’t be put off from buying an electric car, new or used.

Electric car batteries are likely to far exceed the life expectancy of an internal combustion engine, and they can be recycled to store renewable energy once “retired” from powering your car.

Ignore the myths, and don’t worry about changing to an EV. They are cheaper to run, especially if you can charge them at home, are more reliable and lower our carbon footprint. What’s not to like?

Motoring journalist Peter Franzen is a former editor of the EDP