Whats the point of Electric Cars when so expensive?
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My car is getting on now at 12 years and wondering if worth getting an electric one or to wait until the prices come down? They so expensive that it doesnt seem to be saving money to buy one.
Not only that, but they don't run on air and still need a form of energy (electricity) which at the moment (and probably forever) is dreadfully expensive. I know they are less polluting but driving will soon be a privilege of the rich only and I am glad my driving days will be over by then.
I really struggle to see the environmental benefits. Making use of your existing car for as long as possible but using it as little as possible would be environmentally benefitting. Where possible walk, cycle or use public transport for your journeys. Especially as many EV's are ridiculously large SUV's weighing multiple tons and doing more damage to road surfaces due to their weight. A 12 year old car sounds like you have maximised the use of that vehicle. Many newer vehicles are much more complex with much more expensive repairs and a shorter lifespan. We may not like the idea but really we need to move to single person vehicles where possible, light and easy to repair.
It's part of the push for the "environmental" agenda, except they're not that environmental/climate friendly.
EV owners should thank them kids in Africa who make it possible.
My car and my husbands car are both 11 years old. We will be fixing them for as long as we possibly can. Too expensive to buy an electric car or even a 2nd hand petrol/diesel one just now.
MrsCraig I honestly think keeping your existing car as long as possible is the most environmental thing to do unless your car is used for exceptional high miles and is very inefficient i.e. a huge SUV or similar. I bought my car new back in 2013 so just over 10 years old. As Chevrolet were leaving the UK market I got it for less than £8k compared to its normal price of about £17k. It's extremely reliable and practical as it has a manual gearbox, no turbo and a simple petrol engine. While it has air conditioning, 6 speaker sound system, powered windows and mirrors its still overall much simpler electrically than many other vehicles. I haven't even got to 20,000 miles yet as try to walk, cycle or use public transport where possible.
It's rated the 90th most reliable car model out of 100.
web.archive.org/web/20210226193034/https://www.reliabilityindex.com/reliability/search/46
web.archive.org/web/20210309194320/https://www.reliabilityindex.com/top-100
I've done nothing to it really. Apart from general servicing and new wiper blades. Just coming up to its first replacement tyres at the front. That will be the biggest outlay for it.
I feel I'm far more environmentally and economically responsible than drivers who keep replacing cars every few years for something new.
BonzoBanana I agree. My car is at 30,000 miles, husbands is about 40,000. We drive for work as where we live there isn't a great bus service but try to use it when we can. We haven't done anything to ours either except general upkeep.
I do wonder if all the hype about EVs is true. We don’t know how long the batteries will last and can they be produced environmentally friendly, I don’t think so. Doesn’t seem that long ago we were encouraged to buy diesel vehicles.
jdible A lot more than £1000 to replace a EV battery unless you are talking of a very mild hybrid vehicle which has a tiny battery. Even ebikes can have replacement batteries that cost over £600 and they are tiny capacity compared to an EV car.
My advice would be dont buy a electric vehicle they are cost more to run as many people are finding out plus the are only guaranteed to last 10 years and the cost to replace the battery will set you back £1000 +labour cost EV are a con good luck to anyone buying one the government even gave you free road tax if you bought one now they gone back on it you will have to start having to pay road tax on EV on another note older vehicles are not that bad for the environment as modern fuel is now better to run on and the benefits of running a older vehicle is you can get them repaired and buy petrol or diesel where ever you need to a friend of mine bought a EV vehicle and each time he goes on a 110 mile trip the vehicle is telling him he needs to plug in to electricity after only doing 80 miles so much for EV
Given all the information out there about EV's I am surprised that anyone ever considers buying them. I know people who have them and none of them are happy and can't use them for even reasonable journeys. The cost! The range is never what you expect it to be. They are using up the earths cobalt resources in making the batteries. They don't charge well in cold temperatures etc. Electricity prices. Availability of charging places. The panic when the charge is getting low. etc..
www.carwow.co.uk/guides/choosing/disadvantages-of-electric-cars#gref
Personally I don't see electric cars as the future, there is no way the network of charging points is ever going to be big enough to cope with demand, also there are the concerns of where to dispose of all these old batteries as vehicles age and need new replacements .
Cardiff Council have invested in new electric refuse trucks yet in a crazy twist use Diesel generators to provide the electric to charge them .
www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/cardiff-council-been-using-diesel-27002764
I would wait - there isn't a sufficient network of charging points around the country for electric cars.
Buy a second hand car. Ask family, etc or look on the internet for information. An electric car is not worth the hassle.
We have a car . We use it if only essential. We do small shops via our bikes . On the way home from work . And both cycle to work and walk the kids to breakfast club . Our car is petrol and we traded in our old car to buy a new one five years ago. So whist it's not electric we are trying our best to save the environment with out breaking the bank by buying an electric car.
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