5 Things to Consider When Buying an Electric Car

Are you going for the big shift from a petrol or diesel car to an electric vehicle? Exciting! 😃You may have already read about the many benefits of driving an electric car, but want to know more about other things to consider before buying one. Let’s take a look at five things you need to think about before making your decision to purchase an electric vehicle. 

Average Distance You Cover

If you compare electric vehicles to conventional petrol or diesel cars, they generally cover a shorter range of about 220 miles on a full charge (although this depends on the model and the range is increasing all the time.)  When driving a lot in the city, electric cars are a good choice for you. 

However, if you go on long drives on a regular basis, you will need to think about how you can plan your trip so you can stop at charging points to recharge the battery. For some drivers who cover long distances often, non EV vehicles might be a better option. 

Charging Options

Before you buy an electric car, it’s important that you already know how and where you can recharge the batteries. Are charging points available at your workplace or local supermarket? Do you have a suitable supply position at your home or in your garage? Check if you can still get any help with the cost of this, although most of the incentives are coming to an end. These are just some of the basic questions to ask yourself first. 

Depending on the electric car and its charger, you may be able to recharge the battery in just half an hour but normal chargers may require 8 to 12 hours of charging before you can drive the car again. When using your electric vehicle for a long trip, consider the charging points where you can stop and how long it’s going to take before you can get back on the road again. 

Battery Life

Now, when it comes to the battery of your electric car, you’d want to know a lot about its longevity as well as how much it’s going to cost when you need to replace it. Generally, the maintenance cost of electric vehicles is lower compared to conventional cars but you do have to prepare for battery maintenance, repairs, or replacement when it’s no longer working properly. 

Many electric car manufacturers state that the batteries can last for more than 100,000 miles. If you don’t really drive a lot, then you shouldn’t be too worried about this. But do keep in mind that an electric vehicle’s battery is much like your smartphone or laptop because it’s going to degrade eventually. As for the cost of battery replacement, be ready to spend at least £5000 if you have a Nissan Leaf for example. For owners of the Tesla Model S, that could be double. 

Cost of Electricity

For conventional cars, you need to have a budget for fuel costs. With an electric vehicle, you need to prepare yourself when it comes to the electricity bill. If you only drive in the city, you shouldn’t see a very huge increase in your electricity bill. But if you’re driving long distances every day and recharging the vehicle every night, then you’ll definitely see a significant change. 

Charging your electric car overnight will only cost about £3 to £9, depending on the model. If you compare that to the costs of petrol or diesel fuels, it’s much more affordable. For an average driver, it’s safe to say that the distance covered per day is about 16 miles. For that, you may want to set aside £20 every month for your electricity bill for recharging on top of your normal spending on electricity. But at the moment fuel bills are on the increase so do check out current costs when you are making your decision.

Resale Value

Electric cars don’t depreciate as fast as petrol or diesel vehicles. You’ll have a good chance of reselling your old electric vehicle at a good price, especially since the demand for used electric cars is high. Nonetheless, consider the miles the car has covered and the condition of the battery because these will definitely impact its resale value. 

Do take care of your vehicle and keep it in good shape so you can let go of it at a good price when the time comes that you decide to re-sell it. Ideally, the battery should still be working well because the buyer is going to check that first and might haggle aggressively if they see that the battery needs replacement. It may knock off a few thousand pounds from your selling price. 

Takeaway

When deciding whether to change to an electric car, do take your time so you can assess everything and carefully study your driving needs and whether an electric car can fulfil those. There’s no need to rush, so do your research thoroughly. 

Read reviews for owners of electric vehicles so you’ll know their experiences in driving one. It’s also a good way to know the common issues that they face with having an electric car and the solutions available for those problems. As with all big purchases, do as much research as you can before you decide! 👍