Buying an Electric Car
Posted by admin | Under Uncategorized Saturday Dec 26, 2009
Ally Marten asked:
So, you think you would like to buy an electric car? Maybe, you’ve seen lots of stories in the press about electric car technology being the way forward, or you want to reduce your environmental footprint, or perhaps you just want something a little different and think they look cool. Across the world in recent years, major advances have been made with electric cars, however what does this mean for someone wanting to buy one, particularly if you are based in the UK. What should a new electric car buyer consider?
At a basic level, buying an electric car is extremely similar to buying a standard petrol or diesel car. The same basic isses apply and you want to think about:
What will you primarily be using the car for? This impacts on everything. Do you need to carry lots of passengers or kit, think size, number of seats, storage space? How far and at what speeds do you regularly drive? Will you need to be able to park it near work? How will you charge it?
Electric Car Performance
The performance (speed, distance, charging time etc) of electric cars varies considerably. In general, the better performing the car the more expensive they are e.g. the Tesla Roadster - great performance but a serious price tag too (you won’t get much change from £100,000 to buy one in the the UK!!). However, manufacturers are beginning to offer a range of vehicles from the 2 seater city runabout, to larger 4 and 5 seater saloons and MPVs, up to small commercial vans. You can buy a new small electric car in the UK for under £10,000. For those interested in cars specifically available in the UK and how they compare you can find a great electric car comparision tool here.
Current electric vehicles aren’t really ideal for that weekday 100 mile motorway commute (not yet!). Electric cars are really a city option. This is partly due to limits on maximum speeds (most topping out at around 50mph) but also the related issue of battery charging.
Infrastructure for Electric Cars
Most electric cars can only go some 50 miles on one charge. Cities are also where the infrastructure to support electric cars is concentrated. In the UK, we are talking London first and foremost although there are some limited options for free electric car charging elsewhere in the UK e.g. Manchester, Bristol etc. In many places electric cars also qualify for free parking and are exempt from things like congestion charges.
Following on from this is also the issue of servicing and maintaining your electric car. This is going to be easiest in the big city where you purchased your car. Hopefully, however some of these infrastructure restrictions will be lifted sooner rather than later.
Buying an Electric Car
Once you have decided what you need your electric car for and how you plan to use it you then want to:
Decide what you can afford Read reviews, compare prices and shop around. Speak to dealers - there are a number of retailers now based in London who will be keen for your business. Remember it is also possible to buy second hand.
Electric cars are not cheap to buy however they are cheap to run. A slightly cheaper option though would be a second hand electric car. Although, the second hand car market is extremely small there are some cars out there. Just remember to look for a full service history, a warranty if possible and check the battery age (try and get the seller to put in a new battery to help sweeten the deal!)
Lastly, it is worth noting that the electric car market is not like the conventional car market, changes are more rapid. New (and better) electric car models are coming out every year, it may be worth waiting 12-24 months to get the right electric car for you.
So, you think you would like to buy an electric car? Maybe, you’ve seen lots of stories in the press about electric car technology being the way forward, or you want to reduce your environmental footprint, or perhaps you just want something a little different and think they look cool. Across the world in recent years, major advances have been made with electric cars, however what does this mean for someone wanting to buy one, particularly if you are based in the UK. What should a new electric car buyer consider?
At a basic level, buying an electric car is extremely similar to buying a standard petrol or diesel car. The same basic isses apply and you want to think about:
What will you primarily be using the car for? This impacts on everything. Do you need to carry lots of passengers or kit, think size, number of seats, storage space? How far and at what speeds do you regularly drive? Will you need to be able to park it near work? How will you charge it?
Electric Car Performance
The performance (speed, distance, charging time etc) of electric cars varies considerably. In general, the better performing the car the more expensive they are e.g. the Tesla Roadster - great performance but a serious price tag too (you won’t get much change from £100,000 to buy one in the the UK!!). However, manufacturers are beginning to offer a range of vehicles from the 2 seater city runabout, to larger 4 and 5 seater saloons and MPVs, up to small commercial vans. You can buy a new small electric car in the UK for under £10,000. For those interested in cars specifically available in the UK and how they compare you can find a great electric car comparision tool here.
Current electric vehicles aren’t really ideal for that weekday 100 mile motorway commute (not yet!). Electric cars are really a city option. This is partly due to limits on maximum speeds (most topping out at around 50mph) but also the related issue of battery charging.
Infrastructure for Electric Cars
Most electric cars can only go some 50 miles on one charge. Cities are also where the infrastructure to support electric cars is concentrated. In the UK, we are talking London first and foremost although there are some limited options for free electric car charging elsewhere in the UK e.g. Manchester, Bristol etc. In many places electric cars also qualify for free parking and are exempt from things like congestion charges.
Following on from this is also the issue of servicing and maintaining your electric car. This is going to be easiest in the big city where you purchased your car. Hopefully, however some of these infrastructure restrictions will be lifted sooner rather than later.
Buying an Electric Car
Once you have decided what you need your electric car for and how you plan to use it you then want to:
Decide what you can afford Read reviews, compare prices and shop around. Speak to dealers - there are a number of retailers now based in London who will be keen for your business. Remember it is also possible to buy second hand.
Electric cars are not cheap to buy however they are cheap to run. A slightly cheaper option though would be a second hand electric car. Although, the second hand car market is extremely small there are some cars out there. Just remember to look for a full service history, a warranty if possible and check the battery age (try and get the seller to put in a new battery to help sweeten the deal!)
Lastly, it is worth noting that the electric car market is not like the conventional car market, changes are more rapid. New (and better) electric car models are coming out every year, it may be worth waiting 12-24 months to get the right electric car for you.