For potential buyers, owning an electric vehicle (EV) depends on their specific needs – for example, what cars are available, what they can afford, how much they drive, the price of fuel, where they live etc, however, a recent survey revealed what EV owners wished they had known before buying one.
While many have said that they have been left impressed by their EV, and ‘would never go back’, others say that they have been left far from impressed and question whether it was worth switching.
What drivers say about owning an EV
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Pros of owning one:
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Cons of owning one:
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| Save on fuel, don’t have to fill up your car. Can always charge at home. | Hard to use EVs for longer road trips without good planning. Takes some time to charge if you forget, but the battery is usually pretty good. |
| Pros depends on which brand. If you go with Tesla, it is quite good but it does have its quirks. If you go with Toyota, it’s probably the most reliable but not the most efficient/powerful. The rest depends on the money you want to spend. | Long trips make it harder to find charge points. I am always concerned whether charges will last long enough when roadworks/traffic congestion make it virtually impossible to move freely. |
| One big advantage I can see for an EV in such very low use would be that EV will always be ready to use. My Mum does a very low KM and I am always being called round to assist as she has a flat battery again so the car won’t start. | The charging points take up more space in the front of a garage or driveway. Also many households don’t have a dedicated parking spot in their home and have to park on the street. This makes it harder to install charging points. |
| Would never go back to petrol. The EV’s are fast, full of technology, easy to drive, all the safety features, and no maintenance! | Second hand EVs are in relatively short supply right now so prices aren’t particularly affordable. |
| The driving experience is ‘much nicer’ than anticipated. It’s much smoother behind the wheel compared to having a motor humming away beneath you. | Electricity is NOT FREE. There is a mileage limitation for traveling. |
Charging times, reliability and cost effectiveness
The main concern cited from EV owners was the lack of charging points across the country.
‘Imagine going 100 kilometres on a weekend break with a car with a 20-kilometre range. Petrol vehicles are much more flexible. Our car has become harder to use during longer road trips without good planning.’
Drivers also wished they knew about the reliability or payment issues when using public charge points, before they obtained one. Other EV users said ‘once you factor in the purchase cost of the car, plus insurance and how much you are forking out to charge the car in your home etc., then even taxis might work out more cost-effective for low kilometres compared to buying an EV’.
Forking out extra for the battery charger
Meanwhile, another EV motorist added that they wished they knew about the extortionate cost of having a charging battery or point fitted at their home before swapping out their regular vehicle for an EV.
What the expert says
CEO of New AutoMotive, Ben Nelmes noted it is important potential buyers take into consideration their driving behaviours and patterns before investing in an EV. Additionally, a big concern is the financial aspects – ‘it can be expensive upfront …although you have to remember you’re doing your bit for the environment and not contributing to pollution which plagues many cities.’
The EV experiences
The solution? Why don’t you try before you buy?
Subscribe to an Everything Fleet EV, to test drive an EV for 30 days or more before buying — that way you can have the EV experience and discover for yourself the real advantages and pitfalls of ownership.
