Too soon for an EV

[SAC1]

2017 new car sales versus 2016

What the Government wanted people to do was buy new hybrid engine or fully electric cars en masse. The problem here is they’re too expensive to buy or run and there is no used car market for hybrid or electric cars. Battery technology moves so rapidly that the battery in a two-year-old electric car is inferior to a new battery powered car, so they don’t hold their residual value for it to be worth buying an older hybrid or EV car.

The full article here: www.petrolprices.com/news/first-rise-co2-14-years/

[MCDK]

I agree it's too soon for EV to be a real alternative. Hybrids that do 20 miles on electric power are basically pointless and only appeal to the company car market where a bargain is to be had. To buy a full electric car now as your only car would be brave unless it has mega range and even if it does what happens the stormy night you have a power cut and the car doesn't charge, how are you getting to work the next day? Range anxiety would be a killer hence the fact that hybrids are the only option for many but all that flaffing with plugging in once or twice a day to do 20 miles each time doesn't seem worth the hassle. Then in a few years does anyone want your out of date hybrid with aging batteries that maybe need replaced at huge cost.

[andreas]

BMW's i3 is perhaps the best concept - a battery-powered car with a reasonable range, and with the option of a little built-in generator to extend the range if needed. Couple that with a carbon fibre bodyshell, and it ought to sell like hot cakes. If only it looked a little more attractive...

[Mistertoad]

I agree with all the above. Servicing also raises questions, most dealers will have to train technicians and build up experience, so costs are an unknown factor at the moment. Tesla UK quote £40 for servicing in their monthly cost breakdown. £480 a year seems rather steep for an electric car, which is less complicated than an ICE car and will need less work to service..

[MacanArif]

I have a BMW i3, and have been very impressed with it - I got it on a ridiculously cheap lease deal about 15months ago so thought it was a no-brainer at the time as I will just hand it back on its second anniversary. It's a great car (I have the REx but have only had to resort to this once during our ownership) and my wife who is the primary driver of that vehicle says she doesn't have the hassle of ever having to go to fill the car up! I do however preface all of this with the fact that I have other cars for longer journeys.

[VanB]

And soon to have a GT3 [emoji106]


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[SAC1]

....and there's more - Are electric cars actually worse for the environment?

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/emis ... SP_Advice1

[Crazy diamond]

....and there's more - Are electric cars actually worse for the environment?

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/emis ... SP_Advice1

A good article. The developments in electric cars will come thick and fast but early adopters will lose out I suspect. What is needed is a real breakthrough in battery technology but I am afraid that just is not happening - it will happen but the question is, when? Until that breakthrough city dwellers may well adopt EV for the runabout and enthusiasts will always be early adopters, but for the majority of us EVs are just not viable.

[Col M]

Childhood memories of Unigate milk floats dying on the hill outside our house have left believing it is always too soon.

Until charging it is incorporated in new build planning regs I don't see that the government is truly aiming for 2040.

[Deleted User 1874]

Not too soon for me. Tesla arriving in the next month and can't wait!

As for battery technology, it's not moving anywhere near as fast as suggested. There's nothing wrong with an "old" Leaf, i3 or Tesla battery from a few years ago. You perhaps get a little more range and performance for your money today, but it's not night and day better. For example the Tesla Model S was launched in 2012 with 60 and 85 kWh packs, which by 2017 had been upgraded to 75 and 100 kWh options based on the same technology. That's incremental improvement rather than total obsolescence. Most of the early Tesla batteries are still going strong too, with little degradation reported. I believe it's a similar story with other BEV batteries too. The battery recycling plants set up to deal with "dead" batteries are struggling with supply at the moment, but should still become a lucrative future business. Maybe a good investment opportunity?