If you’re looking to buy a used electric car, it may seem very daunting, read on to see that it’s not that arduous a task after all.
Should we all be driving electric cars?
It can take a huge amount of consideration to invest in new technology, particularly if it’s unfamiliar to you and especially when its’ a large purchase. This guide will help you decide whether or not an electric car is right for you. We will cover reliability, safety, range and cost.
Is an electric car reliable and safe?
Electric cars have fewer moving parts than a combustion engine car, which means potentially there is less to go wrong. The motor has one moving part – the shaft,which spins as a result of its interaction between the forces originating from the motor’s wires. By comparison a combustion engine has around 2000 components.
According to What Car? Magazine the Nissan Leaf is more reliable than the equivalent-spec combustion Volkswagen Golf.
EV’s appear to be exceptionally reliable. There’s very little to go wrong with them and the things that do go wrong can be fixed fairly quickly. It’s much quicker and easier to rebuild a battery pack than an engine, for instance.
The most common cause of callouts to electric vehicles according to the AA appear to be for tyres and the 12V battery. EVs are also some of the safest cars on UK roads and are laden with the latest in vehicle safety technology. EVs such as the Smart
#3, Nio ET5, and Volkswagen ID 7 all scored five stars in the latest round of Euro NCAP crash testing.
Should I worry about range?
Typically electric cars have a range of anything between 100 and 300 miles, but some push to extremities. The longest-range EV in the UK currently is the Mercedes EQS, which gets around 452 miles to a charge. At the other end, the Citroen Ami returns 46 miles.
Whether you need to worry about range depends on how far you intend to travel travel. The average UK mileage for a driver is just over 100 miles a week. The average battery range on an EV is more than 230 miles on a single charge – clearly more than ample for general use for many drivers.
If you have the opportunity to install a home charger, you will likely find your EV more convenient than a petrol or diesel vehicle. If you’re unable to install a charger at your home for lack of a driveway or another reason, you may worry about finding a place to top up.
Weather may be another factor for concern, because range can be significantly shortened if conditions are less than favourable – for example, if it’s cold the impact on range is around 10% to 20%. Using the heater, wipers, lights will all have an effect on the vehicles range. Hopefully this problem will begin to diffuse as batteries continue to develop in efficiency and longevity
What kinds of chargers are available?
Different connector types can be split into alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). Slower AC connectors include the standard UK three-pin plug, and Type 1 and Type 2 connectors, while faster DC connectors include CCS connectors and Tesla’s own Superchargers.
Most brands ranging from BMW and Mercedes to Kia and Hyundai use slower Type 2 chargers and fast-charging CCS connectors.
It can take around half an hour to charge a typical EV at a 150kW rapid-charging station from empty to full. Some 350kW chargers will add 100 miles of range in 10 minutes.
If you use a standard 7kW public charger, a full charge arrives in around eight hours and an estimated three hours with a 22kW charger.
How much does it cost to charge an electric car?
Depending on where you go, it can be cheaper to charge your car than fill it with petrol or diesel.
You can expect to pay 19-21p per mile for petrol or diesel (based on a regular family car), but charging at home overnight (the cheapest option) can cost as little as 3p per mile, meaning a full charge costs around £16 based on a car with a 60kWh battery, such as the Tesla Model 3.
According to the AA, on average a Vauxhall Corsa Electric will cost £19.20 to charge from 0-80% on a slow charger, £22 via a fast one, £27.60 on a rapid and £28.40 for an ultra rapid.
Can I afford an electric car?
You can grab an EV from the used market, and there will be one available for every use case, because the market is always growing. Some of the cheapest EVs on the market are the first-generation Nissan Leafs and Renault Zoes, each available from around £5000-£7000 for examples that have covered 40,000-50,000 miles. However these will be less expensive when buying at trade through Car Auction Buying Service.
There is lots of choice available too, used EV sales have doubled in the last year and company car drivers are returning lease vehicles back in to the market after 2 or 3 years.
Should I opt for a hybrid instead?
Hybrids offer a stepping stone for those unsure about owning a pure electric car. Three types exist; hybrids, plug-in hybrids and mild hybrids.
Full-fat hybrids use a combustion engine coupled to an electric motor, which is charged up by the engine when it is running low. This allows you to drive it a short distance or at lower speeds on electric power alone before the engine kicks in.
Plug-in hybrids are essentially the same, but the battery is charged via a wall socket or other external source, rather than the combustion engine. This enables them to travel longer distances on purely electric power.
Many will cover roughly 20-40 miles on electric power when fully charged but some go even further. For example, the Mercedes GLC 300de can travel 84 miles as an EV, and the Range Rover Sport P440e 76 miles.
Mild-hybrids use an electric motor in place of a starter motor and alternator, meaning the engine doesn’t have to work during fuel-intensive activities, such as restarting.
How much longer will combustion cars be around for?
This is anyone’s guess but their days as a major source of propulsion are numbered with a ban on sales of petrol and diesel vehicles due to come into place in 2035.
The mass market of EVs is coming. Presently almost 200,000 vehicles a month are being charged and that is going up and up
Smaller manufacturers such as Alpine or Caterham (which aren’t currently regulated on emissions as strictly as larger ones) will be able to continue producing cars with a degree of combustion, and brands such as Ferrari are looking into e-fuels as a way of keeping combustion vehicles alive.
Classic cars meanwhile, could have their drivetrains converted to run on e-fuels or electricity. Older models are easier to convert in this way because their chassis isn’t built into the body as it is on modern cars.
If you still want the 6.75-litre V8 in your Rolls-Royce Corniche to run on regular petrol, you will have to have deep pockets to cover the tax hike that non-electrified combustion cars will incur within the next 10 years.
Verdict – should I buy an electric car?
This will depend on your own circumstances, and you should make the switch so long as you have the basics covered.
These are – access to a good charging network (or home charger), a knowledge of how long it will take your car to charge up based on the charge speed it accepts, and that you’d like one mostly for your commute to work.
The good news is that you won’t have to fork out as much money in maintenance costs or tax as the equivalent combustion car, especially in the run up to 2035. The used market is also growing at a noticeable rate, and is filled with EVs that are being sold at very attractive prices. If, however, you feel the time is not right for you, hybrids make a very good compromise.
Whether it be an EV or a hybrid Car Auction Buying Service can help you buy your net vehicle at trade price. Here at Car Auction Buying Service, we’re dedicated to finding the very best deal at auction for you, attending events arranged by British Car Auctions, Manheim, G3 and Aston Barclay, plus many more. We assist in bidding and provide the support you need to buy successfully from the auction; without the need for you to travel across the country.
Thanks to our multiple trade accounts we pay much lower buyers premiums compared to private buyers. We then pass that saving on to you!
We scrutinise the cosmetic reports and mechanical reports that accompany each vehicle. Our team can also provide trade price warranties and deliver your car to any location in the UK. To find out more, or to inquire about buying your next vehicle from a nationwide or local car auctions, please give us a call on 0121 769 1729. Alternatively, you can fill out our online form.
