Electric vehicles are gaining popularity worldwide, even in places like Nigeria. More and more people are starting to use them. However, there’s still a lot of confusion and questions about them. Are they expensive or affordable? Can anyone use them, or are they just for a select few? How much does it cost to maintain one? And what’s it like to charge them up once you own one? These are important questions to think about before buying an electric car.
In this article, we’ll explore 14 things you should know before buying an electric car.
1. Some electric cars are affordable
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While electric cars like Tesla are quite expensive, there are actually some electric cars that do not fit into the category of expensive cars. Some are quite affordable. A very good example is Renault’s Zoe. You can get a Renault Zoe for as little as ₦7 million compared to the estimated ₦36 million that the Tesla would cost. With electric vehicles as cheap as the Renault Zoe, almost everyone can get an electric car. That is, if you can afford any new car, you might as well settle for an electric car.
2. The battery is the most expensive car part
The most important yet expensive part of an electric car is the battery. Many electric cars use a type of battery similar to what’s in our phones and laptops, but car batteries are bigger and more complicated. That’s why they’re costly, especially compared to regular cars. You need to think about how long the battery lasts and how much it might cost to replace it. Electric cars are cheaper to maintain overall, but the battery is something to keep an eye on. Most electric car companies say their batteries can go for about 100,000 miles without needing replacement. But, like with phones, batteries get weaker over time.
3. Charging Options for Electric Cars
When buying an electric car, it is important to think about how you’ll charge it. You might need to plan ahead and make some changes at home or work to accommodate charging. Most electric cars can charge using regular household outlets, but it takes a long time to charge, usually 8–12 hours. If you want faster charging, you might need to install a more powerful charging outlet, but that can be expensive and might require professional help.
4. Lack of charging stations
When buying an electric car, it’s important to check if there are enough charging stations around where you live and where you usually drive. But the biggest issue we have in Nigeria concerning electric cars is the fact that there are barely any charging stations in Nigeria. This means that, as an electric car owner, you will struggle to find the means to charge your vehicle when needed. Having more charging stations across the country would make it easier for people to use electric cars, but currently, there aren’t enough.
5. Charging Speed
The speed of charging can really affect how you feel about driving an electric car. Some cars have fast-charging technology, so you can quickly charge up a lot of the battery. Fast chargers are great for long trips or when you’re in a hurry between things. But not all electric cars come with them as standard. Think about how you drive and decide if fast charging is a must-have for you.
6. Electricity Bills
In Nigeria, where we still pay electricity bills to get light and where we don’t have any charging stations, considering how much impact owning an electric car would have on your electricity bills is necessary. Switching from traditional cars to electric cars does not mean that you will entirely keep the money you usually spend on filling your gasoline tank. Instead, you’ll switch from gasoline stations to paying more for electricity. But unless you drive a whole lot every day, your electricity bill probably won’t shoot up by much.
7. Performance
Electric cars are known for their fast acceleration and smooth driving. But the speed and how fast they go can be different for each model. If you love speed and fast cars, check out the car’s horsepower, torque, and how quickly it can go from 0 to 60 mph. Just remember, super-fast electric cars might not go as far on one charge because they use up more power.
8. Cold Weather and Electric Cars
If there is anything you should be worried about when it comes to electric cars, it is the fear of electric cars in cold weather. First, the lithium batteries in most electric vehicles do not work well in cold weather. It reduces their efficiency and exhausts the charge in the battery more rapidly. Also, the use of a cabin heater in cold weather can interfere with your available range. However, storing the electric car in a warm garage can prevent the loss of range.
9. Environmentally friendly
Electric cars are more eco-friendly than regular cars. Since those electric cars do not use fuel, they produce fewer CO2 emissions. Charging them with solar power or other renewable energy makes them even better for the environment. Plus, electric cars don’t emit any harmful stuff locally, which is good, especially in Nigeria, where cars are always smoking.
10. The Resale Value
As the electric car market keeps growing, the resale value of these vehicles has been relatively stable. However, it is advisable to research the resale value of the specific models you want to buy. Some brands and models may have a higher resale value than others due to factors such as reputation, battery technology, and market demand. Understanding the potential resale value of the car can help you make a more informed decision and plan for future upgrades.
11. Safety Features
When buying any car, safety should be a top priority, especially for electric ones. Check if the model you’re interested in has modern safety features like adaptive cruise control, collision warning, lane-keeping help, emergency braking, and blind spot warning. Also, make sure the electric car you’re buying meets all the safety rules and has been tested well in crash testing.
12. Model Availability
Since the electric car market is not very popular, not all models might be easy to find in Nigeria. Also, shipping and clearing an electric car might be quite expensive. So, it’s smart to know what options you have available locally when deciding what electric car to buy.
13. Additional Costs
Apart from how much you pay when you first buy it, think about other additional costs related to having an electric car. This could be things like how much you pay for insurance, the cost of maintenance, or getting special electric car parts. Electric cars usually incur a low maintenance cost because they have fewer moving parts, but it is still important to consider these costs before getting an electric car.
14. Driving Range
The driving range of your car is the distance it can go without having to charge it. This is really important, especially if you often drive long distances. You need to know how far it can go on one charge without running out of battery. Unlike regular cars that run on gas, electric cars usually can’t go as far on one charge. Even though battery tech has improved a lot, electric cars still can’t match what most drivers expect. And the lack of charging stations makes this a problem.
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