Top 6 Important Things To Know Before Buying An Electric Vehicle

Do you intend to replace your current vehicle with an electric one? If so, you might want to get ready for the oddities that come with having an electric vehicle.

Electric vehicles have a magical aura, much like any other new technology. Are they all costly or affordable? Are they available to the general public, or are they still just available to a select few? How much does maintenance cost? Once you purchase an electric vehicle, how does it charge?

Before making the decision to buy an electric car, you should give these concerns some thought. Here are seven things you should be aware of before purchasing an electric vehicle. 

1. Some electric vehicles cost little

While certain electric vehicles, like the Tesla, are designed to break the bank, not all of them are pricey automobiles. Some are actually reasonably priced. One of these easily accessible electric automobiles is the Renault Zoe. When compared to the estimated £80,000 (N36 million in Nigerian naira) price of the Tesla, it only costs £13,995 (N6,297,750).

Electric vehicle ownership has become more accessible now that they are as affordable as the Renault Zoe. This implies that you should settle for an electric vehicle if you can afford any new vehicle.

2. The most expensive auto component is the battery

The battery is the most crucial and expensive component of an electric vehicle. The majority of electric vehicles on the road today use lithium battery technology, which is also used in our smartphones, computers, and tablets. However, due to the purpose they serve in such vehicles, the batteries in electric automobiles are significantly more intricate and larger. Because of this, the battery is relatively expensive, especially in comparison to other cars.

You must take into account the battery’s lifespan, probable replacement cost, and durability. Even though maintaining electric automobiles is less expensive than maintaining conventional cars, the battery still needs to be maintained.

Batteries from most electric vehicle manufacturers are expected to last up to 100,000 miles, so if you don’t go over that limit, you shouldn’t need to replace them. But batteries experience capacity loss over time, just like cell phones.

3. Options for Charging Electric Vehicles

As previously mentioned, the battery of an electric car is the most crucial factor to take into account while purchasing one. You must take into account your ability to recharge the car, which may include forward planning, electrical modifications, or even building at your home or place of employment.

Fortunately, the majority of electric cars currently on the market allow you to charge them using regular household outlets. However, you must develop patience because employing this technique requires an 8–12 hour recharge time.

But if you want it to be quicker, you might want to think about spending more money to build a more potent charging system. High-current chargers frequently call for a dedicated power source and require professional installation. 

4. Expenses for electricity

You won’t keep the money you typically spend on gas if you switch from conventional cars to electric vehicles. Instead, the switch adds a new customer to the power provider and removes one from the gas station.

The difference is that, unless you travel a very large distance each day, you are unlikely to notice a significant increase in the price of your electricity bill.

5. Environmentally responsible

Compared to conventional automobiles, electrical vehicles are slightly more environmentally friendly. In addition to costing nearly three times as much to fuel, conventional vehicles produce more CO2 than electric vehicles.

The environmental benefits of using solar energy and other renewable resources to charge your electric vehicle have increased. Electric cars have minimal local emissions, which is good for the air quality in towns and cities.

6. The value at resale

Despite the fact that electric cars have been around for a while, it is still unclear what the resale value for a newer model should be, in contrast to traditional cars, where you can simply hazard a guess and come up with a reasonable estimate.

It’s crucial to take the resale value into account, particularly given the likelihood that the car will depreciate once a certain amount of miles have been logged on it.

Since the expense of replacing the battery will undoubtedly be one of the main talking points when selling the automobile, buyers may also take that into account.