Letter: Everyone in the New Forest knows electric cars are great...don’t we?
BY NOW, we all know how wonderful electric (EV) cars are... don’t we? Below are some of the downsides, the ones manufacturers and governments don’t want you to know for obvious reasons.
Figures quoted are averages and a rough guide only. They will vary from make and models. All figures quoted are obtained from trusted sources, news articles, insurance companies, fleet car sites and car magazines, but please, do your homework first if you want one and spread your research area, There is a lot of misinformation out there.
Purchase price: £25,000-£130,000 minus any sweeteners
Insurance: Circa £500 to many thousands (pay particular attention to Tesla Model Y. The batteries cannot be replaced or repaired at this time.)
Cost of batteries: 5K-£40,000+
Weight: Batteries add 200-400kg more to the car. Fears of banning EVs from some older multi-story car parks at some stage. More potholes
Depreciation: Circa 50% over three years
Battery life: 100,000-150,000 miles, could be more if you keep your battery charged to between 20%-80%.
Range: Grossly exaggerated by manufacturers. Up to 40% less than an ICE car in normal conditions. If using heater/AC in winter, deduct another 10-20%. Deduct up to 65% if towing in normal conditions. I have no figures for winter.
Servicing: Generally more than ICE due to complex electronics, longer service times.
Tyres: Bigger, due to tougher construction in consideration of weight and torque delivery to the road.
Fires: Lithium batteries have proved very reliable but more dangerous if the car catches fire. Thermal runaway is lethal, heat generated is at least twice that of a normal car fire (diesel) and the gases far more toxic. Even when extinguished, they can reignite days or weeks afterwards and they can destroy property and vehicles in close proximity.
Range: Range anxiety is a real problem. Installing public charging points is falling way behind government expectations. This has led to ‘charging rage’, parking fines for cars exceeding times because of the long wait to charge. Unreliable charging points, too many apps and some incompatible plugs and vandalism. The list is expansive.
John F Walsh
Address supplied
