AIBU to not want an electric car?

[Elevenfourteen]

I know IABU for asking such a dull question, but my Dh wants to buy an electric car and I’m not convinced.
I guess they’re better for the environment so that’s one thing. But are we set up for them properly yet? Do all garages have charging points? Do you have to hang around the garage for ages while they charge? I just can’t imagine how they can be a practical option.
Driving to work and back and charging at night is fine, but what about going on holiday?

Do any of you have electric cars and can you reassure me?

As with lots of things it's easier to make savings after a higher initial cost.
People talking about free charging Teslas ignoring the fact that they are pretty expensive to start with. And yes you can buy second hand electric vehicles but often cheaper (using £7k as quoted by a pp) means a tiny car, or one that looked like a cross between a go-cart and a mobility scooter (Renault twizy) and not suitable for a family car. My own car is 15 years old and I am planning to replace soon as it has become unreliable, but will probably get another ICE as there is more options within budget.

@SwanBuster I do agree about used car prices - I bought mine 2 years ago, it was 10 years old and had done 110000 miles, it fitted the bill for me because I needed a cheap diesel for 3-5 years. I'd easily sell it for the same money or more now, even though it's now nearly 13 years old and has done nearly 130,000 miles.

My DS had a petrol car on PCP which finished last month, he sold it on to one of those 'we buy any car' type places and made nearly £3k profit after the balloon payment was deducted. That certainly wouldn't have been the case a couple of years ago.

I'm not anti electric cars per se, tbh I wish I had the budget for one!

This is an interesting thread, and definitely highlights the privilege of many. I include myself in this, because I own (outright) a prestige car and also own a motorbike.

I think the initial outlay has to be considered. All very well saying you can get a 2nd hand for only £7k - but that's the privilege you have in thinking that's an affordable amount. For many people, all they can afford is a run down car for £1k, £1,500k etc. Many comments here of people having had multiple electric vehicles since they came out - again, how many people can actually afford to upgrade their cars?

Yes petrol is expensive, but with electricity rising by 50% now and again in October, people can't afford to pay that - where will they get the money to replace cars. Driving isn't a luxury, it's a necessity for most.

Another assumption, that people can change their cars for free when they're at the cinema, or eating out etc. Again, some might have that privilege and no money concerns, but there are plenty of people who will have to choose between heating and eating. There isn't spare money for a frivolous spend like that.

This is another way of creating the divide between the haves and have nots. Can't afford to fix your old car, can't afford the petrol but can't afford an electric vehicle? Oh well, you peasant, public transport for you (which is another joke).

@Fizbosshoes

As with lots of things it's easier to make savings after a higher initial cost. People talking about free charging Teslas ignoring the fact that they are pretty expensive to start with. And yes you can buy second hand electric vehicles but often cheaper (using £7k as quoted by a pp) means a tiny car, or one that looked like a cross between a go-cart and a mobility scooter (Renault twizy) and not suitable for a family car. My own car is 15 years old and I am planning to replace soon as it has become unreliable, but will probably get another ICE as there is more options within budget.

Where the hell am I 'ignoring' the cost?! It's obviously a privilege of a person who can afford one to do it.

It's so implicit it doesn't need to be stated 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

@Kukdoos

This is an interesting thread, and definitely highlights the privilege of many. I include myself in this, because I own (outright) a prestige car and also own a motorbike.

I think the initial outlay has to be considered. All very well saying you can get a 2nd hand for only £7k - but that's the privilege you have in thinking that's an affordable amount. For many people, all they can afford is a run down car for £1k, £1,500k etc. Many comments here of people having had multiple electric vehicles since they came out - again, how many people can actually afford to upgrade their cars?

Yes petrol is expensive, but with electricity rising by 50% now and again in October, people can't afford to pay that - where will they get the money to replace cars. Driving isn't a luxury, it's a necessity for most.

Another assumption, that people can change their cars for free when they're at the cinema, or eating out etc. Again, some might have that privilege and no money concerns, but there are plenty of people who will have to choose between heating and eating. There isn't spare money for a frivolous spend like that.

This is another way of creating the divide between the haves and have nots. Can't afford to fix your old car, can't afford the petrol but can't afford an electric vehicle? Oh well, you peasant, public transport for you (which is another joke).

Bloody hell. If you read into my posts you’ll work out that I am fully aware I both have exorbitant privilege and also real world experience of living very much within my means.

I have said on this thread numerous times that infrastructure and costs for electric cars for most people are nowhere near ready, and fully recommended people keep older cars.

Go read my posts on the thread about buy to let parasites if you want to see just how aware I am of the real world despite the fact I can afford a Tesla outright. It is entirely possible to be aware of the real world, empathise with the situation of other and be well off.

I’ve posted nothing but the real world current experience of EV ownership and even said how outrageous it is we get the perks!

Sorry but YABU, I have an electric car and absolutely bloody love it. It's such a fun car to drive and sooo much cheaper than our diesel car to run.

There are chargers absolutely everywhere. We're on holiday now and our cabin even has its own charging point, most hotels do too.

Really it'll be fine :)

@jamie8

Are there EVs suitable for towing a trailer yet? We enquired about 2years ago, need a small trailer for garden waste and helping youth group camping. No cars were insurable because manufacturers did not recommend towing so no towbars designed for them.

A lot of the hybrids can tow. Not sure about the rest

DH says we'll hang on to petrol cars for as long as we can until you can drive long distances in an electric one without the need to waste time charging.

Why have you taken my comments personally SwanBuster.
Why would I read your posts on landlords? What has that got to do with electric cars?

@Kukdoos

Why have you taken my comments personally SwanBuster. Why would I read your posts on landlords? What has that got to do with electric cars?

You were literally referencing things only I said - like charging at the cinema - in a post where I myself said the whole current situation is outrageous that I can do that sort of thing.

Once you have a electric car, you won’t believe you ever drove a petrol / diesel one. No noise, no exhaust smell or fumes. It’s like these days we can’t believe factories used to just emit all their waste and byproducts into the air and environment. We see documentaries about the Industrial Revolution and London smog and think Wtf! What were they thinking! When our children are adults, they won’t believe billions of people used to sit in traffic emitting and breathing in filth from exhausts. They won’t believe it. Once you have an electric car, you don’t believe it either. Change is coming folks. It’s not a choice.

DH has had a plug in hybrid for a few years.It works really well, in a previous property he would plug into the garage and then where we live now plug through the window.On a day to day basis it runs off electricity as he does less than 30 miles a day .If we are travelling he fills it with petrol as needed.
I now( 1year) have an electric car which I plug in over night about once every 10 days.We have had a proper plug installed at the front of the house.i love it and cannot now stand going to the petrol station if I have to fill up my DS's car or similar.We haven't yet used it for long journeys as we have the alternative.DH is apprehensive re having to hang around in a service station or Lidl or whatever ie infrastructure concerns.I am more patient and can see lots of people using the plugs around here , I think that that is probably a mindset and once we start to do it , it will cease to be a problem.

@yikesanotherbooboo

DH has had a plug in hybrid for a few years.It works really well, in a previous property he would plug into the garage and then where we live now plug through the window.On a day to day basis it runs off electricity as he does less than 30 miles a day .If we are travelling he fills it with petrol as needed. I now( 1year) have an electric car which I plug in over night about once every 10 days.We have had a proper plug installed at the front of the house.i love it and cannot now stand going to the petrol station if I have to fill up my DS's car or similar.We haven't yet used it for long journeys as we have the alternative.DH is apprehensive re having to hang around in a service station or Lidl or whatever ie infrastructure concerns.I am more patient and can see lots of people using the plugs around here , I think that that is probably a mindset and once we start to do it , it will cease to be a problem.

Why would he be apprehensive about having to hang around Lidl? 😂

They do superb fresh chocolate croissants for 49p.

The entitlement on this thread is astounding. It amazes me how many people are either completely unaware of the dire position the earth is in and the need for drastic change to enable the planet to live on, or they just don't care and only care about their own conveniences.

I say this as somebody who cannot afford an electric car right now, so it's not like I'm coming from a place of privilege. But the Earth is dying. And it's because of us. Our need to be somewhere quickly, our laziness to drive the school run, our habit of jumping in the car to go to the shop that's less than a mile away. Plastic bottles of water. Tumble dryers. All for convenience.

If we could look 50 years into the future and see our children and grandchildren suffering because of our greed and laziness, I'm sure many would wish they'd cut down on journeys or found more sustainable ways of travelling.

I'm not saying I'm innocent of these, because I'm not. I've been doing the same, but now is the time to open our eyes to what our consumption is doing and make changes where we can.

Countries around the world don't have a Net Zero target just because they fancy it, it's because drastic change is needed.

I'm the same OP. For most of the driving I do, an electric car would be perfect, but a few times a year I do a longer journey where I think it would be a pain.

They seem good for a second car but not for the main car IMO, although a friend has a £££ Tesla, which does seem to work for them so maybe the time is coming.

I have a low emission petrol car bought secondhand - £30 road tax - and as long as it keeps working I won’t be changing it for an electric one.

I have an electric car. It's wonderful to drive, 0 to 60 in 4 seconds and handles like a dream. Well it's a Jaguar iPace, so it would! We charge for the most part at home, either purely for free on solar power from the panels on the roof of our house, or overnight on an EV tariff at 5p a kWh (though that will go up to 7.5p in May). Consequently it's a joy to drive and cheap to run. On the other hand, we do have a VW transporter van which we can use if we are going away and charging is not practical. We took the car to Anglesey in Feb as we could charge, but we will be going to The Isle of Skye in May and chargers are more difficult to find so we'll take the van.
It really is a case of looking at your circumstances and working out if you can charge at home. It becomes far more difficult if that is not practical. It can take about 10 hours to fully charge the Jag at home but we charged in Birmingham last week at a public "rapid charger" and took the battery from 20% to 90% in 1 hour - we had lunch while we waited.

@TokenGinger

The entitlement on this thread is astounding. It amazes me how many people are either completely unaware of the dire position the earth is in and the need for drastic change to enable the planet to live on, or they just don't care and only care about their own conveniences.

I say this as somebody who cannot afford an electric car right now, so it's not like I'm coming from a place of privilege. But the Earth is dying. And it's because of us. Our need to be somewhere quickly, our laziness to drive the school run, our habit of jumping in the car to go to the shop that's less than a mile away. Plastic bottles of water. Tumble dryers. All for convenience.

If we could look 50 years into the future and see our children and grandchildren suffering because of our greed and laziness, I'm sure many would wish they'd cut down on journeys or found more sustainable ways of travelling.

I'm not saying I'm innocent of these, because I'm not. I've been doing the same, but now is the time to open our eyes to what our consumption is doing and make changes where we can.

Countries around the world don't have a Net Zero target just because they fancy it, it's because drastic change is needed.

I agree - the thing I find astonishingly entitled is the ‘why should I wait to charge the car - I don’t want to have to stop’ bit.

Since getting the car I drive slower and look to minimise my energy usage as much as possible. And I don’t even pay for the energy! But it’s just about being concious. The incredible bit is the journeys don’t even take that much longer. The idiots blasting along at 85 on the motorway whilst I’m cruising at 60 end up getting stuck at the same traffic lights I do once they enter the urban zones.

You were literally referencing things only I said
I've read all the posts here, including yours, and plenty of people have said comments along these lines. Maybe you've read mine where I've said I am also privileged.

This thread is interesting, because it does highlight how privileged some of us are, with some not being able to see that. I didn't think that was you, but I can't help how you're taken my post.

Well we camp, we don’t fly, don’t own a tumble dryer or dishwasher, we walk to school, grow a lot of our own fruit and veg so I’ll take not having to wait to charge a car as my one thing killing the planet lol

I'm yet to be completely convinced that electric cars are the answer anyway.

Like trqxhing us to use less would have been more helpful than telling people they could use what they liked as long as it was recycled (which of course it often isn't)

There's still a heavy environmental cost to electric miles and the production and disposal of the cars carries a heavier cost than conventional motoring. ..

Plus the resources needed for the batteries aren't infinite and the life of the batteries is shorter than anyone's admitting.

If you want to do something for the environment, you need to find a way to rely less on your car, not have a different one that also carries a high environmental cost, but lets you feel good about yourself.

*I agree - the thing I find astonishingly entitled is the ‘why should I wait to charge the car - I don’t want to have to stop’ bit.

Since getting the car I drive slower and look to minimise my energy usage as much as possible. And I don’t even pay for the energy! But it’s just about being concious. The incredible bit is the journeys don’t even take that much longer. The idiots blasting along at 85 on the motorway whilst I’m cruising at 60 end up getting stuck at the same traffic lights I do once they enter the urban zones.*

@SwanBuster - Yes! The waiting thing is incredibly entitled, but sadly that's the point we've reached as consumers. People want everything immediately and don't want to have to wait.

I can see how it might be a bit of a pain for those who regularly do long journeys, but surely the average Joe isn't doing journeys of 100+ miles every day, so it'd suit the majority?

@Silverclocks

I'm yet to be completely convinced that electric cars are the answer anyway.

Like trqxhing us to use less would have been more helpful than telling people they could use what they liked as long as it was recycled (which of course it often isn't)

There's still a heavy environmental cost to electric miles and the production and disposal of the cars carries a heavier cost than conventional motoring. ..

Plus the resources needed for the batteries aren't infinite and the life of the batteries is shorter than anyone's admitting.

If you want to do something for the environment, you need to find a way to rely less on your car, not have a different one that also carries a high environmental cost, but lets you feel good about yourself.

I agree with that last point entirely. We absolutely do need to find more ways of relying less on cars.

I went to a transport conference last year and there was a session on Decarbonisation. One of the speakers mentioned bikes - good for your health, and good for the environment. Public transport - a lot being invested to make sure it's fit for purpose (I appreciate it isn't yet). A point he made, which had not occurred to me until that point, was ordering groceries online. I had seen it as a lazy option, but he explained that delivery driver would be making 10 stops on one journey, meaning there are 10 fewer cars making 10 separate journeys. That really resonated with me because I hadn't considered it at all.

I love my Nissan Leaf although I must admit that DH was more keen than me to get it.

No, the infrastructure isn't quite there yet - until there is a charger in every petrol station you can just wave a contactless card at there's always going to be an element of inconvenience. But I mostly charge at home anyway.

You could always hire a car for your holidays OP?

@FollowTheLizards

Could you rent an electric one for a few weeks to see how you get on with it?

I'm personally not going to get an EV anytime soon as I don't think the recycling infrastructure is where it needs to be to support a vast move of trying to get all drivers to go 'green'. What happens to all the batteries after they're used. I think only around half of the minerals used in batteries can be reused, so there currently seems little incentive to invest in these technologies. No doubt they'll all get flown over to South East Asia and China to sit with the billions of tons of plastic the world has already sent over under the guise of 'recycling'.

Yes you can and is exactly what I did. I was anti EV but went into it with an open mind and ended up buying one. I won't ever look back.

Not sure where you live but EV Experience in Milton Keynes hire out a range of EV's for very reasonable prices. They're not selling anything but just promote EV's. Therefore you can't buy one from them but they'll refund the rental if you end up buying one from a dealership.

Also, batteries will likely last the life of the car. People forget that the humble Prius has been around for 20 odd years and originals are still going ok, so batteries do last. Some Teslas are up to 300,000 miles and still going strong.

However, batteries can be repurposed and used for home battery storage. So even if a battery goes below 80% usable capacity, it'll still be excellent for home use, where the load demand is far kinder.