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Original poster

If you can afford it, will you go electric?

172 replies

ShiteheadRevisited · 17/05/2021 09:10

Genuine question - and I promise this is not a goady thread - if you can afford a £40k+ car, why wouldn't you get an electric vehicle (EV)?

I've scrimped and saved for a year and have just got the VW ID-4 (which I love), as I knew I wanted an EV for environmental reasons. A straw poll of my social circle puts cost as the main barrier to buying an EV.

Our daughter goes to an independent school and I've just observed the sea of Range Rovers, Audi Q7s, BMW X3s, Bentley SUVs etc on the school run, and I wondered why, if you can afford it, you wouldn't get an EV? As the EV options get broader and their driving ranges even better, I wonders whether we will finally start to see a significant shift to electric cars in ten UK?

OP posts:
BobaCobb · 17/05/2021 16:37

@Iggly

The electricity used to charge an electric car will invariably come from fossil fuel or nuclear power, neither which sit happily with me.

I would rather minimise my driving altogether.

Again, I will repeat my point about charging overnight. If you are charging at a non peak time this electricity will be produced whether it is used or not. Power stations cannot simply be turned off because most people are asleep. This is why our electric car can be set to start charging at a certain time and off again at a certain time. This uses the off peak electricity power stations have to produce and we are able to get a cheaper rate for those hours.
torquewench · 17/05/2021 18:14

@MNSavedMyLockdown

For those saying EV's cost £40k - no they don't! You can get one on monthly subscription for the same cost as leasing a petrol car, but with free charging, no road tax, no congestion charge and with insurance included - so NO additional costs. We used to lease a small petrol car and have saved a fortune.
How many "small petrol cars" cost £40k? And why fork out each month for something you'll never own. Then theres the environmental cost of changing cars for newer ones when the lease ends...
ItsMondayy · 17/05/2021 18:18

Regularly drive round the UK for work and I couldn't be stopping every 120 miles to charge!

My Renault Zoe goes for 250 miles

ItsMondayy · 17/05/2021 18:20

And why fork out each month for something you'll never own

Cars depreciate in value and are a terrible investment when compared to, say, houses. Therefore a subscription service where you pay for use of the vehicle and take none of the hit of servicing costs, tax, insurance etc is a sensible option.

Rockbird · 17/05/2021 18:24

@24GinDrinkingOnceTheKidsInBed I came on to say exactly the same thing 😭

And I don't have a driveway.

Pinkpaisley · 17/05/2021 18:42

We regularly use our car for drive that takes more than a day and which there aren’t any other transit alternatives. Electric cars just aren’t ready for that kind of travel yet. They need a battery charge that can happen in minutes not hours and that is readily available in remote areas.

NichyNoo · 17/05/2021 18:53

We regularly drive from Liverpool to Plymouth to visit relatives. It takes anything between 5 -7 hours usually. If I had to add a couple of stops to charge the car (45 minutes a time) it would simply take too long. We also go hiking in Wales - don’t see many charging points so I’d be worried about the battery running out & being stranded. I’d only get an electric car if I lived in a big city and only used it for local journeys.

torquewench · 17/05/2021 19:10

@ItsMondayy

And why fork out each month for something you'll never own

Cars depreciate in value and are a terrible investment when compared to, say, houses. Therefore a subscription service where you pay for use of the vehicle and take none of the hit of servicing costs, tax, insurance etc is a sensible option.

No, it isnt. Is "subscription service" the new language being used to disguise the fact it's on HP/finance?
BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand · 17/05/2021 19:21

You forgot to factor in that the company offering the "subscription service" (also known as car finance) makes a profit. Which you are paying for.

torquewench · 17/05/2021 19:24

@ItsMondayy

Regularly drive round the UK for work and I couldn't be stopping every 120 miles to charge!

My Renault Zoe goes for 250 miles

What kind of driving are you doing? Local hops or motorway miles? A Renault Zoe ad (with on.to) Ive seen states "190 real world miles". For £389 or £399 a month depending on trim spec. With a mileage limit of 1000 miles per month. So not really a practical option for someone who "drives around the UK for work". Plus, the ad clearly states "no ownership is possible". For the thick end of £400 a month.🤦🏼‍♀️
AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii · 17/05/2021 19:25

I live in a small village which is basically a through road, I park out on the street which is quite far away from my house as it’s set back from the road so I wouldn’t be able to charge it without running cables from the house to the car which is a trip hazard.

The other thing Is, yes you’re not paying for petrol etc but the government aren’t just going to go oh well that’s all the tax and revenue gone from petrol and there goes all the taxes from people paying road tax etc, they will just put the charges on elsewhere.

I think those who live in more rural areas and have further to go to schools/shopping/not likely to have a driveway should be allowed the choice over what car they have.

AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii · 17/05/2021 19:28

Not to mention there are parts of Scotland that haven’t even got fast enough internet to function never mind getting charging points to all the areas

BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand · 17/05/2021 19:33

a subscription service where you pay for use of the vehicle and take none of the hit of servicing costs, tax, insurance etc is a sensible option

Who do you think those costs are paid by, btw? The car will still need servicing, and insurance is still required. Those costs are obviously paid directly by the company offering the car. But how do you think they fund it?

It's still the driver that pays for it all, just indirectly

BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand · 17/05/2021 19:38

@TheVolturi

I have an ev and love it. Have had them for years now. I totally get that people don't like them though, but I honestly think if people were lent one for a month they would definitely change their mind. Its like driving a spaceship, so intuitive and smooth, and the acceleration is amazing.
If you've had electric vehicles for years now, I'm guessing the vast majority of your driving is short trips?

I'm the opposite. I do hardly any short trips by car. Most of my driving is long journeys for which an EV wouldn't be practical.

TheFnozwhowasmirage · 17/05/2021 19:43

No. I need something affordable,which can safely tow 3.5t. I recently had to scrap my old diesel 4x4 which had that capacity,and bought a diesel estate. As soon as I can,I'll buy another diesel tow vehicle as I miss it no end.

ItsMondayy · 17/05/2021 20:12

Is "subscription service" the new language being used to disguise the fact it's on HP/finance?

@torquewench No. Look it up. Services like Onto as previously mentioned are doing this. You simply pay as you would for your Netflix subscription, no obligations, no finance arrangement, cancel at any time.

ItsMondayy · 17/05/2021 20:13

@BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand see my response above. It is a subscription service. No "quote" marks required.

JellyBabiesFan · 17/05/2021 20:24

No. Despite the politics I do not think it solves a great deal. They are only moving the problem around.

LunaTheCat · 17/05/2021 20:24

I was seriously thinking of one - could charge at home etc,
But last week - I am in New Zealand -a BMW EV blew up. The dashboard warning sign said “ see your dealer immediately “ in 5 mins as engulfed in flames - not uncommon apparently!

torquewench · 17/05/2021 20:30

@ItsMondayy

Is "subscription service" the new language being used to disguise the fact it's on HP/finance?

@torquewench No. Look it up. Services like Onto as previously mentioned are doing this. You simply pay as you would for your Netflix subscription, no obligations, no finance arrangement, cancel at any time.

I have looked it up. It is a finance scheme, just dressed up as something else. I can barely believe my eyes, tbh. There is absolutely no way Id be happy to spaff nearly £400 a month on renting a small car.

(I have some magic beans to sell if youre interested...)

BobaCobb · 17/05/2021 20:34

Whether you like it or not this is the future and the government will enforce it. There are some valid points on this thread about the infrastructure not being there yet, but it is improving everyday. Also at the moment towing or large vehicles are not possible but again, this will come.

torquewench · 17/05/2021 20:35

Diesel was the future once. Gordon Brown said so.

LivingDeadGirlUK · 17/05/2021 20:45

We bought a car 2 years ago and expect to keep it till its no longer running. Then get an EV as the next car.

Technology is really improving and there are huge infrastructure plans in motion at the moment to create the charging points that are needed.

While their are downsides like the disposal of batteries, there are huge benefits such as the improvement of air quality in busy areas, and a way of using surpluse electricity thats generated over night.

ItsMondayy · 17/05/2021 20:53

It is a finance scheme, just dressed up as something else.

How is it a "finance scheme"? Unless you class any exchange of money as a finance scheme? It's exactly the same model as Netflix. You pay for a service.

BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand · 17/05/2021 20:53

[quote ItsMondayy]@BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand see my response above. It is a subscription service. No "quote" marks required. [/quote]
And yet you think you're somehow escaping paying for maintenance, servicing and insurance?

You're really not. You're just paying for it in bite size chunks.