Are EV cars worthwhile?
BYD seems to be flooding the Australian car market with cheap new electric cars. We went to have a look at some in our local showroom. It is very tempting to get one now, we have solar and a battery at home. It could mean never having to pay for fuel again. The Atto 1 pictured is $25,000 drive away, which is even cheaper than a second hand one a couple of years old. I could probably just sell my existing car for that and just be winning $ wise on fuel and maintenance straight away.
It would come with limitations, though the battery range is only 200km in perfect conditions, the 30k upgrade will get 300km. Real world driving with hills and traffic seems to drop these number a fair bit and wear and tear on batteries would probably reduce things more year by year as well. I have heard the technology is better than in my power tools, but l have had to dispose of many dead batteries over the years.
I would lose a lot of space, the ability to tow and go off road as well.
I do less and less with my big old diesel Toyota as I get older, but I just don't think I am quite ready yet to change to an EV yet.
Fitness wise, it was some speed work running along the bike path and an afternoon stroll.
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Plenty of EVs that are bigger and with decent range ;) I am researching those for the past few years. Almost bought used tesla model y a few months ago just before oil price spike. Would've been great purchase. Now the demand for those are too high. Need to wait untill all that fuss with Iran ends.
I have not started looking into the second hand market out here yet. I think with all the big distances that Australia covers has us lagging well behind
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If you are interested in an informed opinion on EV vehicles. I'm a Canadian so I know all about long distances. I have a regular gas vehicle, a Plug-In Hybrid vehicle, and a full electric vehicle.
My EV is one of the very first models that came out, a Mitsubishi Imiev. It is ugly, old, terrible range (65km) and in the winter the cold weather means if I go on the Freeway the battery will run into issues and the turtle (reduced power mode) will come up. However, it is still an awesome vehicle for around the town trips. Its maintenance is basically zero (brake check every two years and top up brake fluid and wiper fluid annually). It is basically plug and play with nothing to really worry about.
As a second vehicle it is awesome. As an only vehicle it is useless. It just doesn't go far enough.
The plug in hybrid? My wife drives it back and forth to work daily in EV mode and charges at night. One tank of gas lasts roughly a month, sometimes longer. When needed for long road trips to our cabin (1300km away) or my mom's house (1400km) it performs admirably but the small gas tank mean regular fill ups. When I get to the cabin? It's generator mode mean I can power the cabin for up to a week and if I decide to go camping I can bring along a fridge and stove to cook at the camp :)
It can even tow but doesn't have huge towing capability.
The gas vehicle? Actually belongs to my son. Actually there are two (I have two sons). They are great and traditional but when they go into the shop for maintenance or repairs my kids steal my EV. When they are short on gas money, they steal my EV. For quick trips to the grocery store? They steal my EV.
I wish we had some of the Chinese EV's in Canada (a few are coming but not here yet). My Imiev really is aging poorly and needs to be replaced. With 300km range (even 200km real world) would mean I wouldn't need to switch out to the PHEV except for long road trips.
Side note: Renting a vehicle for those few times I actually do need to do a long road trip is surprisingly affordable. The money I save on gas and maintenance easily pay for those few times a year when I need the long range (and my wife doesn't want to give up the PHEV :)
Thanks for the detailed comment, it really helps knowing what other people are doing. I think the multi car option sound perfect, until they can make one to rule them all. I am worried at the moment any money I would save on fuel and maintenance on the cheap Chinese EV would disappear on extra registration, insurances and or renting for those bigger trips. My son might come in handy though, he likes doing cars up and there is always a spare at his place.
Yeah. I think that's an Australia thing.
In Canada my Imiev costs about half as much to insure as my Outlander ($2000 for the Outlander and $1000 for the Imiev..CAD/AUD fairly similar in value). Maintenance for my son's ICE engine cars is about $800/year that doesn't have to be paid for the EV. I only put about 5K Km on the Imiev and cost of the electricity for that is about $50/year. My son's cars about about 8L/100km so about $800 for the same 5000km with current gas prices.
Difference in operating costs annually? $2,550.
Cost to rent a U-Haul? $39/day plus $0.10/km.
10 Day trip with 1400km? $390 for rental plus $140 for mileage : $530
However, I know nothing of the Australian prices of things so you are absolutely right other stuff could absolutely add up :)