Buying a fully electric used car

[MikeJhn]

For the past seventeen years (retirement) bought my and OH cars secondhand and automatic, and never had a problem with either's drivetrain, all of my peers seem to have the same experience, pub talk being mostly about our cars and how many punctures we have had.

 

[Spectric]

I've heard that in some areas, people struggle to find a car mechanic for their EV or the price is not reasonable

You need to factor in main dealer repair / servicing prices, but if going down this route then just buy new and replace it every two or three years so it is always under warranty. Round here main dealers just seem to ship them out to bigger main dealers whilst giving the customer an ICE courtesey vehicle and the local smaller garages just do not touch them. The problem for the smaller garages is that the training courses are several days long and expensive, plus they are for only one brand and as a non francished garage they tend to work on any brand. Then factor in the age of a lot of these guys and they have the attitude that there will be enough EV work around to keep them going until retirement so not bothering with EV's and there is a shortage of any motor technicians as well.

 

[Yorkieguy]

Current reports indicate that battery degradation is typically ~2% pa, and rarely, unless seriously abused, do they suffer major failures.

Most other EV components are simpler (motor) than ICE or very similar - long term reliability may be rather better, offset by the relative immaturity of EV control and power components.

Severe EV battery degradation is generally warranted for 7-10 years - I would suggest you understand with any EV you buy (a) how much warranty remains, (b) that the intended purchase is still covered, and (c) what you need to do in the future (eg: annual inspections).

Ability to charge at home and maybe access cheap overnight rates may be important.

I have just upgraded my car and chose petrol, despite fully supporting EV as the medium or long term future. The reasons relate to an accumulation of small issues, not one large one:

• range would be an issue a few times a year - a relatively long range large battery model would challenge affordability
• we do the occasional European trip - charging issues and prices are a bit of an unknown
• current low EV sales and rapidly evolving technology could leave model specific spares hard to source in a few years time (if needed)
• evolving technology (eg: battery chemistry) could impact model obsolescence making s/h value vulnerable if ever sold
• risks associated with ICE are limited - spares back up, trained technicians, fuel stations etc etc will be common for at least the next 10 years. Their decline will then set in!

Costs rely upon government policy. Current preferential treatment of EVs, and cheap charging is unlikely to last indefinitely - possibly only until the transition to RV is effectively unstoppable. Road charging is a likely revenue raising method to replace fuel duties on ICE as they decline.

Re ability to charge at home at off peak rates requires not just a Smart Meter, but a Smart Meter that works, which many millions don't. It took me two years and two referrals to the Ombudsman before mine would work, which happily, it now does. The meter has a 'hub' adjacent to it, powered from the mains. The hub has to send signals to the the energy supplier and that communications link too often doesn't work.

https://blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2024/09/martin-lewis--letter-to-the-energy-secretary-on-smart-meters/#:~:text=The%20Government's%20estimate%20of%20how,not%20working%20is%20around%2010%25

If you have a gas Smart Meter (not relevant to charging an electric car of course), the 'smart' facility is powered by an internal long life LiOn battery and has to send radio signals to the hub adjacent to the electric meter. If the two meters are at some distance from each other, though the gas meter registers consumption correctly, you have to read the meter and submit readings, or your bills will simply be estimated.

This is assuming that consumers are receptive to Smart meters in the first instance, which many are not.