Terry - Somerset
Established Member
Entirely capable EVs are available new from ~£25k (list price). Current discounts can reduce this to ~£20k. Some basic city cars from ~£15k. They don't match an ICE luxo barge for comfort but are an acceptable way to get from A to B in reasonable comfort and speed.Well you can do anything with stats. From what I've read the average new price of an EV is still around £45k so a majority will be subject to the new budget luxury tax while ICE comes in around £10k less. Average new EV prices would be even higher if it wasn't for current subsidies and discounting as they aren't selling as well as predicted.
Yes s/h supplies are and will continue to increase but concerns about battery life aren't going away any time soon and it's unlikely EVs will ever last as long as ICE as costs of new batteries outweigh the value of the car. Hopefully future developments will change that but it's just speculation at the minute.
Battery life concerns are largely unwarranted. Average degradation is ~2% pa and most are warranted for a minimum level of performance for 8 years. The life of an ICE is probably little better - may even be worse given the engineering complexity and number of moving parts,
Currently 50-60% of properties have the capacity to charge off road. Those unable can buy new ICE for the next decade and run it for a further 10-15 years. It makes sense to start the journey towards emissions free motoring, not wait for the technology to solve all the problems first.Not as simple as that, having electricity and being able to use it for an EV isn't always possible
There are a multitude of streets of terraced houses with no off street parking and many can't even park near their own house let alone outside it. My son is one, lovely old Victorian terrace house but often has to park in the next street. My daughter in law, a nurse has a leased EV and has to charge in the town car park if she can't get in at work. She often has to travel on call at odd hours so car has to be kept charged and it's doubtful if her next car will be an EV.
Accepting the basic propositions that (a) ICE will be feasible for the next 25 years, and (b) there is likely to be little difference between the costs of ICE and EV, the impact on pensioners is a complete irrelevancy.Rubbish. Pensioners who live in rural areas with poor public transport have little choice and the area I live is a prime example.
Just out of interest there are 7 million over 65s who hold a driving licence, that's 20% of full UK licence holders apparently, out of which 4m are over 70 and more than1m over 80. Apparently 32% of over 65s own a car which represents the largest ownership age group.
Those who can afford cars now will continue to enjoy the benefits. Driverless vehicles and/or better public transport is the solution to the problems of car free rural pensioners.
I have just changed my car and bought petrol. For me the risks associated with EV are individually small (and possibly inconsequential) but taken together represent a material difference.Agreed. I'm not anti EV surprisingly and I'd buy one if the numbers stacked up which they don't for me at the minute. If I was changing my car tomorrow it would be the petrol version of what I currently drive but I have no doubt that I will at some stage have an EV or perhaps an alternative if they develop one.
- range - we frequently drive 250 miles in a day trip to see relatives and friends. EV likely means recharging to avoid anxiety
- we travel down to southern Spain each winter and sometimes drive. With the exception of premium EV range, recharging would be a constraint
- battery technology is still evolving rapidly - any purchase today may be obsolete in 2 years
- running cost savings estimated at £25-50 per month - useful but hardly critical