Are you looking to buy a second hand EV? In less than eight years, the Government plans to ban the sale of all new petrol and diesel vehicles as part of a global plan to tackle climate change. In turn, the UK is heavily pushing the adoption of EVs. Only last week, the Government promised to expand the network of public charging points to 300,000.
In order to meet its net zero target by 2050, electric vehicles will soon become the most common option for drivers across the globe. Out of the 1.6 million new vehicles sold in 2021, only 190,000 of them were fully electric. While this figure is growing month on month, some UK drivers have reservations about switching to electric.
So are electric vehicles a viable solution? Here’s three big questions to answer before you buy a second hand EV!
Why are electric cars so expensive?
One of the most off-putting factors to buying an electric vehicle is how expensive they currently are! It’s no lie that conventional petrol and diesel vehicles are far more affordable to buy outright than electric ones. The main reason for this is that electric vehicles are more expensive for manufacturers to build.
Not only are electric batteries more expensive than conventional batteries, but EVs require a high level of investment from manufacturers. Even converting an existing production factory into one which can produce electric vehicles is a big cost. While we do expect this cost to lower as more electric vehicles are produced, it’s likely EV buyers will only start to see a positive decline in EV prices towards the end of the decade.
That being said, it is important that those who want to buy an electric vehicle look at the total cost of ownership, and not just the sale price. As the cost of fuel continues to rise, electric vehicles become more and more affordable to run. While there may be a higher initial price, experts still believe that running an electric car is much more affordable than a conventional car.
If you are worried about how much an electric vehicle could cost you brand new, why not have a look at second hand electric vehicles? Here at EV Sales, we specialise in high-quality, second hand EV sales.
We stock a range of electric vehicles, all of which have only had one previous keeper, including the BMW i3, Renault Zoe, Tesla Model S, Tesla Model 3 and more. If you want to buy a second hand EV, please head to our website to learn more!
Are there enough public chargers for all the EV drivers who need them?
After cost, this is the biggest concern to those looking to buy a second hand EV. Regardless of whether you have access to off-street parking or not, it’s likely you’ll have to use the UK public network of chargers at some point.
Right now, the UK has around 30,000 public charging points, of which two thirds are fast or rapid chargers. Like we said earlier, the Government has recently pledged to expand this to 300,000 by 2030.
There have been many concerns regarding the number of EV charge points and it’s definitely a big concern for drivers and potential buyers. But, what we do know is that the UK is actually ranked second in the Net Zero Readiness Index (NZRI).
Following closely behind Norway, the UK is one of the open countries for EV uptake and readiness. While we know there are issues with the public network as it stands, the UK does have cross-party political support and clear legally-backed targets. All of this makes buying and driving an electric vehicle much more feasible in the future.
What about range anxiety?
Here we are again, back to speaking about range anxiety. For those of you who don’t know, range anxiety is the fear of not having enough battery to get to your destination. This has been a huge worry for drivers since electric vehicles were first introduced to the roads over a decade ago.
While it was a reasonable concern ten years ago, we really don’t think it relevant now! Upgrades in EV technology mean that electric vehicles can now travel further than ever on a single charge. Most electric vehicles have a range of 200 miles or more, but it really depends on the vehicle itself.
For example, the most popular electric vehicle, the Tesla Model 3, has a range of up to 360 miles. Whereas Mercedes’ brand new EQS has a massive range of 453 miles. Both of these are comparable to the amount of miles you would get out of a conventional vehicle when filling it up with fuel.
The truth is, EV technology is only going to get better. This means they will be able to travel further and charge quicker. We really don’t see range anxiety as an issue in today’s world, and it certainly won’t be by 2030.
Buy a second hand EV today!
If you’re ready to buy a second hand EV, you’re in the right place! You can view all of our EVs here, and give our friendly EV experts a call for more information or to arrange a booking on 01634 914 063.
* All information correct as of 31/03/2022.