Is an electric car worth it?

Question

Planning on buying a new car soon and debating if I should get the electric or normal one. Like is the electric actually worth it?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Most of your fuel is used when increasing speed.

Hybrids and electric cars can harvest energy when decelerating if you do it correctly, ie slowly with engine braking so some of the advantages of electric can be found in hybrids.

Batteries lose capacity over time and are expensive so this would be bad for long term ownership.

Fuel is extremely cheap in the States.

There are many small engine petrol or diesel cars which get great mileage.

I have owned a prius and I can tell you that it is possible to get close to 70mpg HOWEVER doing this is extremely demanding and tiring, it is far more than just defensive driving, you must always be processing whether you want to invest fuel in speed, harvest energy by engine braking or much more commonly positioning your foot exactly right on the throttle so that you are neither accelerating or decelerating or even putting the car into neutral (which you shouldn't do because it is 'dangerous' to not always have engine braking available.) coasting like this is often the best choice but the car does not lend itself at all to doing this.

50mpg is easily achievable even with spirted driving and you could get high 50s if you wanted to, perhaps more relatively easily.

The combustion engine in the prius is not efficient and it is also very noisy under load.

High mpg has diminishing returns.

The difference between 20 mpg (BMW V6 petrol) and 30mpg (BMW straight 6 diesel) is 50%

The difference between 40mpg and 50mpg is only 25%

Mid 40s mpg is easily achievable even with occassionally spirited driving with a relatively large engine (2L diesel).

So if you want cheap motoring without compromising creature comforts without having to worry about long term costs I would suggest you buy an average European or Japanese (Ford is also fine) car with a 1.6L diesel engine in either a 5 door hatchback (?) or estate body (station wagon).

You can expect a solid, reliable, comfortable, reasonably well equipped, safe and easily serviced jack of all trades type car which will give you 50 - 60 mpg (or 40 - 45? if you drive it like you stole it).

Lliam · Accepted Answer

1) They are expensive. And they'll be like cell phones, computers and other electronic things that you have to replace every few years.

2) Electric cars are far worse for the environment than gas burning cars. The marketing is all about exhaust emissions, but they never talk about the damage caused by mining, transporting and processing those rare minerals, or building the batteries, or what's done with them when they wear out. And the electricity comes from coal or gas fueled power plants. It's a scam for giant corporations to monopolize the Earth's limited supply of minerals.

3) The batteries wear out and the cars become worthless by (+ or -)150,000 miles. All you can do is replace the battery for $13-14,000. They're not like an engine that you can maintain and even have repaired.

Look at all the classic cars that are still on the road. You will never see classic electric cars still driving around.

4) How far can you drive on a charge? How long does it take to charge? How many charging stations are there when traveling? Compare that to gasoline engines.

I would never own an electric car. I did own a Prius hybrid at one time and learned my lesson. I could fill it up and a gas station and it wasn't even limited on mileage, but I found that it just had too many computers and batteries that could go haywire. Fortunately, the hybrid battery wore out before 150,000 miles and was covered under warranty. But the car still wound up being an expensive pain in the ass piece of junk.

I'll stick with good old, simply internal combustion engines.

Aerissa_Jade · Accepted Answer

Seems like it would be a good idea if you lived in a city and that is the only place you ever went, as long as charging stations are around. Don't mind the fact that people with regular cars will park and block charging stations or some anti electric vehicle people will walk by and unplug it while charging.

For me, living more rural and in a large western state, I don't want to be stranded somewhere... so not going to work.

Julie4 · Accepted Answer

I think it might be worth it. especially given the price of oil now. I don't know exactly how many Km you can do with a full charge, but I think it's still quite correct.

On the other hand, if you want to buy an electric car for the ecological argument, do not have any illusions on this subject, the manufacture of the batteries, the extractions of rare metals mean that electric cars are not as ecological as some claim.

matchrestore · Answer

I think if you're a two or more car household they are definitely feasible, and depending on your budget they are worth it. If you only have one car, I would not make that car an electric car yet.

The charging infrastructure for long distance trips is getting better all the time, but its not quite there yet. So, if you have a gas car available for those long trips, then having an electric car as one of your daily drivers in-town makes sense, but if you only have one car, I'd hold off a bit longer.

Surely · Answer

Hello Apple 🍎. I have owned a plug in EV since last August.
If you can have a level 2 charging station at home and don’t drive more than half of the rated range in one direction. They are fun and less expensive to drive than a gas burner.
I figure that it cost me about seven dollars for electricity per 120 miles.
Some things that I would recommend to ask or know before buying.
Know what tax credits and rebates that are still available for that particular EV. The Feds offer up to $7500 tax credit.
The rate of charge the EV will accept if you are going long distances. There are three level three charging rates that I know of.
Most batteries are warranted for eight years.
Things that they don’t seem to mention….
Cold temperatures knock down the range of the batteries.
Defrosters and AC will shorten the range as well as will the load that you will be hauling or towing.
Just ask if you care to hear more.

normalice · Answer

You can generally get them used for cheapish. But it's estimated they save about 1k a year in energy and maintenance costs. Simply shop for two cars - one electric and one combustion - and subtract 1k times the amount of time (in years) you expect to have the electric from the price. If the electric is slightly cheaper it's probably not worth it until charging infrastructure is built upnin your area but if it is substantially cheaper then maybe so.

But also keep in mind some electric cars qualify for tax credits.

Qdbrown · Answer

EV's are just not there. And you better watch what you buy. Don't buy impulse as no EV is alike. Nissan Leafs are perhaps the worse. They have no battery cooling, and if the weather gets over 90 degrees or under 30, it's killing your battery life.
You have to spend a lot to get something like a Tesla, that will last better than a decade. Batteries are still very expensive and new technology that should get better range at a cheaper price is around the corner.
Not to mention many average drivers are leaving EV's because they are not all the exciting to own. Most people develop range anxiety that is a stressor on your own body and mind. And for the people who feel they are morally making a smart buy, most of their energy to convert into battery is still fossil fuels, and with limited charging stations and longer times to charge, is not a good long range car. Just a metro car. Also check insurance as rates can be higher for EV's.

TommyMountainFigure · Answer

You know when a car battery goes, it costs 50/100 to replace? I have heard of electric car battery cells going wrong after just five years and they can cost about 35,000 to replace.. I kid you not!!!

I don't know what i would do, but it's something to think about when deciding, right?

libsaretards · Answer

Not worth it. You have to stop more to charge the car. Car charging ports are still too few and far between. The savings on gas will cost you extra time to charge and will increase your electric bill. If you charge at home, more electricity. If you charge at a port, you have to pay for that. Electric cars are harder to repair when something goes wrong. In an accident an electrical fire will spread faster and is harder to put out than a gasoline vehicle. The environmental savings you believe you are making is cancelled out by the fact that the charge ports to create your electricity are charged somewhere and the origin source ALWAYS uses gas and fossil fuels. The idea of an electric car is great but the technology has not advanced enough to make it reliable. If these concerns I listed could be answered then an electric car would be better. Your best bet is a hybrid.

exitseven · Answer

There are many good reasons to have an electric car but I do not think the technology is ready for prime time. They are still expensive even when you count the tax credit you can get. They do not have a long enough range and the charging times are still too long. Usually several hours. You also must install a charging station. If you live in an apartment or rent a house without a driveway or garage this may be difficult. The cars also cost a lot to repair although they seem to be pretty dependable. The batteries are expensive to replace and to recycle. Usually the batteries cost thousands of dollars and have to be replaced every 4 or 5 years.

genericname85 · Answer

depends on what you mean by "worth it". you will most likely pay less for it overit's lifetime than for a traditional gas car.

you will probably struggle a bit with refueling. cause depending on where you life, electric recharging is not well established and standardized.

if you REALLY wanna make it worth it, get youself solar panels on the roof. what you safe in fuel will make it pay for itself.

Losalt · Answer

One thing people keep forgetting about EVs is less physical damage to the car during use.
With electric breaking you're not wearing any breakes, just producing heat and electricity.
A pure EV doesn't need a gear box so a lot less moving parts to wear down.
There's no need for an axle below the car so it's *possible* to make a EV with a decent ground clearance that's well protected from the environments.
Low center of gravity with the batteries placed low down makes the car safer, low risk of rolling over.
A lot of torque at low speeds allows you to move out of trouble faster for a given amount of horse power.
Check if you can get charging at work, if you can and you also live in a house where you can charge at home it should cover most of your needs.

Range anxiety is mostly a myth among nonusers.
On rare occasions it *does* matter, but most of the time, it just doesn't.

Slartybartfast · Answer

As a city dweller they are fantastic. The cost of ownership is really low as there's a lot less that can go wrong.

The ev batteries are turning out to last a lot longer than expected, maintenance costs are much much less than for gas vehicles.

I spent $400 on solar panels four years ago and have never paid a penny to charge!

So $400 plus some new tires to commute to work for four years. EVs are definitely the way to go.

Charliefretz329 · Answer

Only if you have a huge tax credit available, have a short local commute, do not travel long distances especially away from major cities, and have plenty of convenient charging stations with time available to wait to charge it.

It’s basically a better deal to buy a more versatile economy Gas car in most circumstances for more than half the price

spartan55 · Answer

Not at this point in time. From what I have read there IS a savings in fuel cost, but right now it's neglible. The range versus gas powered vehicles is not good and charging stations are not common in most areas. Too many questions for me. Like everything else, let the tech perfect then I will consider.

ArrowheadSW · Answer

Depends on your needs really. Personally I wouldn't buy one for long distance, because I don't want to have to try to hunt down a charging station on a long trip. If I got one I'd just use it for close trips. I'd probably get one that is less expensive but had a smaller battery.

katiesmuff · Answer

In my opinion it is a bit early yet. I think it would be several years yet before I ever would even get interested in one. I'd want to see charging networks set up throughout the country first and also cars that could get 700 -800 miles per charge. Until that time they sound like a pain in the ass to have if you do much driving at all.

Dargil · Answer

*No, it is not. Mining materials for it in China and Africa involve using slave labor.
*The majority of electric generation to charge your Tesla's battery uses not only fossil fuels but specifically COAL.

Consider a Hyundai
IONIQ Hybrid. 50+ mpg.

Anonymous · Answer

So fun fact
Wind turbines use gas powered motors
I don't remember what causes it but solar panels emit Co2
Hydro electricity still needs gas powered generators
And all these things disrupt the environment

Using less gas isn't helping that much

Maybe if we get nuclear powerd cars but thats just wishful thinking

If you want an electric car get it because it's cool or you like the brand or something else and not because you were told a lie about how are changing the world

WhiteSteve · Answer

I’d say so, except you should know the battery needs to be replaced after like 6-8 years, and I think that’s pretty expensive, like $5,000-ish.

llorando · Answer

Depends on how much driving you do and how the infrastructure is where you live. If there isn't much infrastructure or you do a lot of driving, then I'd look into getting a hybrid. Also a side note, if you plan on keeping it for more then 10 years, be prepared to replace the batteries which can cost high as $20k depending on the car.

Mangospacho · Answer

Hybrid? Sure.  Full Electric? I wouldn’t yet given Tesla’s stellar customer service.

Still-alive · Answer

Yeah im looking into getting another car too. i looked into electric but i feel going hybrid instead will be my next move... especially for my type of work. So electric is fine... but i prefer hybrids

cookiecrusher · Answer

Yes, if you only ride about 80km a day.

Live in a house and charge it there overnight.

A great plus if your house has a solarpanel system and a tesla powerwall or something similar.

Don't plan on taking long trips with it.

Otherwise, no.
Not yet.

And don't take take the self driving extras.

Shamalien · Answer

It probably is. Personally I’d get a plug in hybrid for more versatility, the prius plus looks like a great option. Electric cars are SEVERELY LIMITED but gas is getting so damn expensive and the world governments are phasing out gas, so unless you have a community run production facility for your fuel electric will probably be a better long term option. I’m looking into biodeisal and wood burning cars, not something you can buy off the shelf but a deisal car can be converted with relative ease

driven159 · Answer

Right now, with gas over 4 dollars a gallon the electric cars are worth it but if it goes below 4 dollars then no but hybrid is a good choice but wait to buy any cat right now to much money I lucked out and got a 2017 sonic with only 39 thousand miles on it for 11,000 at a lot would have been twice that much after all of their dealers fees

Astarlessnightsky · Answer

Depends mainly on the infrastructure of the recharging stations, if you live somewhere where there are enough places you can charge the battery its a viable option.

MrTaboo · Answer

The initial cost is gire than a regular car.

It takes a lot of coal/gas to generate the electricity needed to charge the car. For limited range.

And in five years you'll have to find a place to take the 2000 lb hazardous waste battery when you need to replace it.

Adam1978 · Answer

If you have your own garage with outlet, I say yes. If not it depends on where you live it might take a while before you see the benefits but in the long run it's the best call, if you can afford it. No need to buy expensive fuel, you can refill the car at home, you could potentially create your own electricity so it doesn't cost you more than the investment. And you will live a healthier life for yourself and other by not polluting the air around you.

Guy13 · Answer

NOPE. SAME THEORETICAL DESIGN ⛽️ FROM SAME OIL COMPANIES THAT GOVERNMENT HAS COMPROMISED. Simple-like…Electric and Oil are SAME ‼️
—You stupid Liberals think it is a Difference at your gas ⛽️ pump, Plug.⁉️.
Dumb and Dumber via Saturday Night Live.

YOUR GREEN GOVERNMENT ARE THE OIL COMPANIES‼️ The Oil-GREEN companies are THE ONLY PAPER INVESTMENT that I have.

DUMBASSES…you Liberals and “Do-Gooder” Environmental and Pet Saving Nazis, KEEP paying the AOC and Pelosi taxes‼️

GoodGuyBreakingBad · Answer

No, cause people are reporting that these cars are coming up vandalized

shaysh87 · Answer

electric vehicles are unaffordable by most people , especially those in rural areas, even if GM is trying to lower the price to 30k.

dolemite89 · Answer

i don’t think ur smug enough for an electric car 🤣

Brendan24 · Answer

At the time no as they are still expensive and almost as bad for the environment as gas i could get a brand new honda civic for 23k yet the cheapest electric car i can think of is 40k thats nearly double the price and the bmw i3 is 45k when you look at it you'll be like why

bolverk · Answer

Until main dealers really embrace EV's and the sticker price drops to sub $13,000 (not everyone needs or wants a Tesla) they they will remain a toy for virtue signalling.

Redstang88 · Answer

I might consider a hybrid, by pure electric cars are a long way from being a viable option for me at least. I simply do far too much long distance and remote driving to consider one

douride2 · Answer

I don't think its time for a full on electric car yet. My vehicle is 7 years old now & I'm holding off doing anything for as long as I can. Hopefully 3-4 more years at least.

888theGreat · Answer

not now and they contribute to inflation. Power grids can't handle them and new power grids will take trillions of dollars and then you liberals will be crying when they take 90% of your income to make new grids.

Likes2drive · Answer

Yes and no because you’ll probably spend just as much money charging it at the house as you would buying gas and I think the batteries only last maybe 10 years and cost too much to replace for the car to be worth it, but at least you don’t have to worry about gas prices

RealMarek · Answer

The price of electricity is going to rise and the up-front costs and battery replacement costs are extreme. It’s not a winning proposition yet.

Anpu23 · Answer

I drive electric and love it. Only real drawback is if you are traveling distance. But for around the town its just great.

20yearsolder · Answer

Majority of the charging stations are powered by fossil fuels. From my understanding when the batteries go bad, they are worse for the environment and burning fossil fuels for the entire time that you've owned a typical gas or diesel burning vehicle

motownplayer2000 · Answer

I would say. It all depends on what you use it for.. if it’s for short distance around town.. sure they don’t have a super long range. If you want to travel a bit. Get a gas powered

t-8900 · Answer

Hybrids only for now. I'm anticipating and patiently waiting for the new Ford Maverick!!!

Fuentes · Answer

Maybe in todays climate but i will. not be getting one until im forced too and oil and gas become obsolete.

FunkyMonkee · Answer

I'm not so sure, the companies that generate the electric still need oil to do so.

worldscolide · Answer

Not really no. Especially when it comes to discarding old batteries and getting new ones.

EnglishEuropean · Answer

I wouldn't buy one now. The prices have to come way down. Charging is also an issue. I might buy a hybrid.

altdbob · Answer

The technology is not there yet. Besides we do not have the transmission line infrastructure to handle the increase loads it will cause. Are you willing to live with rolling black or brown outs?

Mark987 · Answer

Depends how much you drive? the price of the car? and how long you keep it

Wise4myage · Answer

Nope, not till they have charging stations everywhere.

Rudon00 · Answer

If you can afford one and want to avoid high gas bill. I say yes.

Guardian45 · Answer

According to my friend, he's saving a bundle in gas!

jshm2 · Answer

Depends what you buy and what your local charge stations are like.  Buy German or Japanese. None of that American or Tesla crap.

nawtee_me · Answer

Not in my opinion. With 300to400miles tops on a charge and not sure how long it takes to charge up the batteries. If you are on the road can you stop and charge it up as needed? Are there charging stations near you?

Jerre · Answer

All boils down to as to how much traveling you do. If you often go on long trips, it may not be worth it now as it would be difficult to find re-charging stations. Will also cost you $300-1000 to have a recharger installed at your home.

Abdulwahh · Answer

Its cheaper but truth is i like petrol cars because i want to hear engine

reqoun · Answer

For the city life it's ok, for trips and holidays it's not

Anonymous · Answer

I mean good news is that you don't pay for gas everyday. but you have to replace battery every 5 years and it will cost you like $7000 ~ 20,000.

Anonymous · Answer

Yes but I still feel like I should wait for a while. Most electric cars still don’t look that great either. They’ll become much cheaper in the future

Pete671 · Answer

More expensive to buy, unless you do many many short journeys, not worht it imho,,,

notwoke · Answer

I hope that terrible fad dies

mobiusforniner · Answer

My truck runs on a full tank of Nissan leafs...

Is an electric car worth it?

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