How do ordinary people make the switch to electric vehicles ?

WJB1971

I have worked all my life and having done so have got to the point where I own a Volvo XC60 of which I am very fond, it isn't new, it is several years old but it is mine.

However, I accept there is need to go electric and would like to do so.

The nearest comparable vehicle all electric would be the Volvo XC40 but at round the £60k mark there is no way I can afford to make that change. Looking for a second hand SUV I might be able to afford it would be a Kia Soul, and with the best will in the world they are just not comparable vehicles.

The biggest problem then to ordinary people wanting to make the change and to try and be greener, is the cost to us, and because we cannot afford it, we have to accept having a smaller car not of our choice, or carry on polluting.

What about leasing ? I am sorry but if you think any of us earning 20k a year can afford to lease and manage the rest of life's living expenses then think again.

What about grants and such ? yes but we still have to find the rest of the money and most of us don't have it.

So those of us with least will end up driving a polluting car because we cannot afford to do otherwise. We will end up having to pay more and more for doing so, which will make finding the money to change even more impossible. We will be frowned upon for still driving such a car by those who can afford to go green.

Anyone got a solution ?

neilmcl

WJB1971 said:

I have worked all my life and having done so have got to the point where I own a Volvo XC60 of which I am very fond, it isn't new, it is several years old but it is mine.

However, I accept there is need to go electric and would like to do so.

The nearest comparable vehicle all electric would be the Volvo XC40 but at round the £60k mark there is no way I can afford to make that change. Looking for a second hand SUV I might be able to afford it would be a Kia Soul, and with the best will in the world they are just not comparable vehicles.

The biggest problem then to ordinary people wanting to make the change and to try and be greener, is the cost to us, and because we cannot afford it, we have to accept having a smaller car not of our choice, or carry on polluting.

What about leasing ? I am sorry but if you think any of us earning 20k a year can afford to lease and manage the rest of life's living expenses then think again.

What about grants and such ? yes but we still have to find the rest of the money and most of us don't have it.

So those of us with least will end up driving a polluting car because we cannot afford to do otherwise. We will end up having to pay more and more for doing so, which will make finding the money to change even more impossible. We will be frowned upon for still driving such a car by those who can afford to go green.

Anyone got a solution ?

Yes, let all the people with money to burn to take the hit then come in a few more years down the line when prices will be cheaper.

BOWFER

I don't accept that anyone earning £20K a year can't lease an electric car.
If anything, it's the best way to do a car on a limited budget as the costs are pretty fixed, no repairs etc.
Then you have the fuel savings, especially if you sign up to a cheap tariff (as I have).
You can easily lease a Leaf or Zoe for not much more than £200 a month
Your trouble is you want an electric car equivalent to your massive XC60.
I find it hard to believe anyone needs a car of that size, so perhaps your expectations and sense of entitlement need to change a bit in line with reducing excessive consumption?

neilmcl

BOWFER said:

I don't accept that anyone earning £20K a year can't lease an electric car.
If anything, it's the best way to do a car on a limited budget as the costs are pretty fixed, no repairs etc.
Then you have the fuel savings, especially if you sign up to a cheap tariff (as I have).
You can easily lease a Leaf or Zoe for not much more than £200 a month

Not sure what world you live in where someone earning only £20K a year can afford to lease a new car for £200 or more a month. People on that sort of income have enough problems trying to heat their homes and put food into their children's mouths.

BOWFER

neilmcl said:

BOWFER said:

I don't accept that anyone earning £20K a year can't lease an electric car.
If anything, it's the best way to do a car on a limited budget as the costs are pretty fixed, no repairs etc.
Then you have the fuel savings, especially if you sign up to a cheap tariff (as I have).
You can easily lease a Leaf or Zoe for not much more than £200 a month

Not sure what world you live in where someone earning only £20K a year can afford to lease a new car for £200 or more a month. People on that sort of income have enough problems trying to heat their homes and put food into their children's mouths.

Each case is different, I suppose.
Some will, some won't.
Too 'blanket' to say all will struggle, or all will manage.

BOWFER

Remember electric cars are also available relatively cheaply now as well, used.
Someone with a £6000 budget can get into an EV if they want.
Of course the choice of car type is more restricted at that price level, but if it's someone on £20K i dare say they won't be looking at Volvo XC60 size cars.

Brie

We have a lease scheme through work which I looked into - and was pleased to see they had the same car as I currently have but in the electric version - a VW up.  

BUT...

I could get one next year (minimum 6 month wait for delivery) if I was willing to pay nearly £400 a month for 4 years.  I admit that includes all the servicing and insurance etc but the total equals what I would pay to buy that car outright.  So I could pay that amount over 4 years but at the end there's a final balloon payment or I have to hand the car back.  And they have no idea what that payment might be as it will depend on the value of the car at that point. 

So I'd be signing up to buy something with no idea of the total cost which doesn't strike me as sensible at all.  Assuming that on my salary I could afford £400 a month on top of all the other bills I have.  Not going to happen!!

I'll wait a couple more years of driving my polluting vehicle when hopefully the electric market will be sensible and stable and I can buy a decent used car.  

@BOWFER
If someone is earning £20k their take home may be less than £15k.  And you think that someone can afford to spend nearly 10% of that on a car?  No - that's why people on at income buy cheap polluting second had vehicles instead.

WJB1971

BOWFER said:

I don't accept that anyone earning £20K a year can't lease an electric car.
If anything, it's the best way to do a car on a limited budget as the costs are pretty fixed, no repairs etc.
Then you have the fuel savings, especially if you sign up to a cheap tariff (as I have).
You can easily lease a Leaf or Zoe for not much more than £200 a month
Your trouble is you want an electric car equivalent to your massive XC60.
I find it hard to believe anyone needs a car of that size, so perhaps your expectations and sense of entitlement need to change a bit in line with reducing excessive consumption?

I have scrimped and saved for 25 years to get to the car I wanted and which works for my family as it currently is.

I look forward to the day I won't need such a big car.

However, if you think I have £200 a month going spare to fund the switch, I can tell you I do not.

There in is the problem, I cannot even afford to lease a new Leaf or Zoe, so I will be in the market for an old Leaf or Zoe with their restricted range (yes it is an issue) and the expense of then having to replace an old battery (no I cannot afford to do so).

BOWFER

Brie said:

We have a lease scheme through work which I looked into - and was pleased to see they had the same car as I currently have but in the electric version - a VW up.  

BUT...

I could get one next year (minimum 6 month wait for delivery) if I was willing to pay nearly £400 a month for 4 years.  I admit that includes all the servicing and insurance etc but the total equals what I would pay to buy that car outright.  So I could pay that amount over 4 years but at the end there's a final balloon payment or I have to hand the car back.  And they have no idea what that payment might be as it will depend on the value of the car at that point. 

So I'd be signing up to buy something with no idea of the total cost which doesn't strike me as sensible at all.  Assuming that on my salary I could afford £400 a month on top of all the other bills I have.  Not going to happen!!

I'll wait a couple more years of driving my polluting vehicle when hopefully the electric market will be sensible and stable and I can buy a decent used car.  

@BOWFER
If someone is earning £20k their take home may be less than £15k.  And you think that someone can afford to spend nearly 10% of that on a car?  No - that's why people on at income buy cheap polluting second had vehicles instead.

What would your fuel saving be, did you work that out?
£400 a month for an E-Up seems very excessive, even with maintenance and insurance built in!!
With regard to your comment about the balloon payment, that is fixed at the beginning of the agreement.
So you absolutely would know what you were expected to pay if you wanted to keep it.
If it turns out be to worth more than the balloon, the equity is there for you to use.
If it turns out to be less, you hand the car back and walk away.

motorguy

WJB1971 said:

I have worked all my life and having done so have got to the point where I own a Volvo XC60 of which I am very fond, it isn't new, it is several years old but it is mine.

However, I accept there is need to go electric and would like to do so.

The nearest comparable vehicle all electric would be the Volvo XC40 but at round the £60k mark there is no way I can afford to make that change. Looking for a second hand SUV I might be able to afford it would be a Kia Soul, and with the best will in the world they are just not comparable vehicles.

The biggest problem then to ordinary people wanting to make the change and to try and be greener, is the cost to us, and because we cannot afford it, we have to accept having a smaller car not of our choice, or carry on polluting.

What about leasing ? I am sorry but if you think any of us earning 20k a year can afford to lease and manage the rest of life's living expenses then think again.

What about grants and such ? yes but we still have to find the rest of the money and most of us don't have it.

So those of us with least will end up driving a polluting car because we cannot afford to do otherwise. We will end up having to pay more and more for doing so, which will make finding the money to change even more impossible. We will be frowned upon for still driving such a car by those who can afford to go green.

Anyone got a solution ?

I think your merging several issues here - the affordability of buying a new premium brand SUV and "going green".  The two arent intrinsically linked.

A new version of your XC60 is in the £40K to £60K realm anyway and the XC40 recharge starts at £48K.

Big new premium brand SUVs are expensive.  Theres no getting away from that, whether electric, petrol or diesel.

I guess, ultimately, nobody has the "right" to drive a new premium SUV?  And i dont think thats viable if someone is on £20K a year, irrespective of fuel source.

Of that SUV style, theres the likes of the KIA Nero coming in at around £33K brand new, which if PCP'd or leased probably isnt that much more expensive - or may be cheaper - than the equivalent ICE variant, once you factor in fuel costs.

And in terms of "going electric" you can buy something like a used Nissan Leaf for under £6K....

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110248839009

In reality, the higher end stuff is most suited to company car drivers / company owners who can get big tax incentives to buy them new.  That starts to put them on to the used market, along with upcoming cheaper new electric cars.

BOWFER

Basically this whole thread seems to be frustration that the OP can't get a XC60 size electric vehicle in his budget just now
Couldn't the whole thread be wrapped up with a quick "tough"....?
Things are changing quickly though. the Chinese are going to be hammering the market with more affordable EVs very soon.
Of course, we'll then have the 'badge snobbery' thing...
"I'm not driving a Lifan" etc.etc.