EV Discussion thread

Reed_Richards

I've only just turned my attention to electric cars but some of the older ones have too low a battery capacity to give me the range I need.  I'm wondering if as bigger batteries offering more range are becoming more readily available, cars with smaller batteries will fall out of favour?

Martyn1981

Reed_Richards said:

I've only just turned my attention to electric cars but some of the older ones have too low a battery capacity to give me the range I need.  I'm wondering if as bigger batteries offering more range are becoming more readily available, cars with smaller batteries will fall out of favour?

It's a reasonable thought, but I think that may only apply for a given situation - such as yourself needing more range (just as an example).

For other purposes, such as folk with lower range requirements, second cars (even second BEV's) in a household, or maybe those wanting to get a BEV for G&E reasons, so more willing to tolerate charging issues for longer journeys, it might not be so bad.

Only spitballing, not sure tbh, but hopefully as smaller range BEV's fall out of favour for higher mileage users, they will fall into favour for others who can afford them, especially as the prices naturally fall over time, so it may balance out.

Probably overthinking this now (but it's a good question you raise), but perhaps a distinction for cars of a certain size/class, where larger batts (ranges) are a benefit, and those with smaller batts, but also smaller size, and requirements, such as city driving.

Horses for courses, perhaps?

silverwhistle

Martyn1981 said:

Horses for courses, perhaps?

A phrase I've used more than once on these boards!

People will take advantage of falling prices to get longer range, but not everybody needs or wants it. In my case I bought an MG4, but the standard (lower) rang one. Would I occasionally benefit and appreciate the longer range, yes. Would I do so enough to warrant paying the extra cost, no. I can put up with an extra charge here and there and what's the point of carrying around more weight locally or within my county if I don't need to?

One or two of the young girls in my football team have small and old cars: if they can get a lift to away matches they prefer to do so, both on cost saving and reliability grounds. I doubt they ever go anywhere near the range of their cars on even half a tank of fuel.. I suspect many people worry about range in edge case scenarios. 

If you need, want and can afford a current vehicle at the higher end range of what is available the second hand car market will be happy to take the lesser range cars at some stage. The issue until recently has been supply and cost,

JKenH

It’s not only smaller batteried cars that are suffering price falls in the used market.

Taycan a ‘disaster’

Joining Caple and Hurley on stage were IMDA member Stuart Saunders and supercar dealer Premier GT’s boss David Trigg.

Trigg said that his company was now refusing to buy Porsche Taycans after values dropped so drastically. He described the model as a ‘disaster’.

‘The market has changed massively for us as well,’ said Trigg.

‘The Porsche Taycan, for example, the price is plummeting and we won’t buy them as a dealer now. 

‘A lot of people we’ve sold them to, we’re now having awkward conversations with. You’ve got to try and understand that they’re trying to come out of them because it’s not worth it and it’s not the way forward for them.

‘I think for us, I’m still sitting there on the fence waiting to see. We’re not making any knee-jerk reactions. The Taycan was good for us. It’s now a disaster.

https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/used-car-dealers-being-put-off-buying-evs-due-to-crashing-prices/281203

Petriix

In 2019 (when I was looking to buy one) a 40kWh Leaf N-connector was around £23k new at the cheapest I found. Currently there's one on Autotrader for ~ £11k, one at £12,500 with the typical going price £13,500+. Losing £10k in 4 years isn't out of the ordinary. Bear in mind that every 10k miles likely saved the owner £1k in fuel costs. 

JKenH

Petriix said:

In 2019 (when I was looking to buy one) a 40kWh Leaf N-connector was around £23k new at the cheapest I found. Currently there's one on Autotrader for ~ £11k, one at £12,500 with the typical going price £13,500+. Losing £10k in 4 years isn't out of the ordinary. Bear in mind that every 10k miles likely saved the owner £1k in fuel costs. 

They are very good value now and I keep thinking about getting another as a local run around while they are this cheap. I don’t see them going much below £10k. A lot of people are put off by Chademo but if you aren’t planning  on doing long trips then it’s not a problem. 

JKenH

Supply, not demand, is the only thing holding EVs back, finds Myenergi report

Electric vehicles are expected to have a “great year” in 2023, with the only barrier to going electric likely to be a lack of available models.

Myenergi suggests that the supply-and-demand outlook for EVs will likely see consumers buy them as quickly as manufacturers can produce them.

The research, featured in Cox Automotive’s quarterly automotive insight update AutoFocus, suggests an alternative picture to the recent spate of ‘doom and gloom’ stories about EVs in national newspapers, as drivers flock to EVs as a “virtual no-brainer”.

https://fleetworld.co.uk/supply-not-demand-is-the-only-thing-holding-evs-back-finds-myenergi-report/

JKenH

Sub £40k Tesla now available 

Tesla, in what is presumably a month end push, has today discounted the price of the Model 3 to £38,790.

https://www.tesla.com/en_GB/new/LRW3262_161d501b25d69492d6815bfd86570f40

JKenH

Car buyers wait for further EV price cuts

More than four in 10 buyers (43%) are aware that prices have fallen for many used EVs, with levels of awareness highest among young male buyers.

According to research carried out by eBay Motor Group, if prices continue to fall 10% say they will delay buying for up to three months, 15% from four to six months and a further 15% by seven to 12 months.

Despite many buyers waiting for further price drops, the research also shows the high level of interest among buyers for alternative fuelled vehicles, with 42% having searched online for an EV and 33% for a plug-in hybrid (PHEV).

https://www.motortrader.com/motor-trader-news/automotive-news/buyers-wait-ev-price-cuts-23-03-2023

JKenH

Auction used EV values -4% and sales -9% in March

Values of electric vehicles in the wholesale sector fell 4.3% in March compared to February, according to the National Association of Motor Auctions (NAMA). Month-on-month, sales of BEVs have fallen 9%.

https://www.motortrader.com/motor-trader-news/automotive-news/auction-body-nama-reports-used-ev-values-4-sales-9-24-03-2023