I don't have an electric car, but I follow the news to see how they are developing as I hope that my next car will be electric and companies like Ecotricity are making that viable. Presenter Robert Llewellyn (Kryten in Red Dwarf) says people have been complaining that they now have to pay to use these chargers. How do they think the company will survive. The chargers cost £30-50,000 to install, even if the electricity is essentially free. They have helped to increase EV adoption and so the infrastructure to support them will grow. The free usage was never likely to be indefinite, but you can still use them for free if you are an Ecotricity customer.
They say owners of Misubishi hybrids were using them, but their batteries are not big enough to make a £6 charge worthwhile. They can still fill up conventionally and just charge at home.
When I come to replace my car the question will be whether to buy one. Most seem to cost from around £30,000. You can buy a second hand Nissan Leaf for a lot less. Then the worry is whether the battery will still be good. I've heard that they do hold less charge, but can keep going for a long time. Plus they do not have some of the other parts that wear out on conventional cars.
So maybe I will look at leasing. My current mileage is probably more than a leasing contract would allow, but that may change by the time I change. The running costs would be lower than for running my little Hyundai.
I'm not likely to be leasing a Tesla (unless my Steemit income increases a lot), but the driving range they offer is attractive. Around 100 miles is common for others, but that's marginal for my current commute. I generally see a couple of electric cars on each day I drive to work. They were very rare a year or two ago.
Are you considering going electric? I know it's not for everyone, but it's an attractive option for many. You can save on tolls in some cities, as long as you have somewhere to plug in. Would you go for used?
If you already have an electric car then I'm interested to know about your experience.
