The electric car is becoming more popular as more people care about the environment and look for ways to save on gas.
Compared to traditional gasoline vehicles, electric vehicles have many advantages: more economical and produce less emissions, which definitely helps fight climate change. But many people don’t take into account the hidden costs associated with having electric car.
These costs may not be noticeable right away, but in the long run they can add up to a much larger bill. We present several divided into three stages: buying an electric car, repairing and charging.
Let’s look at some of The hidden costs of an electric car and no, they are not all negative, although there are many aspects to consider.
Initial cost of an electric car
The upfront cost of an EV is often one of the biggest deterrents for potential EV owners.. On average, they cost about 10,000 euros more than their petrol counterparts.
However, there are a few things to consider when considering the initial cost of an electric vehicle.
For example, in Spain, from April 9, 2021, drivers can apply for subsidies for the purchase of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles and fuel cell vehicles in each autonomous community through the implementation of MOVES III plan.
| Motorization | Vehicle sale price limit (€) without VAT or IGIC | Help (no marriage) | Assistance (with the disposal of a car seven years old and older) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel cell (FCV, FCHV) | —– | 4500 euros | €2500 – €4500 |
| PHEV, EREV, BEV | €45,000 (€53,000 for BEVs with 8 to 9 seats) | €2500 – €4500 | €5000 – €7000 |
| PHEV, EREV, BEV, fuel cell | —– | 7000 euro | 9000 euro |
| BEV (motorcycles) | 10,000 euros | €1100 – €1800 | €1300 – €2000 |
This includes up to 7,000 euros for electric and hybrid vehicles. (value less than 54,450 euros) if you scrap your previous car (over seven years old).
On the other hand, the maintenance cost of an electric vehicle is much lower than that of a passenger car. vehicle use. On average, you can expect half the maintenance costs of a gasoline-powered car.
electric car repair cost
So far so good, but one of the biggest hidden costs is the cost repair. An electric car has much more complex electrical systems than a traditional gasoline car, and these systems are often very expensive to repair or replace.
Also electric cars they often have parts that are hard to find and replace, which can also add to the real cost of owning an electric car. According to data and predictive analytics from We Predict, we are talking about a twofold increase.
Average cost of repairing an electric car it’s about 300 euros, while a standard car has about 190 euros.
Another important factor in the cost of repairing electric vehicles and in the actual cost is maintenance. drums. And this is where things get even more complicated. Lithium-ion batteries degrade over time and electric vehicle battery life Usually it is 10-15 years.
Apart from the expected lifespan, it seems that repairing or replacing it is completely out of the question. price. At the lower end, you might spend around €3,000 to replace it, but at a high end, like a Tesla Model 3, it could cost you around €20,000.
The drive and bodywork of the Model 3 is designed like a million-mile commercial truck. Current battery modules should last between 300,000 and 500,000 miles (1,500 cycles). Replacing the modules (not the package) will only cost between $5,000 and $7,000.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 13, 2019
To that we must add that the degradation of these batteries significantly reduces the selling price of an electric vehicle. And the fact is that a 15-year-old gas car that may be in perfect condition for a few more years of use is not the same as an electric car.
Also, fixing a problem in an electric car is more difficult due to the type of parts and the lack of training and tools required to do so, which in turn adds more euros to your car repair bill.
The cost of charging electric vehicles
One of the hidden costs of owning an electric car is the cost of charging the car. However, there are ways to compensate. Many merchants offer special recharge rates. For example, TotalEnergies has an “Overnight Super Tariff” that cuts prices at night and on weekends.
Also, Some companies offer on-the-job charging as compensation for employees who own electric vehicles. Good examples are Mercadona, Carrefour, El Corte Inglés or Ikea.
However, here we must add a great head start to these vehicles. And it’s that if you don’t have access to a public charging station or a charging station at your workplace, you’ll have to buy one for your home to be able to charge your car.
A standard level 1 charger is included with the purchase or rental of an electric vehicle, but it charges very slowly and most drivers end up installing a level 2 home charger in order to have enough daily charging.
Price? Single-phase cable 32 A (amps) type 2 for charging at 7.4 kW. it costs between 230 and 350 euros, depending on the required length. Higher power cables cost more. Type 2 electric charging cable can cost up to 500 euros for high power and long length, but of course it also needs to be installed, so the price can keep going up.
Note that the MOVES III plan also helps here. Setting the charging point You can count on assistance of up to 80% of the eligible cost for individuals, the self-employed and for administration without economic activity.
For example, in the case of a person who installs a charging point in his home and paid 1500 euros for the installation.you can take advantage of a grant of 867.7 euros.as explained in RACE.
When will the electric car start to make a profit?
OCU calculated that if you charge an electric car at night with a PVPC tariff, every 100 km cost about €2.66. “For a petrol car you will pay 10.6 euros, and for a diesel car you will pay 8.3 euros”, they approve. So we are talking about really cheap prices and more with the prices that gasoline is currently handling.
Of course prices vary if cargo it’s far from home. Here we are talking about prices from 12 to 18 euros for a journey of 200 km. OCU specialists have found that after 100,000 km, its purchase begins to make a profit. Some experts give the exact figure: only 122,346 km.
“If you consider that in Spain it is very common to keep a car for an average of 12 years, this means that you will have to drive about 11,000 km per year”explain.
All things considered, electric vehicles offer many advantages over traditional gasoline-powered vehicles, but they also come with some hidden costs that they can add up to a much larger score in the long run, so be careful.
Higher upfront investment, repair, recharging and battery replacement costs are costly expenses that you will have to consider when making an electric vehicle purchase decision. Of course, the initial investment may be higher, but In the long run, you will save money on gas prices and maintenance costs.
Source: Computer Hoy
