this post was submitted on 25 Oct 2024
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I need a new car, and I really want to go full electric. I'm wondering if anyone regrets buying one? What are the downsides?

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 day ago (14 children)

I think EV cars are mature enough. A lot of colleague have EVs, Tesla 3, Bolt, Ioniq 5, Soul EV, etc. and no-one regret it.

Me I don't need one because I WFH and do maybe 4000 miles (6000km) per year, so buying a 60k$ EV compared to a 30k$ ICE does not make sense, for money.

If your #1 priority is to save the planet and not pollute and you have the money, so of course go for it.

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[–] [email protected] 103 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (7 children)

I like the electric part.

What I don't like is that it's a steaming heap of spy-ware on wheels with no opt-out ability.

Which may lead to more expensive insurance depending on your driving style, or could be abused for even more nefarious reasons.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago

I almost bought a Chinese EV but decided to hold back and not support China because of their support for Russia. Got a 2nd hand ICE Mazda for now which I hope will last me until there's some non Chinese EV competion in my region or China finally grows some balls and starts doing the right thing.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I haven't regretted it. Did a road trip across the country. Takes more planning because chargers are more sparse than gas stations, but totally doable. Having a place to charge is a must. I lived in an apartment complex without charging and REALLY had to plan my charging sessions or it could get stuck in the parking garage.

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[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 day ago (4 children)

A coworker had a problem with one that decided to do a software update in a parking lot that ended up bricking the car. After that, they went back to a gas powered car.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Holy crap. That's an expensive software update. Did the manufacturer provide any kind of remuneration?

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago (4 children)

I mean modern ICE cars can have this same problem.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago

OTA updates are not an EV thing. That is all modern cars.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I haven’t regretted it. Though if you were to do consistent long drives, and only have one car, I might suggest checking out PHEVs.

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 day ago

I have not regretted it. Bought a second EV for my family as well. Most of my extended family have also bought EVs and all had positive experiences. I don’t know anyone who has regretted it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

Not at all. Matter of fact I went and bought a second one a year later

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Father in law got one. Loved it until he had some sort of issue and needed to get it repaired. His old Honda Accord he could take down the block to any old mechanic but it was harder with Tesla. I think it soured him on it and he eventually ditched the EC when he moved out of the city

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[–] [email protected] 75 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (28 children)

Make sure that the car matches your expectations.

Don't trust their range claims, most of the time they are exaggerated and only able to get that range on a perfect day doing constant 45mph without hills.

Do you have a reliable place to charge it? If you don't have a personal parking place, and cannot install a charger at said place, trusting you have the range you need gets difficult, and expensive. As you have to rely on public chargers that are not very reliable, and worse for battery longevity (level 3 chargers)

Speaking of range. What range do you actually NEED? My opinion is the minimum range should be double the normal daily commute, as most level 2 chargers can add ~18 miles/he charging (overnight charge means 144 miles charge). Double your commute gives you a buffer for the heater, or the grocery run after work. For most people this is only 80 miles.... which almost every electric only car can do without issues.

Is the cost worth the vehicle? Buying new is expensive, buying used can be risky. Do your research thoroughly and you'll be able to decide what fits what you NEED (and that answer may easily be a used ICE vehicle instead)

I've had a full electric vehicle for 5+ years now as my daily. But I have always had a personal parking place, with a level 2 charger. I consider electric only to be a commuter car at best. It's not going to be able to do a road trip. And depending on the car and the commute may even not be able to do a grocery run after work some days. If you have another car that is ICE that you can keep for those times, cool. Or if you are ok with planning, and rent a car when you want to do a road trip, great.

Personally I suggest a plug in hybrid for anyone who can only have one car, and is considering going electric. Prius prime, Chevy volt, Chrysler Pacifica are the ones that have enough range for a short commute, the rest are trying but just haven't gotten there yet.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 day ago

I’ve found the range is better than what they claim for stop and go city driving due to regen braking. But otherwise the range estimate is about as accurate as the miles per gallon estimate on a gas car.

It is definitely way cheaper to own than a gas car.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 day ago

I've found that buying used is fine if the car is still under the manufacturers original warranty. Better yet if it has the premium/extended warranty package.

That's basically the only warranty that you would care about (and actually want to extend), most other warranties have so many exclusions that they're not worth it. And definitely ignore anyone calling you telling you that they've "been trying to reach you about your cars extended warranty."

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 day ago (4 children)

I’m also considering getting a full electric car, but have a little range anxiety mixed with a general feeling that the improvements over the next couple years will make current electric cars obsolete, so I am following along with this thread!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

Personally the newer vehicles have been going more and more into drm on all their things. Even ICE vehicles have been doing it. Locking the consumer into their walled garden parts and service. And when they erroneously decide that your car doesn't make enough profit, they tell you too bad, your 3yr old car isn't supported, you should buy a new one.

Battery technology itself isn't going to have a huge breakthrough reach the electric vehicle consumer in the next 5 years. They'd already have to have viable proof of concept to do that, and nobody has.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 day ago (7 children)

improvements over the next couple years will make current electric cars obsolete

This is my problem with any new car. Practically every new car (even ICEVs) is just a smart phone on wheels now. It’s not like in the ‘90s - ‘00s when you could still legit buy a car from the ‘70s and daily drive it and repair it in your own drive way for cheap (most people in the 50s - 80s were capable of basic tune ups, etc).

My concern is that at some point the parts won’t be made anymore. Or if the LCD command console gets cracked or something your car’s totaled. I mean, people used to own cars for at least ten years, twenty years wasn’t uncommon. Do you think a 2025 XYZ is going to be on the road in ten years- twenty years? What’s the resale value on that / who’s going to buy a twenty year old phone on wheels?

As much as people believe EVs are better for the environment, aren’t they increasing the rate at which a vehicle ends up in landfill? I hope recycling is part of the car’s lifecycle.

At the same time though, I have to acknowledge that, without an ICE, EVs have far fewer points of failure. There’s a potential for them to be on the road much longer. I just don’t see that happening due to consumer demand. Even if you’re able to update the software and swap out worn out parts, is that enough to keep the car on the road as long as or longer than an ICEV? What happens when technology changes and they find better batteries or charging methods? How much do you have to invest in the phone on wheels to keep it on the road?

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago (5 children)

ICE engines improve all the time too. Are you similarly hesitant to buy a car with one?

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