Pro Tips on Buying an Electric car
There are a lot of reasons to at the very least consider buying an electric car for yourself. It could be because you want to be better for the environment, because you know that eventually electric car sales are going to become the norm, or because you’ve had enough of rising gas prices. No matter why you decide to get an electric car for yourself, you’ve got a lot of options and a lot of lingo to sort through.
So here are some pro tips on buying your first electric car, and soon you will be driving your very own green machine down the road!
Table of Contents
Take A Look At The Range (Both Forecasted and Real World)
Electric cars have range, and it is very similar to gas mileage. Basically, it is asking the question, how long can the cars go before the battery runs out and needs to be charged. This will require some math, but take a look at how long you go each day when driving. How many miles per hour do you go, and how long does it take you to get there.
Most cars, like the Vauxhall Mokka E, offer a range that is around the 200 miles mark. However, a lot of different factors will affect the final number. These include what features of the car you are using, your driving habits and how hard you drive, and the climate around you with warmer days affecting the battery. So before you buy your car, do some rough calculations and see if the listed range is enough for you to go for a period of time without charging.
Find The Right Charger
Just like how the purchase of a brand new phone or computer can be sullied by you discovering that you simply don’t have the charger for it, the purchase of your electric car can be sullied if you don’t have the right home charger. After all, while charging on the go is alright (although it can take some time), you do want the convenience of being able to charge at home the night before and then waking up to a full battery!
Now, most cars come with compatibility with a standard 110 volt wall outlet which is known as level one charging. This adds about four miles of range per hour, so if you only take your car out for short trips, it’s going to be good enough.
However, many electric car owners hire an electrician to install level two charging in their garage, which is a 240 volt wall outlet that can add 25 miles of range per hour. You will need to see how much this costs, but having electricity is often going to be cheaper than gasoline no matter how you look at it.
Additionally, look at what chargers your electric car is going to be compatible with, because some older cars use chargers that are being phased out today.
Find Compatible Charging Networks As Well
Finally, much like with gas stations, you can find public charging stations all over. Most of the time these are free to use, while others require a fee in order for you to get started. It can vary based on the time of day, because charging during the weekend or overnight is going to cost less than charging at peak times.
Most public charging stations are level 2, but many offer level 3 fast charging, which can charge your car in around half an hour or less. So make sure that your electric car is not only compatible with fast charging, but also that charging stations are on your route. Especially if you are making a long trip in your electric car because that is going to require some more foresight.
Look For Any Benefits You Can Get
In order to protect the planet, many companies and governments are giving incentives to make people buy electric cars rather than spend money on gas. These are often tax credits and other incentives designed to reward you for buying an electric car, and to make the purchase and use of your car easier.
So do some research on any benefits that are applicable both to the car you buy and to your area, because it could be more than just the car going green. Your wallet could very easily have some extra green in it too!
Keep all these tips in mind and do your research when buying an electric car, and you will be just fine!
