Electric vehicle buying guide: Choosing the perfect EV

These days electric vehicles are the talk of the town. People are curious about the sophistication which an electric car packs. Apart from the modern features, EVs are eco-friendly. They don’t need petrol to run. Also, the maintenance cost is not much as you would have on an IC-engine vehicle. The EVs are futuristic. They will contribute to a carbon-free environment.

Electric vehicles have been in the game for a long time. Now, they are getting the attention, thanks to awareness about pollution and search for an alternative mode of transport. Many new automakers are now experimenting with EVs. In fact, you can have EVs in the form of hatchbacks, sedan, SUVs, supercars, etc. There are electric motorcycles as well in commuter, sports, and superbikes segment.

Though the domain of EV is still in the growing phase, it has already begun the disruption. Big brands like Tesla, BMW, Jaguar, Porsche have already entered the domain of electric vehicles. So, this indicates the popular automakers do understand that the EV has a future, hence they are investing in it.

The USA is at the forefront when it comes to using EVs. Even Europe has a multitude of sustainable vehicle enthusiasts. Looking at Asia, India and China are stepping up their game of electric vehicles. The Indian government has cut down the taxation over EVs. Currently, the EV industry is literally experiencing the boom on a global front.

Now, the question arises, how to know which EV to buy.? What are the primary factors that are important while deciding to buy an electric two-wheeler or four-wheelers.? In this post, we will answer these questions for you. So check out our Electric Vehicle Buying Guide.

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Electric Vehicle Buying Guide

Now, let’s look at the various factors that are important to consider before buying an electric vehicle.

Cost

Budget is the primary factor which comes into our mind when we set out to purchase any vehicle. So, when you want to get an electric vehicle, consider how much can you spend and what is your purpose of buying the EV.? Is it for commuting daily to your work and back home..? Or you just need an EV just for weekend spins and long rides.?

If you want a machine for the daily commute, you may not want to get a premium brand as it would be costly. So, look for something that falls within $30,000 to $40,000. However, you do have another choice of buying a used premium car. Usually, the cost of premium cars come down when they have a new variant in the market. So, you can get such a used car at a fairly low price. Otherwise the same would cost double the amount of what you’d pay for the used one.

However, pricing is not the only thing you should check when you’re opting for a used EV. Check for its working components, service history, software updates, etc.

When talking about cost, we must discuss the maintenance cost of the EVs. Electric vehicles literally omit the aspect of fo maintenance. You don’t have to fill petrol/diesel. Again, there is no need to change the engine oil in after a certain period of time.

The only component that requires changing is the battery. Of course, the battery pack will gradually run out of juice in a few years of time after prolonged use. So, then you have to get a new battery. This cost of attery is lesser than what you would spend on fuel and other engine maintenance.

Brand

There are a majority of people out there, who are very brand conscious. More than an efficient range, peak torque, and high speed, they care to about brandishing the premium brand while they drive. So, if you are one of them, then you should go for brand names such as Tesla, BMW, Porsche, Audi, Mercedes, etc. Anyways, these brands do have some of the top-end electric vehicles that exhibit efficient performance.

With a brand name, the price tag definitely shoots up. Also, it depends whether you want to buy the base variant or top-end model. Usually, branded electric cars come with such options.

Otherwise, if you care for performance and your daily usage, then go for your choice of brand.

Charging Infrastructure

Like we said, in recent times we have been witnessing the boom in the electric vehicles industry. However, it’s very important that with the number of electric vehicles, there is a requirement of electric vehicle charging stations. If you are traveling a long distance you will not want your electric vehicle to lose all its charge and get stranded in the middle of nowhere.

So, you should first check if you are commuting a long distance, then whether there are charging station on your route. You can, of course, charge your vehicle at your home, but that will consume a lot of time. Usually, it may take up to 6 to 7 hours for an EV to charge up to 90%.

Besides, you should perform a safety checkup for wiring connections. If you charge your vehicle with a faulty connection, you may end up in short circuits or other major accidents. So, make sure either you have a safer option to charge at home. Also, it may not be suitable to charge your EV at home, if you travel long distances. The reason is you need to charge your machine faster as you need more time on the road that waiting for charging.

In the USA, Tesla’s supercharger stations are stepping up their game with an increased number of charging stations around various places. However, the same is not the case with other countries. So, before getting your hands on any electric vehicle make sure your route or the region has efficient and working public EV charging stations. At these DC stations, you can charge your EVs within 1 hour.

Also, if there are a limited number of public DC stations, then a lot of EVs will line up to charge and it will cause the delay. Finding the charging stations is easy. Every automaker usually has a dedicated smartphone app which will point the rider to the nearest EV charging point.

So, that’s it, folks. This is our electric vehicle buying guide covering the important aspects which you need to consider before purchasing an EV. For more such insightful articles, keep following EVLens.