With all the buzz about electric cars in the media and a
host of manufacturers revealing plans to launch new electric cars as part of
their range, you may be thinking of swapping your car for an electric model,
but what difference will it make to your life and is it worth taking the
plunge?
Electric cars: things
to consider
Electric cars have been branded as the future of motoring -
but are this really true? Electric cars are becoming more popular as a result
of their efficiency and environmental benefits, but they may not be the most
practical solution. For a battery-charged electric car, for example, you will
need to make sure that you can park your car close to a mains point, so if your
home does not have off-street parking, this could be the first hurdle you
encounter.
The second thing you need to consider is your mileage.
Electric cars are designed for short, regular trips, so if you commute or
travel to take children to school or go to college on a daily basis, for
example, this may be a good option. Most commuters travel less than 50 miles
per day and their routes are well-known and well-maintained.
Electric cars are relatively new, so if you are looking to
buy an electric car it is likely that you will have a fairly limited choice of
new or almost new vehicles, which will of course be more expensive than buying
a second-hand car. The base price of electric cars is also much higher than
traditional fuel cars, so you will need to think about this when considering
which car to buy.
Affording an electric
car
Electric cars are expensive and there are very few
second-hand models because the range of cars is still fairly small and the cars
have only been in circulation for a couple of years. There are grants available
to help towards the cost of an electric car and it is worth doing some research
to see if you are entitled to claim money towards your car.
If you want to invest in a new car, a variety of options
should be considered. You could take out a personal loan from a bank and buy
the car outright or you may wish to put down a deposit and pay monthly
instalments as part of a finance plan. The only problem with electric cars is
that there are not many, so it may be difficult to buy one on finance.
Is it a good idea to
go electric now?
At the moment electric cars are an expensive option and the
costs are likely to be higher than traditional cars until 2030 according to car
industry experts. If you are looking to get a new car and if you want to make a
conscious effort to be greener, a hybrid may be a sensible option for now. You
can always decide to switch to an electric car in a few years when there are
more vehicles and models on the road.
Summary
The question of whether electric cars are the future is yet
to be answered, as is the future developments in car credit and will be many
years yet, and many other advances in the technology, before we can decide if
the future of motoring is electric.
Author’s Bio:
This guest post is written by Richard - or writer-rich as he is also
known. He writes on finance issues, motoring and hopes to give you the
financial knowledge to succeed.
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