https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgorzelany/2017/09/18/why-you-should-consider-buying-a-used-electric-car/#219206254383 Why You Should Consider Buying A Used Electric Car Sep 18, 2017 Jim Gorzelany
[image https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/463650052/960x0.jpg?fit=scale Not only are preowned electric vehicles like the above 2015 Nissan Leaf dirt cheap to purchase, they'll save owners a pile of money in lower operating costs, even at today's affordable gas prices ] With some of the latest all-electric cars, most notably the Chevrolet Bolt and Tesla Model 3, able to run for well over 200 miles on a charge, and the redesigned 2018 Nissan Leaf now rated at 150 miles, EVs are fast becoming practical for a growing number of motorists. But that doesn’t necessarily mean we should relegate the previous generation of battery-powered rides having an operating range of fewer than 100 miles on a charge to the scrap heap. In fact, one could make the case that these earlier EVs make great second or third cars in a family’s fleet, if anything because of their sheer frugality, even with gas at a national average of $2.62 a gallon. For starters, with the exception of the costly Tesla Model S sedan and Model X SUV, used electric vehicles are dirt cheap. Resale values are way below the norm because of a combination of factors, including limited demand and the $7,500 federal tax credit (along with further financial incentives in a few states) given to new EV buyers. For example, according to NADAguides.com, a used 2015 Nissan Leaf driven 30,000 miles that originally sold for $29,000 commands an average retail price of $10,250, while a same-vintage Toyota Corolla having a base price of $17,000 is going for an estimated $12,375. Want an EV at a rock-bottom price? If you can find one and live with what amounts to a glorified golf cart, a 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV retails for a mere $4,750. Also, because of their inherent limitations with regard to range, used electric cars tend to be driven fewer miles than the norm, which means they’ve typically endured less wear and tear. Some used-vehicle shoppers might be concerned about having to replace an EV’s costly battery pack, but they’ll likely last well past the 100,000-mile mark with only minimal range degradation, and most automakers cover their EVs’ battery packs under warranty for at least eight years. Electric cars are also cheaper to run than conventionally powered models, even at today’s gasoline prices. Again, comparing a pre-owned Nissan Leaf and Toyota Corolla from the 2015 model year, the Environmental Protection Agency says the former, which is rated at the electric equivalent of 114 mpg in combined city/highway driving (and with an average 84-mile range on a charge), will cost an owner $600 a year to run at 15,000 miles driven, while the latter, rated at 30 mpg, will set an owner back $1,350 in fuel costs. That’s a potential $750 in annual savings, which translates into an extra $3,750 left to accumulate in the Leaf owner’s bank account over five years. Recommended by Forbes And that’s not counting an electric car’s inherently lower maintenance costs. Because they utilize an electric motor and a simple single-speed transmission, EVs eschew over two-dozen mechanical components that would normally require regular service. Driving an electric car means being able to avoid oil changes, cooling system flushes, transmission servicing and replacing the air filter, spark plugs, and drive belts. Regular service visits are typically limited to rotating the tires and checking brake pads and other components. Another benefit is that an owner can take pride in driving a “greener” car. Unlike gas and diesel-powered vehicles, EVs produce zero tailpipe emissions. That means they won’t spew smog-forming pollutants and greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide, (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), particulate matter (PM), formaldehyde (HCHO), non-methane organic gases (NMOG) and non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) into the atmosphere. One caveat is that an EVs actual overall effect on the environment depends on the local sources of electricity. According to a report issued by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), they tend to fare best in parts of California, New York, and the Pacific Northwest, where renewable energy resources are prevalent, and less so in central U.S. states like Colorado, Kansas and Missouri because of their greater dependence on fossil fuels to produce electricity. Still, the UCS determined that EVs are generally responsible for less pollution than conventional vehicles in every region of the U.S. But the biggest limitation to owning an electric car is its range. True, you might not want to take an EV that can run for an average 75-100 miles on a charge out on a cross-country trek, but most used models can operate sufficiently to cover the average commute, which the U.S. Department of Transportation says is 15 miles each way. Plus, they’re ideal for around-town use and for getting to and from a commuter rail station if you take the train into the city for work. And if you’re parent to a teen driver, letting him or her take the EV means you can rest assured they won’t be venturing very far from home. And while the number of public charging stations is increasing – according to the Department of Energy there are now more than 16,000 public electric-vehicle charging stations in the U.S. having over 44,000 outlets – most EV charging is done at home. That tends to leave out urban apartment dwellers and other motorists who do not have regular access to a charging source. At that, homeowners will probably want to spend a few hundred dollars to have an electrician install a dedicated 240-volt line in their garages to take advantage of quicker charging times. It takes around 21 hours to replenish a 2015 Nissan Leaf’s battery pack at 110 volts, but this task can be accomplished in about four hours when tethered to a 240-volt line. One hurdle to buying a used electric car that may be insurmountable depending on where you live is a lack of supply. Having accounted for only a slim percentage of new-vehicle sales over the last few years, they’re not particularly plentiful in the resale market. And at that, only a handful of battery-powered models were sold in all 50 states when new; some new EVs are offered exclusively in California (and perhaps one or more other states) to fulfill state regulations regarding zero-emissions vehicles. That’s why the Golden State boasts the most EVs in the nation, and by a wide margin. Other states in which EV penetration tends to be higher than the norm include Georgia, Washington, New York, and Florida. For example, while we found 127 used Nissan Leafs (Leaves?) listed for sale on Autotrader.com within 50 miles of the Staples Center in Los Angeles, there were just 72 listed in the Atlanta area, only 17 posted in or near Dallas, and zero within 100 miles of Butte, Montana. It seems, as with real estate, buying a used electric car is all about location, location, location. [© forbes.com] For EVLN EV-newswire posts use: http://evdl.org/evln/ {brucedp.neocities.org} -- Sent from: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/ _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org Read EVAngel's EV News at http://evdl.org/evln/ Please discuss EV drag racing at NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
