So, would you buy a used electric car?

[X5Sport]

Ten years from now there could well be a fair number of used electric cars for not unreasonable prices that those who only do fairly short journeys may consider buying as a second car.

These will come with a potential time bomb.  Their battery packs!

Given that all rechargeable batteries have a limited number if charge cycles before their efficiency drops below a useful level, would you buy a used one which has the potential to cost you another £20k just for a new power pack?

It's not as if you will be able to buy a 'good' used battery pack as the old ones will have gone for recycling.

The BMW i3/i8 come with a 10 year battery warranty, but you own that battery.  Other manufacturers have similar warranties but you rent the battery.....rather reducing the replacement cost.

All of which begs the question about just how useful the current generation of electric cars are going to be when they get to ten years of age, especially if you have owned one from new.  Will anyone want it?

Richard

[Don Coffey]

I would consider a used one but only a year or two old.  I believe BMW are doing an eight year warranty on their batteries while Nissan are five years.  I can't see a complete replacement pack costing £20k would expect it to be more around the £5k mark. 

But on a side note, as the batteries get more efficient I could see these cars getting upgrades after a few years that both extend the range and reduce charging time.

Don

[sid10]

I would buy an i8 & stick a V10 Lamborghini engine in it !

[pvr]

How long as the Prius been out now? That has been 10 years or so?

Don't want to search it as it will then forever poison me with adverts on my computer  )

[X5Sport]

[quote="Don Coffey"]
I can't see a complete replacement pack costing £20k would expect it to be more around the £5k mark.

Don
[/quote]

The £20k figure was as quoted to me yesterday by my local Dealer.....even Renault/Citröen are the wrong side of £12k!

The more powerful the car, the higher the price goes!

[X5Sport]

[quote="pvr"]
How long as the Prius been out now? That has been 10 years or so?

Don't want to search it as it will then forever poison me with adverts on my computer  )
[/quote]

It's a hybrid so the battery is much smaller.....and still over £5k in the UK, though you can get them refurbed.

In the UK we still seem to suffer the 1:1 USD/GBP parity issue, which adds excessive amounts to the price, and in ten years will we be able to get replacement batteries for today's cars?

I hope the costs do come down with time, they need to.

[Don Coffey]

[quote="X5Sport"]
[quote="Don Coffey"]
I can't see a complete replacement pack costing £20k would expect it to be more around the £5k mark.

Don
[/quote]

The £20k figure was as quoted to me yesterday by my local Dealer.....even Renault/Citröen are the wrong side of £12k!

The more powerful the car, the higher the price goes!
[/quote]

If the industry is unable to have replacement packs for a realistic price the electric car will be a disaster as you could buy a new one for a similar price of the battery pack so the used market would be non existent.  The £5k figure is one that's been banded around by the media, and any dealers I've asked about battery pack price have shrugged and said they don't know!

Don

[Don Coffey]

I've just done a quick search on Auto Trader and the cheapest Nissan Leaf is £9k for a 2011 model and 40k on the clock.  You can buy new ones form £15k so it seems to be holding its price at the moment.

Don

[pvr]

Once the first batteries are starting to go, I guess there will be more pressure for government subsidy on these units as otherwise once the first stories come out that cars are effectively written off due to the battery, the new sales will collapse.

Otherwise there will be a nice market to replace the entire engine with a nice polluting petrol engine  )

[Finglonga]

I think most full electric cars have batteries that are on a lease plan and you pay a fixed price per month. So when they do go they will be replaced by the lease holder for the battery and not out of the car owners pocket. Unlike the hybrid car where the owner is responsible for the cost of the battery.

[X5Sport]

They're the ones that will be OK.  But with a BMW you own the battery with no lease plan, and given the high cost of the i3 and i8, that will leave a sting in the tail with used ones.

[Don Coffey]

[quote="Finglonga"]
I think most full electric cars have batteries that are on a lease plan and you pay a fixed price per month. So when they do go they will be replaced by the lease holder for the battery and not out of the car owners pocket. Unlike the hybrid car where the owner is responsible for the cost of the battery.
[/quote]

Nissan are trying to move away from renting the batteries and are giving encentives to get buyers to go down the battery ownership route, BMW are offering battery warranty packages but these are quite expensive.  They are also offering the longest warranty of eight years on their batteries.  Nissan are five years.  If I was to look into buying an electric car I would be working out the figures on a zero return at the end of the battery warranty period to see just how the figures add up.

Don

[X5Sport]

According to my local Dealer, the Government is offering a £5k grant for the car and a further £1k grant for the installation of the charging system/point at your house.  Of course BMW just want you to change every 3years but at some point they will have to do something about disposal/recycling, unless the plan is to chuck them away and grind them up for a new one.

Roll on Hydrogen fuel cells, or of course a small fusion reactor.......

Richard

[Don Coffey]

Come on CERN, let's get the Hadron Collider doing its stuff and give us the holy grail of endless energy. 

Next best thing, as Richard says, roll on the Hydrogen Fuel Cell cars.

Don

[pvr]

What £1k grant for charging system? Thought it was just a 13 amp plug jobbie?