Why Did You Buy an EV?

[Roldorf]

Curious about the reasons for the purchase of an EV.

I needed to replace my 7 year old diesel. It had never failed a TÜV (Mot) and even though it only had 80 thousand Km on the clock it was eventually going to need more repairs in the future. I did lots of research on the internet for a replacement to my trusty wheels:-

1. The replacement had to have a good and long warranty. In another 7 years I will be 81.
2. The future of combustion engine cars in Germany looks very uncertain.
3. An EV seemed to be the best bet due to maintenance, fuel and repair costs, plus other considerations.
4. It had to have a good range if it was going to fit my needs.
5. I do a lot of exploration of sites where there are only tracks for roads.
6. I was not going to pay an exorbitant price for an EV.
7. It had to have enough luggage space to hold all my camping equipment for tours lasting more than 3 weeks.
8. An last but not least it is wonderful not to have the smell and drone of the diesel engine and not have to change gears all the time.

Those and many other factors led me to the cash purchase of my MG ZS EV long range.

My son who lives and works in the UK did have until recently a BMW i3. He has badgered me for years on how good it was and that I should change to an EV. Now, at the same time I bought my EV, he has swapped his EV for a Dacia Duster Petrol/Gas car purely on the basis of fuel costs.

So bearing that in mind what made you decide to buy your EV.

 

[Kithmo]

I bought mine for the way they drive. Quiet, relaxing and instant torque, what's not to like.
I had the quiet relaxing drive bit with the Prius, but was not impressed by the elastic band feel of the acceleration with ECVT transmission.
I would have bought an EV around 2010 if there were any decent ones about, I pondered over the Leaf for many years but there was something about the shape that put me off. I was almost going to get the latest shape Leaf when I spotted the ZS which was much more car for the money.

 

[manictomb]

Well it is great to drive and no smelly engine to boot

 

[evcog]

I have only just instigated leasing an MG ZS EV so haven't yet started driving it. I'm 71 and after 30-40 years of driving really wanted to try a more recent technology. Of course I do care about the environment and it's obvious I won't be churning out toxic chemicals in an EV (I grew up in the 1950s and can remember the smog caused by mostly coal burning. We had a clean air act that gave a much healthier atmosphere very quickly). Also I'm not over worried about the recent cost increases for electricity. Indeed I live in a flat where I cannot have a home charger so will have to fill up on public chargers. Some in the press seem to love to disparage EV cars now, saying it's more expensive than Oil. Well it's about equal if you only rapid charge at the current highest prices. So not much of a disincentive really to go down the route of; a less complicated mechanicle machine, advanced technology to aid driving, and yes you will not have to breathe fumes every time you put it in a garage or park it near a tent on that outdoor holiday we might all want to take.

Colin

 

[Vipar]

Because I am a tight git

 

[Gadget Geek]

For me, it was when I saw Ed Stryker driving one on the Gerry Anderson TV show "UFO" (Google it). Ever since then, internal combustion engined vehicles seemed SO last century, and now it turns out they are better for the environment.

 

[Maciej]

I enjoyed how it looked and needed a new car. I wanted EV for a while because queue to petrol station at tesco was getting longer and more expansive.

 

[frb123]

1 cost (long term). I have been to-ing and fro-ing recently about maybe cancelling ZSEV order - but did a convoluted long term calculation (for purposes of comparison, an MG HS PHEV) and the ZS came out way better. After about 6/7 years I think they will have cost the same, but the ZS will be way better from that point on.

2 environmental considerations. I don't claim to be an expert on any of it but hopefully my offspring and indeed the rest of the world will consider it a good decision in the years to come!

3 driving style. I haven't owned EV yet but drove various for work and love how easy they are to drive. Particularly in traffic jams! Also love the power that I could never afford/tolerate the inefficiency of, day to day

4 bells and whistles!

 

[Les burrows]

In answer to the question and To try and keep this short and Sweet COSTS.
I had a 4kw solar PV system fitted to my home over ten years ago and with all the incentives that was being offered 2yrs ago to buy an electric car when an electric estate came MG5 I prefer estate cars it was bargain to buy and run IMHO.

Going from a Skoda Superb Estate exclusive to the 5 exclusive was a down grade in my book but to get another superb was around £13000 more at the time and it then needed diesel plus expensive services and of course taxing and there would be a fair amount of depreciation to boot and it was still going to throw out C02 so the 5 came and I went for it.
That was 21 months back now the 5 has gone sold it for around £2 grand more than I paid for it, and must have saved about the same in running costs over the that time l am yet to purchase a another car what that will be I don’t know but it will be a full EV.
Les.

 

[RobinH]

1. Reliability. I was fed up with replacing DPF's and turbos on diesel cars.
2. Quiet, relaxing drive. A manual diesel is a stressful way to spend an hour of stop / start traffic at each end of the day.
3. Cost. My short list at the time was Volt / Ampera or Jag XF. I worked out the Jag would have cost at least £5000 a year more to run.
4. Emissions. Doing my bit.....

 

[Gomev]

I like gadgets, and an EV is one big gadget.

 

[Kithmo]

Another thing I like about mine is how quick it is to defrost and demist, between 2 and 5 minutes depending how thick the frost/ice/snow is and kicking no nasty fumes out, compared to 15-20 minutes with the engine running in my old Prius.

 

[TheArcher]

If I'm honest, it was to simply have an EV - bought used, so affordable & had adequate range for my needs. It's a Kia Soul (my MG is on order). The first day I drove the Soul I was thrilled to bits! I haven't stopped chuckling to myself since.