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26 Jun
2:29pm, 26 Jun 2024
24,751 posts
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larkim
It's not been an issue for me because main dealer servicing is part of the package with our two EVs, but I think you're broadly right that at the moment most independent garages are poorly equipped / set up to handle EVs. Plus the insurance requirements for storage of EV cars are nuts; my workplace does EV training, but the hoops we had to go through to store 2x EVs to satisfy the insurers were nuts.
I can see why a local garage would not put the investment in at the moment, but equally there is so much on the EVs that they ought to be able to do without worrying about the EV nature (suspension, steering, bodywork, wheels, aircon, etc etc).
And I've seen plenty of reports of main dealers being still very confused when they quote for 12m services etc, pricing them to include oil changes (!) etc.
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26 Jun
2:45pm, 26 Jun 2024
50,307 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Just main dealer for me, and lease, so I don't even see any costs. However (think I reported this before) like many fancy dealer services do nowadays, they give you a video of their engineer doing the service. With my BMW this was quite long and covered all the things you expect - fluids, various mechanicals (can you tell I don't know much about cars?!) etc.
With the EV it was wiper blades, tyres and that was about it! Because there was nothing to service. An electric motor and battery and charging circuitry I guess is pretty binary. It doesn't get worn, loose, dirty, etc. It works or it doesn't. There may be all sorts of horrors to come, but so far all I've seen is the the Tesla that's done 200K kms and still going strong video!
I used 10p per kWh to cover the range of 80% 8p off peak home charging, and the rest, a very small % of work charging 5p per kWh, solar charging 0p per kWh and motorway charging up to 79p per kWh.
For petrol I said conservative 40 mpg and £1.30 per litre which I thought was generous of me!
I put double servicing cost £200 per annum and tax at £190 per annum, because that's what the 1.5l petrol model that I searched said. And for EV I put £0 tax and £100 per annum (random, sorry!).
Pretty big saving over 7 years, huh? Not MORE expensive, less expensive. And no (per mile) carbon or sulfur dioxide or NO2 or anything else into the atmosphere!  G
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26 Jun
2:56pm, 26 Jun 2024
6,159 posts
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K5 Gus
Due to my dual-meter electricity supply system for my electric heating I'm unable to get any of these cheap tarrifs, so would be about 25p unit for me, I also do less mileage, about 7-8000 miles pa.
Done the maths on fuel, for me the difference would be about £5k over the 7 years, as opposed to the £10k difference in your scenario. So about equivalent overall costs ( although I think your servicing costs are well out, for both types ).
The other cost (just a one-off, but still needs done when you make the switch) is £1k for a home charger install
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26 Jun
2:56pm, 26 Jun 2024
7,523 posts
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ThorntonRunner
Broadly agree with you and you have been generous on ICE fuel costs. Just two things - car tax comes in for EVs next tear, and some of the electricity used to charge your car cones from fossil fuels so whilst zero emissions at the car, there are related emissions at power station
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26 Jun
2:57pm, 26 Jun 2024
7,524 posts
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ThorntonRunner
(That related to Happy's post)
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26 Jun
3:01pm, 26 Jun 2024
24,755 posts
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larkim
Though with lots of the UK grid coming from green sources, it is more acceptable to treat electricity as the far greener energy source, both locally and nationwide.
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26 Jun
3:03pm, 26 Jun 2024
6,160 posts
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K5 Gus
I should probably be transparent here, in that I changed my car earlier this year, and went from diesel to ............. petrol, sorry !!!!
I was working on approx £10k difference in value ( was looking at 12-18 month old, 4WD that can get a bike in the back ), plus the £1k charger install, and the costs didn't add up for me. Hopefully next time as I am by no means anti-EV
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26 Jun
3:41pm, 26 Jun 2024
50,308 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
What mileage do you do per annum Gus? Some cars or electricity tariffs give you a free or discounted home charger install.
But if the difference was 10K (my example was a smaller 4x4 - Volvo XC40 and £7K difference) then even lots of miles might make it more expensive. G
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26 Jun
3:52pm, 26 Jun 2024
22,914 posts
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DeeGee
I find the fuel argument to be a little more complicated than that. Of course, I could just look at it as 8p/kwh, 4miles/kwh and thus 2p/mile, however...
When I got my EV I switched from the standard variable tariff to the Agile "Time of Use" Tariff. I'm not guaranteed any price at any time of day, so I can only go on what I actually use.
I've averaged about 13.5p/kwh for all my electricity since switching. The price for the variable tariff is currently 21.22/kwh.
Last year, without my EV, I used about 3000 kw/h of electricity, which would be £636.60 on the standard variable rate.
This year, I estimate my electricity usage will double, as I'll use about 3000kw/h for the car, so that'll be 6000 kwh at 13.5p, which is £810.
Therefore the difference between my Electricity bills pre EV and post EV is £173.40. Or one month's petrol.
*****
Of course, the actual price figures I used to base my calculations on when buying the car was my annual spend last year - when electricity was somewhat more expensive - which was £1093.92. I had a daily standing charge of 51.39p (or £188), so my annual consumption was £905.99.
I'm therefore paying almost £100 less for my electricity this year, *with an EV* than I did last year, *without*.
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26 Jun
3:56pm, 26 Jun 2024
6,161 posts
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K5 Gus
G - see my 2:57pm post, about 7-8000 miles pa
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