Top 10 reasons I haven’t bought an electric car (yet)
An electric car seems like a no-brainer for a green gal like me.
They get rid of the need for fossil fuels, they’re quiet and they’re economical.
They look pretty stylish too.
Every year Mr Green and I take a ‘green lifestyle’ audit.
We look at what’s working well, what needs tweaking and we write a list of the things we’d like to achieve throughout the year.
We’ve discussed at length, the idea of buying an electric vehicle, and here are our top ten reasons why we’re not ready to invest:
Too expensive to buy
Even with the Government subsidy of £5000 you’re still looking at £28000 to buy one.
Not Green enough
An electric car STILL uses fossil fuels, unless the electricity used to top up the batteries come from 100% renewable resources.
Replacement batteries
I’ve read that batteries might only last 7-8 years by which time they cost more to replace than the car is worth.
Where is my nearest public charging station?
I have enough trouble trying to read a map and navigate my way to somewhere far away. To have to think about travelling via charging stations would be my nightmare come true.
Instant refuel
Do I want to spend 1/2 an hour waiting for my car to refuel when it takes about 1 minute to put diesel in?
Back up power
In my car I carry a spare can of diesel, lest I run out in the middle of nowhere. Imagine running out of electricty on a dark country lane. Not my idea of fun.
The silent killer?
Kids, blind people, animals – how do I know one of them isn’t going to step out infront of my car because they can’t hear me coming?
Disposal
Just what happens to all those batteries?
Electricity bill
If I drove 100 miles per day I’d be using 24 kwh to charge up my car at night. 24 kwh is my average electricity consumption for 2 1/2 days!
Green washing?
I’m just not sure about the ‘zero emissions’ claim. Can it be, can it possibly be?
What about you – what’s your number one reason for not buying an electric car? Or have you taken the plunge and are ready to convert me?