3 Essential Tips Before and After Buying an Electric Car
Electric Cars: The Shift from Niche to Mainstream
Electric cars have become increasingly popular in recent years. Gone are the days when electric vehicles like the G-Wiz were barely more advanced than electric bicycles. Today, major manufacturers such as Audi and BMW are producing electric cars, alongside Tesla, the leading name in the EV industry.
Key Considerations Before and After Purchasing an Electric Vehicle
Buying an electric car is not always a straightforward decision for many people. To help make your transition smoother, here are three important things you should know before and after purchasing your new electric vehicle.
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Do a Simple Calculation
You don’t need advanced math for this step, but it’s important to consider your daily driving distance and the battery capacity of the electric car you intend to buy.
Ask yourself: is the driving range sufficient to get you to work and back home for more than a week before needing to recharge? If the car offers a large battery and extended range, you’ll also need a more powerful charger for faster charging, along with suitable charging infrastructure.
We have prepared two guides to assist you: one on how to install a home charger, and another on where to find charging stations in the UAE and how to use their services. You can find the links to these guides at the bottom of this article.
The next calculation is, of course, the cost. At first, an electric car that checks all your boxes may seem expensive. However, factor in potential government incentives and the savings on petrol costs each week. Once you consider maintenance expenses and incentives, you’ll be able to determine if your new electric car is more cost-effective than your current vehicle in the long run.
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Never Turn Off the Regenerative Braking System
Many electric cars are equipped with a feature called regenerative braking. This smart system recharges your car’s battery while you drive by capturing energy that would otherwise be lost, especially during braking. The regeneration system harvests energy typically wasted in fuel-powered cars and uses it to recharge the battery.
Some vehicles allow you to disable regenerative braking (though we’re unsure why you would want to), but you should never consider turning it off. Keeping it enabled maximizes your car’s efficiency and extends your driving range.
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Sell Your Old Car
It may feel difficult, but you won’t need your old petrol car once you purchase an electric vehicle. Even if you don’t sell it before buying your EV, make selling your fuel-powered car a top priority—you simply won’t use it after adapting to your new, eco-friendly electric car. We recommend selling it as soon as possible, as holding onto your beloved old vehicle may make you second-guess your decision and prefer it over your environmentally friendly new ride.
