Electric cars are flooding the market right now. Gone are the days when we used to have G-Wizes with as much range as an electric cycle, now we’re having EVs from the big guns like Audi and BMW. And, of course, there’s loads of cars coming from the king of them all - Tesla (cue creepy Elon laugh).
But buying an EV isn’t simple because of a number of attributes. That’s why we’ve prepared a list of 3 simple things you can do before and after buying an EV.
- Do the Maths
I know what you’re thinking - you just mentioned the word ‘simple’ and then put ‘Maths’ in the subheading. No, we are not telling you to find the shortest distance to your office from home using Pythagoras theorem. Instead, keep in mind the range and battery size of your new EV.
Is the range sufficient to take you to the office and back home for over a week before it needs charging? If the battery is big and offers more range, then you’ll have to keep in mind that you’ll need a stronger charger to charge it up at a fast pace. So do keep the charging infrastructure in mind. And we’ve set up two guides: one about how to install a charger at your home and the other talking you through the charging stations in the UAE and how you can avail their services. You will find the links for them at the bottom of this article.
Then comes the wallet tingling bit - the price. At first, an EV that ticks all the boxes for you might seem expensive but do keep in mind the Government subsidies and the fact that you won’t have to pay for that super-expensive petrol week in week out. After considering the maintenance costs and subsidies, you’ll know whether or not your new EV will be cheaper than your current car in the long run.
- Never turn off the regen
Many electric cars have a system called regenerative braking. It’s a very clever system which charges your car’s battery while driving as there are a number of energies that go waste while you’re driving and the chief of them all is braking. The regen system harvests all the energy that would normally go waste in a petrol/diesel car and uses it for charging the battery. Some cars do let you turn off this regen system (even though we don't know why) but never ever think of turning it off.
- Sell the old car
As heart wrenching as it may sound, you’re not going to use your old car once you buy an EV. Sure, you might not sell it before buying an EV but selling the old petrol/diesel workhorse should be on the top of your list because you just won’t drive it once you get in tandem with your new EV. For now, you might be able to keep your ICE car for days when you will wan to have a blast in it but its better to sell your old car because that might even hinder you from completely switching to EVs. You might buy one but the mere sight of your old bestie might make you take it to the office instead of your new eco-friendly compatriot.
