South Africans could travel almost triple the distance in an electric car with R100 worth of electricity compared to petrol

Luis

Luis

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How far you can drive on R100 of electricity vs R100 of petrol in South Africa

At current power and fuel prices, South Africans would be able to travel twice to triple the distance in an electric car with R100's worth of energy than they would with the same amount of petrol.

Sales of fully-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles have surged in the first few months of 2026, in no small part thanks to high and unpredictable fuel prices.
 
Hemi300c said:
And in 10yrs when the battery doesn't battery anymore you throw the vehicle away.
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Battery is going to last longer than that. Besides with the speed at which battery prices are dropping you will probably be able to replace the battery in 10 years time for less than you spent on oil, air filters, spark plugs, cam belts etc over 10 years on petrol car.
 
Johand said:
Battery is going to last longer than that. Besides with the speed at which battery prices are dropping you will probably be able to replace the battery in 10 years time for less than you spent on oil, air filters, spark plugs, cam belts etc over 10 years on petrol car.
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Don't forget, EVs also need things like oil changes. The transmission definitely does like any other.
Some have told me that depending on (ab)use, the IGBTs in the inverter might degrade as well by then. Electronics and heat are universally known to lead to premature failure of the former.
 
EmmanuelGoldstein said:
Context: purchaser is a tenant, in a complex, and the landlord is likely behind in municipal bills.
However this will be a reality for all of us eventually.
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CoCT really punishes complexes. We have a complex - each house has to pay fixed connection charge. Then our complex need to pay for a commercial connection at like R4500 per month as well. So if you live in a complex you are essentially getting double charged - part of it just comes through the levies.
 
Johand said:
CoCT really punishes complexes. We have a complex - each house has to pay fixed connection charge. Then our complex need to pay for a commercial connection at like R4500 per month as well. So if you live in a complex you are essentially getting double charged - part of it just comes through the levies.
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1785932763906.png
 
EmmanuelGoldstein said:
Don't forget, EVs also need things like oil changes. The transmission definitely does like any other.
Some have told me that depending on (ab)use, the IGBTs in the inverter might degrade as well by then. Electronics and heat are universally known to lead to premature failure of the former.
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What oil?
 
The more any of these corporate / govt. efforts are focused on through MyBB, the more a con is likely.

And in SA, no thanks to anything extra electric. Learnt my lesson way back.
 
calypso said:
What oil?
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The transmission in an EV has oil in it, like a regular car transmission. Or did you think it was a motor directly on the wheel. There's a differential in that transmission too, just like a regular front wheel drive car
 
calypso said:
What oil?
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Depending on the drivetrain set up, there will still be oil in the transmission and differentials. You also have fluids to cool other components, grease or oil in the hubs. There are bearings etc that will also need maintenance just like a regular car.

This idea that they will be maintenance free for life, is totally absurd.
 
These articles also always seem to ignore the cost of buying a new EV.

I’m a hardcore environmentalist, so I drive 20 year old cars to save the planet you see. So even at 12l/100km my old diesel is still cheaper than any EV on the planet
 
EmmanuelGoldstein said:
The transmission in an EV has oil in it, like a regular car transmission. Or did you think it was a motor directly on the wheel. There's a differential in that transmission too, just like a regular front wheel drive car
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Geely is a RWD car. Hence the frunk. And the motor is close to the wheel. There is a reducer gearbox and differential hidden there somewhere.

1785936514442.png

It isn't really oil that you would top up at a fuel station (which is going to spawn a new generation of VW Beetle jokes). You would do it at like the 140k km service the same as you would a differential oil change.

Saying it is the same as a regular car transmission is a bit disingenuous. You will have a differential, and a reducer. All of them are permanently engaged.
 
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konfab said:
Geely is a RWD car. Hence the frunk. And the motor is close to the wheel. There is a reducer gearbox and differential hidden there somewhere.

View attachment 1927460

It isn't really oil that you would top up at a fuel station (which is going to spawn a new generation of VW Beetle jokes).
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Unless it’s the direct drive types with an individual motor per wheel, there will always be moving parts and lubricants involved, which will need to be changed at service intervals, just like ice cars.

Then there is still all the other regular maintenance (brakes, suspension, bearings etc etc etc) just like on an ice car. This notion that EV cars are zero maintenance is a farce.
 
Zellephant said:
Unless it’s the direct drive types with an individual motor per wheel, there will always be moving parts and lubricants involved, which will need to be changed at service intervals, just like ice cars.

Then there is still all the other regular maintenance (brakes, suspension, bearings etc etc etc) just like on an ice car. This notion that EV cars are zero maintenance is a farce.
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You are fighting a straw man here. The person in question said you will save in maintenance, not there will be zero maintenance. With brakes, you do save because you can use regen braking, so your brakes only really get used in emergencies and to bring the car to a stop, so you win there as well.
The servicing of the oil in the reducer and differential will be in the similar region of a normal car. Which is certainly not every service.

The more important thing to service and check is the battery cooling system. As that will absolutely destroy the battery if it doesn't work properly.

You want to play a game here? Take two brand new cars, one EV, one ICE and drive them like an idiot with zero servicing. Which one do you think will die first?
 
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