Saving over R700 on a trip from Pretoria to the Free State in an electric car

Daniel Puchert

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Saving over R700 driving an electric car on an 800km road trip

We recently travelled between Pretoria and Golden Gate National Park in the Free State and saved over R700 in fuel costs by using an electric vehicle (EV) instead of a similar petrol car.

If you are used to driving a petrol car, you will have little concern about choosing a fuel station to fill up. South Africa's retail petrol prices are regulated, which means garages charge the same prices.
 
So that's less than R1/km. With the price of electric cars they should pay you back.
 
It depends what specs you expect the ICE vehicle to have. He included a comparison to the closest car in terms of performance (the Mustang).
And this is the issue. People don't buy these cars for long or regular trips but everyone does the comparisons based on them. It's just a 20% saving over the Kia which most families will rather have and you have to make at least 2 stops vs none. EVs aren't worth it yet.
 
It depends what specs you expect the ICE vehicle to have. He included a comparison to the closest car in terms of performance (the Mustang).

Fittings and trim. Acceleration and power should not come into it, if it is about "savings", if spending money on performance we don't want to hear about savings.

So my question is what is the price difference between this EV and the most similar trim/spec level ICE Volvo.
 
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The biggest consideration is how much does the cars resale value drop over time since the battery is degrading as you use. Does the fuel savings make up for this drop in value?
 
Electric cars don't pay the RAF levy, nor the GFL. The thieving non withstanding, the levies are important for the road infrastructure. Should electric cars be covered for a RA event, and is it fair for them to even use the roads without paying the dues?
 
Saving over R700 driving an electric car on an 800km road trip

We recently travelled between Pretoria and Golden Gate National Park in the Free State and saved over R700 in fuel costs by using an electric vehicle (EV) instead of a similar petrol car.

If you are used to driving a petrol car, you will have little concern about choosing a fuel station to fill up. South Africa's retail petrol prices are regulated, which means garages charge the same prices.

Why would you want to go to the Free State?
 
The biggest consideration is how much does the cars resale value drop over time since the battery is degrading as you use. Does the fuel savings make up for this drop in value?
Meh ICE cars drop in value too.

To me it's just an insane price to pay for very little vehicle. It's also the inconvenience of trying to find somewhere to stop to charge it on long journeys.

If the infrastructure were ubiquitous, and the vehicles were similarly priced to ICE cars they'd make great city runarounds though. That way at least you can charge them overnight after the day's short commute is done.
 
And this is the issue. People don't buy these cars for long or regular trips but everyone does the comparisons based on them. It's just a 20% saving over the Kia which most families will rather have and you have to make at least 2 stops vs none. EVs aren't worth it yet.
Not with crappy 60kW chargers when the rest of the world are moving onto 500kW ones.
 
The biggest consideration is how much does the cars resale value drop over time since the battery is degrading as you use. Does the fuel savings make up for this drop in value?
That's why I'm waiting for 10 year old EV's.
 
Electric cars don't pay the RAF levy, nor the GFL. The thieving non withstanding, the levies are important for the road infrastructure. Should electric cars be covered for a RA event, and is it fair for them to even use the roads without paying the dues?
What is the license disk for?
 
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