Five things to consider before buying an electric vehicle

In fact, research reveals that a staggering 82 percent of UAE residents are interested in purchasing an EV – and with the rise in oil prices, this statistic is only bound to grow.

As things stand however, many individuals are still concerned about pricing, variety, and charging – but those obstacles are rapidly fading.

The UAE, for example, has made a number of bold choices to demonstrate its commitment to accelerate the transition to EVs.

In this context, the country has converted 20 percent of its fleet of government-owned automobiles to electric vehicles and plans to have 42,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2030.

If you’re just getting into electric vehicles, you’re certain to have a lot of questions.

If you’ve never driven an electric car before, you might be curious about what they can offer (beyond low emissions of course) over a traditional combustion engine.

Even if you’re already a devotee to battery power, some of the new features and language may be a little much to absorb.

So, we’ve broken down the top 5 things to consider when buying an electric vehicle. There are lots of reasons why people are ditching the pump for a plug:

Acceleration

Most EVs accelerate much faster than regular cars, making it a real thrill to drive one! The best EV sedans regularly outperform combustion supercars in a straight line.

Unlike gasoline cars, electric cars maximise driveline efficiency, giving you instant response when you push the pedal.

However, keep in mind that pushing these cars to their max performance usually comes at the cost of a shorter battery life.

It is always better to pick up a car that suits your driving style, and if performance is what you need, then it is better to buy a sports EV with an 800V system.

The Rimac Nevera is one such hypercar that is meant for extensive track use, and can keep up with the best petrol cars both in a straight line and around bends, being the fastest accelerating production car in terms.

Range

Electric vehicles over the past few years have come on leaps and bounds in terms of range. Dramatic improvements in battery technology have seen packaging requirements shrink for batteries of electric cars, which stores their energy for propulsion.

With improvements in efficiency, packaging and integrating batteries structurally, EV’s can now achieve up to 1000 km in range.

For example, most electric cars are now able to drive from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and back on a single charge, or even to Oman.

However, using the best option for your requirements is key to choosing the right EV. That means that if you’re likely to use your vehicle to do short trips to and from work – it might be better to look at cheaper options with lower range.

On the other hand, if you’re planning to be more of a ‘road trip’ style adventurer, then more range is definitely the way to go. A great option in that case is the Mercedes EQS, featuring a staggering 730 km in range.

Charging

This is one of the main concerns for EV buyers. The logistics, the costs, the practicality – all legitimate concerns.

However, as with most things, the infrastructure to support EVs has come a long way in the last 5 years alone.

In the UAE for example, there are now over 1000 public charging stations across the emirates compared to only 200 about five years ago.

Adding to that, apartment buildings now have to install at least one charger if residents request or need it.

This significant increase of chargers available means that it is easier than ever to access public charging points across the emirates – in addition to of course, being able to charge privately charging at home.

With more and more access to charging points at places of convenience such as malls and restaurants, it is evident that the infrastructure to support EVs has come a long way in the last 5 years.

Sustainability

It is hardly a secret that EVs are better for the environment by virtue of them being more efficient in using their energy – subsequently translating to a lower carbon footprint.

Through its entire lifecycle, you would save about 130g of CO2 for every km driven in an EV – seeing that road transportation accounts for 18 percent of worldwide emissions and the UAE alone is responsible for 30,000,000 tons of CO2 emissions yearly from the transportation sector, EV’s can make a great difference.

Many EV’s also claim to have features such as vegan leather, which is common with renowned EV brands such as Tesla, and recycled interiors, as in the BMW i3.

Tech

With most EVs being newer, they are usually packed full of technology – especially in brands like Tesla which have become synonymous with features such as watching Netflix while parked and charging, or over the air updates.

Make sure you find the car that has the set of features you most like and compare the advanced driver assistance features between your options. This is particularly important as these systems can behave differently, depending on the car.

Conclusion

Electric cars have a pivotal role to play as far as the future of mobility is concerned. Electric vehicles are better for the environment and better cars then combustion engines.

If you make an informed choice, by considering all the factors, the experience of owning an electric car will be enjoyable, both for you and the environment.

And last, but not least– an EV automatically lets you avoid the staggering increase in oil prices!

Kevin Chalhoub, CEO and founder of EV Lab.