Driven by Sustainability: Key Considerations for Buying a pre-owned Electric Vehicle - Q&A
As electric vehicles (EVs) continue to surge in popularity, an exciting trend emerges: the increasing availability of used EVs. This shift opens up a world of possibilities for eco-conscious drivers and budget-savvy consumers alike.
EVs are a smart choice for those who value sustainability, especially when paired with an energy grid that is powered by renewable resources (thankfully, our region is replete with fossil-fuel-free options, making it the cleanest in the nation.) Plus, every day, car brands seem to announce that they are introducing new all-electric or hybrid models and with all these new types of cars on the market, there’s a ripple effect hitting the used car market. This influx of used EVs creates the perfect opportunity for those of us looking for a great deal.
In this interview, we delve into the experiences and insights of a proud used EV owner, shedding light on the perks and considerations of joining the growing community of second-hand electric vehicle enthusiasts.
“Hi Dave, thanks for chatting with me about your experience as a used EV driver. I was hoping we could start with your motivation to choose a used EV over a new one?”
“I consider myself to be a ‘resource non-depleter’...I don’t think that’s a real term but in other words, with housing stock, or clothing stock, or any other resource, my goal is to thrift. It’s the same with vehicles- the aluminum, the steel, it’s already been sourced, it’s gone through its upstream production. It goes with everything in my life, when it comes to new vs used, I don't want to source new materials when there's good stock out there. What specifically motivated me to buy an EV was a comment made by the then-President of RIT Bill Dessler, I was at an event where he was speaking. I appreciated his opinions, as a tech-y guy, and he happened to be ruminating on his purchase of a Chevy Volt. He had commented that ‘there isn't a vehicle anywhere that is more technologically sophisticated or engineered than this vehicle that I’m driving right now- it is a marvel of engineering and technology’- that was it for me! I said ‘I gotta have one of those’. I did a lot of research and bought a used one- a 2013 first generation with some upgrades that through my research I knew I wanted. I have loved it for 4 years. And then sold it to my son and I went and purchased a second generation of the same vehicle- which I’m still driving today.”
“While balancing your value of sustainability and your eagerness to embrace cutting edge technology, how did you go about researching and planning for your used electric vehicle?”
“I’m a fanatical researcher- it drives my wife nuts. I’ll research socks! You don’t usually thrift socks…there are certain things even I won’t thrift. Shoes- I’ll research shoes forever- what are they made of, where is the material sourced from, how long do they last. I’ll do the same thing with any purchase. I recognize not everyone is like this, but the biggest suggestion is do your research. You really need to do some reading from a variety of sources and recognize that some of the sources are incentivized to sway one way or another. Another thing I did was I went and test drove a couple of the cars.”
“Where did you buy your used electric vehicle, and what made you choose that route?”
“I did buy it from a dealership. I did a lot of research when I was driving my first gen and I knew I wanted to get a second gen, it probably took me a year of looking to see who had one for sale. Even today I still do research to see what my vehicle would be worth if I sold it today.”
“So I chose a dealership- I usually buy my used vehicles from dealerships. I’ve bought them from car lots and they’ve been fine, but they were cheaper vehicles. If I'm looking for a decent used vehicle, I’ll usually start with a dealership because they will do a few things- they’ll put on new tires if they’re needed, they’ll inspect it, they’re going to do a variety of things to make sure they can stand behind it for 30 days. If someone came to buy my Volt, I’d tell them everything about it, so it’s not a big problem [to buy from somewhere that isn’t a dealership], but it’s about how comfortable you are”
“Did you have any concerns about the battery of the used EV you purchased? What questions should someone ask about the battery specifically before buying?”
“Because I was looking for a vehicle that was no more than 3 years old, that’s kinda my sweet spot, I had less concern about battery health. I mean frankly, my vehicle right now has just under 100k miles on it, I bought it at 39k. Most batteries are virtually guaranteed for 100k. I’m not particularly concerned as I get closer to 100K. I go online and I type in ‘EV battery failures’ and there's so few articles claiming that the batteries are shot. Yeah, you may have something due to depletion or degradation problems- that’s different. I’m really not worried, I plan to drive my vehicle for another few years. I can check my battery life on my iPhone. A couple years ago my phone was 3-4 years old and was down to 80%- it took a long time to charge and the battery would discharge faster. There isn’t really anything equivalent to what you and I find on our phones standardized for EV batteries. Some vehicles have it, some don’t, but I think all future ones probably will. So I don’t know where my battery health is, but when I bought it, it wasn’t a concern. If I were to sell it today, unless they were seriously geeky, the buyer might have some concerns. Like any other used vehicle, you should test drive it, see how things work. Check that it charges fully and seems to operate okay.”
“What about expected costs for maintenance- is there anything else that new EV drivers should prepare for that they might not know about?”
“The electric motors themselves, the drive motors, are sealed, I've never heard of any electric motor pooping out. There’s no transmission, meaning no transmission issues (and no costly repair) unlike traditional vehicles. There’s no oil changes in EVs, in my case because I have this little generator, I change mine about once a year. It probably doesn’t need one, but I do it once a year anyway. The only things really are tires and windshield wipers, that’s it. There’s really no other maintenance. No tune ups, no major oil changes, no radiator fluid, no overheating- it’s just peace of mind, big time.”
“How did you plan for charging your EV? Do you charge at home, at work, or both?”
“There's been a lot of stuff in writing about infrastructure. Now my vehicle is an ERV hybrid, which stands for extended range vehicle hybrid, and they aren’t made anymore unfortunately for those of us who own them and love them. With my vehicle, I never worry about the range, I don’t really have any limitations, because my car is run by an electric motor and once the battery is depleted, the onboard generator starts to produce electricity. My total mileage is around 400 miles. I like to run on the battery all the time, but on longer trips I will use both.”
“Day-to-day, I charge at home overnight, it takes about 10-12 hours. This morning, there was a free space in the East End garage, so I topped it off. I can go back and forth [from my home to my office] on just my battery. It’s a great commuter vehicle, unless someone is going more than 50 miles one-way. So when people say ‘we need more charging stations’, well, I can easily get home on my battery, so for me it’s not critical. When I was on the Evan Dawson show, it was me, Abby from the Climate Solutions Accelerator, and Marc Cohan from the Chamber of Commerce, the three of us got into this long discussion about infrastructure and charging stations, and Evan was saying ‘if I have an EV and I come to work, what do I do if there isn’t a charging station?’ and we all kind of looked at him and said ‘Evan, why do you need to charge at work?’ and he said ‘well don’t I?’ We asked ‘Evan, if you have a vehicle that has a 200-330 mile range, how far are you driving to work’” and he said ‘about 5 miles’ and that’s when all of the sudden a light came on for him: Just like with a gas powered vehicle, you don’t need to put gas in it everyday”
Check out these 12 charging stations you’ll see along your road trip through the Finger Lakes.
“Now if I’m taking a Tesla on a long trip, it's smart enough to tell you where the charging stations are, a lot of vehicles these days can do that, and it tells you how long it will take for you to get there. Now in a Tesla, they have some settings, and it has to do with [range] anxiety. High anxiety will get you to a charging station with 50% of the battery. Low anxiety will take you a lot further and you’ll maybe have 10% left on the battery. But range anxiety is a real thing, there's no question about it. Even if you’re between charging stations and you have it on low anxiety, it will still tell you that you need to go and charge.”
“What I'm interested in, for infrastructure, is that gas stations need to install charging stations. For convenience stores, you want to stop, use the restrooms, get something to eat or drink, and while you’re stopped, you can pay for a charge. I’m seeing it more often. I charge at home, I’ll charge at work if it’s available”
“What advice do you have for someone who is considering buying a used EV?”
“Just like any other used vehicle, do your research, you’re gonna test drive it. Talk with other people who have them and own them. Get on a chat, find a friend who’s got one and borrow it, go do a test drive- you can sign up to test drive a Tesla, go and do it!”
“It's definitely a mind shift, there's no getting around it. But don't hesitate- find a friend, test drive one and see how you feel. There’s a lot of used ones available right now, and there’s incentives available.”
“Looking back, what do you think are the most important things for someone to keep in mind when buying a used EV?”
“The mind shifts, the different way of thinking, you think and drive differently with regeneration. I became a hyper-miler; they do everything they can to extract as much mileage and in an EV you can re-gen all that. I’m always looking at the meters and I’m always trying to bump up my miles, and I’ve been able to add about 10 miles when I hyper-mile. I drive like my grandmother, but that’s kind of the way it is.”
Buying an electric vehicle for personal use or as part of a fleet invites you to join in reaping the rewards of beneficial electrification. Like any investment, it’s worth taking your time with the research and to consider what is most important for you: convenience, style, protecting the planet, or all of the above. Purchasing your new ride from someone you trust that will make sure you get the best deal and the peace of mind that comes with knowing your vehicle will have a long life of optimal performance. Preparing yourself for regular maintenance and charging might mean developing new habits (check out our post about range anxiety here), but they will prepare you well for the road ahead. Asking the right questions can help you hit the road in your new-to-you EV.
Want to get started on your research? Start here
