How to choose a used electric car?
The electric vehicle market is becoming increasingly popular. Registration of new cars shows positive growth every month and breaks records compared to previous years.
There is probably no person who would not want to become the first owner of a new electric car or other car. Feel the smell of a car that has just rolled off the assembly line, covered in film, sparkling with ideal shapes and fresh varnish. But, unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to buy a new car. What should those who really want an electric car do and do not have the opportunity to purchase a new one? What should you pay attention to when buying a used electric car?
Before buying a used electric car, you should familiarize yourself with its main design features and characteristics
Electric cars are usually denoted by the abbreviation EV (for Electric Vehicle), although this phrase is suitable for any electric vehicle. From the outside, it is difficult to distinguish an electric car from a car with an internal combustion engine. Elegant, sophisticated design, quick start from a standstill, absence of noise from a running diesel or gasoline engine, exhaust pipe, and a number of design features distinguish the electric car
Design features of an electric vehicle
- Electric motor
- Traction battery
- Other transmission
- Inverter
- Cooling system
- Charging block
To drive an electric vehicle, brushless motors of synchronous type with permanent magnets or asynchronous type without magnets are used.
Main types of batteries
Most electric vehicles today have 2 types of lithium-ion batteries or batteries containing nickel and cobalt (NMC, NCA), or lithium iron phosphate batteries (LFP). But what are their advantages, disadvantages and which should you choose in your next electric car?
Nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) batteries are the most common form of battery for electric vehicles today, from the Nissan Leaf to the Mercedes-Benz EQS
As the name suggests, the battery cathode is usually composed of nickel, manganese and cobalt in varying proportions. NMC cells benefit from higher energy density, which gives a greater range of motion, and are less sensitive to cold temperatures, meaning they can charge faster in cold climates. Car manufacturers typically recommend that owners only charge NMC batteries to 80 percent to avoid the long-term effects of capacity degradation. A full charge should only be carried out occasionally when necessary, for example during long trips
Nickel-cobalt-aluminum (NCA) batteries are similar to NMC batteries, and they are not very common – only used in older pre-2019 Tesla EV models. NCA batteries have a high energy density and replace environmentally unstable manganese material with aluminum, which extends their service life compared to NMC. However, NCA batteries still have a shorter life cycle and are more expensive than LFP batteries because they contain significant amounts of cobalt and nickel. Tesla recommends charging its NCA-equipped electric vehicles to 80 percent to keep them healthy over the long term.
Unlike NMC and NCA, LFP batteries do not contain nickel, cobalt and manganese, which reduces production costs. In addition, they are stronger and less sensitive to overheating compared to NMC. A key advantage of LFPs is their longer life cycle, which reduces degradation issues. LFP cells can withstand over 3,000 full charge cycles, and some types from BYD or CATL can last up to 6,000, compared to NMCs, which last around 1,000 to 2,000 cycles at best. This means that you can not worry about the health of your battery for twice as long: in the case of LFP batteries – up to 15 years. This allows many manufacturers to provide a lifetime warranty on the battery in an electric vehicle.
An LFP-equipped EV with 100 percent charging capability can have the same usable range as an NMC or NCA vehicle limited to 80 or 90 percent charging
The transmission of electric cars differs from conventional gearboxes in cars with an internal combustion engine. The motors in electric vehicles produce very high torque and can quickly rev up and change direction. Therefore, electric cars do not need a complex multi-speed gearbox like cars with an internal combustion engine. They use a simple and reliable reduction gearbox directly connected to the engine. On powerful and high-speed cars it is complemented by a two-stage gearbox, which allows you to combine powerful traction at the bottom with a high maximum speed
Electric vehicles also have a 12-volt battery that powers on-board electronics, electric power steering and brakes, windshield wipers, and lighting. It is charged from the traction battery. It should be remembered: if the electric car is not used for a long time and does not turn on from time to time, then the 12-volt battery can run down and completely lose its capacity, just like in a regular car with an internal combustion engine. But usually the 12-volt battery of an electric car is 2-3 times smaller than in a car with an internal combustion engine and, accordingly, cheaper
The inverter converts direct current from the battery into alternating current for the motor. It also controls, on command from the pedals, the longitudinal acceleration or deceleration of the car, regulates the flow of energy from the battery to the engine and back (during braking recuperation)
A cooling system is needed for comfortable operation of the main battery in a certain temperature regime, under heavy loads, when the car is on high-speed charging, and in winter to heat the battery. This system is also integrated into the climate control system of the electric vehicle.
To control the charging of an electric vehicle, a separate electronic unit is used to charge the car from different types of current: direct or alternating voltage
An electric car can brake due to the force resistance created by the electric motor in generator mode, but it also has a braking system like a car with an internal combustion engine, although it wears out more slowly due to less load
What to look for before buying a used electric car?
Budget
Charging location and cost
Daily route
The need for frequent travel between cities
Car price. The quality of your future swallow, power reserve and battery life directly depend on the amount you are going to spend on buying a car. The most affordable used electric cars have a range of approximately 100–150 km on a single charge. Prices for such cars range from 6,000 to 15,000 conventional units. Here are a few examples of cars in this price range: Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus EV, Renault ZOE, KIA Soul EV, Smart ED, Volkswagen e-Golf, BMW i3, Fiat 500e, Mercedes-Benz B-Class
If you have the opportunity to spend a large amount on purchasing a car, for example from $15,000 to $25,000, then the range will be from 200 to 300 km. This price category includes Mercedes-Benz B250e, Renault ZOE (2017+), Chevrolet Bolt, Hyundai Ioniq, Hyundai Kona Electric, Nissan Leaf II generation, Tesla Model S, Tesla Model 3. These cars will have low mileage and are slightly younger previous price segment
New budget cars with a small battery capacity are now available on the market in the price range from $14,500 to $25,000. For example, Dongfeng Nano Box, Dongfeng Yudo K3, BYD Seagull, Dacia Spring and many others
Where will you charge your car? If you can charge your electric car from a household outlet, then this is the cheapest option. But when charging from a household outlet overnight, with a 2 kW (~10A) charging adapter, by morning the range will be 100 km. For more power, you will need a more powerful line – three-phase, and a corresponding charger, which costs about $500. But it is important to know which charging inverter is installed in the car you choose, because some cars are equipped with a low-power 3.3 kW on-board charger, so there is no point in buying a more powerful household charging station
If it is not possible to charge at home, you need to use public charging stations, which can be located either in the yard of the house or several blocks away. Therefore, you need to consider how much time you will spend daily on the road from the station to your home. Also, the cost of charging at such stations is slightly higher than from a home outlet, but they have significantly greater power and speed. If your electric car can accept a fast charge, then charging can reach 150 kWh, and this allows you to travel long distances with an electric car
Daily route. Typically, the route of an ordinary motorist ranges from 30–80 km to 100 km per day. A greater distance may be due to living in a suburban area. This determines how many times a day you need to charge the car. If your route is, for example, 70 km, then one charge from a regular outlet at home is enough. This results in the cost of travel, which will be several times less than in a car with an internal combustion engine. When you travel long distances between cities, you need to consider the availability of charging stations along your route
Traveling between cities? If you travel more than 2 times a month, and your trips are over a significant distance (more than 500 km), then you need to choose an electric car with a range of at least 300 km, and preferably 450–500 km. And most importantly: it must be equipped with a DC fast charging port, because these are the charging stations that are now installed along all major routes. It is advisable that the car be equipped with a European charging port of the CCS2 standard, because now there are many Chinese electric vehicles on the market equipped with a GB\T standard port, and in order for you to be able to charge everywhere, you will need to buy an additional adapter, which costs from 1300 to 2000 dollars
How to inspect an electric car before purchasing?
Checking the main battery. The traction battery is the most expensive and most important element of an electric vehicle, and also the main reason for all the additional worries for the owner of such a car. You need to choose a car with the least worn battery. If the battery capacity drops significantly due to aging, it will have to be replaced soon.
There are several ways to check the traction battery. Some modern electric cars, such as the Nissan Leaf, display the remaining battery capacity directly on the dashboard. The absence of the first division of the indicator (there are 12 in total) means a drop in capacity by 16%, each subsequent division by 6.5%. The drop in capacity depends on the driving style and the nature of operation of the electric car by the first owner. Over the first few years, with a mileage of 20–30 thousand km, the Nissan Leaf may lose no more than 2 bars out of 12
The best way to evaluate the traction battery of an electric car is to use a special computer program, connecting to the OBD II connector of the car through a diagnostic scanner, and check for errors
Some technicians have already learned how to “twist” battery aging indicators, “rejuvenating” the residual capacity. But it is enough to drive up to 100 km and charge the battery, and the computer will calibrate the battery and show its real capacity. It should be remembered that even the best battery with a mileage of about 20 thousand km cannot demonstrate 100% capacity; the capacity drop should be at least a few percent
It is also necessary to inspect the condition of the paint, gaps in body parts, check glass markings, check for dents, evaluate the chassis, condition of the brakes, steering column, percentage of tire tread remaining, check the functionality of all vehicle systems, heating and ventilation systems
We also pay attention to the condition of the interior. Significant abrasions and minor damage may indicate that this car was used as a taxi, and it is advisable to avoid such cars
We check the process of energy recovery and charging of an electric vehicle. It is important to check how an electric vehicle charges from different types of charging stations, both fast and slow. If possible, it is advisable to check whether the vehicle you choose charges in the location where you plan to charge regularly. In some cases, the car may not charge, but this may be a wiring problem, not the car: for example, if the grounding is poor or non-existent. For example, all RENAULT and Tesla electric cars are very sensitive to this. When checking recovery, you must remember that recovery usually does not turn on if the battery is charged 90% or more. This is done to prevent the battery from overcharging and protect it.
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