Is an EV Right for Me?

greenslade on 29/12/2024 - 08:58
Last edited 29/12/2024 - 09:00

Genuine question about the suitability of an EV for my lifestyle. My old ICE has been written off unexpectedly, I need a car asap. I had been expecting my next car (in a few years' time) to be an EV + home solar but there are a few contextual factors that I need advice on.

1) I'm currently a full time house sitter in Northern NSW/Gold Coast - that is, I move houses every month or so. Most homes I sit do not have a fast charger set up. I may often have to rely on public infrastructure or home plug-in. Is this possible or realistic? Is home charging without a fast charger an acceptable option? (Incidentally, no I don't generally pay for electricity on house sits, but the home owners may not be happy with the increased consumption and generally won't have advantageous tariffs or home solar.)

2) my average weekday mileage is 130+ km.

3) financials: I can get a novated lease through work if needed. Income $130k+ so I'm just about in the tax bracket where it becomes worthwhile. Alternatively I could pay cash for second hand car (but ICE prices seem daft at the moment).

I'd welcome advice from those who know EV and charging well enough.
I am open to EV, PHEV, or another ICE if it's the right option for my current situation.

TIA

Automotive Electric Vehicle

Comments

              • Brick Tamland on 30/12/2024 - 09:37
                +1

                @Waltervp: Let’s not pretend that it’s hard or time consuming to fill up with petrol.

          • Murkymerv on 29/12/2024 - 17:04

            @oscargamer: Not the driving experience

            Not the lovely acceleration characteristics
            What the hell are you talking about ⁉️

            • oscargamer on 29/12/2024 - 17:14
              +4

              @Murkymerv: I'm talking about how when you press the go pedal, it goes instantly, it doesn't have to think about it, or drop a few cogs or wait for the turbo to spin up

              Also the quietness and the lack of fumes

              Does that help to enlighten you?

              • Nugs on 29/12/2024 - 19:48
                +2

                @oscargamer: "the quietness"
                Something our stock 6l Caprice does well, until giving it the beans and it sounds niiice
                .

              • Murkymerv on 29/12/2024 - 21:29
                +3

                @oscargamer: That hasn't been an issue till now , all of a sudden minor inconveniences are a problem? I'll stick with petrol and you can have your electric dream .

              • Murkymerv on 30/12/2024 - 09:18
                -1

                @oscargamer: https://youtu.be/S9HfuM-sYxQ?si=E9GrhRc7TdeLv3Rh
                Does this get your mind straight?

                • oscargamer on 30/12/2024 - 09:23
                  +3

                  @Murkymerv: Oh God no….a YouTube video saying that ev's are crap.

                  You must be right and I must be wrong, cos I looked for a YouTube video saying ev's are great, and I couldn't find a single one

                  /s

                • Brick Tamland on 30/12/2024 - 10:43

                  @Murkymerv: Dont really like MGUY but the speech he was commenting on was very good

              • Brick Tamland on 30/12/2024 - 09:39
                -2

                @oscargamer: My petrol car doesn’t think about going when I accelerate or drop down gears or spool turbos… am I doing something wrong?

          • juki on 31/12/2024 - 22:50

            @oscargamer: its really battery degradation that worries me, despite having just sold my 2008 prius whose battery lasted all this time. I do see a lot of leafs with very degraded batteries so it does happen. How long do EV owners plan to keep their cars? 16 years doesnt seem to be the norm as even my neighbours kids have better cars than me

            • klaw81 on 31/12/2024 - 23:30
              +4

              @juki: The old Leaf batteries are not representative of more modern EVs. They are a known flawed design, primarily because they lack active thermal management.

              If you eliminate the Leaf from battery degradation statistics, you get a very different picture.

              • juki on 01/01/2025 - 10:10

                @klaw81: they caught my attention, have been around a lot and are usually cheap

            • Euphemistic on 01/01/2025 - 00:37
              +2

              @juki: Ultimately we dont really know how long they will reliably last. But theres a couple of things we do know.

              • Batteries are lasting longer than expected. Nissan's battery recycling plant isn't getting as much stock as they expected.
              • 200000km is probably the minimum you can expect
              • warranty is nice and long, so youd expect that manufacturers will be making products to last well beyond on average or theyd have a shorter warranty. They wouldnt want to do free replacements on more than a few batteries.
              • degradafion is appearing to slow after the initial few percent. 20% degradation wont make a car unusable and will probably be 15y before it gets to 20%
              • theres more than a few EV taxis out there with half a million kms on them, some with original battery.
              • there are ways to prolong your battery life. Not charging to 100% every time, or running flat frequently, not using fast chargers all fhe time, keeping batteries at a healthy temp amd charge.
              • more EVs will mean more repair services and battery repair costs will fall. You may not need to replace a whole battery in the future as repairs get more effective.
              • juki on 01/01/2025 - 10:09

                @Euphemistic: hmm thanks for the food for thought
                taxis are a good point, i live in the sticks so I only see the camrys if ever i do see one
                it is true, that buisiness develop around it, but i have only ever seen camry gen2 prius battery refurbs in Australia, the third party lithium upgrade packs never made it

                • Euphemistic on 01/01/2025 - 10:27
                  +2

                  @juki: Saw an article recently about farmers buying EVs. Because they do a lot of distance like to town and back they are saving a lot on fuel. Especially if charging off solar or wind. Of course they still all have diesel utes for working and longer trips outsdie the range of the EV.

      • JIMB0 on 29/12/2024 - 13:45

        That much fuel would be a disaster waiting to happen.

    • Euphemistic on 29/12/2024 - 12:19
      +2

      Relying on public charging is going to be dependant on where you drive. Personally, i dont work near public chargers, nor frequent areas where there are chargers, like shopping centres or clubs. There is one near where my kid trains and plays sport, but thats seasonal.

      If you regularly go to shops, movies or restaurnts near chargers or work (or have a work related destination) near one then its a different situation.

      • Brick Tamland on 29/12/2024 - 12:59

        That’s true. However OP house sitting situation is going to throw in a big variable whether that can charge at home or near home. Doing 130km a day op is very reliant on a convenient charge source. If there was a charger at work then that completely changes things and I’d then say get the EV.

        • try2bhelpful on 29/12/2024 - 14:46
          +1

          He also has the choice of house sitting places where charging would be convenient. Just another thing to consider when choosing a place. It does come down to a pro vs con list.

          • Brick Tamland on 29/12/2024 - 14:53
            +6

            @try2bhelpful: That’s crazy to turn down a job because your car is inconvenient to charge.

            • try2bhelpful on 29/12/2024 - 15:02
              -1

              @Brick Tamland: Why? If you are saving a lot of money on petrol then it is certainly in the mix. You just add it to the concerns about off street parking, pet sitting, how renovated the house is, the location to public transport, etc.

              • Brick Tamland on 29/12/2024 - 15:11
                +2

                @try2bhelpful: Save even more money buying a cheap petrol car.

                • try2bhelpful on 29/12/2024 - 15:13

                  @Brick Tamland: Then you get a cheap petrol car which will also be more expensive to service. As I said the OP should do his pros/cons. Personally we are nursing our ICE car because it travels almost no distance and we currently own it, as soon as I can get an EV car that doubles as my solar battery I’m trading up.

                  • Brick Tamland on 29/12/2024 - 15:19
                    +3

                    @try2bhelpful: I am waiting for V2H before going EV too. I love the idea of being able to run my home off the car thats been charged by solar panels

                    • try2bhelpful on 29/12/2024 - 15:25

                      @Brick Tamland: Yup. A small battery to tick over when the car is out and a big battery sitting in our garage soaking up the excess energy the rest of the time. It annoys me we aren’t there yet and the LNP is doing all it can to make sure we don’t get there.

            • us3rnam3tak3n on 30/12/2024 - 09:47
              +1

              @Brick Tamland:

              That’s crazy to turn down a job because your car is inconvenient to charge.

              OP does house sitting for free while working remotely.

              • Brick Tamland on 30/12/2024 - 09:51

                @us3rnam3tak3n: They get accommodations in return. That’s not free.

                • us3rnam3tak3n on 30/12/2024 - 09:58
                  +1

                  @Brick Tamland: I was responding specifically to your suggestion that they're turning down a job. It's not a paid job, it's just free accommodation. I agree, it might reduce their house stay options a little but there are far more important considerations in the pro/con list.

  • websterp on 29/12/2024 - 12:24
    +4

    Full time house sitter and working from home but drives 130km daily and makes 130k+. How?

  • greenslade on 29/12/2024 - 12:37
    +8

    I'm surprised how few posts there are about house sitting on ozbargain.
    I was pushed into it by 2022 floods but I haven't looked back - why pay overpriced rent on an average place of my own, when I can pay zero rent in a much nicer house than I could afford? Seems like the ultimate bargain. Granted couple/no kids/no pets (only other people's pets) so it's not suited for everyone. But in Australia's toxic, socially damaging rental-investment-property mess that will take decades to fix (if ever), I and many others have been forced into finding more creative solutions like tiny houses, van life, house sitting, etc.

    • Brick Tamland on 29/12/2024 - 13:10
      +2

      You’ve got a very good income though and paying no rent you should be able to save a deposit quite easily. I am surprised you are forced into considering alternative solutions. Maybe buying an expensive EV isn’t the best solution. You could get a Hyundai Getz for $5k and put the change into a house deposit?

    • try2bhelpful on 29/12/2024 - 15:06

      I hear you on this. If we didn’t have our two fur babies I would consider house sitting as an option. The real issue is if you end up between gigs with nowhere to stay.

      • greenslade on 01/01/2025 - 21:14

        True I could have nowhere to stay…but it's never happened to me. I usually know where I'm staying at least 4-8 weeks in advance, usually longer. Short sits pop up all the time. And if there's a 2-3 day gap between long sits, I might also take a holiday.

        Some home owners will allow you to bring pets, or caravans, or your family. It's worth looking into.
        I have retired friends who have a dog and caravan around Australia but they also do longer sits in great rural locations or in cities. They are very happy with the mix.

    • brendanm on 29/12/2024 - 15:45
      +11

      Buy a used car instead of wasting money on a new one. Seems crazy to complain about costs, and try to save for a house, then go and buy a $50-60k depreciating asset just because.

      • greenslade on 01/01/2025 - 21:18
        +1

        Thanks it's a fair comment and I'm not committed yet, that's why I started the thread.

        I'm looking at novated lease on a 2 year old EV and comparing it to a second hand ICE in terms of overall running costs. Novated lease EV with FBT exemption essentially makes the same money go 30% further - that's more car for your money, and a newer and better condition car.
        I don't think the second hand car market is offering reasonable prices at the moment, so I'm looking at all options.

        • brendanm on 01/01/2025 - 22:15

          Second hand car market has dropped a lot, but it's up to you at the end of the day.

    • May4th on 30/12/2024 - 10:24

      I'm actually perplexed why there's a big market fpr house sitting and why it needs to be sat. Are you worried about break-ins? Does the house need to be fed or tucked into bed? What's wrong with locking up and going away?

      • Mistredo on 31/12/2024 - 14:07
        +1

        It's usually done because of pets that would perish without human care.

        • greenslade on 31/12/2024 - 15:27
          +1

          Yes it's mostly pet sitting, people who want their pets to stay in their own home rather than a kennel etc.

          I sometimes get a house with just plants. This area is humid and many houses (esp older ones) are prone to mould in the summer months, so they do need occupancy to keep it clean and aerated.

          Some home owners also acknowledge there's a rental crisis and are happy to see their home occupied by the younger generation, while the boomers go on holiday.

    • tomlikesbeetroot on 30/12/2024 - 23:32
      +2

      Australia doesn't rank too badly compared to other OECD countries.
      We don't have the cheapest housing, but far from most expensive.
      https://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/topics/housing/

    • SillySorjai on 31/12/2024 - 00:21
      +5

      Firstly thank you for sharing your situation
      I showed it to my wife and we were fascinated with your situation. Good on you in coming up with a solution to saving up a deposit.

      We recently bought an EV. BYD had a special on where you get 3k off and also a free charger. We have another Ice car at home which is a people mover (7 seater). Based on my experiences so far, I would highly recommend you get the EV. Ignore some of the disinformation some of the posts given to you. I deliberately ordered the car before taking my family on a road trip. The trip was 250km drive to Nelson Bay. When we arrived at our destination it used up 70% of the Battery, this is also on a hot day, ie. Full air con running.

      I didn't realise that public charge stations don't provide a Type 2 to type 2 cable so we basically got there and realised there we couldn't charge at any charge stations and resorted to just charging it from a wall powerpoint.

      As others have said as long as you are ABC (always be charging) you will have zero problems. Realistically you will be charging at a minimum 10 hrs per day (assuming you sleep 8 hrs + breakfast + dinner).

      In that time, your will easily recharge more than your 130 kms per day

      Your issue may be when you say the word "on average" which if you have to do three consecutive days of 200kms /day then you'll run out of charge by the third on a slow charger.

      After the first night of charge, there was not a single time while we were travelling around Nelson Bay where we felt worried about running out of charge. By the second night (after two sleeps), the car battery was pretty much at full capacity.

      The absolute winning point was when I drove it back you Sydney and did the calculations for cost. All up for the entire trip, the electricity cost was about $8.78 which is phenomenal compared to if we drove the people mover.

      So in every possible way from my experience I'd recommend you go with an EV. I get that depreciation is a main factor, yada yada yada but when you drive an EV you will love the driving pleasure that comes with the technology. Drive it and you'll immediately know what I mean while you're driving, when you try to park, the surround cameras, voice activation, etc. Basically think of that feeling when you first get an iPhone or Android, it just feels like a drivable iPhone/Android

      If you want to save money, get the MG ZS EV
      Check if they still have the offer on. Only $35k!!
      Cheap car so even if you are worried about depreciation, it'll be on a lower cost base.

      👍

      Also if you don't me asking, what is your experience when you go about meeting a partner/gf?

      Sure you can pick them up in your car but how do you manage the situation when you want to bring them home to umm… cook them dinner…

      Asking for a friend…

      Just very interested in your circumstances!

      • greenslade on 01/01/2025 - 21:22
        +2

        Thanks for the story. That was entertaining and inspiring.

        As for the partner issue - a) I already have a partner, we house sit together; b) we actually met while house sitting; and c) when I'm sitting, the home owners are away on holiday so it's essentially like it's "my house", so I can cook dinner and put the other facilities to good use…

        • SillySorjai on 02/01/2025 - 02:23

          Damn! Good on you Greenslade!
          you've given new meaning to DINK + zero rent

  • this is us on 29/12/2024 - 13:29
    +4

    It's feasible, not ideal.

    I own an EV, charge at home. It'd be challenging charging the car if I didn't have my own charger, and I don't drive anything close to 130km daily.
    With 130km daily I honestly think it will be a hassle charging your car considering the current infrastructure, even if the two houses are OK with you charging via granny charger, which might not even be the case.
    If you can't charge at the houses, you might have charge every 3 days, preferably using a fast charger, which will generate expenses.

    Currently you must be spending at least $150 weekly with petrol? Financially is probably good, OK if you fast charge (if you get a car with free charging, that's a different story, not sure if that's still available), it's more the inconvenience that might hold you back.

    • Brick Tamland on 29/12/2024 - 13:39

      A pragmatic sensible response, the people will be dis-pleased.

      • this is us on 29/12/2024 - 20:18
        +4

        Not worried about "the people". I have no regrets about my EV but I only purchased it after I confirmed that I could have a charger at home. Having to depend on public charging with OP's routine and dependence on his car would be very problematic for me. I would be extremely anxious every single day. Even driving my 20km daily, I wouldn't buy an EV if I didn't have my own charger, or charger at work (not the case). But that's just me… People can do whatever they want, and cry as much as they want too…

        • Brick Tamland on 29/12/2024 - 20:33
          +2

          A totally sensible approach. I don’t understand people wanting to buy a car that offers less convenience for their personal situation.

  • May4th on 29/12/2024 - 16:34

    I think a PHEV would be a good option
    I think you can make an EV work, it's not hard, but involves a little bit of thinking and planning, if you don't mind that you'll have a lot more options
    otherwise something like a MG ZS PHEV, BYD Sea Lion or Mitsi Outlander might make it a bit more effortless if you don't want to have that niggling anxiety about where to charge

    GWM has a new PHEV coming early next year that has 180km of range (more than double anything out there now) but it might cut a bit too close to the PHEV FBT exemption cut off for NL

  • Tigerstu on 30/12/2024 - 07:33
    +2

    Yes, I think an EV is very right for you.

    "Granny charging" from a regular power outlet will be enough with your mileage. Worst case is you top every now and then at a public charger. But depending on what EV and what range you have, you'd be able to travel 2-3 days without charging at all.

    Novated Leases with EVs are an outstanding option at the moment with fringe benefits tax exempt.

    Avoid hybrids.

  • nushydude on 30/12/2024 - 07:49
    +4

    If you can charge at the houses you sit overnight with the normal 10A charger that either comes with the car or have to buy separately (Tesla), then it's 2.4kW power drawn and at 160w per km, that's 15km range added per hour. If you charge 10hrs a night, it's easily 150km range added a night.

  • trankillity on 30/12/2024 - 07:56
    +3

    Lots of comments here saying you'd be fine on granny charging, which you mostly would - but you also mention that your daily driving range would be 130km+. At this sort of range, you really don't have much wiggle room in terms of time to not be topping up.

    Also keep in mind that while Novated Leases are indeed a great option for EVs, they are still pretty exploitative. There is generally a hidden interest rate/commission that the NL company is making of 11%-15%. However with the tax savings and ex-GST on costs, you will effectively be getting a 0% interest loan in the traditional sense. While on the topic of NL, if your employer allows for choice of provider, try and get a provider that allows for charge credits as part of the lease agreement. With the distance you're travelling, you will inevitably need public charging occasionally. Being able to pay for that with your lease would be best.

    I went with a Cupra Born on a Novated Lease about 9 months ago now and love it. I am in a somewhat similar pay situation, however I own my home/work from home with solar so am reaping those benefits for sure. Of particular note in that thread, this comment has an INCREDIBLY well-done spreadhseet that allows you to weigh up your lease vs. loan options for an EV.

    If you have any further questions, feel free to ask. Will try and keep an eye on this thread.

  • Sunshines bright on 30/12/2024 - 08:10
    -2

    Hybrid to avoid charging issues or phev where you hav options to use pure electricity or hybrid depending on charging access.

    • Euphemistic on 30/12/2024 - 09:34
      +1

      So youd rather have an empty, neglected house while you are away with a risk of squatters moving in or a plumbing leak not being found until the place is unlivable?

      The electricity usage may be an issue, but can be negoatiated.

      The risk of fire from a charging EV is far less than the risk of fire from a petrol car. A petrol or diesel car will emit dangerous emissions fromnthe tailpipe every time it is started while an EV will emit zero.

      • Goonda on 30/12/2024 - 11:57
        -5

        Plenty of people go away on holidays etc rather than have leeches live in your house rent free without squatters moving in or plumbing spontaneously leaking! What a ludicrous assertion!
        As for your ridiculous claim that petrol cars catch fire more than a charging EV with a volotile lithium battery - what a joke. Dangerous emissions from a tailpipe?? Now your really clutching at straws!

        • Euphemistic on 30/12/2024 - 14:38
          +5

          You say leeches, i say an effective method of keeping your house from being neglected for a length of time. beats having to arrange friends, family and neighbours to check the mail, mow the lawn, water the plants or whatever. Plus, its helping the lack of housing supply we have.

          Statistics have shown iCE cars are literally 100x more likely to catch fire.

          You seriously think that petrol cars dont have dangerous emisisons? Its literally what the exhaust does. OK, go and start yours up and shut the garage door with you and the car inside. Emissions from diesel are even worse.

          • Goonda on 30/12/2024 - 18:03
            -3

            @Euphemistic: Well I'm not in the habit of sitting in my car with the engine running in thr garage. Maybe that's the sort of thing you do.

            Enjoy your leeching! We have good neighbours maybe because we live in a good area. Its not hard to organise someone to mow your lawn.

            Now produce your statistics that internal combustion engines spontaneously combust.

            • Euphemistic on 30/12/2024 - 18:48
              +4

              @Goonda:

              Now produce your statistics that internal combustion engines spontaneously combust.

              Theres no point despite it easily being verifiable. Youve already completely dismissed tailpipe emissions as not dangerous. But if you like, go search at EV firesafe

            • klaw81 on 30/12/2024 - 20:53
              +3

              @Goonda: It's not hard to prove that exhaust fumes are harmful.

              https://www.ohsrep.org.au/exhaust_fumes_-_how_dangerous_are_…

              Seemingly spontaneous car fires have been common for decades. Two recent examples are the carpark fire near the Lisbon Airport which destroyed 200 cars, which originated from a petrol Mercedes. And the car fire at Luton Airport carpark that destroyed 1400 cars, which was caused by a diesel Range Rover.

              There have been plenty of car carrying ships have been destroyed or badly damaged by ICE vehicles catching fire in transit. Here's an article detailing several of them: https://gcaptain.com/a-brief-look-back-at-recent-car-carrier…

              Note that the investigation relating to the first ship mentioned, the Fremantle Highway, was not concluded at the time of the article, which suggests that an electric car was to blame. However, the ship was later towed back to dock and all 498 electric cars were removed intact.

              • Goonda on 30/12/2024 - 23:35
                -1

                @klaw81: Please quote exactly where i have said exhaust fumes are not harmful!

                I didn't bring exhaust fumes up it was brought up by another clown on here. Go back and read the comments. My point was its an irrelevant comment.

                This was purely a stupid irrelevant point brought up by someone responding!

                As for spontaneously combusting lithium batteries there are many examples. You can't even put lithium batteries in checked luggage on flights.

                • klaw81 on 31/12/2024 - 08:07
                  +2

                  @Goonda:

                  You can't even put lithium batteries in checked luggage on flights.

                  Perhaps you should educate yourself on why this is required. It has absolutely nothing to do with spontaneous combustion - if that were the case, lithium batteries simply wouldn't be permitted to fly at all.

                  The actual reason is far more mundane. Lithium batteries can contain a lot of energy. If they are shorted due to vibration or damage that happens during the flight (think severe turbulence) they could start a fire in the luggage hold. Such fires are extremely difficult to extinguish without landing the plane due to lack of access - it could be a matter of hours if the aircraft is over open ocean or a storm.

                  Carrying lithium batteries in carry-on means that batteries are treated less roughly, are subject to less jostling etc and therefore far less likely to be damaged or otherwise induced to short out and cause a fire.

                  None of the above is relevant to EVs, which have armour to protect the cells, automatic isolators for high current electrical connections, and sophisticated cooling and management systems to enhance safety ensure longevity.

                  • Nugs on 31/12/2024 - 09:54

                    @klaw81: "carry-on means that batteries are treated less roughly"
                    are you saying baggage handlers don't use pillows and kid gloves for checked bags?
                    .

                • Euphemistic on 31/12/2024 - 10:13
                  +2

                  @Goonda:

                  I didn't bring exhaust fumes up it was brought up by another clown on here. Go back and read the comments. My point was its an irrelevant comment.

                  I brought it up after you were worried about toxic emisions from EVs that have zero emissions while ignoring that ICE vehicles have dangerous emissions just by starting them. Both types will have equally toxic emissions if on fire.

                  As for spontaneously combusting lithium batteries there are many examples. You can't even put lithium batteries in checked luggage on flights.

                  The main reason for this is due to the fire risk from items with poor battery management. Cheaply manufactuered items that short out or overcharge while charging.

    • klaw81 on 30/12/2024 - 19:02
      +7

      And then to put a toxic flammable EV in their garage

      The number of people that actually believe and repeat this kind of nonsense is hilarious.

      Do you also believe that the earth is flat, that the moon landing is a hoax, and that airliners are spreading chemicals to control the populance?

  • juns on 30/12/2024 - 09:27
    +8

    Hi OP, I used to be in a similar situation to you except for the house sitting part.

    If I have learnt anything from my experience, I'd say avoid buying anything too high value before you purchase your own house.

    Even with novated lease it will be taken into consideration by the banks when you're applying for mortgage.

    I would say the best path forward is

    • Get a cheap (and good condition) second hand ICE vehicle by cash
    • Keep on saving towards your house and eventually buy a house with 80 LVR and put the rest of the cash in offset account
    • Then finally buy a better car or novate lease an EV if need be
    • changyang1230 on 31/12/2024 - 21:20

      Second this. While novated lease is “cheaper than cash purchase”, it would decimate your borrowing capacity if you haven’t yet got your own place. If house ownership is in the grand plan it’s not quite the appropriate strategy.

  • Birdseye on 30/12/2024 - 09:57
    +1

    It may have been already mentioned in the comments, but EVs are fringe benefits tax free when bought through a novated lease. Makes the economics work a lot better, especially if you negotiate hard/go for a more self managed options for your lease.

  • microsnot on 30/12/2024 - 10:21

    You could salary sacrifice your commercial EV charging also then it doesn't impact the home owners. There's also some risk with old wiring/GPO and drawing 10A continuously. You could probably just charge at a commercial charger when you do your grocery shopping.

    Is this job long term? Have you thought about what you would do with the NL if you changed jobs and they can't take on your NL or you need to convert it to a regular loan?

    You could always get a 2nd hand EV that is after the FBT exemption first held and use date rather than a new one.

  • apple2016 on 30/12/2024 - 10:21

    but ICE prices seem daft at the moment

    not sure what you mean. its a buyers market now except for few models!

  • kallico on 30/12/2024 - 10:50
    +4

    We have a mg4. We do about 500k per month and only use the charger supplied with the car to charge at home. The extra electricity is negligible. We only charge twice per month. We are in nsw and there are a few chargers around you can charge for free. You need to investigate chargers around you and see whats available. You will never regret the purchase. So quiet and goes like a rocket. Dont let the naysayers who have never driven an ev tell you different. As for them catching on fire thats crap, dont forget petrol is more flammable.

    • WhyAmICommenting on 30/12/2024 - 22:06
      +1

      Have one too, have put about 1600km on it. Loving it!

  • 2esc on 30/12/2024 - 11:02
    +1

    In the area your in there should be heaps of EV chargers so you wont get caught out running out of charge.

    Get the EV its not like your in a regional area were chargers are not as common, being used or out of order and your not doing big kilometres a day. If you were doing more kilometres having to charge on the road could be a problem.

  • Roe Jogan on 30/12/2024 - 11:34

    get the ozbargain EV of choice the mg4 31k but its like 33k now i think so you missed out on ATL wait for another deal

  • Caped Baldy on 30/12/2024 - 14:07
    +1

    Running some basic numbers.

    20kW per 100km means 28kW for 140km. A basic EV charger from a wall outlet can do around 2.2-2.4kW per hour. So, to charge to full every night you would need 11-12 hours of charging. That said, you can charge less and make it up on the weekends or use faster paid charging. 20kW is slightly higher than average usage but idk if you're blasting AC or doing freeway driving.

    Definitely, check with the home owners for the electricity usage. It'll add over the course of a stay. 100km at 30c/kW and 20kW/100km is $6 per 100km.

    • klaw81 on 30/12/2024 - 22:19
      +1

      20kW per 100km

      That's the sort of numbers expected from a full size 4wd like the EV9. Smaller SUVs and sedans should be around 12-15kWh. My long term average for a Model 3 is just over 13kWh/100km, which includes mountain ranges and plenty of highway driving.

      Charging on an EV plan at 8c/kWh, that makes a "full tank" just under $5, or $1.18 per 100km. At full retail 30c/kWh rates, it's $6.75/100km. The closest I could come to that with my previous car, a very economical turbo-diesel hatchback, was around $11/100km.

    • AccuracyAdvocate on 02/01/2025 - 17:23
      +1

      I agree about running the numbers, in terms of charging and financial, however the numbers you run are not useful. 20 kWh/100 km would be blasting heating or cooling at constant highway speeds. Around town with sensible HVAC is probably 13 kWh/100km or better, all depends on car and driving style. The OP needs to estimate daily kWh. They haven't specified type of driving, city or hwy. 130 km of city driving is 3-4 hours. Even at worse case my gut feel is charging is a non issue. More details are required to give better advice.

      • Caped Baldy on 02/01/2025 - 18:34
        +1

        OP said Northern NSW/Gold Coast so I'm guessing not city driving.

        I did worse case scenario to show that slow home charging is very doable.

    • changyang1230 on 02/01/2025 - 20:40
      +1

      Second the inaccuracy of 20kWh/100km.

      Just went on highway road tripping at the depth of summer on Tesla Model 3 - it's around 160-180W/km (or 16-18kWh/100km using your unit) and that's in the midst of summer heat up to 40C and mostly highway speed.

      My EV9 would be using some 220-240Wh/km (or 22-24kWh/100km) for the equivalent trip.

      Inner city driving would be much lower than the above. Sedan EV would be in the low teens, and the EV9 would be in the high teens.

  • hothed on 30/12/2024 - 16:27
    +3

    EV will mean you save a lot of $ on fuel costs, given you are suggesting you are doing 25-35k kms per year.

    This would significantly skew the calculations towards EV vs ICE for cheap running costs.

  • tomlikesbeetroot on 30/12/2024 - 23:30
    +1

    I've had my EV for almost a year now and love it.
    Never used any fast chargers, just standard wall plug at home.

    Your average km's is a little higher than mine, I guess other EVs might be different but the charging rate for mine is approximately 10km driving range per 1 hour of charging.
    So for your 130km daily usage, would expect you would need around 13 hours charging each night to keep it full every day. Alternatively if you weren't able to charge it that long every night you might need a weekly top up at a fast charger.

  • assailantsky on 31/12/2024 - 00:21
    +1

    Home charging only should be fine if you drive 130+km on weekdays, as others have said you'll need to charge about 12 hours per day on a granny charger. Even if you can only manage to charge for 10 hours or 8 hours on weekdays you'll make up the hours back over 2 days on the weekends at home. With access to home charging, EV ownership is quite easy really, and cheap (free!) especially when you don't have to pay for the electricity.

  • saltypete on 31/12/2024 - 10:26
    +1

    As lots have said, a 10a charger will give you enough overnight charge. If there is a charge deficit over a few days you can always go to a public charger for 15 min to top off if needed once in a while. EV offers so many advantages i am surprised at the number of people still choosing to buy an ICE car.
    One thing to consider may be the actual access to a 10a power outlet on some houses and the need for an extension cord. These can be problematic if they are old, dirty, under-spec etc. Id be looking at getting a very good high current spec cord made up and taking good care of it.

    • greenslade on 31/12/2024 - 14:38

      Thanks that's a good call. A long high spec cable could be worth the investment.

  • cerealsmok3r on 31/12/2024 - 11:07

    how fare you from public charging infrastructure? if its close by you could just walk there and back if its under 30 mins and it suits your lifestyle

  • drprox on 31/12/2024 - 11:35

    Where's the bloody poll!?

  • DMetal on 31/12/2024 - 16:19

    ICE vs EV rego and insurance costs are vastly different also.

    I hear some stratas are prohibiting garage EV charging due to potential fire hazard costs markedly increasing their insurance cover costs also.

    I would imagine any faults or servicing would have vastly different costs also, limited to a handful of mechanics with specialised equipment and queues for servicing?

  • od810 on 31/12/2024 - 17:21
    +2

    As long as you don't do more than 150-200Km per day and you have a reasonable off-peak rate, EV is a superb option. For a world socket, you will get roughly 100km for every 12-14hour of charge. If you really concern about range, install a 16amp socket + 16amp charger (you don't even need level 2 - 32A charger), you will get 100km every 6-8hours of charge.

    An ex-demo MG4 64 (450km range) can be had for around 30K, if you put it on novated lease, it will be a no brainer. We have our 2nd car as EV, and it has been perfect. I want to replace my Kluger with a 7 seater EV but they are too expensive right now.

  • Dack Smith on 31/12/2024 - 18:13
    +2

    Well EVs are now much cheaper than petrol cars, plus the Chinese EVs are equal to or superior in quality and performance to Tesla, so it’s time.

  • LVlahov on 31/12/2024 - 18:48
    -2

    With your personal household/charging profile… no. Get an ICE.

  • Odin on 31/12/2024 - 22:32
    +1

    Is home charging without a fast charger an acceptable option?

    Yes, absolutely.

    Unless you're doing like 200km a day - you're absolutely fine using regular old slow charging on your EV.

  • achew on 31/12/2024 - 23:07

    Sure, an EV can work out very nicely for you.

    Charging in private is more convenient than in public, however you should search your area using plugshare (app) to find out how fast, how much (free-$$) and how long you need to charge to what you need. Treat the battery like a fuel tank; don't go to zero and only ever fill up with what you need. You will rarely ever need a full 'tank'.

    Consider the Rear Wheel Drive Teslas, the Model 3 or Y.
    Efficient, access to the nation-wide Supercharger network and can be test-driven with ease.

    Suggest you get financial advice re: Novated Leases, don't go in blind/ozb educated.

    Drive safely, do not take risks. EV's torque goes to some people's heads…

  • anat on 01/01/2025 - 14:21

    Yes.

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