Key Points to Consider When Buying a New Car Today
There has always been much to consider when it comes time to buy a new car, but in today’s economy, some points have become more important than ever before. Not only is cost a major factor but so too is the expected lifespan of any given vehicle and the mileage it gets in city and open road driving. All of these factors weigh heavily at the best of times but in recent months it seems as though they have taken on even greater importance.
If you are in the market for a new or previously owned vehicle, it’s important that you take a look at what is happening in the world around you before making an ultimate decision.
The Rising Cost of Petrol
When you bought your last car you probably never thought about the fact that you’d be looking at fuel costs before choosing a vehicle. It may have been a slight consideration but not a deciding factor like it is today. While prices stayed steady or even dropped a little at the beginning of Covid, that was due to lack of demand as many businesses shut down and workers weren’t driving to and from work daily.
Now that the demand has increased again and supplies are limited, prices have been driven way up around the globe. This may have led you to think about EVs and what that would mean to your budget if the cost of petrol went up any higher. The latest news states that the average fill-up is at £100, and prices are still on the rise. In fact, electric cars are becoming more and more desirable because of this fact alone. However, that isn’t the only thing making EVs more desirable to the average car buyer.
What That Savings Can Do
Consider for just a moment what that savings can do for you. If you had to fill your vehicle twice monthly, you could potentially save close to £200 a month if you owned an electric vehicle. Of course, that would be if you didn’t have to pay for electricity to keep it charged, but that’s something we’ll get to in just a moment.
If you itemise the various electric car costs, even if you had to pay to charge the battery, it could cost a whole lot less than filling your car with petrol. Then, according to a cost guide from ElectriX, the cost for a charge point would round out to about £450 after the government subsidy. So, the first couple of months would be about the equivalent to paying what you do now for petrol, and after that it would be remarkably lower. However, there are other ways to save as well so that over time, you would be paying nothing for powering your EV.
EVs Charged by Solar Power
Here is something else to consider. If you haven’t already installed a solar system for your home, this would be the time to do so. Here’s why. If you factor in the price of a solar panel system for your home, the money you are saving in petrol would actually be making any finance payments you incurred when contracting the installation of a solar system for your home.
This guide estimates that an installation for the average size home in the UK costs somewhere between £6k and £7k but remember, that would power the entire home and keep an EV charged as well. So, the amount saved on fuel and electricity would technically be paid in paying for petrol and electricity. Once both the car and the solar system are paid for, that is the amount of money you won’t be paying each month. That’s an amazing amount of money to be saving. Imagine what you could do with that?
Remember – 2030 Is Just Around the Corner
Now that you have a decent idea as to just how much money you can save on powering your home and vehicle, it’s also good to remember that within a short period of time this will no longer be merely an option. Government is standing firm on their legislation to forbid the sale of petrol and diesel new vehicles in the year 2030. While previously manufactured and sold petrol cars will still be available, petrol stations will be fewer and farther between as the demand goes down. The purpose is obviously working toward the ultimate 2050 Net Zero date, but that doesn’t help you get to and from work if you can’t get petrol for a car, no matter how old it is.
Why not consider both solar power for your home along with an EV you need at the moment to prepare you for the future? Now that solar systems are less than half of what they were just a few years ago, don’t you think it’s time to go solar? Power your car for free with energy from the sun and cut your living expenses at the very same time. It makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? This brings us to the point where it is safe to say that free power is a key consideration when you are in the market for a new car. Make it an electric car and you have just saved yourself a ton of money in the long term. That’s no joke.
