DRIVEN MAD
I own an electric car but it’s a rip off – reasons why you should never buy an EV
AN EV owner has urged other drivers to avoid buying one, slamming them as a rip off.
Lee, also known as the MacMaster, took to YouTube to reveal the potential hidden costs of electric car ownership.
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In the clip, he was taking his Porsche Taycan in for a service in Leeds and addressed some of the major financial drawbacks of the sports car.
First of all, he addressed some of the reliability issues faced by the model.
Lee said: "It's also being taken in for a recall again, because this car's had more recalls than Arnold Schwarzenegger (in reference to the 1990 film Total Recall).
"It's going in for a recall for an aerial in the car. Some kind of aerial that's not working."
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Indeed, Porsche had to announce a recall on a number of variants of the Taycan over a potential fire risk last month.
An issue with the sealant on the battery casing meant that there was a chance of fluid leaking into the electrical component and sparking a blaze.
Audi also had to recall some of its models over a similar issue.
However, that wasn't all that Lee took issue with.
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He also claimed that the car "eats up tyres" because of the extra weight added by the battery.
This meant he had to have two new tyres put on in addition to the service, spiking his maintenance costs.
The price of running an EV also isn't helped by the rapid inflation in energy prices in the last year and the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Whether your energy is produced through renewables or fossil fuels, electricity prices are set by the international market and linked to the price of gas.
The war in Ukraine and the slashing of gas supplies from Russia to The West has led to a rapid spiralling of energy costs, making homes more expensive to heat and power and EVs more expensive to charge.
Indeed, on some public charging networks prices are now roughly equivalent to the bloated rates for petrol and diesel, removing one of the key incentives to drive electric.
Finally, Lee was stunned by the total service bill, with even the basic maintenance jobs clocking in as more expensive than expected.
The service costs a "pricey" £750 and, with the two tyres added, the full invoice came to a whopping £1500.
For comparison the average service price for a medium-sized petrol car is between £210 and £300, according to the RAC, while Halfords charge around £70 per tyre for their mid-range rubber.
This would work out at a total bill of around £400-500 for an equivalent petrol or diesel car.
Lee added: "Electric cars, not exactly cheap to run.
"In fact, it's probably cheaper to get a petrol or a diesel when you look at the running costs."
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It comes after a motors expert revealed the best cars you can buy for under £5,000.
Meanwhile, David Beckham's Lamborghini Gallardo went up for auction - but you might have to be a Galactico to buy it.
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