With the steep rise of gasoline prices, Orlando used car shoppers are asking more and more about used electric vehicles or "EVs". The thought of not having to pay for gas sounds awesome, but how these vehicles hold up over time remains unknown to a large majority of the nation's driving population. With many decades of empirical evidence of the lifespan of gas-powered automobiles, most people know what to look for when buying a used car, however, not so when it comes to EVs. Sure, mileage, service records and accident history still apply as important factors when considering any vehicle, but EVs need extra consideration of unique aspects of their technology to determine if the car is a good buy or not. The team at Universal Used Car Superstore is here to help you navigate this new territory and help you find the right electric vehicle for your car shopping needs. Here are 2 major items to consider when checking out a used EV.
Battery Life
In place of an internal combustion engine, EVs are powered by large battery packs that are usually integrated into the vehicle's floor in order to achieve a low center of gravity. These batteries are completely different than the 12-volt batteries that you'll find in gas-powered automobiles, that are only necessary to provide enough current to start the vehicle and run some accessories until the alternator takes over. EV batteries are rechargeable powerpacks comprised of rare-earth metals that are extremely heavy and very large in order to provide sufficient power to propel the vehicle and passengers with enough acceleration and long-distance range to be comparable to gas-powered cars. As with any rechargeable battery, their lifespan is limited, with the ability to sustain a charge diminishing with age. Anyone with a smartphone knows that after a few years, your phone just doesn't charge as fast or thoroughly as it did when it was new. EV batteries experience the same dropoff. Depending on the number of service hours, quality and frequency of recharging and overall care, your EVs batteries may need to be replaced at some point. But don't expect it to be as easy and affordable as a typical 12-volt battery in a gas-powered vehicle. Even though EV batteries have been dropping in price, you can still expect to spend somewhere in the range of $4,000 to $5,000 or more. That's a significant amount of money to have to invest into a vehicle, so you'll want to have a thorough test run on the battery pack to determine its condition and get a good idea of just how much life it may have left. Universal Used Car Superstore will help you assess the battery life your EV has left in order to price the vehicle accordingly - giving you your best EV deal in Orlando!
Technology
Newer vehicles are packed with more technological features, driver-assistive systems and gadgets than at any other time in history, and EVs are at the forefront of that trend. Catering to the next-generation of tech-savvy drivers, EV manufacturers have loaded these cars with cutting-edge amenities to enhance the electric driving experience. While this is great when the vehicle is new, it can be a detriment as your EV ages and technology either becomes obsolete or no longer works at all. When shopping for a used EV, be sure to thoroughly test out all the tech features, from infotainment menus, connecting your phone, navigating to a known destination during your test-drive, adjusting the comfort features and going through all the options on the display menu to see if everything is working right. This effort will help you to determine where your vehicle is at in its lifecycle and let you know whether or not your getting a good working car.
Pre-Purchase Inspection
In contrast to the tech-heavy cabin experience, the powertrain of a typical EV has significantly less moving parts than current gas-powered automobiles, which presents fewer items to breakdown over its lifetime, but that doesn't mean that they are maintenance-free. Service and overall care are still vital to keeping your EV in top running condition. When shopping for a used one, you should ask to see the vehicle history report to see if it has been in any accidents and to see how well the previous owner kept up with service visits while they were in possession of the vehicle. While this won't tell you everything, it will give you a pretty good idea of whether or not the previous owner was invested into the well-being of the car.
So, should you buy a used electric vehicle? Buying an EV can be a great way to save on fuel costs and well as getting a clean, efficient vehicle for a great price as opposed to buying a new one. Have the battery thoroughly tested and go over all the tech features and give the vehicle a complete inspection to determine its true condition. Your Universal Used Car Superstore representative will help you go over each of these areas and will work with you on completing your transaction so you can start driving your EV and saving money today!
