Key Electric Car Questions to Ask Yourself and Your Dealer

Most of us have a few electric car questions we’d like answered. How much they cost, for example, or how much they could save you on fuel along with things like charging time. You might also wonder when the first electric car was invented given the leaps and bounds taking place in vehicle technology and climate control.

In this article, PD Insurance answers some common and useful electric car questions. We look at the backstory of electric vehicles and what you might need to know if you’re planning to buy your own. We also cover questions to ask your dealer as well as other ways to save on fuel and drive more economically.

Electric car questions to ask yourself

If you’re in the market to buy an electric car, you’ll have some research to do to find the perfect match for your driving lifestyle, garaging and budget. Speaking of new cars, if you’re getting one, be sure to learn about different types of car insurance and find get yourself a car insurance quote (it’s easy!).

Now back to electric cars… Here are some key electric car questions to ask yourself:

1. What’s my average distance travelled each week?
2. How often do I need travel longer distances?
3. Do I have access to an alternative car for longer trips? (either a second family car or hire car)
4. Are my driving habits going to impact the range I get from my electric car? (towing, distance, road quality)
5. What is my budget for a new car?
6. How much do I pay for car maintenance now?
7. How much would it cost me to run my electric car? (you can use this calculator)
8. How easy is it for me to access public charging stations?
9. How much will the longer charging time inconvenience me?
10. Is the power at home adequate to charge my car?

After you’ve read the answers to electric car questions in this article, also about buying electric cars in Australia for more insights.

When was the first electric car invented?

The answer to when the first electric car was invented may come as a surprise. Electric cars were invented before petrol cars from the early 1800s. This promising tech predates combustion engine vehicles.

Here’s a bit more detail:

• Petrol vs electric, the early days

Depending what your source is the first electric car could have been invented in the 1830s or 1880s, by different inventors. What’s clear is that the technology was already underway. It was also nicer to use than noisy petrol cars with hand crank starters that could injure or even get you killed just trying to start your car.

• Petrol motor, electric starter

Eventually though, Cadillac made a breakthrough by adding the electric starter motor to a petrol car in the early 1900s. This trumped using an electric car that had a very short range. It also saved you the muscle power previously needed simply to switch on your car. As you can imagine, from here on in, petrol cars quickly gained the market share.

Electric vehicle price, fuel savings and other facts

Now that you know some key electric car questions to ask yourself and your dealer let’s look at price points and other useful facts about this vehicle technology.

According to Drive, several electric car models are now priced around $45,000. While this may seem like a hefty outlay, you can pay as little as a fifth of what you’d normally to power your car.

Here are more electric car facts you might be interested in knowing:

• Learn about the different types of electric vehicles available in Australia
• Read more about how to choose the best electric car for your driving lifestyle and budget
• We’ve listed some of the latest and safest electric cars on the market
• Explore electric cars in Australia from expectations to reality
• More on where we’re at with zero emission vehicles (aka electric cars)
• Read more on electric cars vs petrol before making the choice

Before we look at another common electric car question, did you know all three PD car insurance plans include third party property damage? Check out our comprehensive car insurance to see what else is covered.

What is the biggest problem with electric cars?

When it comes to electric car questions, one of the biggest is around the issue of range. Ever since the first electric car was invented, there have been issues with range, but of course, these have improved over time. Because you don’t want to be doing a cross country Australian road trip when your battery dies.

At least if you run out of petrol, someone (read about car breakdown safety while waiting for roadside assistance) can bring you a can of petrol to get you to the nearest petrol station. The question of where to charge electric cars can be a little trickier as charging stations aren’t yet as common as petrol stations.

Thankfully all this is changing… The range of electric cars is getting longer with some at roughly 500km after a full charge and more stations are popping up. (If you missed it, check out the in-article link to the map of all nationwide charging stations under electric car questions to ask yourself, further up).

Electric car questions to ask your car dealer

These electric car questions are some examples of questions you might need to ask your dealer or the car seller:

• What’s the range for this car on a single charge?
• Can you upgrade the battery on that model?
• How long does the battery take to charge? (slow and fast charge)
• Do I need a special adapter to charge it at home?
• How long is the warranty on the car and battery?
• What are the expected service costs?
• What is the maximum load rating for towing (if any) on this electric model?
• Given my needs, which of the four main different types of electric vehicles would be best for me?
• Is there anything else I need to know, having never bought an electric car before?

In addition to those questions, if you’re considering a hybrid model you might also want to know:

• Does this Plugin Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) favour electricity or petrol?
• What is the load rating on this car? (not all hybrids are suitable for towing either)

You might also want to explore electric car rebates in Australia.

Eco driving tips for a sustainable future

When it comes to driving economically, we know that not all questions are about electric cars. Not everyone is making the switch just yet but in the interim, there are several ways to drive greener and save on fuel.

Here’s a quick list that could be useful to bookmark:

• Eco-friendly ways to save money on motoring
• Are hybrid cars green enough?
• Are petrol and diesel cars being banned?
• How do cars contribute to global warming (and how to help)?
• Green cars and how to help the planet

Now onto something related to cars, finance and peace of mind…

Peace of mind for your car and your pocket

Now that we’ve looked at several key electric car questions, let’s talk about the safety of your car and your pocket. Whether you’re behind the wheel or your car is parked at home or out accidents and theft can happen. From accidental damage from storms, fire, hail, theft or collisions – there are many situations that can damage a car and be costly.

Having the safety net of car insurance is a great way to give yourself peace of mind because you’ll know many of these costs can be covered. You get to choose from a range of car insurance plans to suit your pocket and your driving lifestyle.

It’s not only easy to get a quote, but also easy to claim when you need to. Get a quote today to make sure your car is covered when you need it most. Click below to get started.