How To Find The Best Electric Vehicle: Buyer’s Complete Guide 2023
How To Find The Best Electric Vehicle: Buyer’s Complete Guide 2023
We’ll help walk you through the process by answering all your questions on how to find the best electric vehicle for your needs. With the number of electric vehicles on our roads increasing, and manufacturers like Kia and Hyundai producing fascinating cars, you may consider buying one.
But there are plenty of things to think about before you buy. So here is the complete buyer’s guide.
1. Technology it offers
If you’re looking for an electric vehicle, the chances are that you’re looking to be on the cutting edge of technology. And for a good reason: newer technology is safer, more efficient, and more comfortable than older models.
But even though many EVs have been around since the early 2000s and were once considered cutting-edge, they haven’t stayed up with all of the current trends in technology.
Some companies are still rolling out new features. In contrast, others remain stagnant in innovation—these differences can significantly impact how easy or difficult it is to use your EV daily.
2. Has been crash tested
Electric vehicles are generally considered safer than their gas-guzzling counterparts, but you should still look into crash test results before buying.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration evaluates every new vehicle in the United States. It assigns them one of five crash test ratings—five stars being the best possible rating and zero stars meaning that it’s completely unsafe.
You can look up any car’s safety rating on the agency’s website by searching for its name or ID number. The latter should be listed on your paperwork.
The NHTSA also rates each model based on its ability to protect occupants in a frontal impact collision. To do this, they have a standard passenger dummy that measures injury potential. It also has forms representing children aged three and six years old.
Finally, check how many airbags come standard for each vehicle: some electric cars may not come with any. Most modern cars include at least two front airbags.
3. Equipped with the latest safety features
Safety is an essential idea to keep in mind when you’re looking for the best electric vehicle. Not only are your family members at risk of injury, but so is everyone else on the road around you.
If you’re purchasing a new car, check for features like automated emergency braking (AEB), LDW systems, and adaptive cruise control, which maintains your car’s lane while moving at highway speeds.
These advanced safety features can help prevent accidents from happening in the first place by alerting drivers when they may be about to drift out of their lanes or if another vehicle is too close behind them.
If you’re buying used, make sure these essential safety features are included on any used EV model before purchasing it:
- Airbags
- Anti-lock brakes (ABS)
- Electronic stability control
4. The price range
The next tip is determining how much you can spend on an EV. It’s important to note that the average cost of gas isn’t the only factor in choosing an electric vehicle.
In addition to fuel costs, you’ll have to consider insurance rates, maintenance and repairs, and environmental factors like carbon emissions.
Have you worked out your fuel costs for an electric vehicle? Once you have a budget in mind, it will be much easier to narrow down your options based on what cars fit into your price range.
On average, EVs cost less to run than their petrol and diesel counterparts. They are cheaper in every way.
Electric vehicles have lower running costs, lower insurance costs (because they’re generally safer), lower road tax costs, and much lower emissions (which means quieter journeys too).
5. Charging Facilities
Most EVs can be charged in less than one hour, faster than filling up with gasoline or diesel fuel. Charging at home is a simple process but you must have a charging station installed in your garage or driveway first.
Without one, it will take several hours for your car to charge fully, which means paying for gas instead of saving money on electricity.
If you’re looking for an electric vehicle but don’t have access to electricity at home, public charging stations are a better alternative.
6. How far is your daily commute
Range: Your daily driving radius will likely dictate what type of EV is best for your needs. You should consider an electric vehicle if you only commute a few miles each day and don’t drive long distances on the weekends.
Generally speaking, the shorter your daily commute is and the less time you spend driving every week, the better it will be for an electric vehicle to be your primary ride.
If your daily commute is longer than 42 miles or so, it might make sense to go with a hybrid or diesel car instead of an all-electric car.
Hybrids can provide excellent fuel economy in most situations but still have great range when needed.
7. The expected capacity
When deciding what type of electric vehicle to buy, you must consider how many passengers you need to fit in your car. We recommend a hatchback or wagon if you’re looking for an electric vehicle that seats four or more passengers. These cars offer a lot of space while also being efficient in fuel consumption and environmental impact.
If the extra space isn’t necessary, we recommend choosing a smaller model. This will save money on gas by reducing weight on the road and help keep carbon emissions down.
8. Would your lifestyle benefit from an Electric vehicle?
If you are the kind of a person who loves to load up their vehicle with a lot of kids and gear, an SUV-style electric car like the Tesla Model X or Nissan Leaf may be a good match.
If you’re more likely to haul around one other passenger or two, however, you may find that a shorter body style is more suitable.
If your lifestyle involves road trips or weekend getaways where the range isn’t as much of an issue, then finding something like the BMW i3 could work well for you.
The funky hatchback offers space enough for four adults and their luggage while also providing great acceleration and handling because of its lightweight.
The Tesla Model 3 also fits this bill: It’s stylish but not flashy; elegant enough to fit into small parking spaces yet fast enough to make long commutes bearable without feeling under powered.
Conclusion
We hope this guide to the best electric vehicles has helped you work out what suits your needs, lifestyle, and budget. In an increasingly green world, EVs are an excellent option for those who want to help save the planet while still enjoying all the pleasures of driving.