Patrick Mulligan first saw his Nissan Leaf as a dream-come-true. The second-hand EV cost him £24‚000 (with £320 monthly payments)‚ but his super-car feeling didnt last long
His daily 50-mile Bradford-to-Bolton commute became a source of worry - the cars range wasnt reliable enough. Charging problems hit hard: the internet-connection issues meant he paid 28p per kWh instead of 7p; plus finding right charging ports was tricky
The biggest shock came when his cars value dropped to £9000 in just 2‚5 years. Now he drives a leased VW ID Buzz and suggests: “Its better to lease than buy these high-tech machines“
The industry shows mixed signals: Vauxhalls historic Luton plant (that worked for over 120 years) is closing due to EV sales targets; while the Government plans to review its zero-emission rules. Still the 2030 petrol-diesel ban stays firm
- Charging infrastructure gaps
- Range limitations
- Fast value drop
- Internet connectivity issues
- Battery replacement costs
But not all stories are negative. Lisa Ingram from Hampshire paid £24000 for her nearly-new Leaf with just 2000 miles. “We got it way below its £29000 price tag; it was like getting a new car“ She runs an eco-friendly cotton business and loves her EVs clean impact
Living in countryside helps - she has off-road parking with easy plug access: “We can reach London on single charge; though longer trips need planning“ she notes. However she understands city-dwellers challenges: “If you live in flats without nearby parking its harder“
It was very fast very quiet oh-so-smooth and easy to drive