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When electric cars first came to the mass market, customers were often blown away by the cost of buying them. The “expensive” label has stuck, although prices have significantly decreased as more options have been released, and the technology has been rapidly progressing. Here’s the interesting thing with this “new technology”, these vehicles have actually been available in some form since the 1830’s!

Range per charge, long term maintenance and affordability as some of the main reasons people hesitate to invest in this technology. As vehicles have become more available, three options need to be highlighted. A hatchback, sedan and crossover, budget friendly for the cost conscious consumer.

Maintenance costs over all on electric vehicles have trended downward to be lower than traditional fuel powered vehicles. Since some regular maintenance like oil changes are no longer necessary it eliminates some of the most frequent maintenance costs.

Miles per change vary greatly on the vehicle you are planning on purchasing. Some cars like the Nissan Leaf are available with different mileage lengths depending on the sub model you choose to purchase. Overall, electric cars might not yet be the vehicle of choice for long distance drivers, it suits most Americans driving habits just fine.

While many questions are answered by experts, here we will cover what regular electric car owners think of their investment.

Nissan Leaf and Leaf Plus

For 2019:
Starting at $29,990 MSRP
Leaf Plus starting at $36,550 MSRP

Nissan makes an affordable and widely available electric vehicle called the Leaf. With the introduction of the Nissan Leaf Plus in 2019, this little hatchback is better then ever and perfect for a budget conscious buyer. One Leaf owner had this to say this about their purchasing decision, “(it) was the most cost effective EV at the time”

Janet owes a 2017 Nissan Leaf SL. “I love the zero maintenance and zero gas. I love that the weight of the vehicle is spread evenly thru car, so handles incredibly well in the winter. I love the handling, instant heat, the fact I can leave car ‘running’ in the hot and cold seasons, love the zero emissions.”

While the standard Nissan Leaf has a range per charge of 150 miles, and the Plus allows you to go even further. With a range of 226 miles on one charge, it has the ability to go as far as a vehicle with a small gas tank.

Shauna MacDonald bought her Nissan Leaf because of her concern for the environment and a love of technology. Shauna raves about the comfortable seat, upscale interior and good price point.

As for downsides? Shauna says, “None yet. Although I anticipate a loss of range this winter; it will still be more than I need in a day, so I won’t have range anxiety.” And Janet? She says this, “Battery degradation of the Leaf. I will still own it for (likely) 6-8 years before the battery no longer suits my needs.”

Hyundai Ioniq EV

For 2020:
Starting at $31,235 MSRP

The Hyundai Ioniq EV is a sleek sedan available for sales in a select number of states. The car came out in the USA in 2017 and it’s owners have nothing but the most glowing recommendations.

Rachael A Eldred is a Canadian Ioniq owner of a 2019 Hyundai Ioniq Ultimate. Her thoughts about the sedan make it pretty clear that she’s a huge fan. “I love how easy this car is to own and drive. I’ve had it for 5 months now and have never once regretted buying it. It’s quiet, quick, convenient, user-friendly, and pretty good looking if I might say so. Being the most efficient EV helped in the decision, along with government rebates that came into effect here in May.”

Hyundai offers the best electric battery warranty on the market at this time, what they call a “standard Lifetime Hybrid/Electric Battery Warranty.” Consumer Reports clearly doesn’t mince words when it comes to some of the vehicles downsides: handling and battery life in the cold and snow.

Rachael told us about some of the downsides to the Ioniq. “I wish it was a bit roomier (especially since we came from a huge 7-passenger car), but for four adults it’s more than adequate. And the trunk is spacious. The paint quality isn’t fabulous but that’s down to Hyundai, nothing to do with the EV.” Guy, another Ioniq owner has only one downside to offer, he says “you have to plan for long road trips”.

On the bright side, charging the car might have some upside. Nathan Russell-Meharry shares this insight: “I enjoy taking the car on longer road trips (300km+), I found stopping to charge makes the trips more enjoyable. You get use to the 20min rest stops and visit areas you might not traditionally, because of the charging station.”

Hyundai Kona EV

For 2019:
Starting at $36,950 MSRP

Consumer Reports raves about this budget friendly SUV, “The Kona Electric is one of the best electric vehicles (EV) under $50,000 that we’ve tested.” This SUV was well loved as a fuel powered SUV but the electric version is even better.

While so many electric cars are made small or compact, this crossover stands above the rest not just in price point but also by the space and agility. The Kona has an impressive 258 mile range on a charge and it boasts an impressive 45.8 cu. ft. of cargo space.

Benoit LeBlanc owns a 2019 Kona Electric Ultimate and had this to share: “I like that it’s quiet and it doesn’t smell gas! I charge from home 99% of the time. Acceleration on EVs is just fantastic compared to ICE [Internal Combustion Engine] vehicles. Heated and ventilated seats, great sounds system, as well as the Heads Up Display, make it for a very comfortable ride.” Benoit says that they bought the Kona for “desire to cut back on gas prices, environmental concern, love of technology.”

When asked about the Kona’s drawbacks, Benoit had a few concerns, one being the location of the charging port at the front of the vehicle. In case of an accident, Benoit worries about damage to the port.

Shelley Kowalchuk from Women Drive Electric, mentions that in Canada there aren’t many charging stations which can hamper the ease of long road trips. Shelley doesn’t normally do any long distance driving so this isn’t a concern to her specifically.

When Shelley was asked why she decided to buy an electric car, her answer is clear: “I’ve always felt that Big Oil manipulates prices and I love that we aren’t reliant on them anymore. To me, it’s a political statement, owning an electric car. With the increasing evidence of climate change, I’m glad we can do our bit to reduce our impact on it.”

Conclusion

Electric cars now go further and the options are vast. The Leaf, IonIQ and Kona are great budget friendly options in different styles to fit your lifestyle, not just your pocketbook. When you consider your next car purchase, test drive and research an electric car option. You may be surprised with the ease of ownership, features and fuel savings.

Every innovation is eventually eclipsed by superior technology or a new, unique application of the innovation. In just the last few decades we’ve seen cassette tapes, CD-ROMs, and even traditional television, among others, get passed by in favor of better performing products and applications of technology. In the automotive industry, we are on the cusp of seeing a similar mass shift away from traditional gas engines to fully electric vehicles. The speed of this shift will be determined by three things: battery performance, automation of the vehicle, and the serviceability experience.

Current lithium-ion batteries are constantly improving, but reaching a sustainable and affordable price per kilowatt-hour is still several years away. Without the subsidy-free price competition against gas powered combustion engines, mass adoption is not likely to be sustained. Several non-lithium-ion battery technologies show potential, such as magnesium-ion and lithium-sulphur, but these technologies are behind the adoption curve of lithium-ion and time to market is still at least a decade away. In that time, companies like Tesla have said they will have an affordable lithium-ion battery comparable to gas costs through use of its Giga factory production.

One way manufacturers are enhancing battery performance without touching the battery is through the use of lighter weight materials in the vehicle. Reducing the overall weight reduces the stress on the battery and manufacturers are seeing 15-20 percent gains in efficiency when vehicle weight is reduced by 20 percent. Instead of steel, manufacturers are turning to aluminum or carbon, both stronger that steel, in an attempt to reduce vehicle weight.

Just like improvements in the battery will enhance adoption of electric vehicles, so too will the improving performance of automation within vehicles. Manufacturers have been slowly introducing automation over the last several years in features like parking assist, automatic braking, and smart cruise control. The idea of a fully-automated driving experience is the next big step. Recently, Tesla introduced fully autonomous highway driving technology in its Model S vehicles. According to a recent Jabian Consulting survey of 1000 U.S. consumers, more than half of those surveyed believe safety would be enhanced if everyone had an autonomous vehicle, and 40 percent believe we will have fully-autonomous vehicles within the next five years.

Automation will also help adoption of electric vehicles through self-diagnosing technology that will require fewer trips to service providers and quicker fixes, often done through a simple software update. According to the same survey as above, more than 60 percent of respondents said they would pay extra for an app that tells them what’s wrong with their car. Because an electric vehicle has significantly fewer moving parts than a combustion engine, replacement parts self-diagnosed by the vehicle could be created at home on a 3D printer and installed by the owner. Five years ago no one ever thought a car would talk to a printer!

One of the main influencers in the adoption of electric cars will ultimately be the customer experience, most notably in the service ecosystem. The ability of consumers to become more educated and smarter about their vehicles, either through availability of information on the internet, or through self-diagnosing cars, continues to threaten the traditional vehicle service experience. As women have emerged as the primary influencer and user of auto services, dealerships and other service centers have failed to adopt practices and behaviors consistent with consumer expectations. In the same Jabian Consulting survey, more than 60 percent of women reported knowing more about their vehicle than the service technician gave them credit for, and respect was the most often cited desire among female consumers when asked what they wanted most from their service experience. More than 45 percent said they are considering an electric vehicle for their next purchase largely because of the minimal need for service.

Women are also more likely than men to purchase a vehicle online, similar to Tesla’s delivery model. As influence has grown among women, and expectations for the service experience has been missed, opportunities abound for electric vehicle sales that can capitalize on the void created by the traditional auto experience.

While service experiences are influential, so too are the experiences electric car manufacturers are creating using gamification and building communities. Owners of the Nissan Leaf can create a persona for their car and compete with other Leaf owners in a virtual leaderboard that measures car use efficiencies, driving tendencies and shared experiences. Use of the community has impacted how people drive so as not to affect their place on the leaderboard. Because digitally connecting people is so readily available in electric connected cars, future communities of users will engage in games and content applications to further cement loyalty, enhance the driving experience, and create brand ambassadors offline and online.

The future of electric cars is certainly a bright one. Though the hurdles for more rapid adoption continue to be on the legal side more than the technology side, those are quickly being overcome. While electric vehicles today only make up nearly one percent of all vehicles on the road, the speed of adoption is increasing at a rate that could see electrics dominate the market by 2025. It’s probably time to start thinking of the electric car version of the slang “gas guzzler”.

3 Budget Friendly Electric Cars and What Their Owners Have to Say About Them

Nissan Leaf and Leaf Plus

Hyundai Ioniq EV

Hyundai Kona EV

The Future of Electric Cars

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