"Buying an Electric Car Now Is a Mistake," Says Expert

"Buying an Electric Car Now Is a Mistake," Says Expert

With new EU emissions standards set to take effect next year, electric car prices are expected to plummet as manufacturers work to avoid hefty fines.
"For heaven’s sake, don’t buy an electric car now—by next year, they’ll be significantly cheaper," says Claes Hemberg, automotive expert, speaking to Carup.
The EU's upcoming emissions regulations will push automakers to increase electric car sales to avoid massive penalties.
"For years, the EU has discussed moving away from fossil fuels. Now they’re steering the industry toward electric cars, forcing change," Hemberg explains.

The potential fines are substantial; for example, Volkswagen alone faces penalties around $5 billion.
To avoid this, carmakers are expected to ramp up production of affordable electric models and cut prices.
"The car industry is now focused on producing electric vehicles that more people can afford. This spring, we’ll see a flood of new, more accessible electric models as manufacturers try to boost their sales share and dodge penalties," Hemberg says.

3 Out of 5 Electric Cars Fail in Extreme Cold

Three out of five electric cars cannot handle temperatures as low as minus 42 degrees Celsius. For instance, the Chinese MG 4 had to be towed away after failing the test.
The ability of electric cars to function in icy conditions is increasingly relevant, especially in the Nordic region, where winter temperatures often plunge far below freezing.
In February 2023, five electric cars were tested under extreme conditions, with temperatures dropping as low as minus 42 degrees. The results showed that several models encountered issues in such cold environments.

Each year, the Norwegian motorists’ organization NAF and Motor.no conduct the world’s largest winter test of electric car ranges. In typical winter conditions (between minus 5 and minus 10 degrees Celsius), some electric cars lose over 30% of their range.
However, in 2023, the Tesla Model S set a record by achieving a range of 530 kilometers during the test.

Before the test, the cars were charged to 80% and placed in the freezer for 12-14 hours, with intervals at minus 25, minus 30, and minus 35 degrees.

Three out of the five cars failed to operate in these extreme conditions:

MG 4: The car couldn’t connect with the key after the test and had to be towed out of the freezer.

Nissan Ariya: While the team managed to get the car started, it died after four minutes of warming up.

Kia Niro EV: The car started but stopped after 11 minutes of warming up.

In more moderate winter conditions, many electric cars lose a substantial portion of their range.It’s worth noting that even combustion-engine cars struggle at such low temperatures. However, the test revealed a particular weakness in electric cars: their 12-volt batteries. This issue is not limited to a single model but is a widespread problem in extreme cold, according to the study

Charging Electric Cars Are Wasting More Power Than You Think

A surprising amount of electricity is lost during the charging process, and some models are much worse than others, according to a new study by the German automobile group ADAC.
Testing over 90 electric cars currently on the market, ADAC found that, on average, 14.5% of the electricity used at charging stations never even makes it to the car’s batteries.
That's energy—and cash—disappearing into thin air.

The Mini Cooper SE, which wasted a shocking 30.1% of its charge. The Volvo XC40 wasn’t far behind, losing about 20% during charging. Other notable energy guzzlers include the Dacia Spring, Mustang Mach-E, Nissan Leaf, MG 4, and Xpeng G9.Volkswagen ID. models fared much better, with energy losses hovering around just 8%. The best performer in the test was the Aiways U6 Prime, but with the company currently pausing production in China, getting your hands on one might be tough.

It all comes down to the need to convert alternating current (AC) from the charging station into direct current (DC) to store in the car's batteries. That conversion process is where a big chunk of the power goes to waste.ADAC suggests that electric car owners factor this hidden energy loss into their calculations when figuring out how far their car can truly go on a single charge