Why electric car buyers are being ripped off – with some having to spend £600 to fix the issue
ELECTRIC car buyers are being ripped off by manufacturers with some having to spend £600 to fix a common issue, according to new research.
Motorists have reported facing problems with the length of cables supplied as standard for electric vehicles.
With on-street charging set to grow rapidly in coming years, a large percentage of standard EV cables are deemed impractical for public charging, says The Car Expert.
The study included 22 of the UK’s most popular electric cars and revealed how some car manufacturers provide cables as short as 3.8 metres as standard.
This is often shorter than the length of the car, rendering them useless in many situations.
And the research also found that some manufacturers are effectively forcing motorists to pay upwards of £600 for higher specification charging cables to replace the inadequate standard cables.
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This is an additional extra cost for drivers who are already paying substantially more for their motor than their petrol or diesel counterparts.
The study comes after conversations over the need to standardise charging cables to ease the switch to an electric car.
Stuart Masson, Editorial Director at The Car Expert said: “If we want to encourage the switch to electric cars, manufacturers need to provide adequate cables as standard and reduce the cost of expensive cable replacements, particularly as consumers can no longer benefit from the financial advantages of the Government plug-in hybrid grant.
“It sounds obvious, but your cable needs to be long enough to reach from the charger to the car, however some car companies are still failing to meet this basic requirement.”
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To make matters worse, many EV cables were also limited in how rapidly they could transfer electricity from the grid to the car, causing charging times to be longer.
Most residential and commercial properties can supply electricity to charge an electric car at a rate of 7kW to 22kW.
However, the study showed that many cables provided as standard are rated poorly at between 2.3kW and 11kW.
Manufacturer websites and brochures were found to be unhelpful when it came to charging cable information, which created “confusion” for potential buyers.
Stuart added: “What was most striking to us is how difficult it is to get useful information out of car companies about EV charging, with some manufacturers we contacted even providing incorrect information.
“This creates confusion for customers trying to work out whether an EV could be suitable for their needs.”
As a result of the findings, The Car Expert is calling for the industry to adopt a minimum standard for cable length and charging capacity: “We recommend that all new electric cars come with a Mode 3, Type 2 charging cable of at least 6 metres in length and able to charge at a minimum of 22kW.
“It will give customers the best possible outcome as well as making EVs future-proof against improved charging infrastructure.
“This is an easy win for car buyers that the government can implement immediately.”
The Car Expert was not alone in its call for standardisation across the industry, with subscription provider Mycardirect also frequently disadvantaged by sub-standard cables arriving with new electric cars.
Duncan Chumley, CEO at Mycardirect said: “We are all too aware of the current situation and the confusing information on EVs to the consumer.
“EV manufacturers and the changes to government grants and taxation policies are certainly not helping consumer confidence, with no agreed standard, even on the simple elements such as a charging cable.”
“My sympathies lie with those drivers trying to navigate the issue on their own. The call for standardisation is definitely timely.”
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It comes after news that electric car owners are spending hundreds of pounds more on charging their vehicles compared to this time last year.
Meanwhile, the biggest reasons why Brits are struggling to make the change to electric have been revealed.