Why did I decide to exchange my diesel car for an electric one?

Report published in the Magazine Canal Solar

Choosing a new car involves several factors that will influence our final decision, from the price, benefits, model and saving. Until recently, these were the only factors that counted when choosing, but from now on the option of electric mobility should it be included in the hall of important factors? Since now!

For at least 3 years, the climate issues have become a constant and persistent theme in my house. The changes started with small things, such as the way to dispose of trash, recyclable and non-recyclable, the use of composters for organic waste, the exchange of mineral water in plastic bottles, even if not 100%, for the use of the filter. in clay, as well as reducing the consumption of unnecessary products that could increase our non-recyclable waste.

We are a family of five, two adults and three children, and we had two diesel cars, which traveled at least 30 kilometers each daily. Despite our good intentions at home, from the outside we were polluting as much as everyone else, and this bothered us.

With the arrival of the pandemic and the trail of consequences it brought, such as the increase in fuel prices and the increase in electricity and gas, we put the numbers on the tip of our pencil and decided it was time to change something.

I live in , in the Moselle region, bordering the Saarland, in . Here, circulation between the two countries is daily and common, to the point that the governments of both countries have developed laws and agreements valid only for this region, due to the number of commuting workers, as well as students who live on both sides.

Living in this area allows me two things: paying less taxes in and enjoying lower prices in German supermarkets, for example. A kind of economic balance. Despite living in , I have always filled up my car in , as, until the beginning of last year, it was still possible to pay 1,09 euros for a liter of diesel, well below the price of 1,49 euros that was offered here in . .

However, things started to change a few months ago, especially after the start of war between Russia and Ukraine, which put European countries on alert regarding their dependence on gas and oil from Russia. In October 2021, sured its own record for the price of a liter of diesel, reaching an average of 1,55 euros per liter.

Until now, the country had only recorded such a high increase in 2012, when diesel reached 1,54 euros per liter. From that moment on, the numbers rose more and more, reaching 2,14 euros in March of this year.

When the adjustments start to weigh on your pocket, it's time to act. As I said before, driving 30 kilometers daily with diesel at almost 2 euros per liter was unsustainable. Here, we began our quest to achieve something we had been wanting for some time: the buying an electric car.

Along with the decision came doubts about it. How do we charge the battery? Can we do it at home or just at charging points? Will it increase our energy bill a lot? What are the types of cable to charge an electric car? 

A new world for us, as we were only used to another type of vehicle, but these insecurities disappeared throughout our searches for information. This type of vehicle is not among the cheapest, especially when it comes to newer models. So, how can you make the purchase of an E-car viable?

During our internet searches and visits to dealerships, we discovered that the French government developed measures to assist with the purchase of electric cars, for companies or individuals. This type of incentive, despite fitting like a glove at the current time, appeared in 2020, as a government measure to help the automobile sector, which was going through a crisis.

Through these aid measures, the benefits not only the automobile sector, but everything that contributes to reducing CO₂ emissions, removing the most polluting vehicles from circulation, encourages the purchase of less polluting cars, whether electric, hybrid or powered by fossil fuels, as long as they are within carbon emission standards and limits, thus making the market move.

What incentives does offer and how do they work?

Currently, the government offers some types of aid that depend on the needs of each group. For example:

• Eco-friendly bonus: a benefit of up to 6 thousand euros on the purchase of new cars worth less than 45 thousand. For cars valued between 45 thousand and 60 thousand euros, this benefit drops to up to 2 thousand euros. Both companies and private buyers can receive the bonus;
• First conversion: It is an option for those who wish to deliver their diesel or gasoline car as a form of “down payment” on the purchase of an electric car, whether new or used. In this case, your previous car will be handed over for destruction and you can receive a bonus of between 2 and 500 euros when purchasing your new vehicle. The value of the benefit is defined according to the buyer's annual income;
• Regional bonus: it encomes cities with high carbon emissions, such as Paris, or metropolises with a low carbon emission certificate, such as Lyon. Bonuses here are defined according to the requirements and needs of each region.

In my case, we opted for the “first conversion” aid when purchasing a second-hand electric vehicle. To obtain this type of assistance, the buyer must meet certain requirements, such as being of legal age, living in the country, delivering their old car for destruction, in addition to documentation proving their income.

For families with income below 13 euros, the benefit can be granted up to the maximum amount, which is 489 euros. In the case of annual income equal to or greater than this amount, the value of the benefit drops to 5 euros. Currently, these rules are the same as those implemented until 2/500/31. However, the government has already announced some changes that should come into force from July 12st.

Starting next month, anyone who wishes to obtain a government bonus when purchasing a new electric or hybrid car must follow the new requirements. Among the new rules are:

• CO₂ emission standard reduced to a maximum of 20 g/km, from 50 g/km previously;
• Reduction in bonus value from the first of July. For vehicles with an acquisition cost of less than 45 thousand euros, there will be a reduction of 1000 euros in the bonus, from 6 thousand to 5 thousand euros, in the case of an individual. For companies, the subsidy value drops from 4 thousand to 3 thousand euros.

For those who still wish to take advantage of the bonus before the change, they will be able to order their vehicle until June 30th, and purchase or rental contracts completed by September 30th will also be able to use the bonus before the reduction, scheduled for July 1st.

In the case of the first conversion bonus, which allows the driver to replace their old car with a newer, less polluting car, the same current conditions and values ​​will be maintained until July 31, 2022, until further changes.

After obtaining information regarding government assistance, the second step was to choose the vehicle. We already own a large car, with 7 seats, which we would like to keep, so we decided to hand over our smaller car, a diesel Audi, and exchange it for one of the same size.

We then opted for a Renault Zoe, a model that costs between 8 and 14 euros when used. After choosing the vehicle, we provide the dealership with the necessary documentation to apply for assistance, which is done directly between the seller and the government department. responsible.

After analyzing documents, such as income tax receipts from the last 2 years, the value of the aid granted was defined, which was 2 euros. This amount, however, was transferred directly to the store, which deducted this amount from the final price of the car.

With approval, the dealership itself was responsible for transporting our old car to be taken to the warehouse where it would be unusable. Documentation approved, aid granted, old car delivered and payment negotiation, within a month we were able to complete the purchase.

It is worth noting that, for the car we purchased, a 2017 Zoe model, it was necessary to sign a battery rental contract, as only cars produced after 2020 already have the battery included in the purchase price. When buying an electric car, you can choose to rent or buy the battery. The fact is that purchasing the battery considerably increases the total value of the car, around 7 thousand to 9 thousand euros more.

When you buy the battery, you may be able to sell the car more easily in the future, however, the Battery life of an electric car is between 10 and 12 years, and the cost of purchasing a battery is equivalent to 100 months of rental, or more than 8 years of use.

In the case of rental, the total price drops, you have a guarantee in case of defects and you can renew the rental contract or cancel it if you want to sell the vehicle. Often, rental contracts include additional services, such as maintenance or assistance. In our case, we chose to rent the battery, which lasts for a maximum of three years and can be renewed. The decision came from the question of how long we wanted to keep the car.

As the idea would be to change it before it loses value on the market, we think that the high investment in the battery price would not be ideal at this time. Another factor was the issue of warranty. When you buy a battery and it loses its power after a certain period of time, you have no guarantee for a replacement. In cases like these, the option will be to invest in buying a new battery or renting it.

With the car in hand, it's time to put into practice what we're looking for in of having an electric car. Charge at home, at free points or paid charging stations? Yes, you can use all of these options.

In both and it is possible recharge your car at free bases that are distributed in parking lots of supermarkets, stores or points distributed by the city hall. In my case, I always use the bases in supermarket parking lots, which is very practical for me.

While I do my shopping, my car is charging. Each customer can charge their vehicle for up to one hour, enough time to charge my car's battery for a range of up to 130 km, if I arrive with at least 30 km already charged, that is, during this time, I can charge a total of in 100 km.

The only disadvantage with this option is that you need to choose the least busy times, as you run the risk of arriving and having all the bases occupied. However, you can see on the station display how much time is left for each car to complete charging and, if you are not in a rush, you can wait a little longer and get a space.

Another option is paid charging stations. They are in greater quantity and spread across the city, which makes it easier when your battery is about to run out and there is no other way to charge it nearby. There are several operators that offer this service, but to use it you need to .

First, you need to choose the operator you want to with. Some do not charge to produce the customer card, while others charge a small fee. Typically, companies that offer a free card tend to have a higher kWh price than others – so it is important to research well before choosing one of the options.

The price per kWh, equivalent to 6,86 km driven, costs 0,30 to 0,40 euro cents at pay stations in . However, depending on the operator and the service package you pay for, this amount may drop. The advantage of this type of system is that you have no time limit to charge your vehicle.

Some ask customers to use the bases for a maximum of four hours, after which time the battery is normally fully charged, also depending on the power of the station. Charging at home is, of course, more comfortable, but is it worth it? In this case we need to make a comparison with the previous car.

With the diesel car, we spent around 142,50 euros per month to drive 1000 km. With the purchase of the electric vehicle, we saw our monthly energy bill consumption double from 204 kWh to 406 kWh. In currency, this means that we now pay around 25,52 euros more than before, for a value of 0,17 euro cents per kWh, within .

However, we need to take into the cost of renting the battery, which costs 79 euros. Therefore, per month, driving 1000 km with the electric car, we spend a total of 104,52 euros, that is, 37,98 euros less than what we spent on the diesel car.

The price per kWh, equivalent to 6,86 km driven, costs 0,30 to 0,40 euro cents at pay stations in . However, depending on the operator and the service package you pay for, this amount may drop.  

The advantage of this type of system is that you have no time limit to charge your vehicle. Some ask customers to use the bases for a maximum of four hours, after which time the battery is normally fully charged, also depending on the power of the station.

Charging at home is, of course, more comfortable, but is it worth it? In this case we need to make a comparison with the previous car. With the diesel car, we spent around 142,50 euros per month to drive 1000 km. With the purchase of the electric vehicle, we saw our monthly energy bill consumption double from 204 kWh to 406 kWh. In currency, this means that we now pay around 25,52 euros more than before, for a value of 0,17 euro cents per kWh, within . 

However, we need to take into the cost of renting the battery, which costs 79 euros. Therefore, per month, driving 1000 km with the electric car, we spend a total of 104,52 euros, that is, 37,98 euros less than what we spent on the diesel car.

In total, a saving of around 40 euros and some additional advantages, such as the possibility of recharging the battery for free, the price of the vehicle through government subsidy and lastly (I would say even more important): zero CO₂ emissions.

Another important factor is the reduction in maintenance costs, as electric vehicles do not need oil changes, have less brake wear and do not need to replace clutch systems.

According to the IFA (Institute of Automotive Economics), through a study by the University of Applied Sciences Nütringen-Geislingen, the Workshop costs can be up to 35% lower on electric cars compared to regular cars.

According to the research, over a period of eight years, in cars that cover around 8 kilometers per year, maintenance costs for cars with combustion engines were calculated at a total of 3 euros. For electric cars, this value is just 650 euros.

With the previous diesel car, we had an annual cost of around 200 euros, with the TÜV control inspection and possible oil, spark plug or filter changes. With the electric car, which eliminates any need for repairs such as those mentioned previously, the plan is that the annual, fixed expense will be limited to technical control, which costs around 80 euros.

Having been using an electric car for five months, I only have positive points regarding this choice. For me and my family, this was another step in the quest to cooperate with the energy transition that Europe is experiencing, in addition to showing our children how important the development of technologies in the renewable energy sector is for a better climate in the future.