Electric cars, which are supposed to improve our lives and protect the environment, are indeed a positive development, but… Yes, there’s a significant “but”…
In fact, there’s a problem that no one had thought about: the exorbitant cost of electric batteries (ranging from $10 to $1500 or even more). This makes buying a used electric car a major mistake. We’re starting to see many people trapped in this situation, and as a result, entire fields of abandoned cars might emerge, as they become entirely unsellable. Clearly, with the rapid advancement of battery technology, prices will likely not decrease.
At the moment, no viable solution seems to exist. Perhaps the best options for now are gasoline or biofuels because, evidently, it’s impossible to do away with these means of transportation in many cases.
A new breed of consumer is emerging – those who can afford to invest in these very expensive electric vehicles. If we take an average battery lifespan of seven to ten years, they will be left with no choice but to dispose of their car once the battery dies. They won’t be able to rely on the used car market, which will no longer exist.
If the cost of car batteries doesn’t come down to a reasonable price, this is indeed what we can expect. As we can see in many European cities and around the world, electric vehicles provided by local governments for public use are being dumped in remote areas outside the cities once their electric batteries are out of service. This is a wasteful practice that carries a significant environmental cost.
For those who think hybrid vehicles are the solution, the problem is similar. If nothing changes, electric vehicles will only be accessible to a tiny portion of the population who can afford to spend substantial amounts to replace their vehicle’s battery. In this scenario, a whole industry will suffer, as profitability will definitively shift toward luxury vehicles, and the others will disappear.
Therefore, making a choice today is very challenging. Hopefully, the industry will quickly find a satisfactory solution – not just by lowering the purchase price of vehicles but also by ensuring that the cost of an electric battery doesn’t hinder the used car market or prevent everyone from being able to replace the battery without financial ruin.
Thierry De Clemensat
Editor in chief
Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News