Need some help deciding which EV to buy SUV or station wagon as far as vehicle type goes, need a bigger car this time and would like to ask for some tips on which are reliable and as a secondary parameter good range or battery capacity, features and esthetics are not important also i’m in Germany and how best to approach buying a used EV, any tips are appreciated.
I recently bought an EV and he’s what I learned. Get a vehicle with an 800 volt charging system. Lowers your level 3 charging from 35 minutes to 18 minutes.
Depending on what you are doing with the vehicle, 200 range is more than enough for a city commuter.
For long distance travel, the fast charging will help a lot. If you absolutely need range look at LUCID vehicles. Otherwise most people can cope with 200 to 300 range and fast charging.
For the US, used EVs are dirt cheap these days. 20k can get you a vehicle that’s 3 to 4 years old, 25 to 50k mileage, and most are still under warranty.
Charging at home costs about 1/10th the price of gas for me. Plus super convenient.
Chademo chargers are being faded out for US. So a car that charges on a Tesla network is best for traveling.
Most EVs are good, some have software quirks, outdated battery tech, etc. but I would look at Hyundai, Kia, Tesla, Audi, and Lucid as some of the top EVs. Although new Chevy bolt, VW id4, Cadillac Lyric and others can be good reliable vehicles at rock bottom used prices. Also honorable mention for Porsche Taycan which can be found used 35k to 60k usd
Not too many 800 volt cars in the used car market though… depending on your driving profile, I wouldn’t see a 400 volt system as a deal breaker. If you’re commuting and then have like one or two vacations per year where you really need fast charging, that works well enough with 400, too.
Leaf?
I think the newer leafs are good but are limited on range iirc.
Leaves
Never heard of LUCID till now and there don’t seem to be offered anywhere in 250km radius, but will keep an eye out for the others, thank you.
Since you are in the EU I think Xiaomi SU7(Chinese) might be available in '27. Those are like Taycans but costs about 42k new.
Also if it gets cold, you might want to look for vehicles that can preheat the battery.
Lucid might be us only?
Just 1 Xiaomi offered in a 200 km radius YU7 for 65000…
You don’t need fast charging unless you plan to take road trips. I have an older Chevy Bolt that doesn’t fast charge as quickly as some of the more recent cars, and it hasn’t bothered me. On long trips I just stop somewhere for 30 minutes or so to refill. Gives me time to walk the dog, stretch my legs, grab a bite or a drink, and use the rest room. After that it’s usually charged back up to 80%.
Honestly, decent battery range is more important than fast charging speed, unless you’re doing a lot of long business trips. More range means less stops on long trips, and less worry about remembering to plug in the car when you’re at home.