[Autocar] Battery life uncertainty prompts concern over used EVs

Evidently your friend isn't strapped for cash--he probably wasn't taking the bus for those few months. He must be happy to be again driving the only pop-top EV sports car--one with impeccable Lotus cred. What's the warranty on that replacement battery?

 

this is it though. Auto media etc always talk about battery cost but fail to mention what an engine or gearbox replace costs these days. Even the price of used parts has sky rocketed. I have a 2018 Pathfinder at my shop with 90000kms and the cheapest engine we can find for it is 8500$ plus fitting. New? At Nissan is about 16k.
As EVs become more mainstream if you need a drive motor or battery you will prob just get it from the junkyard.

We are already at a point in the market where owning a car after 4-6 years feels “outdated”. EV batteries are warrantied for 8 years. I lease my cars after 39-48 mo I toss back the keys. Don’t have to worry about replacing tires or brakes either

 

SEs are purchase/finance only in USA as far as I recall.

 

They aren’t in Canada. Mine is on 36mo lease

 

According to Mini USA calculator lease is available as I expected

 

Considering the cost of the original Roadster, and that it was a low-volume first-generation EV, I don't think it's all that germane as a comparison.

 

No. Just threw it out there because it’s interesting. I can’t imagine how many Roadsters are still running, though I suspect any current owners are indeed well-enough-heeled to do the necessary work. Whether or not it’s considered one of the seminal cars in automotive history is debatable, but it certainly is notable and examples are worth preserving.

 

I'm sure we are all waiting for the $200,000 2023 Tesla Roadster, just like the $15,000 paid for full self-driving on a Model 3. It's almost here!

 

It’s it’s almost here in what year ? Tesla truck is cool but having worked fleet they better be ready to support the owners. Trucks can’t sit around for 6 weeks waiting for a part or a service tech to come out and visit. It’s not some wonky Model 3 where the owner will deal with it if you have a fleet of 30 EV Tesla Semi and 15 are broken it’s a big problem. This is what worries me about them. The big truck manufactures have a service chain in place already. Tesla can’t even fix their own cars in a reasonable amount of time

 

This page says S only.

https://www.miniusa.com/why-mini/programs-and-events/metrocentral.html

Perhaps you were looking somewhere else?

 

I was on the build configurator and went to payments. It allowed lease. My car will be leased in Canada.

 

That’s a special offer. Leasing is available for other models, just not within that offer. As Mr Burns said, the configurator lets you get estimated lease payments for every model. Perhaps some dealers don’t offer it?

 

No idea. At one point in California the 60Ah BMW i3 was pretty much a $150/mo lease after all the rebates/incentives.

 

One of my friends had a Fiat 500 EV years ago in CA. He traveled often for work and it was cheaper than renting a car each time

 

You cannot lease a SE in the US.

 

So dude
You're in the biz & you're leasing an SE right?
Do you see independent EV only mechanics coming on stream soon?
IMO I wouldn't get an assessment on a used EV from the average workshop ATM.
Sure they can check the brakes etc but would they be able to get a proper health assessment of the battery and motor?

 

There are one or two EV garages here already. With the proper diagnosis equipment you can access that info. I know I can with bmw and Porsche PWISIII

 

Was this a replacement battery due to degradation, or perhaps the 3.0 upgrade?


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Interesting thanx for that.
Apart from M3's, ev's are pretty thin on the ground here ATM so it will be a good business opportunity to be the first here when the time is right.
I guess the trouble is, apart from pollen filters and brake fluid flushes, there is not so much general maintenance services to make the easyish money on which means these types of business will be less mechanic's and more photocopy technicians.