Europe is also pretty good for public transit, walking and biking, is it not?

I have never bought a vehicle for more than $5k. Once used EV’s are down to that price - and even 10yo Chevy Bolts with nearly-dead batteries are $20k+ up here in Canada - I might reconsider.

Until then, I would much rather plan to do an electric conversion on something simple, like a 2000 Mazda 626 or a Type 2 VW Jetta.

Because my other objection to anything made after 2006 comes down to one of more of three critical nasties:

• Subscriptions. Literally paying a second time for shit that already came with the vehicle.
• Repairability and DRM. If I can’t fix most things outside of the engine and transmission with a basic set of hand tools, it’s a hard no for me. And some cars are already implementing DRM, forcing things like brake replacements to be done at dealerships.
• Privacy. Almost all cars after 2006 and most with OnStar before that time are privacy nightmares. If it phones home with my personal data or stores it anywhere on the vehicle, I need to be able to bodily rip that functionality out of the vehicle without crippling it in any way.

I’ve just got an EV for my wife to replace her diesel Freelander.

We charge for 8p/kWh. She’s used 124kW to do just over 500 miles, so it’s cost £9.94

In the Freelander is would be about 73l @ £1.90ish a L so would cost around £138

Obviously I have to pay the cost of the lease, but the fuel difference will almost cover that, and the lease covers everything. Insurance, tyres, maintenance etc.

EVs don’t necessarily fit every use case but my wife is a mobile hairdresser and does a lot local driving, it definitely makes sense for her.

I've been repeating this ever since the first 2026 Iran war when prices started to go up.

In Australia, the average commute in a petrol car costs $125 per week in petrol. To get an EV on a loan costs $85 in repayments per week and $10 of energy per week.

It is literally cheaper to give an ICE car away and take a loan to buy an EV than to continue to drive the ICE car.

"But but but! Who cares about the present! Electricity cost will go up too sometime in the future! So buy gas now! Yaargh!!!"

– typical O&G promoter.

They also provide a better user experience. Combined with a home charger, even the low end EVs are a better overall drive than a class up ICE vehicle. After owning EVs for a couple of years, I realized I can feel the engine when I ride in an ICE vehicle.

And that's 2025. I'm sure 2026 will be an even bigger difference.

The increase in petrol prices has a lot to do with war, and I think we should recognise the cost of this to people just like us in Ukraine and Iran.