A driver is warning people to ‘think twice’ before buying an electric vehicle. Hotel manager Rob Alcock bought his motor just four months ago and was disappointed when he failed to get over 120 miles from a single charge – despite the range being advertised as 209. When the Carnoustie, Scotland resident tried to return it with 3,000 miles on the clock, his dealer told him it had depreciated a whopping $19,000.

The Trouble Begins
Alcock purchased his EV in the hopes of embracing a greener lifestyle but found himself in a difficult situation. After driving only 3000 miles, his vehicle unexpectedly took an £11,600 ($19,000) hit in its value1. No accidents had taken place and the car had taken no damage; this price drop was strictly the “value of the vehicle”. But getting to 3,000 miles hasn’t exactly been easy for Rob.

This particular electric vehicle has an advertised range of 209 miles per charge, but whenever Rob uses it, he’s lucky to get 120. Additionally, he has noticed that using the heat in the car has a dramatic impact on how far he can go on a single charge. Driving through the winter in a vehicle that can go half its marketed distance and even less when the heat is on is a far cry from what’s expected in a £30,000 ($37,149) electric vehicle. Whether by misleading advertising or faulty machinery, Rob is not impressed.

The Cost of Going Green
While many drivers are attracted to the potential environmental benefits and lower fuel costs associated with electric cars, Alcock warns of the hidden costs that can come with EV ownership. Three months after ownership is a far cry from the depreciation value timeline he experienced, so he is doing all he can now to spread the word and deter others from leaving their diesel vehicles for the time being.