4 Electric Vehicles To Stay Away From in Retirement
Written by
J. Arky
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
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Part of the fun of retirement is getting to treat yourself in terms of how you want to live, including what kind of car you drive. If you are an eco-conscious retiree who wants to make sure some of the climate and valuable natural resources are available to the next generation, you might opt for an electric vehicle (EV). However, not all EVs are great for the golden years and should be avoided at all costs.
When considering which EV to purchase among the retirees, it is key to focus on the details of what makes a safe and easy drive in general, according to Tomasz Mazurkiewicz, CEO of Truck1.
Mazurkiewicz said to choose a car that is “easy to steer, has good reliability along with the important key safety features.
“Also it makes sense to focus on user friendly infotainment systems and not very costly battery replacements to avoid unwarranted strains during retirement,” he said.
Here are four electric vehicles to stay away from in retirement.
On the other hand, here are some electric cars that retirees tend to buy.
Tesla Model S Plaid
When it comes to technology, the Tesla Model S Plaid is undeniably great, in Mazurkiewicz’s professional opinion.
“Yet for the ordinary pensioner, it’s a technical overkill. Its performance and advanced software features can be irritating for anyone whose only aspiration is to drive casually,” Mazurkiewicz said.
Furthermore, Mazurkiewicz highlighted how the cost of repair and maintenance can be burdensome for a retired individual with a steady income.
Mini Electric Hardtop
“To start off, the design is upscale, but the Mini Electric Hardtop has one major weakness, which is the range — it barely gets up to 110 miles on a single charge,” Mazurkiewicz explained. “This can be unreasonable for seniors wanting to take weekend vacations or travel to see relatives in the next city.”
Mazurkiewicz pointed out how the small room and the inflexible suspension may also make long journeys rather tedious which is an important issue for the seniors driving.
Nissan Leaf
Specifically, Mazurkiewicz cautioned to avoid models made between 2015 and 2017.
“Nissan Leaf older models may appeal to a significant number of retirees because of their economical prices but they are quite well known for having battery issues that they degrade in no time,” Mazurkiewicz explained.
“The cost of a new battery, which is usually a one-third of the car value itself, can be a problem for the retirees when they need to replace one,” he said. “In addition to these attributes, adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking, which are important safety benefits, are not available on these models.”
BMW i3
According to Mazurkiewicz, a number of retirees have issues with the BMW i3 because of its bold design choices and short driving range.
“Individuals with limited mobility may struggle with the rather wide suicide doors, while long journeys may be uncomfortable due to the seating position,” he said.
“Furthermore, the value of i3 in the second hand market decreases considerably in a short time which is not favorable if the retirees wish to sell and make some money back at the end of use,” Mazurkiewicz added.
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