8 Electric Vehicles You May Regret Buying

Whether you want to save money on gas or want to be more environmentally friendly, an electric vehicle can be an appealing option. But with so many EV models on the market, it can be hard to know which ones are worth buying.

To help narrow your search, GOBankingRates spoke to car experts about the electric vehicles you should not buy based on several factors, including low ranges, faulty features and poor design. Here’s a look at the electric vehicles you’ll regret buying.

Buyers expecting the typical BMW driving experience will be disappointed with this vehicle, said Matas Buzelis, an automotive expert with carVertical.

“The i3 has a tiny battery and inefficient motor — therefore the acceleration is sluggish and the range is around 100 miles,” he said. “Moreover, 19% of owners experience issues during the first year of ownership, according to the 2021 Driver Power satisfaction survey. The i3 was replaced by the iX and i4, which are much better options.”

This car may cause more problems than it’s worth, Buzelis said.

“The Fiat 500 is praised for its funky and timeless design but it doesn’t make up for various issues, especially in the electric version, 500e,” he said. “The current model is available with either a 24 kWh or 42 kWh lithium-ion battery. The smaller battery provides only a 115-mile range that easily drops below 100 miles in real-life conditions. The earlier Fiat 500 electric version was created only to meet California’s zero-emission mandates and was discontinued in 2020 because sales were dropping drastically.”

The Smart EQ fortwo is not very practical, warns Buzelis.

“While the Smart EQ fortwo has advantages in tight parking spots, it mostly doesn’t make sense,” he said. “Even though it costs over $20,000, you probably won’t take the EQ fortwo out of the city because it can do only 81 miles on one charge. Also, the handling is awkward, and a couple of backpacks will fill most of your luggage space. Think twice before choosing the EQ fortwo — you may be better off with an electric scooter.”

“Tesla is producing some of the world’s most desirable electric cars, but it seems like Tesla has been too confident during the past few years,” Buzelis said. “Starting at around $100,000, the Model X is their only SUV. However, owners often complain about issues with paint, trim, hardware and power equipment. Also, the suspension, climate, electric and drive systems frequently fail. The 2022 model has been recalled 11 times.”

Adam Grant, car specialist and founder of Car Fuel Advisor, said that you’re better off going with a newer electric car option than the Leaf.

“As this is one of the first electric cars on the market, you can guess that the technology has been already outdated,” he said. “Also, compared to other electric cars, the Nissan Leaf has a relatively low range. The charging time is not fast enough either. You can’t even expect a good resale value from this car.”

If you’re looking for top-of-the-line features, skip the e-Golf, Grant said.

“It is true that the Volkswagen e-Golf is an amazing electric car with a comfortable ride and good handling, but it lacks some of the top features that you’ll enjoy from the other electric cars in the same price range,” he said. “The price range is also a bit high, which makes it even less sensible to go for it.”

Grant doesn’t believe the Ioniq EV is worth the price.

“Even though this electric car has plenty of features and a good range, the price tag it comes with isn’t worth it,” he said. “This car lacks the unique styling of some other electric cars. Also, it might be less practical for some drivers to go for this car as it lacks cargo space.”

Josh Andrews, an auto and electric vehicle expert with JustAnswer, recommends staying away from the Bolt for a number of reasons.

“It feels cheap even for the lower price point, and there’s been so many safety recalls that it’s beginning to scare away potential buyers,” he said. “Additionally, it is being discontinued within the next model year.”

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