- source: https://www.renault.co.uk/electric-vehicles/zoe.html
“An Easy Electric Life!”
It's a marketing statement that perfectly sums up the aspirations of most car companies producing electric vehicles. Some of those companies offer leasing options for their customers.
But wait a minute, doesn’t that defeat the whole purpose of being environmentally friendly? What’s the point of driving a “zero tailpipe emission” car when after three or so years, you’re going to lease another car that went through the whole manufacturing process?
What about the environmental impact of the production process of those cars? Each electric car needs a high-capacity battery. Each of those batteries need to be regularly recharged. From what sources does that electricity come from?
All of those factors play their role in making electric cars sustainable.
Below you will find a YouTube video by Our Changing Climate that gives a better understanding of the above topics.
Questions:
- Do you, your close relative, or any of your friends own an electric car? Maybe they have leased a car?
- Do you think it’s better to buy a new car and not worry about high emissions and repair costs, or rather buy a cheaper, used car that has a higher emission rating and requires more frequent repairs? Is your choice better for your finances or the environment?
- Do you think that car companies really think about the environment or they treat this whole idea as a marketing niche and use it to manufacture and sell even more cars?
Comments
Not that I know of, however there a trend to be seen not only in Warsaw but also in the world that more and more electric cars are seen in the wild, and they become quite popular in the carsharing industry and taxi industry because of their low cost of usage.
2.
I think it was about buying one's first car, then it's often done on a tight budget, so buying a new car is not an option. If however I would pick between a premium second-hand car and a mainstream new one I would pick a new one. Mostly because it requires more finances.
3.
I think it's a combination of those things, also a lot more people nowadays want to make a change and are more ecological friendly, so with higher demand more and more electric cars are presented.
I think it's too general question. It really depends on the type of car, how really old it is, and the car condition. There are so many variables which can affect the result. Of course it's nice to have such an eco friendly car, but with current infrastructure (for example number of docking stations is quite small) and costs, it does not look like so attractive anymore.
In my opinion most of car manufacturers just want to stay up to date and have a good corporate image, thats all.
Unfortunately not :)
Do you think it’s better to buy a new car and not worry about high emissions and repair costs, or rather buy a cheaper, used car that has a higher emission rating and requires more frequent repairs? Is your choice better for your finances or the environment?
I don't know which is better. I hope that if someone can purchase generally more ecological car they would do so.
I'm not an expert and I like to rely on them.
Do you think that car companies really think about the environment or they treat this whole idea as a marketing niche and use it to manufacture and sell even more cars?
I think that the whole company cannot care about the environment. It would mean that all the managers and people high in hierarchy care for this issue. It seems to me that it is not possible.
Nevertheless, this type of change is just great. There is a bigger need for electrical cars and generally more sustainable solutions so big companies are providing more sustainable products.
I know that it is not solving the problem but I don't see how society would stop wanting new things, it is just in conflict with consumerism and the market.
My point of this article is to show the two sides of the coin in this situation and sometimes things are not necessarily as beautiful and colorful as we're being told.
2. Well... if a used car is in a good condition it won't break as often as you might think. And parts like breaking pads or suspensions parts are not covered by warranty when it comes to a new car. I think that everyone should compare their preferred models and calculate possible costs.
3. It's probably a combination of both. Also, I expect marketing to be more creative next year because current sales are very poor due to covid.
2.I think it all comes down to how long you're planning to use your car. Getting an old and used car, in the long run, will be both bad for the environment due to its' higher emission rating and to your wallet, because of the used parts. In the short term though? It's honestly hard to say. I'm all for reusability, but also would like to drive in something which is nice to drive and be in, especially when commuting frequently. This may sound a bit selfish, but I think that part of living a good life and feeling good is not burdening yourself with sacrifices you're not comfortable with. If you find a decent used car however I would go for it, even though it might not be much cheaper than leasing a new one.
3.In my opinion car business is an industry like any other and if they can do something legal to make better profits, they'll probably do so. If it's also with the benefit of helping the environment that's great but I doubt that's their main concern. "Legal" is the keyword here though. The only way, I personally think we can make big changes in any area e.g. environmentally is by passing proper legislations and rulings forbidding people and companies from behaving, for example, in an unecological way.
1. Neither I nor my friends own an electric car. I also don't know anyone who would drive an electric car.
2. I believe it is better to buy a new car and not worry about high emissions and repair costs that often exceed the value of the car. It is better to buy a new car and have peace of mind and take care of it - regular services and original parts, not any replacements.
It's actually an interesting question if it's more environmentally conscious to buy new or used vehicles. However, I don't think this is a question that is answerable without building an actual mathematical model, which would require massive amounts of statistical data on the failure rate of cars in relation to their year of production, and of the average CO2 footprint and other environmental impacts associated with their repairs. As such, it's probably best to simply make the choice that seems to best to oneself and not think too hard about this. The only actually winning move is to not buy a car at all, but without a sufficient level of development of public transport who can afford to do so?
Car companies absolutely do not care about the environment. They care about their profit margins. The only reason hybrid and electric cars are being produced and sold is due to the increasing consumer consciousness of environmental issues, which creates a market niche for vehicles marketed as "ecological". Fundamentally, their goal as companies that make profit off manufacturing cars, is to manufacture cars. They are not and never will be any sort of a meaningful ally in the struggle to save our environment and prevent the more cataclysmic global warming scenarios. Planned obsolescence and vapid, rapid consumption are things that make them the most money, and deplete our resources and time the fastest. A flashy car that needs to be replaced every 15-20 years due to battery failure is not a solution.
I don't know anyone who owns an electric car.
2. Do you think it’s better to buy a new car and not worry about high emissions and repair costs, or rather buy a cheaper, used car that has a higher emission rating and requires more frequent repairs? Is your choice better for your finances or the environment?
It seems to me that it is better to buy a new one, possibly a few years old, because such cars meet the current emission standards and usually consume less fuel. In Poland, we have a problem with allowing very old cars that do not meet safety and emission standards.
3. Do you think that car companies really think about the environment or they treat this whole idea as a marketing niche and use it to manufacture and sell even more cars?
It seems to me that the company depends only on the achievement of sales goals, and informing potential buyers that thanks to their car they will be more environmentally friendly can only increase sales.
I, or any of my relatives or friends don't own an electric car. I'm not interested in the market of electric cars, but if I remember correctly, a few years ago charging stations for the cars were nearly impossible to find, and at the time it was the biggest turn off. Maybe it has changed in a few years, i don't know.
2. Do you think it’s better to buy a new car and not worry about high emissions and repair costs, or rather buy a cheaper, used car that has a higher emission rating and requires more frequent repairs? Is your choice better for your finances or the environment?
If I had the money I would definitely go for a new car. Besides being friendlier to the environment, it being brand new means that for a few years I should have little technical issues with it. One of the reasons for buying a new car is definitely the environment, and from financial standpoint it's a bad decision.
3. Do you think that car companies really think about the environment or they treat this whole idea as a marketing niche and use it to manufacture and sell even more cars?
I believe it's more of a marketing tool for the companies, but maybe some of them, or their workers, actually care for the environment.
It is surprising, but no one in my environment has bought an electric car yet. I also didn't buy an electric car. It just so happens that my friends had the opportunity to drive an electric car and were delighted with the strong acceleration. Apart from the performance, they were impressed by the smoothness of the ride and the silence inside the car. I heard comments that it is very easy to lose the driving license in the Tesla p100d car.
Do you think it’s better to buy a new car and not worry about high emissions and repair costs, or rather buy a cheaper, used car that has a higher emission rating and requires more frequent repairs? Is your choice better for your finances or the environment?
I am of the opinion that it is completely unprofitable to buy new cars from the showroom. When you buy a car that is 1-2 years old, you can save up to 20% of the price of a new car, while the car will not differ from a new car. The 2-year-old car has so low mileage that it does not require repairs. Referring to the environment, I think you can safely buy used cars. Even 10 years old cars, provided that the engine is in good condition. Older cars with a neglected engine give off the most pollution to the environment.
Do you think that car companies really think about the environment or they treat this whole idea as a marketing niche and use it to manufacture and sell even more cars?
Neither the first nor the second. Producers do not want to comply with ecological standards. Unfortunately, these standards are imposed by the European Union and car manufacturers cannot oppose them. Very high financial penalties are imposed on companies when the standards are not met. Ecology is mainly an excuse to earn money, but not by car manufacturers, but at a higher level it manages the economy.
No, I haven't heard of anyone close to me to own electric car.
2. Do you think it’s better to buy a new car and not worry about high emissions and repair costs, or rather buy a cheaper, used car that has a higher emission rating and requires more frequent repairs? Is your choice better for your finances or the environment?
I think we should rather focus on using the cars which are left or give poor people opportunity to buy some of "new better ecologic cars". Current market created new rule, make things that will last only till warranty ends. We are ought to change cars every 5 or less years. It wasn't like that before, and even if people were changing cars often, these cars were still fully functional.
3. Do you think that car companies really think about the environment or they treat this whole idea as a marketing niche and use it to manufacture and sell even more cars?
If there is money, there is always possibility. I think there is something about whole electric cars market we don't know, their manufacturing cost is not that high as their prices.
It’s a hard question, as it depends on a lot of things. First thing is the price. If you have money, and can afford a new car, I would say go for it. If you struggle a bit, and have other priorities, maybe buying an older car wouldn’t be a bad idea. For me I would choose an older car, because of my finances. Personally, I can’t afford a new, ecological car, and even if I could pick a more ecological car, I just can’t pay that much for it now.
In my opinion car companies don't think about the environment at all. They just set their emissions a bit under the value set as minimum, and they think it’s enough, and they are ecological. I think they only think about how to earn more and more. Just business.