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Asked about the peculiarities of used cars, the head of the portal dedicated to zero-emission vehicles Uzlādēts.lv Kārlis Mendziņš emphasizes that a car with an internal combustion engine will be more worn out than an electric model, which is also easier to maintain. “Electric cars have fewer parts that can wear out, plus they don’t even have to change the oil. The brakes can be serviced by everyone, the window wipers can be replaced by yourself. Suspension wear will be similar, but it is the cheapest component, ”analyzes the specialist.
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Kārlis says that the first thing to find out before buying a used electric car is the condition of the battery: “It can be done relatively easily. With a Bluetooth connection, the so-called OBD-II adapter allows you to connect to a car and get all the information about the battery status in the mobile app: what charges have been taken and how many kilometers have been covered. ”
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“However, neither the number of years nor the number of kilometers are the most important indicators. Look at the charging cycles performed. If the car is only charged in the fast version, the battery may not be in good health, with a percentage of 85-90% of its original capacity. In my practice, I have not encountered people who would have been dissatisfied with the battery, even if it has only 50-60% of its original capacity, because they have to drive 10-20 km every day and they can charge the car at home. If the remaining battery performance is satisfactory, then everything is fine. If not, look at the warranty, as many manufacturers give the battery a much larger battery than the car itself. If the warranty for a car is two years, the extended warranty is five, the battery is typically 8 to 10 years. ”
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Some manufacturers also provide accurate information on expected consumption. Let’s say Peugeot even offers a special table and explains the conditions under which the machine will use less energy.
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The secondary market is just beginning to develop
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The market for used electric cars in Latvia today is at an early stage of development, says Kārlis Mendziņš. “If we look at the average age of an imported car, it’s ten years old. What electric cars were available ten years ago? Than excellent – Citroen C-Zero and the first Nissan Leaf. At that time, many manufacturers had not even turned to electric cars. If I had to buy a used electric car today, I would look for it in Norway or Sweden, or Germany, where there is a normal offer at a normal price. At the moment, the situation is such that the prices of all used cars are rising because they are unable to produce new ones. ”
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Kārlis Mendziņš especially recommends paying attention to the Norwegian market, where there is a saturation of electric cars, but prices have fallen. There may be some problems with clearing such a machine. It has been observed that in Latvia the employees of the relevant institutions do not believe that a used electric car was bought for 10,000 euros, rather than twice as much, and also make them pay half as much in customs duties. Therefore, customs clearance would be easier through Sweden, where even if the percentages were higher, there would be less headaches.
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“What’s more, many news portals in Latvia like to spread the myth that there is nowhere to service an electric car. However, in reality, all Latvian dealers who have service centers are able to service the electrical models of the respective brand. I even know that the batteries in Latvia have been changed, ”says the head of Uzlādēts.lv.
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