Well if you guys are not motivated by cost, why go through the faff of charging them every night to save a few quid.
That’s easy to answer. Previously, I had a petrol BMW X1 that I was very happy with. At the time we changed there was nothing even remotely comparable on the scheme, given Motability’s focus on BEVs and PHEVs. We were not able to extend the lease on the BMW as we needed a new adaptation which, according to Motability’s rules, meant ordering a new car.
I had two 24 hour test drives in BEVs and decided that they were too limiting for our needs due to the poor real world range. Although we could charge at home, we do touring holidays and long day trips and didn’t want to have to make charging stops. As there wasn’t a suitable ICE car, and we didn’t want a BEV, we thought we’d give a PHEV a go as a half way house. A year in, I’m not convinced. I’m only saving £20 a month over the BMW, which isn’t worth the faff of charging after every use IMHO. We are fortunate that we have a petrol station in the village that isn’t expensive, and one 5 minute fuel stop every 3 weeks or so was far less hassle than charging. When we next change I will see what BEVs are available through Motability, and if there’s anything that appeals, and real world range is acceptable, we might give it a go. If not, we will leave the scheme and buy an ICE car privately. A third option could be to get a BEV through the scheme and buy an ICE car as well, to cover all bases. As previously mentioned, I absolutely understand that the cheap running costs of a BEV (if you can charge at home) are a major motivator for many who choose them, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, running costs aren’t my number one priority when it comes to choosing a car. We are all different – and that’s allowed!