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Electric cars aren't cheap, and electricity prices are very high in Europe.
by drnick1 7mo ago
Electric cars aren't cheap, and electricity prices are very high in Europe.
- toomuchtodo 7mo agoBYD EVs are affordable. Electricity will get cheaper with more renewables, oil will not.
- haunter 7mo agoDefine affordable. A €40k Seal is anything but affordable. Eastern Europe (and I don't put Slovenia in this case here, they are much closer to Western Europe in every sense) will not mass change to EVs suddenly when everyone is shopping for 10 years old diesels from Western Europe for maximum €10k
- toomuchtodo 7mo ago> Define affordable. Cheaper than the total cost of ownership of a combustion vehicle at $150-$200/barrel for prolonged periods of time. Are We Approaching an Unprecedented Energy Crisis? - https://thedispatch.com/newsletter/dispatch-energy/iran-war-energy-crisis-hormuz/ https://thedispatch.com/newsletter/dispatch-energy/iran-war-... - March 26th, 2026 France confirms oil crisis, says 30-40 percent of Gulf energy infrastructure destroyed - https://www.france24.com/en/france-confirms-oil-crisis-says-30-40-gulf-energy-infrastructure-destroyed https://www.france24.com/en/france-confirms-oil-crisis-says-... - March 25th, 2026 Even the best-case scenario for energy markets is disastrous - https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/03/22/even-the-best-case-scenario-for-energy-markets-is-disastrous https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/03/22/e... | https://archive.today/5OhRI https://archive.today/5OhRI - March 22nd, 2026
- 7952 7mo agoNew cars have questionable affordability for most people. Particularly when you factor in dubious design choices and expensive marketing. Cars and driving are expensive. If that was a barrier there wouldn't be many people on the road. Also, the Electric polo is supposed to be released at around 25k Euros. Given the lower running costs that seems like a good deal relative to legacy designs. For all those people will to spend 40k on a car you could put the money into solar panels instead.
- Lio 7mo agoIf you think the Seal isn't affordable then don't buy one. You can buy a brand new Dacia Spring for only £12,240. Personally I don't think it's a great car but it's certainly doesn't cost 40K. If it were my money I'd spend a bit more on either a used Jag ePace or a Renault 5 but some people prefer new cars I guess.
- genxy 7mo agoThanks for the nerd snipe! I just found the Citroen e-C3, for a couple thousand more than the Spring. Both look fine. They should just be station wagons, but this is our timeline.
- gib444 7mo ago> Electricity will get cheaper with more renewables Citation?
- toomuchtodo 7mo agohttps://www.google.com/search?q=renewables+reduce+wholesale+cost+of+power https://www.google.com/search?q=renewables+reduce+wholesale+...
- toomuchtodo 7mo agohttps://www.bbvaresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2604_from_gas_vulnerability_to_renewable_resilience.pdf https://www.bbvaresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2604... (slides 7, 9, and 10 specifically)
- gib444 7mo agoYeah a lot of noise in there. Zooming in on the COVID price spike and then recovery trying to suggest it was renewables - nice try. Fact is if you zoom out 20 years Spain's prices have trended up. Your link just proves my point that while there has been an increase in the blend, it hasn't reduced prices.
- toomuchtodo 7mo agoYou’re ignoring data and facts, that’s a choice of course. https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/decoupled-how-spain-cut-the-link-between-gas-and-power-prices-using-renewables/ https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/decoupled-how-spain... > Decoupled: how Spain cut the link between gas and power prices using renewables > Spain has some of the lowest wholesale electricity prices in Europe, largely owing to the country’s strong solar and wind growth which reduced the influence of expensive coal and gas power on the electricity market.
- zejn 7mo agoNot true. No new car is cheap, and electricity is now cheaper than gas or diesel.
- stavros 7mo agoMy parents just bought a new BYD Dolphin, and it cost 3 EUR to go 150 km, whereas my diesel car costs 15 EUR for the same route. I don't know how people can say electric cars aren't cheaper. It's a 5x difference!
- zeroonetwothree 7mo agoI’m sure your specific circumstances apply to everyone else equally
- stavros 7mo agoOh you're right, these cars and this fuel pump are made exclusively for me.
- jopsen 7mo agoThe initial car is more expensive. You'll typically make it up, but it depends on how much you drive. And you have to pay interest on larger car loan. But in practice, yes, when charging at home EVs are dirty cheap to charge. The total cost of ownership (toc) for an EV is much lower. But you are paying it all upfront.