If your teen is in the process of preparing to get a driver’s permit or license as a parent, you may be thinking about what type of vehicle to get them.
Of course, not every teen gets a car right away, but many do because it actuality it can help parents to have another driver in the house who can run errands, help with younger siblings and the like. If you’re an eco-friendly and environmentally-conscious family, you might be weighing whether or not an electric vehicle is a good choice for your new teen driver.
“There are an increasing
number of electric vehicles
on the market, including
more lower-priced models.”
The following are some considerations and things to know about EVs for teens.
There are More Options Now Than Ever Before
For years, even eco-conscious families didn’t necessarily consider electric vehicles because there just weren’t a lot of options on the market and the models that were available were expensive or had limited ranges.
Now, however, there are an increasing number of electric vehicles on the market, including more lower-priced models. This means that if your budget isn’t huge, you might still be able to find your teen driver an electric vehicle that will work for your family.
Of course, it could also be that you think about an electric vehicle for the entire family that your teen will share with you as well.
Fuel and Maintenance Costs
Many parents who buy their teens a vehicle when they get their license will then require them to pay for the maintenance and insurance costs. The costs of driving and maintaining electric vehicles tend to be lower day-to-day than other types of vehicles so this can be an advantage. For example, your teen won’t have to put as much money toward gas and can use any earnings they may have from a part-time job for savings or other costs.
They don’t have to worry about oil changes or traditional types of maintenance either.
Generally, electric vehicles have fewer moving parts than traditional vehicles, which can be a big benefit when it comes to having a car for a teen.
The only maintenance an EV will regularly need are simple things like tire rotation.
With that being said, battery performance declines over time, so you do have to weigh the possible long-term costs of getting your teen an electric vehicle. Electric vehicles have big and expensive batteries, and replacing them can cost thousands of dollars.
Rather than buying an electric vehicle for your teen, another option might be to lease it and then you don’t have to worry about the potential long-term costs.
Electric cars are also less expensive to insure, so that’s another price-related perk of going this route for your teen.
Limitations on Driving Range
No matter the age of the driver, a big thing to think about with electric vehicles are limitations on driving range. Electric cars, particularly older used models, may not allow a teen to drive for more than 80 miles or so on a single battery charge. Newer models tend to have a longer range but still most max out at around 200 miles.
You may think this is a good thing because it can inherently limit how much your teen drives when they are new on the road. It can be comforting to know your teen might not be able to go more than 40 miles from home, depending on their car’s capabilities.
At the same time, having an electric vehicle requires planning ahead, so is your teen ready for that responsibility? If your teen isn’t, having an electric car may help them learn good life skills as far as thinking ahead and mapping things out.
Safety
Newer cars tend to be safer than older onesas a general rule. That’s for a simple reason—safety advancements improve over time. Therefore cars become safer all the time. Most electric vehicles are relatively new, even if you buy a used one, so you’re going to get the advantages of modern safety features.
Additionally, most electric vehicles simply won’t go that fast unless you’re planning to gift your teen with a Tesla, so that can provide some peace of mind.
Finally, another benefit of an electric vehicle for teens can come from buying a used model. Electric vehicles don’t retain much resale value, which isn’t a good thing if you buy a new model, but if you’re looking for something used for a teen driver it can be very good news. A used electric vehicle will cost anywhere from 43 to 72% less than a new model, according to Edmunds.
What do you think about electric vehicles?
Share your thoughts and comments with us.
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