{"id":24461,"date":"2026-03-26T21:30:58","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T20:30:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/?p=24461"},"modified":"2026-03-26T21:30:58","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T20:30:58","slug":"what-to-consider-before-buying-an-electric-car-the-true-cost-of-ev-ownership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/index.php\/what-to-consider-before-buying-an-electric-car-the-true-cost-of-ev-ownership\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Consider Before Buying an Electric Car: The True Cost of EV Ownership"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_19950\" style=\"width: 860px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/ev_guide_main.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-19950\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-19950\" src=\"http:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/ev_guide_main.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"850\" height=\"567\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/ev_guide_main.jpg 850w, https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/ev_guide_main-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/ev_guide_main-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/ev_guide_main-321x214.jpg 321w, https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/ev_guide_main-140x94.jpg 140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-19950\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">New car sales show a substantial increase in EVs and Plug-In Electric Hybrids, 811 EVs and 301 plug-ins sold in the month of January representing a combined market share of 3.4%<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em><strong>Thinking of buying an EV? Before making the switch, here are the key factors you should consider over a typical three-year ownership period, writes Geraldine Herbert<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"vooawb\" data-start=\"469\" data-end=\"501\">\ud83d\udcb8 1. Upfront Cost vs Grants<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"502\" data-end=\"711\">EVs usually come with a <strong data-start=\"526\" data-end=\"551\">higher purchase price<\/strong> than petrol cars \u2014 even after grants and tax relief.<br data-start=\"604\" data-end=\"607\" \/>However, incentives (like reduced vehicle registration tax and purchase grants) can help narrow the gap.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"713\" data-end=\"786\">\ud83d\udc49 Takeaway: EVs still cost more upfront, but incentives soften the blow.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"713\" data-end=\"786\">\n<h3 data-section-id=\"196ehee\" data-start=\"793\" data-end=\"833\">\u26a1 2. Charging Costs (Home vs Public)<\/h3>\n<ul data-start=\"834\" data-end=\"1053\">\n<li data-section-id=\"1c158mp\" data-start=\"834\" data-end=\"901\"><strong data-start=\"836\" data-end=\"853\">Home charging<\/strong> is where EVs shine especially on night rates.<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"3stcjp\" data-start=\"902\" data-end=\"999\"><strong data-start=\"904\" data-end=\"923\">Public charging<\/strong>, can be significantly more expensive and quickly eat into savings.<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"1szlmv\" data-start=\"1000\" data-end=\"1053\">Installing a home charger adds an upfront cost too.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1055\" data-end=\"1142\">\ud83d\udc49 Takeaway: Your access to <strong data-start=\"1083\" data-end=\"1106\">cheap home charging<\/strong> is one of the biggest cost factors.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1055\" data-end=\"1142\">\n<h3 data-section-id=\"13wo7i5\" data-start=\"1149\" data-end=\"1189\">\ud83c\udfd9\ufe0f 3. Your Living Situation Matters<\/h3>\n<ul data-start=\"1190\" data-end=\"1363\">\n<li data-section-id=\"18uul7i\" data-start=\"1190\" data-end=\"1288\">If you <strong data-start=\"1199\" data-end=\"1231\">can\u2019t install a home charger<\/strong> (e.g. apartment living), running costs may rise sharply.<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"o2dk8f\" data-start=\"1289\" data-end=\"1363\">Reliance on public infrastructure can make EV ownership less economical.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1365\" data-end=\"1434\">\ud83d\udc49 Takeaway: EVs make most financial sense if you can charge at home.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1365\" data-end=\"1434\">\n<h3 data-section-id=\"n6biwm\" data-start=\"1441\" data-end=\"1483\">\ud83d\udcc9 4. Depreciation Trends Are Changing<\/h3>\n<ul data-start=\"1484\" data-end=\"1690\">\n<li data-section-id=\"o8e4c9\" data-start=\"1484\" data-end=\"1564\">EVs historically <strong data-start=\"1503\" data-end=\"1524\">lost value faster<\/strong><\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"brq2k3\" data-start=\"1565\" data-end=\"1625\">But depreciation is <strong data-start=\"1587\" data-end=\"1602\">stabilising<\/strong> as the market matures.<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"scfm59\" data-start=\"1626\" data-end=\"1690\">Battery lifespan (often 16\u201318+ years) is improving confidence in long-term value<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1692\" data-end=\"1763\">\ud83d\udc49 Takeaway: Resale values are improving, but depreciation remains a key cost to consider<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1692\" data-end=\"1763\">\n<h3 data-section-id=\"jb0na3\" data-start=\"1770\" data-end=\"1812\">\ud83d\udee0\ufe0f 5. Servicing &amp; Maintenance Savings<\/h3>\n<ul data-start=\"1813\" data-end=\"1967\">\n<li data-section-id=\"17wvyj6\" data-start=\"1813\" data-end=\"1967\">EVs have <strong data-start=\"1824\" data-end=\"1846\">fewer moving parts<\/strong>, meaning:\n<ul data-start=\"1859\" data-end=\"1967\">\n<li data-section-id=\"ohkfnl\" data-start=\"45\" data-end=\"93\">Less frequent servicing is required<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"3oa27f\" data-start=\"134\" data-end=\"163\">No oil changes are needed<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"z1j77l\" data-start=\"164\" data-end=\"221\">Regenerative braking reduces wear on brake components<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"7fqsvl\" data-start=\"222\" data-end=\"287\">Maintenance costs can be around 20\u201330% lower than petrol car<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1969\" data-end=\"2027\">\ud83d\udc49 Takeaway: Lower servicing and maintenance costs can deliver meaningful savings over time.<\/p>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"14gbe\" data-start=\"2034\" data-end=\"2065\">\ud83d\udede 6. Tyres &amp; Wear-and-Tear<\/h3>\n<ul data-start=\"2066\" data-end=\"2198\">\n<li data-section-id=\"13ddm1y\" data-start=\"2066\" data-end=\"2198\">EVs are heavier and deliver instant torque, which can lead to:\n<ul data-start=\"2133\" data-end=\"2198\">\n<li data-section-id=\"1x4goec\" data-start=\"2133\" data-end=\"2155\"><strong data-start=\"2135\" data-end=\"2155\">Instant torque puts more strain on tyres<\/strong><\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"1419qd1\" data-start=\"2158\" data-end=\"2198\">Slightly higher tyre replacement costs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2200\" data-end=\"2251\">\ud83d\udc49 Takeaway: Tyre costs may be slightly higher, offsetting some of the savings.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2200\" data-end=\"2251\">\n<h3 data-section-id=\"1ginn9y\" data-start=\"2258\" data-end=\"2298\">\ud83d\udd0b 7. Battery Lifespan &amp; Replacement<\/h3>\n<ul data-start=\"2299\" data-end=\"2462\">\n<li data-section-id=\"yn6eim\" data-start=\"2299\" data-end=\"2384\">\n<ul data-start=\"614\" data-end=\"885\">\n<li data-section-id=\"1rqzox\" data-start=\"614\" data-end=\"671\">Modern EV batteries are designed to last 16\u201318+ years<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"1ur9yfx\" data-start=\"672\" data-end=\"743\">This is in line with, or longer than, a typical petrol car lifespan<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"j0jlsu\" data-start=\"744\" data-end=\"801\">Battery degradation is slower than many buyers expect<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"1fuw9hh\" data-start=\"802\" data-end=\"885\">Replacement costs are high, but unlikely to be an issue during normal ownership<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"887\" data-end=\"969\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">\ud83d\udc49 <strong data-start=\"890\" data-end=\"903\">Takeaway:<\/strong> Battery lifespan is no longer a major concern for most EV buyers.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2464\" data-end=\"2544\">\n<h3 data-section-id=\"9uhaz1\" data-start=\"2551\" data-end=\"2585\"><\/h3>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"9uhaz1\" data-start=\"2551\" data-end=\"2585\">\u26fd 8. Fuel vs Electricity Costs<\/h3>\n<ul data-start=\"2586\" data-end=\"2735\">\n<li data-section-id=\"12c5ptv\" data-start=\"2586\" data-end=\"2657\">EVs are <strong data-start=\"2596\" data-end=\"2626\">much cheaper to run per km<\/strong> when charging cheaply at home.<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"513yzy\" data-start=\"2658\" data-end=\"2735\">But if relying on public charging, costs can approach\u00a0 or exceed\u00a0 petrol.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2737\" data-end=\"2811\">\ud83d\udc49 Takeaway: Running costs depend heavily on <strong data-start=\"2782\" data-end=\"2810\">how and where you charge<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2737\" data-end=\"2811\">\n<h3 data-section-id=\"3knpno\" data-start=\"2818\" data-end=\"2842\">\ud83e\uddfe 9. Tax Advantages<\/h3>\n<ul data-start=\"2843\" data-end=\"2959\">\n<li data-section-id=\"18h0rr5\" data-start=\"2843\" data-end=\"2959\">EVs benefit from:\n<ul data-start=\"2865\" data-end=\"2959\">\n<li data-section-id=\"1aphh71\" data-start=\"2865\" data-end=\"2884\">Lower motor tax<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"1i2wfq1\" data-start=\"2887\" data-end=\"2927\">Tax incentives for company car users<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"1jcqei1\" data-start=\"2930\" data-end=\"2959\">Grants and relief schemes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2961\" data-end=\"3031\">\ud83d\udc49 Takeaway: Tax savings can meaningfully reduce total ownership cost.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2961\" data-end=\"3031\">\n<h3 data-section-id=\"1xxfgvo\" data-start=\"3038\" data-end=\"3086\">\ud83e\udde0 Final Thought: It\u2019s Not One-Size-Fits-All<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"3088\" data-end=\"3201\">The biggest insight?<br data-start=\"3108\" data-end=\"3111\" \/>\ud83d\udc49 Whether an EV saves you money depends less on the car and more on <strong data-start=\"3182\" data-end=\"3200\">your lifestyle<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3203\" data-end=\"3232\"><strong data-start=\"3203\" data-end=\"3232\">Best case for EV savings:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"3233\" data-end=\"3321\">\n<li data-section-id=\"1xrrnsn\" data-start=\"3233\" data-end=\"3260\">You have a home charger<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"1yu28h4\" data-start=\"3261\" data-end=\"3284\">You drive regularly<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"grinzv\" data-start=\"3285\" data-end=\"3321\">You can access cheap electricity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"3323\" data-end=\"3347\"><strong data-start=\"3323\" data-end=\"3347\">Less ideal scenario:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"3348\" data-end=\"3444\">\n<li data-section-id=\"1qh134m\" data-start=\"3348\" data-end=\"3379\">You rely on public charging<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"5fi9xn\" data-start=\"3380\" data-end=\"3408\">You have limited mileage<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"j6qal7\" data-start=\"3409\" data-end=\"3444\">You can\u2019t install home charging<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"d2aqpa\" data-start=\"3451\" data-end=\"3468\">\ud83d\ude97 Bottom Line<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"3469\" data-end=\"3665\">EVs can absolutely be cheaper to own\u00a0 but only under the right conditions.<br data-start=\"3544\" data-end=\"3547\" \/>Before buying, think beyond the headline savings and consider how you\u2019ll actually use (and charge) the car day-to-day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thinking of buying an EV? Before making the switch, here are the key factors you should consider over a typical three-year ownership period, writes Geraldine Herbert \ud83d\udcb8 1. Upfront Cost vs Grants EVs usually come with a higher purchase price than petrol cars \u2014 even after grants and tax relief.However, incentives (like reduced vehicle registration [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23809,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[356,2162,117],"tags":[6138,6142,6145,6140,6149,6147,6150,6143,6146,6139,6141,6144,6148,6151],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.13 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What to Consider Before Buying an Electric Car: The True Cost of EV Ownership - wheelsforwomen.ie<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/index.php\/what-to-consider-before-buying-an-electric-car-the-true-cost-of-ev-ownership\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What to Consider Before Buying an Electric Car: The True Cost of EV Ownership - wheelsforwomen.ie\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Thinking of buying an EV? Before making the switch, here are the key factors you should consider over a typical three-year ownership period, writes Geraldine Herbert \ud83d\udcb8 1. Upfront Cost vs Grants EVs usually come with a higher purchase price than petrol cars \u2014 even after grants and tax relief.However, incentives (like reduced vehicle registration [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/index.php\/what-to-consider-before-buying-an-electric-car-the-true-cost-of-ev-ownership\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"wheelsforwomen.ie\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/wheelsforwomen\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-26T20:30:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/wow_cover.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1350\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"450\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Geraldine Herbert\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Geraldine Herbert\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/index.php\/what-to-consider-before-buying-an-electric-car-the-true-cost-of-ev-ownership\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/index.php\/what-to-consider-before-buying-an-electric-car-the-true-cost-of-ev-ownership\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Geraldine Herbert\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/#\/schema\/person\/4e9263f6ed5330b3f3553487011f8b95\"},\"headline\":\"What to Consider Before Buying an Electric Car: The True Cost of EV Ownership\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-26T20:30:58+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-26T20:30:58+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/index.php\/what-to-consider-before-buying-an-electric-car-the-true-cost-of-ev-ownership\/\"},\"wordCount\":562,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"buying an electric car\",\"cost of electric vehicles\",\"electric car maintenance costs\",\"electric car running costs\",\"electric car savings\",\"electric vehicle tax incentives\",\"EV buyer guide\",\"EV charging costs\",\"EV depreciation\",\"EV ownership costs\",\"EV vs petrol cost comparison\",\"home charging vs public charging\",\"is an EV worth it\",\"pros and cons of electric cars\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Driving Tips\",\"I want to buy a new car\",\"Latest\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/index.php\/what-to-consider-before-buying-an-electric-car-the-true-cost-of-ev-ownership\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/index.php\/what-to-consider-before-buying-an-electric-car-the-true-cost-of-ev-ownership\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/index.php\/what-to-consider-before-buying-an-electric-car-the-true-cost-of-ev-ownership\/\",\"name\":\"What to Consider Before Buying an Electric Car: The True Cost of EV Ownership - 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