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I can’t quite believe it’s been over a year since I penned an article about buying my first EV.<\/p>\n
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Despite my Mitsubishi i-MiEV being the cheapest in the country at the time, dropping $17,000 on an 11-year-old car was a little impulsive. However, with just 25,000km on the clock, it was about the newest car I’d ever owned. And so cute I’ve even named her: Irene.<\/p>\n
At the time, my original article<\/a> broke a couple of SolarQuotes website records, or so I’m told, with more than 40,000 people following along for the ride. I guess that proves two things, Australians are cheap; and just as interested in electric cars as I am. Since then, sales records for new EVs have continued to tumble.<\/p>\n So anyway I have a confession to make. I’ve bought yet another i-MiEV and my wife is already suspicious about the cover-story that my 203cm-tall dentist owns it.<\/p>\n For those asking why anyone would need two<\/em> EVs that will reliably make 75km on a single charge… Well, for only $4,000, how could I not?<\/p>\n There’s more details below, but first, I’ve been meaning to write a follow-up on Irene, so here’s a few notes on my 6000+ kilometres travelled by kei car.<\/p>\n The thing is, these little cars do exactly what most people need. Irene is a shopping trolley that sails through roundabouts, slips through gaps into turning lanes, and parks anywhere easily<\/strong>. According to the kids, the school run is a riot.<\/p>\n The Fiat 500 is pretty obese compared to it’s 1960s roots, but it’s still easy to park<\/p><\/div>\n At my local primary school, all the odious oil burners crawl up the access lane, stop for the zebra crossing, turn 180\u00b0 (many can’t even manage that without backing & filling) then form a stuttering queue back to the road.<\/p>\n I stop near the entry\/exit, because Irene is so small I can make a U-turn from the parallel parking bay and head straight back out.<\/p>\n Teachers and parents are so concerned about air quality at the school gate that they’re mandating people not sit in their cars with the engine idling. Want to keep your aircon running? With an EV it’s no issue.<\/p>\n The average new car in Europe has grown half a centimetre wider every year since 2001.<\/p>\n — Quite Interesting (@qikipedia) February 9, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nWhat’s Great About Owning An EV?<\/h2>\n
EVs Get You From A To B<\/h3>\n
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