While electric vehicles are commonplace nowadays, that doesn’t mean everyone’s in love with them. Cox Automotive reports that EV sales in the U.S. climbed 11.3% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2024 to reach a record-high 330,463. However, many more people buy internal combustion engine cars over EVs. Edmunds, in fact, reports that the percentage of EVs in the country was 6.8% in May. That’s not much compared to the EV surge in other parts of the world.
Consumers Are Still Wary About Relying on EVs
Fears about limited range, charging infrastructure issues, and costly EV battery replacements have some consumers waiting on the sidelines or avoiding EVs altogether.
If you’d love to get an EV but don’t want one as a daily driver, buy an EV as a second or third car. Forbes reports that almost four in 10 households across the country — 37% — had two vehicles in 2022. Maybe you’re in the market for something to add to your garage. If that’s the case, here are 15 reasons an EV might make sense for you.
You Won’t Have to Worry About Range Anxiety
If the main reason you don’t drive an EV is range concerns, you might have less to worry about if an EV is your second or third vehicle. You can use the EV when range won’t be an issue — and use your internal combustion engine vehicle when going on a longer trip.
You Can Get Your Feet Wet
Buying a used EV or leasing one as a second car can be a great way to get your feet wet. You can find out what all the fuss is about while knowing you have a reliable daily driver in the form of a gas-engine vehicle. Who knows? You might like the EV enough to make it your daily driver.
You Won’t Have to Install an Expensive Home Charging System
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, a Level 2 charger can charge an EV from empty to 80% in four to 10 hours, while it’ll take only one to two hours to do the same with a plug-in hybrid. But Level 2 chargers aren’t cheap. J.D. Power says the average cost is $500. However, the costs can climb if you hire an electrician to install the device and upgrade your home’s electrical system.
That said, if you use your EV as a second car, you might skip the costly Level 2 installation. A Level 1 charger, while slower, is more cost-effective.
You Might Not Have to Use Public Chargers
It’s a good idea to learn how to use public charging stations, just in case. However, using an EV as a second or third vehicle means you can limit how far you drive it. So, if you don’t want to use public chargers, you won’t have to. You can limit trip distances so you only have to charge at home.
You Can Have Your Cake and Eat It Too
Do you love your internal combustion engine car but also want to drive an EV? Getting an EV as a second vehicle will allow you to have it both ways.
You Can Offset the Expenses of Using Your Daily Driver
Why not get a used EV to drive around town and do errands so you don’t have to put unnecessary wear and tear on your daily driver? For example, the ownership costs can add up if you have a truck with a gas or diesel engine. You’ll feel it in the wallet region whenever you fill up at the gas station. An EV can help you cut down on those fuel costs.
You Can Have a Safe Car for the Kids
If one of your kids or grandkids drives, you might be less hesitant to lend them your vehicle if it’s an EV. EVs have safety features and technologies that can help keep drivers — as well as others on the road — safer behind the wheel.
You Can Take a Break from the Gas Station
When you’re not feeling like spending time at the gas station, you can hop into the EV. After an errand or two, you can charge the EV in your garage. Owning one sure has its benefits.
You Can Save Money on Fuel When Money’s Tight
Are there times when there’s too much month at the end of the money? Such times might make it hard to fork over funds to fill a gas tank. But if you have an EV as a backup vehicle, you can drive it instead of the internal combustion engine car and save on gas.
You Can Enjoy Lower Overall Car Ownership Expenses
Are you thinking about getting a second vehicle? If you add an EV to the mix, you won’t have to worry about some maintenance items applicable to cars with gas engines. So, you won’t have to change engine oil or filters since EVs don’t have them. It can make car ownership cheaper.
You Might Get More Storage Space
If you need a second vehicle with ample storage space, consider an EV. You can get one with a frunk — otherwise known as a front trunk. Because EVs don’t have huge engines under the hood, many EV makers offer more storage space under the hood.
You Can Monitor How People Are Using the EV
It’s relatively easy to see how people are using your EV. You can look at the battery health, range efficiency, and more. If there are family members who need to adjust their driving style, you can point out their deficiencies.
You Can Get Government Incentives
Considering the various government incentives available, you might get a deal on an EV that you can’t pass up. It can make buying an EV as a second car an attractive option.
You Can Get Great Lease Deals
It makes sense to lease an EV. The average five-year depreciation rate for EVs is 49.1% compared to the industry average of 38.8%. Some car dealers offer lease deals that can make leasing an EV an option too good to pass up. Rather than buying one brand new and dealing with the massive depreciation hit, why not lease one inexpensively for a few years?
You Can Enjoy the Quietness
Another reason to consider buying an EV as a second car is you can enjoy the quietness. Remember that there’s no engine under the hood to raise a ruckus. You can enjoy a quiet ride.
An EV as a Second Car Makes Sense
For these 15 reasons, buying an EV as a second or third vehicle can benefit you. This route might make sense if you’re in the market for something to back up your daily driver.
More From Driver’s Drift
15 Common Tire Brands That Don’t Deliver on Quality
16 Used SUVs to Avoid (Unless You’re After a Money Pit)
15 Compelling Reasons to Avoid Buying a Car With a Sunroof
15 Car Services You Don’t Really Need and Are Just Wasting Money On
