Second-hand electric vehicles

Sir, – The figure of €19,000 quoted to John Russell to replace the batteries in a Nissan Leaf is an enormous figure (Letters, April 18th). If the cost was even half of that figure, it would still give pause to many motorists looking to buy a second-hand electric vehicle (EV).

The Government’s climate strategy includes trying to reduce the overall number of vehicles on our roads, but at the same time includes a target of having one million EVs (or 30 per cent of the total fleet) by 2030. These two ambitions seem to be at odds with each other, unless there is a well-functioning second-hand market for EVs as part of the strategy. Factoring in a five-figure sum for replacement batteries after the warranty expires (usually after seven or eight years), radically alters the economics of purchasing a used EV for many motorists. The focus of financial incentives in the EV market has so far been on encouraging the purchase of new vehicles. Now that the older of these EVs are starting to be traded in, it’s difficult to see would-be purchasers of these cars paying very much if they feel they will also have to pay thousands of euro in additional costs to replace the batteries some time later. If resale values of EVs were to be affected in this way, that would also alter the economics for many would-be purchasers of new EVs.

The cost of replacement batteries for EVs is only now starting to become a topic for public discussion. It is set to further complicate the dynamics of this market and make it more difficult for the Government to achieve its climate plan targets for transport. – Yours, etc,

BRIAN KELLEHER,