Ray Bestwick bought an electric car last May in the hope of hassle-free motoring.
But with eight trips to the garage in little more than a year, the 62-year-old engineer cannot wait to put an end to his “soul-destroying” experience.
The Renault Megane E-Tech driver isn’t the only electric vehicle owner to face a multitude of problems, with a host of Telegraph readers detailing their reasons for pulling the plug on green energy.
Fears over range and a lack of charging infrastructure are the main factors behind owners turning their back on EVs.
Mr Bestwick, from Derbyshire, said: “My Renault is meant to have a range of 280 miles but it’s only ever reached over 200 twice out of about 30 times. I’m lucky to get 160 out of it, so it’s blatantly obvious there is a problem.
“I’ve taken it to three different Renault garages and they’ve all said there’s nothing wrong and it’s because of my driving style.
“I don’t agree with that at all – I’m 62 years old and drive in eco mode 90pc of the time. I’m after economy, not speed.
“It’s soul-destroying constantly getting told it’s my fault when it clearly isn’t.”
A recent investigation by What Car magazine found that electric cars have up to a third less range in reality than advertised. The data highlighted the disparity between the results of official government tests and those that can be achieved during real-world usage.
“I’m at the end of the line as it’s ridiculous,” Mr Bestwick said. “I’ve considered not paying the monthly lease but I don’t want any trouble so I’m waiting until next May when I can ditch it.
“I’m so glad I didn’t purchase the car outright. It would have cost £38,000 then, but the values depreciate so quickly I think it would only be worth about £22,000 now.”
Research from Auto Trader earlier this year found that a motorist buying a £50,000 electric car could expect to lose £24,000 in value over three years, while a similarly priced petrol car would lose only £17,000.
“I’m all for technology but I’m going back to petrol, or I’ll get a hybrid. I’m not going to entertain full electric again as this has been the worst car I’ve ever had,” Mr Bestwick said.
Renault told The Telegraph it is “sorry” to hear of Mr Bestwick’s concerns, but reiterated that a lack of range is likely down to driving style.
A spokesman said: “Investigations by our dealers suggest the range indicated is commensurate with Mr Bestwick’s driving style and car set-up.
“As with all cars, no matter if they are combustion engine or electric, driving style, environmental conditions and car set-up are significant contributors to achieve range in real-world driving.
Last week, The Telegraph reported that only 30pc of EV owners who part-exchange their car buy another electric motor – with the rest opting for either petrol, diesel or hybrid models.
Telegraph readers flooded the comments section in reaction to the data, with many highlighting their troubles with battery power.
However, some are steadfast in their view that electric is the way to go and have spoken highly of their driving experience.
Reader Jane Gregory is a Tesla 3 owner who intends to trade it in at the end of the year for either a petrol or hybrid model because of range anxiety: “We cannot go on any long journey without having to add time and inconvenience. It really is such a faff to charge your car anywhere else but home.
“Sometimes the charging points don’t work or there is a queue, etc. Britain does not have the infrastructure, but even if we did, can you imagine the queues everywhere to charge? Sorry Tesla, I do love you but it’ll be a goodbye.”
One of the most promoted benefits of using EVs is their positive impact on the environment, due to less consumption of fossil fuels and a reduction of local pollution.
But reader Rupert E Beehsley questions their overall green credentials: “Nobody with a brain buys an EV while the technology is rapidly developing and leading to massive depreciation on older models. Range decreases with age and batteries are exorbitant to replace.
“Soon, the only affordable EVs will be Chinese, made with coal-powered electricity generation and shipped halfway round the world. Very green eh?”
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