From the Classifieds: Blade Electron EV

At $44,990 drive-away, MG ZS EV is currently the cheapest electric vehicle on sale in Australia. With a range of up to 263km, it's a perfectly comfortable, capable and suitable city-SUV for those wanting an EV as their primary vehicle.

But although it’s more affordable than most other EVs in Australia at the moment, it’s still pretty expensive for first-time vehicle buyers hunting for a small car in which to navigate short distances.

Things could change over the next few years with the influx of incoming Chinese brands, but right now the options are quite limited for Australia when it comes to budget-priced EVs.

However, there are still a few cheap electric vehicles to choose from if you’re willing to look into a used model or do a little DIY tinkering.

Take for example this Blade Electron EV from our classifieds, listed at a very reasonable asking price of $6500.

We know what you’re thinking – isn’t this a Hyundai Getz? Well, technically yes, and sorta no.

In 2008, a Castlemaine business in Victoria by the name of Blade was retrofitting electric motors, speed controllers and battery packs into Hyundai's lightweight Getz, which was previously Australia’s cheapest new car.

To convert the Getz to an Electron, the company removed the existing petrol engine and fitted an electric motor coupled to the standard Getz manual transmission, but with a modified gear selector restricted to just first, second and reverse.

Testament to the build quality of these cars was the South Korean car-maker’s willingness to honour the modified Getz's warranty.

While the car is no longer under warranty and Blade no longer produces these cars, this shows commitment to a quality and affordable Australian-engineered EV that was arguably well ahead of its time.

The seller says he can currently get around 60 to 80km of range out of a full battery charge, which isn’t earth shattering but good enough if you’re working from home and need a cheap (and cheap-to run) used car to drive to the station or shops in.

It’s also an option if you have an eco-minded boss who doesn’t mind if you recharge your car at work for the trip back home. And you’ll never have to visit a service station again.

The seller is offering a battery upgrade pack at an additional cost and is even willing to provide labour and knowhow if the prospective buyer is open to getting their hands dirty.

This car is listed in the ACT and that is great news for anyone prospective buyers who live there. Free registration is available to Canberrans who buy a new or second hand zero-emissions vehicle until 2024 and the ACT government is also offering interest-free loans for the purchase of new zero-emission vehicles.

There are currently around 30 electric cars available to purchase brand-new in Australia, and that number is expected to grow with the introduction of new models and manufacturers in the EV space soon.

That will create more competition, while the federal government incentives we see in some other countries – including cash rebates – may eventually also help drive down the costs of new EVs.

But if you’re in a hurry to make the switch and start saving money and the environment immediately, the bargain choice is clearly to be found in this Blade, with the next cheapest EV in our classifieds being a 2013 Nissan Leaf at $16,499.

Alternatively, if you’re open to hybrids, then you can hop into a very high-kilometre 2008 Toyota Prius for $4000.

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