Your questions answered: Are EVs really better for the environment?

Are electric vehicles as green as we’ve been led to believe? For years there’s been public brawling between the opposing sides of the question.

Some of the discussion points have been settled (and occasionally debunked), but there are lingering concerns about the CO2 emissions from manufacturing and the full EV cradle-to-grave lifecycle, indicating that the argument is not yet entirely concluded.

Question: I read a note comparing the environmental impact of petrol-driven cars versus all-electric cars. It stated that, taking the environmental impact of raw materials, producing all materials, building the cars, and the disposal-recycling, a Tesla car versus an equivalent-sized petrol car would have to be driven for 80,000km before it would have less impact on the environment. Even if the electricity for the electric car is from renewable sources (wind or solar), it would have to be driven 49,000km before it is more environmentally friendly. Could you make some comment please? – Peter S

Answer: There are varying opinions on this – and research that suggests different answers. And the fact is the calculations are changing fast as battery tech improves and production of electric cars evolves rapidly. Ultimately, the switch is more about combating global warming and is being driven by the various green policies of individual countries. Australia lags way behind in the adoption of electric vehicles with no sign of a significant change likely in the short or medium-term future.

Question: A new service station has opened in my town and it has premium diesel pumps. Is there any advantage to premium over standard turbo-diesel? I have two diesel vehicles that are spectrums apart, a Mercedes GLC Coupe 350D with AdBlue and a LandCruiser dual-cab 79 Series and I have tried premium in both but cannot pick the difference in either vehicle. – Pat O

Answer: Diesel fuel in Australia is already way, way above the standard of our heavy-sulphur 91-unleaded petrol that is third-world standard. Premium diesel will only give you a major benefit if the PET number, the equivalent to the RON rating for petrol, is significantly higher than regular – and then only if the diesel engine itself is a high-performance diesel. Some oil companies claim there are other engine-friendly additives in the premium diesel fuel but it’s unclear what real-world benefits these deliver.

Question: My brother-in-law has a BMW 320i. He only runs it to the shops and back and once a month to Frankston from Mt Martha in Victoria which is about a 20-minute run. His mechanic has told him he must run it on 95 fuel, not 91. He is on a pension, so is he wasting his money? – Paul V

Answer: Late-model turbo-four and six-cylinder petrol engines usually require premium unleaded. Without knowing the year model of the BMW, we can’t be sure. Check the owner’s manual – if it says 91 then it will be fine. If not, use the correct grade of fuel.

Question: We had a Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG and we loved it. We downsized to a C 43 AMG which, again, we love. The only thing that bugs me is the run-flat tyres, especially in the morning (but even during the day if you are parking) where it wants to go straight and is crabbing. The dealer said they would do a wheel alignment at a cost of $400 which they said would improve it. It hasn’t. I know that the C 43 is an all-wheel drive but if this is this normal, is there a fix – or do we just live with it? Other cars that are all-wheel drive don’t have this problem but don’t have run-flat tyres. – Lori M

Answer: It’s not that the tyres are run-flats, but that they have a soft rubber compound for cornering grip and the front suspension geometry is optimised for high-speed running in Europe. This complaint has come up many times but Mercedes-Benz Australia says it is a characteristic of the cars, including its SUVs, and is not a concern. Switching tyre brands can help, but not eliminate the problem.

Question: I have a 2016 Skoda Fabia which had a three-year factory warranty and I’m 99 per cent certain it has a leaking water pump. I tried to go through Skoda Australia, but it directed me to a dealer for a $220 diagnosis – after which I can try and claim it under warranty. If not, I am out of pocket. The $220 is a huge amount of money for me at this time and it essentially does nothing to fix the issue. What do you think are my chances for having this failure fixed under warranty? – Richard C

Answer: A fee for diagnosis is common to almost all brands and even third-party repairers. As for a warranty claim, as the car is out of warranty it’s 99 per cent certain there will be no help from Skoda unless you have a full factory service history and the company is prepared to make a ‘loyalty contribution’ for the cost of replacement parts.

Question: What is your opinion of the Ford Puma? – Peter F

Answer: I have spent a lot of time recently with the Ford Puma and like it a lot. It manages to be both a compact SUV and a sporty-ish small hatch.

Question: I’m looking at buying a medium-sized SUV. I have crook knees so it must be easy to get in and out. What would you recommend between the Haval H6, Nissan QASHQAI or Kia Seltos? – Rodney M

Answer: The Kia Seltos is easily best drive of those three but the Nissan QASHQAI also scored well recently in our carsales Best Small SUV mega-test.

Question: We are looking at an Audi Q3. Is there any other SUV we should be looking at? – Lyn D

Answer: The Audi Q3 shares its basics with the Volkswagen Tiguan, so that is the obvious starting point if you’re not badge-centric and want to save some money. In the prestige ranks there are dozens of rivals, but the most obvious – and my choice – is the Volvo XC40, a former carsales Car of the Year winner.

Question: I leased my wife a 2016 XF Jaguar with certain extras, brand new and in November the final payment is $34,000. The car has done 16,500km. Do I pay it out or convince her to buy another car with the $34,000 it’s going to cost us to own the Jag? I would have bought a Mercedes, but she didn’t like the fact there are so many on the road. She thinks the Jaguar is a better looking car. – Theo L

Answer: You won’t get anything special with prestige badge for $34,000 and a quick glance at 2016 XFs in carsales classifieds has them priced from $40K upwards. So, if she still likes the Jaguar and it’s been reliable, then why bother changing?

Question: What is your opinion of the current SsangYong Musso? I’m currently in the process of retiring to Gippsland and part of that is to buy a new 4x4 ute. With the current price of the usual brands I’m drawn to the cheaper alternatives. I’ve read a few reviews of the Musso and have been impressed. The sharp pricing, seven-year warranty and a current offer of free servicing for the first three years are pretty attractive. One of the main concerns I have is the current state of SsangYong Korea’s company position, having gone into receivership, and from all accounts currently, unlikely to find a backer with a rescue package. – John H

Answer: SsangYong is facing a number of challenges and although the Musso is robust and affordable, there are better ‘cheap’ utes. One to look at is the GWM Ute which actually held its own in the most part when we tested it against the Ford Ranger.

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