Your Questions Answered: Can a budget EV handle a 400km trip?

I have found an immaculate Ford Falcon Super Cab Ute for sale at a car yard that has relatively low kilometres. The usual wear points – the interior and the tray – look almost new, and clearly, if it was ever used as a work ute, it didn’t do very much. However, it has been in some sort of crash, I think. The gap above the grille is too big and the paint on the bolts securing the front guards is chipped off. It looks like they might have been taken off and possibly replaced. The paint on the bonnet is also not great; it’s a bit flat, not as shiny as it should be. Is there any way of confirming it has been in a crash? Is it worth buying an overall immaculate car like this that has been accident-repaired? It is not on any written-off (WOVR) register; I already checked that. – Marcus

Answer: Hey Marcus, well spotted on the witness marks on painted bolts and the unusual gap above the grille. While there could be other explanations for this (I’m struggling to think what), these are strong indications of an accident-damage repair, and not a very good one. Given that you have already checked if it’s on the WOVR (via a government PPSR check, I presume), there is not much else you can do in terms of online checks. Sometimes owners prefer not to claim through insurance after a crash (front-end repairs also suggest it may have been an at-fault accident), so the extent of damage can be hidden and the quality of repairs less stringent.

Some vehicle history check services do search databases for insurance claims, but it isn’t centralised, so even if it went through insurance, it’s a gamble whether such a report will show anything of significance. Even then, the quality of the repair or a detailed inventory of parts required for the repair will not be revealed in a report, only a brief description of the damage incurred.

The only way of knowing if it was a structurally sound repair is to pay a smash repairer to check it out. You could make the seller a lower offer on the ute, given what appears to be a poor repair. Bear in mind the problem becomes yours when you decide to sell. The ute could also have all sorts of other problems because of the damage that might not be immediately obvious.

Personally, I’d walk away. You might have to wait a while to find another one in similar condition (without poor body repairs), but it would be worth it. Even a higher-mileage example that has been well used but not abused (or crashed) would be a better bet.

I’m looking at trading in my old Corolla on a new Chery Tiggo 4. I will need to get a loan for the difference between the trade-in and the new car. I am getting confused about loan interest rates and comparison rates. Can you explain to me what this is and how I can get the best interest rate? – Phoebe

Answer: Hi Phoebe, a comparison rate is the one to take notice of most in a finance offer, because it takes into account the total cost of the loan, including any establishment fees, ongoing account-keeping fees and government fees associated with the loan. The headline interest rate alone doesn’t account for these fees, so it doesn’t necessarily give you the true cost of the loan.

While we can’t give you any direct financial advice, our general advice is to be careful when taking out a loan. Shop around. Don’t rush into a loan, read the loan contract carefully before signing it and make sure you understand all your obligations in paying the money back. For example, if you want to pay out the loan early, is there any break fee for doing so?

Be cautious of dealer finance; while some of these deals are fair and are certainly convenient, for some, you’re paying for the convenience.

I’ve seen that the Atto 1 is $19,990 drive-away. It is really appealing on price for a city car, but I noticed this Atto 1 only has something like 220km of range. You have to pay a lot more for the one that has a bigger battery and more range. For my driving in the city, 220km is enough (I only do about 40km a day), but what happens if I want to go see relatives who live 400km away? Is this doable? – Sheryl

Answer: As you’ve discovered, Sheryl, the Atto 1 Essential is a bit of a bargain, with the present offer of $19,990 drive-away. As you point out too, its range is on the low end of the scale.

What is easy to forget, especially if you’re used to owning petrol cars, is that EV range tends to be reduced when driving at higher constant speeds such as on the highway. Wind resistance and fewer opportunities for regenerative braking than in city driving can result in roughly 20 to 40 per cent less range.

That means you’ll get about 130km to 170km of highway range, give or take, from the base-model Atto 1. You would have to factor in at least two recharging stops on a 400km trip. So it is doable, but not if you’re in a hurry.

Depending on how often you venture out of the city, I’d suggest upgrading to an EV with a bigger traction battery and better range, but that is going to cost you a minimum of $8000–$10,000 more. Even then, you’ll still need a recharge stop on the 400km journey.

The only other similar option (if you must buy new but are willing to buy a petrol vehicle) is the Kia Picanto, which is $19,190 for the manual, or $20,790 for the auto (plus on-road costs). The Kia will easily cover 400km on less than a tank of fuel.

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