Buying your first electric car involves a few extra decisions a petrol or diesel purchase doesn't — and skipping any one of them is how people end up overpaying or under-provisioning for charging. Here's the order we'd work through it in.
Work out your real daily range need, not your worst-case one
Most drivers overestimate how much range they actually use day to day. Check your last month of driving — most commutes and errands fall well inside 100 km round trip. Size your range decision around your typical week, and treat occasional long trips as a charging-stop question rather than a reason to buy a bigger, more expensive battery than you need.
Price home charging before you price the car
A 7.4 kW home wall charger installation typically costs several hundred to over a thousand euros depending on your existing electrical setup and whether you need panel upgrades. Get a quote before you commit to a purchase — it changes your true cost of ownership and, in some cases, your choice of car if your home electrics need significant work.
Compare like-for-like using total cost of ownership, not sticker price
EVs typically cost more upfront and less to run. Build a simple comparison over your expected ownership period: purchase price, expected energy or fuel cost based on your actual annual mileage, servicing, and expected resale value. The crossover point where the EV becomes cheaper overall varies a lot by mileage and local energy prices, so don't rely on generic claims — run your own numbers.
Check real-world range figures, not just the official rating
Official range figures are measured under standardised conditions that don't reflect motorway speeds, cold weather, or full-load driving. Look for independent road tests — like the ones on this site — that report real-world figures rather than relying solely on the manufacturer's claimed number.
Test the charging network on your actual regular routes
Before you buy, check charging coverage specifically along the routes you drive regularly — not just national averages. A charging app's coverage map for your commute and typical weekend trips tells you more than any national infrastructure statistic.
Negotiate on the whole package, not just the car price
Dealers often have more flexibility on home charger installation bundles, servicing packages, and trade-in valuations than on the headline vehicle price. Ask about all three before settling on a final number — the total package price is what actually matters to your budget.
Common first-time buyer mistakes
- Buying more battery range than needed "just in case," paying a premium for capacity that's rarely used.
- Not budgeting for home charger installation until after signing the purchase agreement.
- Comparing sticker prices instead of total cost of ownership over the likely holding period.
- Assuming public charging availability based on national statistics rather than their own regular routes.
Ready to compare specific models? Start with our full reviews library, or read the Voltra GT review as a benchmark for what a well-rounded EV sedan looks like today.