GetOffYourGas
Well-known member
gshepherd said:Insurability is another concern. The auto insurance industry hasn't yet figured out that battery capacity is a major portion of an EV's value. Instead, they seem to be treating it like an engine. If you replace the battery, in the adjuster's eyes, all you've done is repaired the vehicle back to its normal function, much like replacing an engine.
I think EV's are a lot more like small airplanes. In something like the ever-popular Cessna 172 (station wagon of the sky), valuation of a 40 year old airplane is largely one of how many hours are left on the engine before manufacturer-recommended overhaul. As you get closer and closer to that time, your value plummets. Spend some kilobucks for an overhaul, and your value pops up considerably. Insurance takes this into consideration. The first question anyone shopping for a small plane asks a seller is how many hours on the engine. The insurance company wants to know this as well and sends me a yearly questionnaire.
The first question we advise prospective used LEAF buyers to ask or find out is how many capacity bars left on the battery, and if LEAFspy, how many Ah.
Interesting analogy. Although the first thing that comes to mind is: EV battery quits during operation = dead vehicle, airplane engine quits during operation = dead pilot.