As a first-time car buyer, I am deeply contemplating my car purchase. I had planned to buy a car after Tet (Lunar New Year), but then a global conflict erupted, causing a significant surge in gasoline prices. This situation, combined with the practicalities of car ownership, has led me to reconsider my initial decision.
Initially, I researched extensively between electric vehicles (EVs) and gasoline cars. After considering many factors, I found that gasoline cars were more suitable for my family. We live in an apartment not close to a charging station, and I dislike the feeling of being dependent on charging stations and the long charging times. The thought of running out of power unexpectedly while driving, or traveling to areas where charging stations are not as common as gas stations, particularly worries me.
My friend, who owns an EV, always has to research charging station availability near accommodation when planning weekend trips to other provinces. On one occasion when we traveled together, I had to borrow a motorbike from our homestay to pick up my friend from a charging station over one kilometer away. Such experiences reinforce my concerns about EV convenience.
The surge in gasoline prices shows no signs of cooling down. Images of people passively queuing for fuel, often for as long as it takes to charge an EV, have dampened my enthusiasm for a new car. Honestly, with current fuel prices, affording an additional car is not easy for my family. Like many others, buying a new car typically comes with plans for travel, but the present cost of gasoline makes comfortable trips difficult.
With a budget of 500 million VND, questions like which car to buy, how to maintain it, and how to use it have become unclear. Will fuel prices stabilize after I buy a car? Should I buy an EV to avoid worrying about gasoline costs, even though EVs are inconvenient to use and still require paying for charging? Nobody gets free charging forever. Furthermore, replacing an EV battery at the end of its lifespan can cost hundreds of millions of VND, offering minimal savings compared to a gasoline car.
Ultimately, the question remains: should I buy a car at all, or wait longer to observe market trends, fuel prices, and the development of EV infrastructure? I realize that deciding on a first car involves more than just choosing one within budget; it also requires considering long-term running costs. A car entails not only the initial purchase price but also fuel, maintenance, parking, and insurance expenses, all of which add up to a significant amount for a family budget.
>> Electric vehicle models in Vietnam
Reader Hai Duong
