How long until we see €2 a litre and will it push more to EV's faster?

The other point that keeps getting overlooked is that there is no way that that EV running costs will stay low indefinitely

As soon as they hit sufficient numbers that the motor tax and tax takes from diesel/petrol are significantly impacted, there'll be new charges imposed to compensate - maybe an electricity levy, or an increased recharging cost at public points etc and a new motor tax rate is inevitable as well.

Give it a few years and it'll be no cheaper than running a modern diesel.

This scenario covers the majority of the population with cars though! That’s the issue.

If I was about to buy a new car I would go for an EV for sure, but the point is I’m happy to not pay €800 pm to the bank for a loan I don’t need.

Im also happy from an Enviromental point of view to not be buying new cars all the time and maintaining my existing car. 😜

The point you seem to be missing is that cars--even diesel ones!--don't last forever and, at a certain point are inevitably replaced. At that point, you're not facing a choice between monthly payments and free. You're facing a choice between an unreliable car that can inflict major expenses without warning (not just financial but hassle) even if you don't owe anything on it or a more reliable car (used or new) that you may have to make payments on.

In my case, the choice to go for a new EV was dictated by some of the peculiarities of the market at the time I was buying. For one thing, the inflation in the used-car market meant that my trade-in (2010 diesel) was worth more to a dealer than it otherwise would have been. It also meant that the used cars I might've bought were also inflated and relatively poorer value-for-money than I would've expected. New EVs are subsidised and there wasn't the same inflation in the new-car market (this was last July). Then there's the fact that VW were offering 0% financing whereas financing on any other used or new car would've been 4% minimum. Finally, I believe the well-documented problems EV manufacturers in particular are having in filling demand will roll into the used market in 3 year's time: there will be a shortage of supply relative to demand for used EVs. Even now, lots of people with new ID.3s that are a year or two old are selling them for the price they paid because those in the market for a new one can't get delivery before 2023. I think that means that my new EV will retain it's value better than cars usually do. Certainly better than any new or used diesel over the next three years. Have you looked at diesel new car sales as a percentage of total new sales in the last few years? They've fallen off a cliff, from 50% to something like 20% now. EV sales doubled and would be likely doubling again this year but for the supply problems.

Add to this the shock of seeing diesel fuel prices going above those for petrol, which people are unlikely to soon forget, and I think the writing is clearly on the wall for diesel. Those who are fearful of range anxiety will buy hybrids or plug-in hybrids now and, increasingly, BEVs. And as we are now at a tipping point of sorts, I thought and still think it was the best possible moment to switch to a BEV that I could afford.

Good stuff

I drive a 2011 diesel and I get it serviced very regularly due to the amount of mileage I do.

I have no debt on the car.

My car is reliable and there are endless accounts of diesel cars going on and on and on if we’ll looked after.

It makes NO financial sense for me to put myself into debt for a shiny new EV.

They’re using the excuse that the excise is already paid on their existing stock but that seems to be irrelevant when they push up the price of their existing stick 3 times a day.

All you’re telling me is that you’re not at the point where your car needs to be replaced. I accept that, for as long as the car is reliable, there’s no point in changing it. That’s not really where the question arises, though. The question arises when the car is increasingly unreliable with, perhaps, major expenses (clutch, timing belt, DPF) looming. At that point, a choice must be made. While I can see intelligent and informed people making different kinds of choices, I don’t think it goes without saying that a new EV is a waste of money or ill-advised in the current situation.

I CANT get a EV because I don't want to go into debt,it doesn't suit my driving needs and I can't install a home charging point,these are facts.

I don't WANT an EV because they are not a nice driving experience and horrible to look at.These are subjective opinions.

My Mrs is interested in an EV and I'd be happy to have one in our household,it would suit her driving needs.Unfortunately we are totally blocked from this option as we can't install a charger,like hundreds of thousands if not millions in ireland.

Lastly,if I'm going to go into debt for a car it needs to make my life less complicated rather than more complicated.

You don't know they push up price on existing stock 3 times a day.

Unless you've seen all the delivery dockets and corresponding invoices.

Diesel is down to ~€1.80 now, no delay dropping prices, the duty was only 15c of it so the drop on crude oil markets is also being passed on.

Granted some stations are not at ~€1.80 yet but they will get there as long as crude stays stable.

There is no story here, people need to stop believing Michael Martin spouting, without evidence, about price gouging etc.

Well you are carrying around 50 to 60 Kilos of weight for one reason. That takes fuel to carry. We will not run out of fuel and if we do your full tank won't last long anyway. People need to relax a little here. As others have said the cost of depreciation of your car and tires etc is more than your fuel each year. We even have people considering trading in a relatively new car for an all electric now, even if that would cost many many thousands. yes for the long trip commuters this is hard on the budget, but each can take measures. I cancelled two ridiculous subscriptions yesterday for instance, walk a little more rather than car to news agents. Make sure you have a monthly budget on excel or paper even. Every direct debit and it's monthly cost, the resnt, the mortgage, everything, come back to it and do it several times. You'll be in more control of your emotions when you see it written down. Then take a knife and cut out some things or switch around. It's taking action that helps.

Carbon Tax is also applied to Electricity is it not? In a round about way the PSO or even the suppliers in the power stations. No need to change your car whatsoever for a max 73KWhr battery car at those prices for the minimal savings in fuel costs. Having been to the moon and back in diesels over last 20 years the max I every paid for fuel in a year was €3k. Lets say you do 30,000 km a year at 6l /100 km, you'd spend €3,600 in fuel at €2.00 a litre. I can't see how anyone would be considering a hybrid or electric change from current car to be honest.

Absolutely, they have already said the current slight cut in excise duty until 31st of August will cost €320 million so you can only imagine how much they are taking in every year from IC cars with fuel, VRT and Motor tax that they will need to get from electric car owners in the future, I doubt the government are going to be so very innovative about it so I wouldn't be surprised if motor tax for new EV's increases €200 a year into the future plus massive hikes in VRT.

As has already been said a few times already, to change car SOLELY based on the fuel savings doesn't make sense. Particularly if the one you have is still running well, mostly depreciated and fully paid off. And by the by, keeping that car is also more environmentally friendly than buying any new car (inc. EVs).

BUT if you are replacing anyway (particularly with a new car), an EV is a very solid financial choice. E.g. the top selling car in Ireland so far this year, the Tucson has a very comparable EV equivalent (Ioniq 5) - similar size, similar price and same brand. I would argue for a lot of people who bought their new Tucson (esp. the non-PHEV versions), they missed out on a financially better choice by not buying the Ioniq 5.

I agree with you in the broad sense that I think now is a golden time for EV ownership in terms of cost. In nearly 4 years of EV ownership, my maintenance costs have been 2 new tyres and some washer fluid. €500 covers tax and insurance for me and MrsD with change back, and an overnight charge costs around €3 and brings us anywhere between 200-240km.

Ultimately in Ireland we have a huge car over-dependency problem whereby our overuse of cars necessitates constant massive spending on infrastracture, which strangles planner and politicians from developing other more sustainable options, which means people stay dependent on their cars, and so it goes around in a vicious circle. EVs won't do anything solve that problem, and so if everyone who drives now switches to an EV then as it happens, the costs through tax will need to roughly at the same rate find parity with what they are now.

Are you saying stations get oil delivered 3 times a day? Hardly. The price at the pump doesn’t reflect the price of a barrel at $110/barrel.