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High car insurance quote on an electric car

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  • 31-07-2020 12:29am
    #1
    Andy From Sligo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,714 ✭✭✭✭


    The wife has been ringing around for quotes on insurance for a Renault Zoe electric car and tells me its much higher to insure than her Mk4 Clio.

    both similar cars in body , both europe safety ratings roughly same BHP - in fact where you would think it would be cheaper to insure a electric vehicle to make more people switch its more expensive.

    Just been looking at the UK insurance group (I am sure Ireland has the same kind of thing) - the lower the number of the insurance group, the cheaper the car is to insure - so a Renault Clio 2016 is number 4 in the insurance group and the insurance group for the Renault Zoe 2013 BEV is 22A - I wonder why they are in fact more to insure?

    (sorry Mods if i should have put this in another group - if its deemed to be in wrong place please do move to a more suited one)
    Tagged:


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    #2
    macplaxton
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 2,957 Mod ✭✭✭✭macplaxton


    In the UK, the insurance group of a car is set by the Group Rating Panel

    https://www.theaa.com/car-insurance/advice/car-insurance-groups

    Over the years it's expanded to groups 1 to 50 and is very granular from the olden days of just 8 or 9 groups. It is a recommendation and not mandatory and don't be surprised when you can insure a higher group of car for less depending on what it is.

    Not only are there 50 groups, there are also letter suffixes now, explained here:

    https://www.thatcham.org/what-we-do/insurance-group-rating/the-group-rating-system/

    There are Mk4 Clios, depending on specification, that are also Gp 22.


    I know that in the past, Volvo, just by lowering their replacement parts prices, managed to get a lower insurance group allocated.

    I also know that from past experience that it has cost me considerably more to insure a 1996 Citroen Synergie (Gp 25), than a 1996 Jaguar XJ6 (Gp 34)

    tl;dr Insurers will pull figures out of hat, then dream up some equally random (and usually lame) excuse to substantiate it. Don't spend too much time thinking about it.


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    #3
    El Gato De Negocios
    Registered Users Posts: 6,630 ✭✭✭El Gato De Negocios


    Electric & hybrid cars are something on an unknown quantity when it comes to insurance. There is also a very significant black market for catalytic converters and batteries which Im sure is driving theft claims.


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    #4
    galwaytt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,761 ✭✭✭✭galwaytt


    EV will be more expensive than ICE to repair after any crash, with specialised technologies involved which aren't common: ergo, arent cheap.

    Heck Tesla won't even sell you spare parts.

    Ode To The Motorist

    “And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, generates funds to the exchequer. You don't want to acknowledge that as truth because, deep down in places you don't talk about at the Green Party, you want me on that road, you need me on that road. We use words like freedom, enjoyment, sport and community. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent instilling those values in our families and loved ones. You use them as a punch line. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the tax revenue and the very freedom to spend it that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said "thank you" and went on your way. Otherwise I suggest you pick up a bus pass and get the ********* ********* off the road” 



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    #5
    Andy From Sligo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,714 ✭✭✭✭Andy From Sligo


    yeah that must be it , the cost of replacement parts for EV ... mind you such a lot of parts off the wife's Clio mk 4 look like they would swap straight over onto the renault zoe .. even the tyres and the wheels - I think the zoe was built on the Clio 4 ... or was it the other way round I dunno?


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    #6
    jmreire
    Registered Users Posts: 8,263 ✭✭✭jmreire


    galwaytt wrote: »
    EV will be more expensive than ICE to repair after any crash, with specialised technologies involved which aren't common: ergo, arent cheap.

    Heck Tesla won't even sell you spare parts.

    That's not something that you hear about from the greenies pushing for change over to EV's... As far as I know, it was a specific question asked by the insurance company's when filing in the detail's when applying for insurance, if the car was a Japanese import?? And this was due in part anyway to the high costs of spare parts. So are we heading down the same route with EV'S? While the body's of the car are pretty standard in design and manufacture re safety features brakes, air bags etc,, the battery's are a different kettle of fish, and if they catch fire for any reason it can be a very horrific event, and requires special methods and equipment to bring it under control, or else basically box it in, and let it burn out. Will be interesting to see how the Irish Insurance company's deal with EV's .... given that their primary function seem to be to extract as much cash for their shareholder's as they possibly can.


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    #7
    Andy From Sligo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,714 ✭✭✭✭Andy From Sligo


    jmreire wrote: »
    That's not something that you hear about from the greenies pushing for change over to EV's... As far as I know, it was a specific question asked by the insurance company's when filing in the detail's when applying for insurance, if the car was a Japanese import?? And this was due in part anyway to the high costs of spare parts. So are we heading down the same route with EV'S? While the body's of the car are pretty standard in design and manufacture re safety features brakes, air bags etc,, the battery's are a different kettle of fish, and if they catch fire for any reason it can be a very horrific event, and requires special methods and equipment to bring it under control, or else basically box it in, and let it burn out. Will be interesting to see how the Irish Insurance company's deal with EV's .... given that their primary function seem to be to extract as much cash for their shareholder's as they possibly can.

    was reading a very fascinating thing the other day ,apparently the blue/cyan accent on the Zoe on the badges, in the headlights and rear lights clusters are not just there to make the car look cool (although it does in my opinion) but its also there to inform the emergency services that it is a Battery Electric Vehicle ... I dunno if thats true but thats what I heard .. and apparently if your not burnt alive you are supposed to get out or shout out to the fire people that it is a electric vehicle and to treat the fire like an electrical fire .. so not to put it out with water - the traction battery in a Zoe is 400volts DC ! - I suppose they have to put it out with foam , or fire extinguisher ... or just throw a blanket over the car like you do when you have a chip pan fire or electrical fire at home


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    #8
    jmreire
    Registered Users Posts: 8,263 ✭✭✭jmreire


    Andy From Sligo wrote: »
    was reading a very fascinating thing the other day ,apparently the blue/cyan accent on the Zoe on the badges, in the headlights and rear lights clusters are not just there to make the car look cool (although it does in my opinion) but its also there to inform the emergency services that it is a Battery Electric Vehicle ... I dunno if thats true but thats what I heard .. and apparently if your not burnt alive you are supposed to get out or shout out to the fire people that it is a electric vehicle and to treat the fire like an electrical fire .. so not to put it out with water - the traction battery in a Zoe is 400volts DC ! - I suppose they have to put it out with foam , or fire extinguisher ... or just throw a blanket over the car like you do when you have a chip pan fire or electrical fire at home

    Google putting out a fire in an EV,,,,,,,horror story stuff, even for professional fire fighters. Water is no good, and may even make matters worse. Get out and move away is the best advice if your EV catches fire, as far as possible. To be honest though, the chances of them going on fire through an electric fault, is pretty slim, but in a collision??


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    #9
    listermint
    Registered Users Posts: 33,613 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    Statutory Ape wrote: »
    Electric & hybrid cars are something on an unknown quantity when it comes to insurance. There is also a very significant black market for catalytic converters and batteries which Im sure is driving theft claims.

    Catalytic converters...


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    #10
    jmreire
    Registered Users Posts: 8,263 ✭✭✭jmreire


    Statutory Ape wrote: »
    Electric & hybrid cars are something on an unknown quantity when it comes to insurance. There is also a very significant black market for catalytic converters and batteries which Im sure is driving theft claims.

    You are right about the Catalytic Converts being stolen OK, but they are not found in EV's..only in normal engine driven cars..but there is a big theft problem with them all right. Battery's not so much, and definitely not EC battery's, you would need a lot of time to remove an EV battery. even under ideal working conditions, and in a fully equipped workshop. The Catalytic converts only take a few minutes with a cordless angle grinder .


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