Man reveals why he’s buying a diesel Range Rover after 2 years with an EV then 2 and a half years driving a PHEV as his family car

A UK-based automotive content creator has decided to return to a diesel Range Rover Sport after a total of over four years of driving both an EV and a PHEV.

He says that his decision is down to a plug-in hybrid’s high cost and depreciation.

However, this isn’t the only issue that he ‘just couldn’t identify’ with an EV or PHEV.

So what would need to change for the motoring expert to switch back to electric?

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Cost of diesel Range Rover versus EV and PHEV

Harry Metcalfe of Harry’s Garage is a verified car expert but has explained why he’s decided to go back to an internal combustion engine (ICE) diesel Range Rover.

He had spent two years with an EV and 2.5 years driving a PHEV as his family car.

The high cost and depreciation of plug-in hybrid vehicles is one of the reasons.

The diesel option was nearly half the monthly cost of a hybrid, making it far more wallet-friendly – but, it’s still not cheap to run an electric car.

“At 60p ($0.75) per kWh, it’s not cheap. It’s just as expensive as petrol,” Metcalfe said.

This is in part due to the declining electric market and private buyer hesitation with EV sales in the UK dropping to 14.7 percent in January 2024, with private buyers making up only 35 percent of that figure.

Automakers shifted their focus to electric vehicles due to government policies and Euro 7 regulations, sidelining consumers who ‘aren’t coming along for the ride’.

Tax incentives encouraged businesses to buy high-end electric vehicles, creating a surplus of luxury electric cars that private buyers can’t afford and contributing to depreciation.

Other off-putting factors

Turns out that private buyers are put off by high costs, poor real-world range, and charging infrastructure challenges.

Cost challenges are at both ends with dealers and the used car market struggling with electric valuation due to battery health decline over time.

Manufacturers don’t provide clear battery condition reports and it varies wildly due to usage and climate.

What’s more, unlike the US the UK charging network remains unreliable and expensive – especially for public fast charging.

The UK climate doesn’t help either with electric range significantly impacted by cold weather by ‘up to 40 percent’, making them less practical for long-distance travel in winter.

In addition to the above, Metcalfe would like to see a broader approach to reducing CO2 emissions beyond just electric cars, including sustainable fuels and hydrogen.

“We’ve put all our eggs in the EV basket, but what about sustainable fuels? What about hydrogen? We need a plan B,” he said.

If these changes aren’t made?

“We’re going to see a lot of electric cars gathering dust in dealer lots,” he said ominously.