Avery Siwinski's family bought her an electric car for $11,000, but it didn’t turn out as they hoped.
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A family who decided to buy their 17-year-old daughter an electric vehicle for her first car quickly came to regret their choice.
In 2022, Avery Siwinski's family spent $11,000 to purchase an electric car, hoping it would be a reliable and eco-friendly option for her to drive herself to school.
The vehicle, a 2014 Ford Focus Electric, seemed like a great deal at first. Despite being several years old, it had only clocked 60,000 miles.
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Avery was thrilled with her new car and enjoyed driving it. However, trouble started brewing just six months after she got behind the wheel.
The primary issue? The car’s battery, which turned out to be more than just a minor inconvenience.
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"I was really excited. And it was fine at first, I loved it so much, it was small and quiet," Avery told 10 Tampa Bay, expressing her excitement about the car. She was initially happy with how it performed.
Unfortunately, her enthusiasm was short-lived when the car "all of a sudden just stopped working."
After taking the car to the shop, they discovered that the battery was dead. While replacing a battery is usually manageable, this situation was far from normal.
Ford had discontinued the production of both the car model and its batteries. Replacing Avery’s car battery would cost a staggering $14,000, and that didn’t even include the installation costs.
"I know that Ford stopped making the car but it's frustrating that they stopped making the battery too, so it left hundreds of people without a car to use," Avery said, reflecting on the challenges she faced with her beloved car.
Her grandfather Ray, stepping in to help after the loss of her father to cancer, explained the difficulty of the situation.
He shared with the outlet: "It turns out this is a pretty common problem with this particular car. The Ford dealership advised us that we could replace the battery, it would only cost $14,000."
At first, Avery loved the electric car
YouTube/10 Tampa Bay
While the discontinuation of the Ford Focus Electric likely played a part in the steep replacement cost, the price of electric vehicle batteries in general is notably higher than that of traditional car batteries.
Standard car batteries typically range between $185 and $400, but replacing an electric vehicle battery can cost upwards of $20,000, according to Digital Trends.
Avery’s grandfather also cautioned potential buyers, emphasizing that the problem of expensive battery replacements isn’t unique to Ford owners. It’s a common issue across various EV models.
The Ford Focus Electric was made from December 2011 to May 2018
Jean-Marc ZAORSKI/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
"If you're buying a new one, you have to realise there is no second hand market out there because manufacturers aren't supporting the cars," he said, offering advice to those considering purchasing an electric vehicle.
The family urged others to thoroughly research their options before buying an EV, ensuring they fully understand the potential costs and avoid facing similar problems.