Thinking of getting a new car? There are some compelling arguments to owning an electric vehicle (EV), including a simpler drivetrain, better performance than an equivalent internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle, and potentially lower maintenance costs without having to pay for petrol, engine and transmission oil changes while being more environmentally responsible on a rapidly-warming planet.
For most city dwellers, the perpetual EV range conundrum might need a shift in mindset as an EV is more like an electronic device such as a smartphone, with batteries and software download upgrades, than a conventional ICE, which has to be refuelled at a petrol station.
For city dwellers, charging an EV can be like charging a smartphone — done in the comfort of home, with the occasional recharge at a charging station being as much of an opportunity as it is a chore, because EV owners can be attending to business or doing their shopping while their cars recharge, unlike ICE vehicles which need to have dedicated stops at petrol stations.
It is only if one is going on a long trip with an EV outside the city that planning is required, as range and the availability of recharging stations become constraints, akin to taking a long drive in an ICE vehicle to rural areas where petrol stations are scarce. The number of EV charging stations across the country is rapidly increasing, however, to cater to this fast-growing segment of the car market.
Other uncertainties about EVs remain. There are unknowns about the resale value of an EV versus an ICE vehicle, as well as the threat of technology obsolescence in a rapidly evolving technology, with advances especially in battery technology.
Mercedes-Benz assuages much of this uncertainty with the Drive Electric Plan by Agility+ from Mercedes-Benz Financial Malaysia. The way it works is simple: decide upfront on the tenure of car usage and mileage based on your driving habits, and the upfront payment. This determines the monthly repayment amount, which is considerably lower with Agility+ than a traditional hire purchase loan.
Mercedes-Benz provides a guaranteed future value (GFV) of the vehicle, meaning you would know upfront the value that the vehicle will fetch at the end of the tenure. In other words, the vagaries of depreciation are taken care of with GFV as you know the future value of the car.
At the end of the tenure, you would only need to decide if you should keep the car, extend the repayment period or just return the vehicle. As needs and life situations change, the flexibility of choice provides assurance against future uncertainty.
The Settle option is just that. Pay the balance outstanding and take full ownership of the car. Should the market value of the car exceed the GFV at the time of settlement, the customer is free to sell the vehicle for the higher price, pay the GFV, and keep the surplus between the sale price and GFV.
The Extend option extends the repayment period for the outstanding value while the Return option means just returning the car — in effect, transforming the car ownership experience to a lease or rental option.
The options, with the GFV, cover most imaginable future situations, thus removing much of the uncertainty of vehicle ownership, and blurring the lines between traditional ownership and leasing a vehicle for a specified period.
Mercedes-Benz currently has eight EV models: Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 AMG Line, Mercedes-Benz EQB 350 4MATIC, Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4MATIC, Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+, Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 4MATIC+, Mercedes-Benz EQS 500 4MATIC, Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ and the recently introduced Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4MATIC SUV, spanning the range from small family car and luxury sedan to large luxury SUV.
To further simplify the ownership experience of an EV, Mercedes-Benz currently offers a choice of 4x service packages, these being the Compact and Comprehensive Service packages.
The Compact Service package for the EQA, EQB and EQC models ranges from RM4,900 for a service interval of the earlier of 12 months or 12,000km, and includes the replacement of windshield washer, combination filter, brake fluid and dust filter replacement for the EQC.
The Comprehensive Service package, costing RM9,900, further extends the service and maintenance items to include selected wear and tear items that include wiper blades and brake pads.
For the EQE, EQS and EQS SUVs, the Compact Service package is priced from RM5,800 for a service interval of the earlier of 12 months or 15,000km, and includes windshield washer, combination filter, brake fluid and dust filter.
The Comprehensive Service package for the EQE, EQS and EQS SUV, priced from RM13,000 extends the service and maintenance items from the Compact Service package to include selected wear and tear items such as wiper blades and brake pads.
Each of the Compact or Comprehensive Service package is for 4 times service. For example, the EQA Compact Service package of RM4,900, is for 4x services. The service packages can also be purchased with Agility+ or to be purchased independently during the first year after the purchase of the vehicle.
Traditional finance packages such as leasing and fixed payment instalments are also available, but Agility+ provides the greatest flexibility and removes much of the uncertainty of future depreciation and technology obsolescence.
If you are considering an EV but are daunted by the uncertainties of what is still a fairly recent technology, Mercedes-Benz has you covered by providing certainty, flexibility and simplicity in the ownership and service experience.
For a limited time, new owners of a Mercedes-Benz EV will receive attractive offers. To know more, visit: http://mercedes-benz.com.my/DriveEQ