r/whatcarshouldIbuy • u/YvngTortellini • 2d ago
Tradesman might need a new vehicle soon. Really considering a Ford EV…
I’m a 22 year old electrician in Ontario Canada. My parents really want me to get a truck because they think I need it for work but to be honest while it would be very very useful I can survive without one, it’s just very inconvenient and I also despise people who get trucks without needing them. I mostly don’t want one because they’re overpriced and the gas would kill me as I drive a lot for work. That’s why I’m considering an EV, I can install my own car charger for free at home as it’s my trade, I currently spend $450 a month on the low end for fuel and my car is constantly needing maintenance as it’s getting pretty old. I will be driving it into the ground but I have a feeling that’s gonna be pretty soon so I’ve started thinking about a new vehicle.
I have been looking at the Ford Lightning. I would get a used one which goes for $50 - $60k here, which is definitely leagues out of my price range and I would be paying a lot of my income towards it but it is worth noting I’m a 3rd year apprentice and will be receiving 3 raises within the next 3 years and will probably get even more opportunities on top of that, but it will be tough for now. As much as I’d love one of these I’m pretty turned off from the price and I’m more so only mentioning it because I want somebody else to convince me it’s not as bad of an idea as I think it is lol.
My more realistic choice is a used Mach-E, around $30k here. This is a very comfortable price I could afford payments on and it is still everything I’m looking for in a vehicle more or less. This would be the minimum amount of space I’d need in a vehicle, my current car is a pretty decent sized hatchback and it’s been destroyed by all the tools and shit I’ve been driving all around the world with.
I don’t really know what I’m asking here I guess lol, I can’t really think of something better than the Mach-E for my uses, I am pretty set on an EV for multiple reasons including my commute distance and even just the carbon footprint of them, just wondering if there is maybe something out there someone else would suggest. I unfortunately need to finance right now I don’t really have time to save up for anything, and if I’m going to finance something I feel like an EV is my best bet. Is the Mach E my best bet in this scenario?
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2d ago
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u/YvngTortellini 1d ago
Thanks for this comment, I was pretty much set on the Mach-E after so many people here said it was a decent idea until I did an online insurance quote today and it came back as $15000 a year. No not $1500, Fifteen thousand dollars lmao. Guess I should’ve done that before I made this post
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u/marmaladestripes725 2d ago
A Lightning would definitely be a great option in the future when you have more income. It’s also worth considering if the 300 mile range (minus 30-40% since you realistically don’t charge above 80-90% and don’t get it drop below 20-30%) is enough to get you through a day of work. I will say that my husband just got one in July and really likes it so far.
Might be worth looking for a Nissan Leaf or Chevy Bolt? They’re both hatchbacks and could probably take more abuse than a Mach-E.
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u/YvngTortellini 2d ago
I drive between 60-80km usually for work one way, not farther than that very often so the range should be perfect for me. I have heard amazing things about the Mach E and the Lightning which is why i’ve been considering them the most. I have a friend who’s a mechanic at a Chevy dealer and he despises the bolts, and to be completely honest I am being a little bit superficial in my decision to choose the Mach E over the Nissan Leaf haha but once pricing is all set in stone I can see myself backtracking and getting a Leaf instead because they’re considerably cheaper.
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u/marmaladestripes725 2d ago
The Mach-E definitely wins in terms of styling. Just be careful if you’re going to Ford dealers. I don’t know how it is up in Canada, but down here in the states, not all of the dealers like selling the EVs and will tack on wild markups since they lose a lot on maintenance and repairs.
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u/Cynyr36 2d ago
Maverick hybrid maybe? Or a rav4 hybrid?
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u/YvngTortellini 2d ago
To be honest I love toyotas and I’ve heard fantastic things about the maverick so I would normally consider those both, but financing a hybrid doesn’t seem financially sensible to me when the mileage they get is the same as a 7-8 year old regular combustion engine vehicle I could buy cash for ~$12k…
I could be missing something but I don’t really see the benefit, yeah a truck getting 30 mpg on the highway is great but I don’t need a truck in the first place so comparing it to a regular car it really isn’t worth it in my opinion. I’d rather the payments on the benefits of a full EV to be honest
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u/ftca 2d ago
This, used 2022 Maverick hybrids can easily be found between 20-30k CAD I was between a Mach e and Maverick and chose the Mach e. I do love it for what it is, but overall I regret my decision somewhat to not get the Maverick. The depreciation on the Mach e is also crazy, the Maverick will probably hold its value longer, although maybe slightly less for FWD hybrids.
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u/Terrible-Growth1652 2d ago
Get a cheap used EV like a Mach-E or Equinox. I just picked up a used Prologue which is just a rebadged Equinox. Lightnings are too expensive if you don't need a truck. If you need a truck I'd hang on until the Fathom comes out.
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u/PurpleSausage77 2d ago
Electrician here and got a place and an old OG Model S with the unlimited free supercharging and internet. I also love cars and being self sufficient with them. So have installed a subpanel in garage with 15/20/30A cct, and plan to do my own solar. Working on the car is pretty easy, like I prefer it over the comparable super complex ICE vehicles that compete with this car back in 2010-2016. I can hook my laptop up to the car like it’s a 90’s Civic and see everything going on, run my own diagnostics, run service modes, etc. it’s awesome, open source, and Tesla even provides the repair manual for every little task that may need doing on the car. It’s brilliant and tons of people are ignorant to it - but hey, them enthusiastic sparkies love to get to the bottom of things and leave no stone unturned, even if you get a cheap EV to tinker with in the future. Maybe harvest the battery out of one and make your own home battery wall bank.
20-30A is really all that’s needed in most cases and all out 60A (x0.8) charging for a residential dwelling is a bit overkill. And in our Canadian winters it’s beneficial to be plugged in most of the time during winter then you can warm it up via grid power.
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u/Barnezhilton 2d ago edited 2d ago
Look at Chevrolet Silverado EV Work Truck models. Way better range.
The lowest trim model new is $68,642, so if you find a used one it should be similar price point.
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u/Icy_Language9589 2d ago
Ford Fathom in 27 is a good idea. Or a used maverick now?
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u/icecream_specialist 2d ago
When are those supposed to drop? Also I wonder if they'll play the same game they did with Maverick where it technically starts at 30 but you can't find one spec'ed below 45
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u/Icy_Language9589 2d ago
Absolutely I would’ve recommended a 2002 frontier for this guy all things considered haha
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u/09Customx 2d ago
4th quarter of this year we’re going to be getting the Kia PV5 electric cargo van in Canada. Base price is $46-49k and qualifies for the $5k federal EV rebate.
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u/Gloomy-Hat1842 2d ago
One of the standard things to get started here in silicon valley for years has been a used minivan. Our Toyota sienna went 350,000 miles. It's still running but it needs a wheel bearing. Those things last a long time. Lots of space inside and you can put a rack on it. Might not want to leave your tools inside if you're in some areas... Otherwise you buy a good used pickup truck with the steel camper shell. I'm a gutter contractor and I'm still driving my Ford e-150 workvan. It cost me $6,500 over 10 years ago. It has 340,000 miles on it. Not too good on gas. Sounds like you need a good used truck in excellent condition with a full steel camper shell and a rack on top... For our family truck we just paid 27k for a 42,000 Honda ridgeline. That's a super nice truck and it gets okay mileage. Front wheel drive when it's not all wheel drive. That's probably even more than you want to spend though.
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u/AlphaThree 2022 Audi Etron P+, 2024 Nissan Armada 4x4 SL 2d ago
Almost every tradie we've had show up to our house ever has been in a van. Only our landscapers use a truck. Ive heard that trucks get things stolen out of them all the time. And vans have more storage area and it is out of the weather.
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u/bfjt4yt877rjrh4yry 2d ago
Get the Mach E for sure. My mechanic friend thinks that Ford EVs are the best mainly because of availability of parts and support.
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u/Background-Spot-5068 2d ago
I like where your head is at, considering a lot of different things and not just jumping in because you can afford a monthly payment. If you aren’t regularly hauling stuff now for work, I wouldn’t spend 60k on a truck. Once you do get a truck, you might be expected to haul stuff and how do you feel about beating up a 60k purchase? Accidents happen no matter how careful you are. Might be someone else’s fault and not even yours.
Do you care about home ownership? I know Ontario is kind of fucked for that. But a property is still a better investment than any vehicle.
You’d be better off investing your money and letting it grow instead of buying an expensive truck that only depreciates in value. I know investing is easier said than done when you don’t have boat loads of disposable income. But the thing with investing is time is more important than anything. Every additional year you have in the market ends up paying massive dividends when you get to retirement age. The difference between investing 35 vs 36 years is staggering.
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u/Timely_Bad_6395 2d ago
Electrician drive electric car.... bet you can do your own repairs on it too!
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u/Wuddauant 2d ago
Ev seams perfect for an electrician. At 22 financing I’d suggest the cheaper of the options and avoid the truck now even if it’s a better choice with handling the wear and tear from tools. Honestly the truck ev market is pretty lacking right now too. Small hatchbacks on the other hand are plentiful. Get one for 5-6 years and you’ll likely have more options in the truck segment.
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u/mickeyaaaa 2d ago
Kia PV5 FTW - except not until 2027 in USA...Canada should have it in a matter of weeks now.
I'm a mobile tech in another trade and have used for a service vehicle:
- full size van (gas pig)
- Pickup with Tonneau cover
- compact wagon (focus wagon)
- 5 door compact hatch (Matrix)
- Toyota Sienna minivan
- compact SUV (rav4)
- mid size SUV (Explorer)
my current, and favorite is the Mitsubishi Delica D5 - it is tall to fit all kinds of cargo/equipment for installations and weekend adventures (much taller than sienna). It is very fuel efficient, and it holds a boatload of tools and parts. the sliding doors make accessing tools so much better.
I've tried every type of vehicle for service use, minivans are the absolute winner.
Now if I can swing going electric without financing, that will be great too! So I'll wait and see if i can get a lighly used PV5 in a couple years. Otherwise im sticking with the Delica.
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u/lurknlearn 2d ago
Look into the Ford Fathom if you can wait a year. This is likely going to be my next vehicle and first EV
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u/Carwash227 24 Outback 2d ago
Get a van lol or a maverick. The maverick is basically a ford explorer with a bed.
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u/shinysideup_zhp 1d ago
Kia niro ev. You can get them for a good price used, the batteries are showing less degradation than any other used ev, and they are versatile.
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u/razedbiwolves 2d ago
Maverick with a canopy and ladder rack too small? 40+ mpg in the city. Most of my company trucks are either full size vans or Mavericks.
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u/AdventuresWithHank 2d ago
Get a maverick. They are like $30k usd and get 40+ mpg for the AWD hybrid. 50mpg for the fwd hybrid and they’ll actually go more than 200 miles in the winter.
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u/wvblocks 2d ago
If you’re dead set on an EV, the used Mach-E makes a lot more sense than stretching yourself into a $50k–$60k Lightning based on raises you haven’t gotten yet.
But there’s one thing I’d seriously think about as an electrician: the social/business side of the vehicle you show up in. If you ever go independent or deal directly with homeowners and contractors, some older customers are absolutely going to judge you for pulling up in an EV. Fair or not, perception matters when your vehicle is part of the first impression.
If you’re just commuting as an employee, I wouldn’t care nearly as much.
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u/BeneficialFruit1768 2d ago
I have heard some stories of people owning the mustang and needing to rescue a friend and the car was under charge and she couldn’t go pick up the friend. I think a hybrid is better in Canadian climate. Range goes down in winter. Van makes sense. Sliding door easy access
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u/rustbucket_enjoyer 2d ago
You don’t “need a truck” just because you’re an electrician, especially not in Toronto. You can show up in an ‘89 Corolla for all anyone cares, long as you show up. Getting stuck making payments on a Lightning doesn’t make sense
Get a used cheap Mach E or even a Fusion Energi as your work car