A new warranty designed especially for used electric and hybrid
cars has been launched by the RAC.
The RAC Electric Vehicle warranty will be supplied exclusively
through the 1,300-strong RAC Dealer Network and
can be applied to any used electric or hybrid car up to a maximum
of eight years old and with 80,000 miles on the clock at the time
of purchase.
Cover is available for a variety of periods up to 24 months and
claims can be made up to a limit of the vehicle purchase price.
It has been created in co-operation with the RAC’s warranty
partner, Assurant.
RAC director of electric vehicles Sarah Winward-Kotecha said:
“Electric cars – from plug-ins through to conventional hybrids –
are starting to appear on the used market in greater numbers,
something that will gather huge momentum in the coming years.
This new warranty, which provides the most comprehensive level of
warranty cover that the RAC has yet offered on any vehicle,
delivers peace of mind to electric car buyers, especially the
vast majority who will be moving away from petrol or diesel power
for the first time.
“Indeed, we’re confident it could play a key part in helping to
build widespread consumer confidence in electric cars and hybrids
as an attractive and reliable choice right across the used car
market.
“Given the profile of the likely buyer and the age of the
vehicles, we are expecting dealers to typically offer six or 12
months of cover using this warranty when a consumer buys a car
and then give them the option of an upgrade to the full 24-month
maximum.”
The warranty covers the key components in the electric drivetrain
and charge system with the exception of the batteries, which are
generally already covered by long manufacturer warranties. It
also provides cover for a wide range of components included in
the RAC’s existing Platinum Plus product for petrol and diesel
cars, currently its highest level of cover.
Sarah continued: “While the battery is clearly an area of concern
for car buyers, EV and hybrid manufacturers, almost uniformly,
include comprehensive battery warranties, typically eight years
and 100,000 miles, so our product is designed around this
existing cover.”
The launch of the new Electric Vehicle warranty complements the
market-leading breakdown services the RAC already offers drivers
of electric vehicles. This includes being the first UK breakdown
company to fit lightweight, mobile electric vehicle charger
systems to its patrol vans, capable of giving stranded
out-of-charge vehicles enough power to get to a nearby
chargepoint. In addition, the RAC’s All-Wheels-Up technology also
means it is possible for most hybrid and electric vehicles to be
recovered by a standard patrol van, removing the need to call out
an additional recovery vehicle. For more details, visitwww.rac.co.uk/innovation.
