Frequently Asked Questions - Electric Vehicle

Karmo electric vehicle subscriptions allow our customers to drive new cars without committing to long term contracts or worrying about the everyday aspects of having a car. Karmo’s car subscription fee bundles depreciation, registration, roadside assist and insurance into one neat, weekly fee. There is plenty of flexibility when it comes to swapping cars and every car on our subscription rotation is brand new. Karmo makes sure you receive a brand new car every 4 or 6 months, so you’re never paying for a used rental!

Karmo stock the latest range of EV Make and Models which are available for Car Subscription. Depending on your location and budget, we will work with you to get you into your preferred electric vehicle from Tesla, Polestar, BYD or MG.

Karmo currently has electric vehicle subscriptions available for collection from our locations in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Alternatively, you can collect from one of our dealer partners or we can deliver the vehicle to you for a fee.

Absolutely, we will replace your EV with a brand new one once your subscription term is up. This allows you to upgrade or swap your EV as they are made available without taking on any risk.

Yes, a level 1 Type 2 portable EV charger with Australian plug comes with your vehicle and allows you to plug your car into a standard power point.

The Type 2 portable charger has a 5-metre cable length. It charges at 12km driving range per hour of charge at single phase charge of 2kw, 8Amp. It also has a helpful LED display to shows time, power and charging status.

A hybrid car has both an electric motor and a gasoline engine, which work together to power the car. The car's battery can recharge through regenerative braking or the gasoline engine, but it can't be charged by plugging into an outlet.

In contrast, an electric car runs solely on electricity, powered by an electric motor and a battery. The car is charged by plugging into an electrical outlet, and it produces zero emissions, making it environmentally friendly.

There are three types of charging stations available for electric cars: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. These stations can be used either at home or at a public charging station. The primary distinction between them is their charging speed, with Level 1 being the slowest and Level 3 being the fastest, in terms of providing a full charge.

Your electric car comes with a Level 1 charging cable, which enables you to connect your vehicle to a regular power outlet. This will provide you with a charging rate of approximately 10-20 kilometres of range per hour.

When using Level 2 chargers, you can expect to receive approximately 40 kilometres of range per hour charged, utilising your standard household electricity. While some vehicle manufacturers may provide the necessary cable with the car, others may offer it as an optional accessory, which may be included with home charging units.

A Level 3 charger, also known as DC or Fast Chargers, can charge a car up to 80% of its capacity in less than an hour. However, these chargers are costly to buy and set up. Therefore, it's recommended that you refer to PlugShare and view their helpful map to locate a public Level 3 charger near you instead.

Compared to filling up with petrol, running an EV is less expensive. However, for regular cars, the running expenses will depend on the vehicle size and driving habits. As a general estimate, the electricity costs for an EV are approximately one-third to one-quarter of the petrol costs for a comparable car. This cost difference may fluctuate with changes in petrol prices and assumes charging at home on a standard residential tariff.

The amount of energy required to charge an EV from 0% to 100% depends on the battery capacity of the vehicle. For instance, a Tesla Model 3 has a 50 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery, while most EV models need between 35-60kWh for a complete charge. Based on an electricity rate of $0.25/kWh, a full charge would cost around $12.50. To determine the cost of fully charging your EV, you can multiply your electricity rate by the size of your vehicle's battery.

Here’s the formula: EV battery size (kWh) x Electricity rate ($ per kWh) = Total charging cost ($)

The process of charging your EV at public chargers may vary depending on the type of charging station and payment methods. There are a number of different charging networks offering public charging, with larger networks being Chargefox and Evie.

• 1.   To charge your EV, you need to connect the charging cable to the charging station (if it's not already connected) and then connect the cable to your EV, typically accompanied by a locking sound.
  
  
• 2.   If the charging station is free or doesn't require additional payment, your EV will begin charging automatically, and you can check the charging status using indicator lights on the dashboard. However, if the charging station requires payment, various methods are available, such as mobile apps, credit cards, or dedicated RFID cards.
  
  
• 3.   The app will indicate the charging status or notify you when your EV is fully charged. After charging, you must unplug the connector cable from your EV.
  
  

As a Karmo EV Subscriber, if you're driving your electric vehicle and run out of charge when you're away from home, you can take advantage of 24/7 Roadside Assistance across Australia. This subscription includes unlimited callouts for various issues such as flat batteries (charges), key lock-outs, flat tyre changes, breakdowns, towing, and other related problems.

New electric vehicles produced after 2022 typically offer a driving range of 450+ kilometres per full charge. However, it's essential to consult the manufacturer guidelines as the specific driving range varies depending on the brand and model. If you frequently drive long distances, it's crucial to assess the number of kilometres you travel against the driving range of the vehicle to ensure that it meets your needs.

Yes, electric vehicles are generally safe. In fact, electric vehicles have fewer parts that can break down and cause safety issues than traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. Additionally, electric vehicles are subject to the same safety standards and regulations as other vehicles on the road.

Electric vehicles have proven to be highly reliable. Since electric vehicles have fewer moving parts and don't rely on an internal combustion engine, there are fewer things that can go wrong. Many electric vehicles also come with long warranties and require less maintenance than traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.

Electric vehicles are designed to be safe to drive in wet conditions. The high-voltage components of electric vehicles are typically sealed to prevent water from entering, and the batteries are designed to withstand exposure to moisture. However, as with any vehicle, it is important to exercise caution when driving in wet conditions to reduce the risk of accidents.

While all vehicles have the potential to catch fire, electric vehicles are generally considered to be less likely to catch fire than gas-powered vehicles. This is because electric vehicles have fewer flammable fluids and are less likely to experience a fuel leak or ignition source. Additionally, many electric vehicles are designed with safety features that can help prevent fires or mitigate their effects.

Although each vehicle make and model is different, electric vehicles generally come with a range of safety features, such as airbags, anti lock brakes, stability control, and traction control along with the latest technology like automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning systems, that can help prevent accidents from occurring in the first place. Additionally, electric vehicles have special safety features designed specifically for electric cars, such as safety cutoff switches that shut off the battery in the event of a crash. Please carefully understand your car's safety features prior to driving.

In the event of an accident involving an electric vehicle, call emergency responders on 000 as required. Emergency responders are trained to safely deal with the vehicle's high-voltage components. Electric vehicles also have safety features that automatically shut off the battery in the event of a crash, which helps to minimise the risk of fire.