New vs. Used: How to Decide
New vs. used car: how to decide between them by weighing depreciation, warranty, running costs, and risk against your budget and how you'll use the car.
Sven Olsen
EVs & Buying Writer
Sven Olsen
Sven has driven everything from clapped-out hatchbacks to the latest EVs, and he cuts through the hype in both directions. He writes about electric cars, new tech, and smart buying with real numbers and real trade-offs, not marketing. He's less interested in what's exciting than in what will actually serve you well for years.
Articles
10 articles by Sven
Sven Olsen
How to Charge an EV at Home
A practical guide to home EV charging: the difference between a plug and a wallbox, what installation involves, how overnight charging works, and the real costs.
Sven Olsen
The Real Cost of Owning an Electric Car
Beyond the sticker price: how purchase cost, charging, maintenance, insurance, and depreciation add up over years of owning an electric car, with the honest trade-offs.
Sven Olsen
How to Read a Used-Car Listing
How to read a used-car listing like a skeptic: spotting red flags, decoding vague wording, reading the mileage story, and knowing what the photos hide.
Sven Olsen
Is an Electric Car Right for You?
An honest checklist for deciding whether an electric car fits your life, covering your commute, charging access, budget, and the real downsides worth weighing.
Sven Olsen
Hybrid vs. Electric: What's the Difference?
Plain explanations of hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and full electric cars, how each one works, and which type actually suits different drivers and situations.
Sven Olsen
Understanding Electric Car Range
Why the range on the sticker rarely matches real life, and how cold weather, speed, and driving habits change how far an electric car actually goes on a charge.
Sven Olsen
How to Test-Drive a Car
How to test-drive a car properly: what to feel through the wheel, what to listen for, how to check the brakes, and why a cold start tells you so much.
Sven Olsen
How to Charge an Electric Car
The practical basics of charging an EV: the three charging levels, common connectors, how long a top-up takes, and the unwritten etiquette of public chargers.
Sven Olsen
How Do Electric Cars Work?
A plain-English look at what makes an electric car go, from the battery and motor to why there are no gears and how regenerative braking recovers energy.
Sven Olsen