Autopuzz bought 3,500 Autolib’ and reconditioned them to resell them to individuals at very attractive prices. There are still a few hundred copies left for sale. With bonuses, discounts and the ecological bonus, you can even get it for 1 euro. But is it really a good plan?
The definitive closure of Autolib’ caused an impression, because this electric carsharing service had 154,000 subscribers and allowed the use of one of the 4,000 named electric cars blue cars. On the other hand, it also generated important economic losses that neither the public powers nor the Bolloré group, which had the delegation, wanted to bear.
Autolib’ offered users a small car and exclusive parking to cover all trips between two terminals located in the municipalities served. While the service was profitable for the communities, it was very convenient for the users.
3,500 blue cars they were bought by Autopuzz from the Bolloré group, to clean them and change worn parts (brakes, suspension, etc.). The idea behind: resell them to individuals with discounts.
1 euro Autolib at best
Count 5,990 euros, and 7,490 euros with paint. These are the discounted prices without aid and other bonuses. The offer proposed by Autopuzz is very attractive on paper, with discounts, the conversion bonus (up to 5,000 euros), the ecological bonus (1,000 euros), aid from local authorities (metropolis, departments, regions), it is possible to obtain a Autolib’ for 500 euros and even 1 euro in certain cases. There are still 500 copies left, which you can find in agencies in Bordeaux, Lyon or Lorient and even in Paris.
However, it should be noted that these Autolib’ are not necessarily a good investment. They are designed for daily use and are not suitable for long trips due to their limited real range of 150-200 km.
The main problem is the battery (30 kWh) which uses lithium metal polymer (LMP) cells and loses autonomy quickly when not plugged in, fully discharging in just three days. To avoid this, it must be kept at a temperature of 60 degrees, which implies a permanent recharge when it is not in circulation, which consumes a lot of energy, especially in cold times. In addition, the battery can be damaged after four months without a charge, according to the manufacturer BatScap.
Limited charging power
The charging power limited to 4 kW also makes long journeys difficult. In fact, it takes around 10 hours to fully charge the little Bluecar (10A max in a household socket).
Finally, it’s important to note that finding parts for Bluecars can be difficult, as these cars are no longer mass-produced. If the car battery is damaged it can also be difficult to find alternatives as the batteries are specific to Bluecars.
However, Autopuzz is quite confident in its ability to provide post-sales support, thanks to its network of partners. Customers can also take advantage of a basic warranty included in the offer, as well as an extended warranty offered to cover electronic problems. However, it’s important to note that replacement parts and after-sales service can become long-term issues for Bluecar owners, especially if demand increases as the cars age.
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