GO GREEN AND GO BROKE? Girl's Electric Car Needs New Battery but It's More Expensive Than Vehicle Itself - Then She Gets Even Worse News

Girl's Electric Car Needs New Battery but It's More Expensive Than Vehicle Itself - Then She Gets Even Worse News: As more Americans buy electric vehicles, the pitfalls of owning such a car become clear, and one teenager in Florida just discovered a major problem firsthand. Avery Siwinski, a 17-year-old student in St. Petersburg, was thrilled to join the ranks of electric car owners, thinking she not only was helping to save the environment but also was going to save a ton of money by avoiding high gasoline prices. But not long after taking possession of her car, she was met with a major crisis unique to EV owners. Siwinski told WTSP-TV in St. Petersburg she was excited when her parents bought her a used 2014 Ford Focus Electric from AutoNation Ford in Pinellas County. The car was like new with only 60,000 miles on it. “It was fine at first,” she said. “I loved it so much. It was small and quiet and cute.” But then, Siwinski said, “all of a sudden it just stopped working.” Her dashboard started lighting up like a Christmas tree telling her that a major problem was detected. After owning the vehicle for only six months, Siwinski was shocked that it needed service so soon. But her shock turned to outrage when she and her family took the car to AutoNation to see what was wrong. The Siwinskis were told the battery pack was at the end of its life and needed to be replaced — and the bill was going to be $14,000.