EV general discussion

Anyone on here have a lease through work via Octopus? I think we are getting some chargers installed at work and invitation to the lease scheme. Includes insurance and servicing, doesn't look too terrible, though I haven't done any proper comparisons
 
d_brennen said:
Anyone on here have a lease through work via Octopus? I think we are getting some chargers installed at work and invitation to the lease scheme. Includes insurance and servicing, doesn't look too terrible, though I haven't done any proper comparisons
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I haven’t got one via Octopus, but ours at work is with them, I have a few quotes and seems reasonable taking everything consideration.
 
Trying a BYD Seal Excellence tomorrow, because well, why not? Looks great on paper, strong reviews too.

I expect the i5 and iD7 will remain frontrunners... but it's certainly something different.
 
Robbo said:
why not?
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Politically, I can’t invest in the Chinese economy.

I recognise most vehicles are already manufactured there, but I personally don’t want to further encourage and support monopolistic behaviour which many Chinese companies exhibit.


This excludes the numerous privacy issues with china-based brands.



Probably comes across as racist, but it’s just a disagreement with their systematic behaviour.


Edit: I also get the appeal of cheaper and (typically) better. But just hate the thought of supporting a future where our companies are dying and being bought by other countries with suspect human rights practices.
 
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MrRockliffe said:
Politically, I can’t invest in the Chinese economy.

I recognise most vehicles are already manufactured there, but I personally don’t want to further encourage and support monopolistic behaviour which many Chinese companies exhibit.

This excludes the numerous privacy issues with china-based brands.

Probably comes across as racist, but it’s just a disagreement with their systematic behaviour.
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I do understand that view, it's a tricky one really these days! I can't see myself buying one, just interested to see what it's like.

Would you have the same view of Polestar (owned by Geely), out of interest?
 
Robbo said:
I do understand that view, it's a tricky one really these days! I can't see myself buying one, just interested to see what it's like.

Would you have the same view of Polestar (owned by Geely), out of interest?
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I think Volvo and Polestar is an excellent example of a company I would have previously loved to support, but can no longer due to the ownership structure.


Tin foil hat moment but my personal view on it is that their strategy is to destabilise our local economies and drive our brands/companies into the ground, and/or opportunistically buy the dying brands.


I remember reading an article of how many companies in Covid were bought out by China-backed equity



Also worked in the data privacy industry a few years ago. Some of the things firms tried to get away with was alarming. One of the reason I left - what I don’t know can’t hurt me :P
 
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MrRockliffe said:
I think Volvo and Polestar is an excellent example of a company I would have previously loved to support, but can no longer due to the ownership structure.


Tin foil hat moment but my personal view on it is that their strategy is to destabilise our local economies and drive our brands/companies into the ground, and/or opportunistically buy the dying brands.


I remember reading an article of how many companies in Covid were bought out by China-backed equity
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It's a six degrees of separation thing though. You drive a VW. The same VW who are in bed with SAIC to form SAIC Volkswagen in China. That would be the same SAIC that is basically Chinese state owned.

Where do you draw the line?
 
lordrobs said:
It's a six degrees of separation thing though. You drive a VW. The same VW who are in bed with SAIC to form SAIC Volkswagen in China. That would be the same SAIC that is basically Chinese state owned.

Where do you draw the line?
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Well you do have to somewhere, and it’s a good point you made

For me personally, that line is companies who are directly backed/owned by Chinese equity.
 
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I do think it's an interesting situation, particularly with how the world seems to be going lately.

Tesla and Musk have really shot themselves in the foot massively, almost everyone I've spoken to dislikes the idea of a Tesla now, but they don't bat an eyelid at a Chinese state-backed company!
 
Robbo said:
I do think it's an interesting situation, particularly with how the world seems to be going lately.

Tesla and Musk have really shot themselves in the foot massively, almost everyone I've spoken to dislikes the idea of a Tesla now, but they don't bat an eyelid at a Chinese state-backed company!
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Yeah the Tesla situation is weird. What China do well is keeping quiet. No drama so it flies under the radar.


As mentioned, just my opinion and I try not to judge others, as it’s tough to ignore the value proposition.


Also, the western companies are equally to blame for putting eggs in one basket, and continuing to make sub par products
 
I'd rather not have a CCCP approved vehicle, and probably won't any time soon, if ever. Just goes to show how Europe has been sleeping while the world moves on.
 
All Tesla have to do is vote Musk out and they’d be fine - it’s a very successful company (weird stock price excepted) and the charging infrastructure was a game changer, but Elon is seen by the public as the literal face of it and his antics over the last few years, culminating in buying the government and closing down any departments investigating him, put it all in jeopardy.

Just get back the original two owners of the company who did all the hard work, build the roadster that was the original plan, stop doing all the snake oil stuff and it would be back in the mix again.

Interestingly, the share price has been slowly recovering since Trump started selling Teslers on the White House front lawn for him…
 
MrRockliffe said:
Well you do have to somewhere, and it’s a good point you made

For me personally, that line is companies who are directly backed/owned by Chinese equity.
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That’s a fair view, i respect someone who has strong moral point and tries hard to stick to them. But good luck with sticking to your guns.

A few questions, what mobile phone do you own? As most of them are manufactured in China or majority of parts are.

Where do you stand when it comes to working for a Chinese owned company?For me, the only company locally within expectable commuting distance in the industry that took me a long time to get into is owned by a Chinese firm.


Robbo said:
Trying a BYD Seal Excellence tomorrow, because well, why not? Looks great on paper, strong reviews too.

I expect the i5 and iD7 will remain frontrunners... but it's certainly something different.
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Would be very interested in hearing your thoughts on the seal, they look great in my opinion and are reviewing really well.

I am lucky that with my job I have had the chance to drive a number of Chinese cars ICE and EV. They are definitely no joke and very well made. The EV’s they have to offer the world some are brilliant and excellent value for money only if we could buy them as cheaply as they are domestically. I honestly think that BYD will be the next Toyota in the next 10 years. Suppling the world with affordable, reliable vehicles.
 
It’s capitalism that has essentially led to china’s (and now India) successful economies. Which is kind of ironic!
 
Robbo said:
Trying a BYD Seal Excellence tomorrow, because well, why not? Looks great on paper, strong reviews too.

I expect the i5 and iD7 will remain frontrunners... but it's certainly something different.
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It's alright, I think the price in the UK is too close to alternatives though unless that has shifted recently. The are certainly nice inside though, but I've not spent that long using the in car functions, so not sure how they behave.
 
inflames said:
That’s a fair view, i respect someone who has strong moral point and tries hard to stick to them. But good luck with sticking to your guns.

A few questions, what mobile phone do you own? As most of them are manufactured in China or majority of parts are.

Where do you stand when it comes to working for a Chinese owned company?For me, the only company locally within expectable commuting distance in the industry that took me a long time to get into is owned by a Chinese firm.
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It’s borderline impossible to avoid stuff made in China, hence why I stop at Chinese equity-backed companies.


I also refuse to work for a Chinese company :) But thankfully my sector is quite varied and it’s quite easy to work for one that isn’t.
 
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