EV general discussion

paradigm · 2 Apr 2022 at 06:49

rodenal said:
In my specific case it's more that I could chose a car that I plug in every day for 8 hours, or chose something that I plug in once a week(ish) for 12 hours - if anything it's that I'd rather take the relative negative connotations of having no combustion engine than a car with a tiny ev only range.

8 hours? Even on 3-pin charging 0-100% charging of a Golf GTE takes ~4hours.

Also, just because you “could” drive a full BEV for a week or so without plugging it in doesn’t mean you should. I could easily do a week in the Model 3, but for battery longevity I’m better off charging it small amounts daily or at least every other day.

rodenal · 2 Apr 2022 at 08:53

I totally get it (also didn't realise it was closer to 4 hours in all honesty) hence not declaring my position to be right for everyone it was just a part of my decision making process after driving the car. As I'm looking at company car options it also heavily weighs towards BEV

Pros and cons to everything really just need to weigh it all up.

For me it came down to

Bizarrely high monthly cost of a mk8 GTE (practically uses my full allowance, aligned with full electric cars), whether through company car or as salary sacrifice. Passat even worse than the Golf

Potential time without having to charge but still maximising use of free charging (essentially free travel for the minute, recognising that absolutely will not last). I may well charge every other day, but I won't have to - flip side of this is that I won't be able to easily get in the car and just drive 4-500 miles in one go, but have another car for that anyway.

Difference between near zero and c£2k benefit in kind per year.

Slightly more usable boot space in most EV's I've looked at

Plus in all honesty I just want to try the full EV experience whilst it's still "cheap" through company route

JUMPURS · 2 Apr 2022 at 14:28

Also the software in Golfs is shockingly bad. I had a mk8 GTI and my only complaint was how bad the software was, it is a common complaint in the Facebook groups too.

floatindolphin · 2 Apr 2022 at 15:23

I’m trading my hybrid in next week, going back to full diesel.

I’m just not convinced by electric cars yet, well the infrastructure. The times I planned around knowing I’d be somewhere with a charger, I.e. free one at a supermarket. They were always out of order. If I was full electric car, I’d have been stuck! The app showed them as functional but they weren’t .

this all feels a bit like the government’s massive push for everyone to buy diesels, then they about turn and say they’re polluting baby killing machines!

Spleen Sauce · 2 Apr 2022 at 15:26

floatindolphin said:
I’m trading my hybrid in next week, going back to full diesel.

I’m just not convinced by electric cars yet, well the infrastructure. The times I planned around knowing I’d be somewhere with a charger, I.e. free one at a supermarket. They were always out of order. If I was full electric car, I’d have been stuck! The app showed them as functional but they weren’t .

this all feels a bit like the government’s massive push for everyone to buy diesels, then they about turn and say they’re polluting baby killing machines!

I think it very much depends on your usage. If you do a ton of miles regularly then maybe a diesel will make more sense to you, but if you don’t and you can charge at home then electric can make a lot of sense.

Journey · 2 Apr 2022 at 15:34

floatindolphin said:
The times I planned around knowing I’d be somewhere with a charger, I.e. free one at a supermarket. They were always out of order.

I've only ever found out of order units at supermarkets on one or two occasions, much more likely they'll be blocked by ICE cars than being faulty. Can you advise which providers you had problems with and what super markets? Very curious, as providers like Pod Point have been very consistent.

floatindolphin said:
If I was full electric car, I’d have been stuck! The app showed them as functional but they weren’t .

You wouldn't be stuck, unless that charger was the only one within the remaining mileage of the vehicle, and if you are driving a PHEV then the range is tiny vs an actual BEV.

hans gruber · 3 Apr 2022 at 20:10

In answer to the thread title since last Friday. Now have one BEV to add to the PHEV I've had since last October. Took the BEV out today for free charge at the local tesco. Filled up the PHEV 5 weeks ago and have used 1/8 of a tank since. The electric range has increased significantly since the weather warmed up.

Jonnycoupe · 3 Apr 2022 at 20:13

I’ve added to my BEV and hybrid garage with a 6 cylinder diesel monster that’s nearly 2m tall.

jpaul · 4 Apr 2022 at 09:26

in same vein as earlier discussion about software unlockable tesla options, thought this was interesting on enyaq60/£36K
The choice of ride modes is not a feature of the 60 which I have and has to be purchased as an option.
However, as I previously mentioned, there is a suspicion that all the Enyaqs come with that feature but it is only
activated if you opt for the relevant option (at a price).
Otherwise, my experience leads me to believe that the "Sport" or "Hard" option is the default. Unless you get the dealer to
make the necessary adjustment (as I did).

just watched the new nissan ariya £42K what car video , but like johnny's model Y review, both further crirticize suspension,
- hope symons doesn't mind his Y being washed with a brush foam attachment.

dave1983 · 4 Apr 2022 at 10:06

Are diesel cars really a viable option in the present climate, it's costing more to fuel if not the same as a petrol that does an average 40 - 45mpg.

Normally i can fill my car up and it costs around £60 now I can't even get 30 litres for £50, i can't see them bringing down fuel duty prices for diesel cars if they are dubbed to be really bad for the environment. Speaking to Dad about it last night he doesn't think that the plug-in hybrids are any good as you still pay car tax which range from around £150 and the only benefit of the electric is under 30 miles, therefore any trip for example to Cornwall makes the hybrid element pointless because you still have to buy fuel.

I think it's a good debate because it really depends on the personal circumstances, if it's just driving to and from work that's where the petrol plug in shines, especially if there is a charge port, however anything outside of this can be expensive to run. Particularly with the electric prices being higher.

Jonnycoupe · 4 Apr 2022 at 10:10

b0rn2sk8 · 4 Apr 2022 at 10:12

Most people do most of their mileage within the immediate area of their house which is basically what PHEVs are made for and do work really well for that purpose.

The main issue with them is that they are almost if not as expensive as fully electric so most people find that they can just go all electric and benefit from the overall lower running costs.

How often do you 250+ mile journeys in the real world? Monthly? Every 6 months? Once a year? The cost of them is probably negligible in the total cost of ownership calculation for the vast majority of people.

dave1983 · 4 Apr 2022 at 10:24

b0rn2sk8 said:
Most people do most of their mileage within the immediate area of their house which is basically what PHEVs are made for and do work really well for that purpose.

The main issue with them is that they are almost if not as expensive as fully electric so most people find that they can just go all electric and benefit from the overall lower running costs.

How often do you 250+ mile journeys in the real world? Monthly? Every 6 months? Once a year? The cost of them is probably negligible in the total cost of ownership calculation for the vast majority of people.

At the moment it's around 250miles a month as we are not back to the office fully, but before that it was around 800 miles a month.

[TW]Fox · 4 Apr 2022 at 10:33

dave1983 said:
Are diesel cars really a viable option in the present climate, it's costing more to fuel if not the same as a petrol that does an average 40 - 45mpg.

A petrol car that routinely delivers 40-45mpg probably has a diesel version that is significantly better than that.

Diesel fuel is about 5-10% more expensive than petrol but many diesel cars are as much as 40-50% more efficient than the petrol equivalent in the range.

b0rn2sk8 · 4 Apr 2022 at 10:56

dave1983 said:
At the moment it's around 250miles a month as we are not back to the office fully, but before that it was around 800 miles a month.

But what you do in a month isn’t really that relevant, it’s the individual journeys that matter and if they fall within the electric range of the PHEV or electric car. Then consider the costs of both fuel or electric or if stopping to rapid charge is problematic or burdensome in reality.

dave1983 · 4 Apr 2022 at 11:44

b0rn2sk8 said:
But what you do in a month isn’t really that relevant, it’s the individual journeys that matter and if they fall within the electric range of the PHEV or electric car. Then consider the costs of both fuel or electric or if stopping to rapid charge is problematic or burdensome in reality.

That's the issue we have no charge port at home and from what I've heard people don't end up charging the PHEV at all. I am waiting for Car prices to be abit more reasonable before i decide which route to take.

GTE advanced PHEV or Equivalent
Hyundai i30 N+ performance / Honda Civic Type R (This is dependant on how the cost of living is next year and chip shortage, they expect the motor market to remain like this until Q4 2022)
Honda Civic newer model Diesel (Also Dependant on Fuel prices) or the Toyota Corrolla 1.2VVTI

Honda don't really do anything under 25k for Hybrid and the Jazz looks like a frog, Toyota has the C-HR but the Horsepower is rubbish 0-60 in 11 seconds that's worse than the Civic i currently have LOL. Unless you go for the 2.0l version which has a price tag of 28k

Journey · 4 Apr 2022 at 11:48

dave1983 said:
That's the issue we have no charge port at home and from what I've heard people don't end up charging the PHEV at all. I am waiting for Car prices to be abit more reasonable before i decide which route to take.

Most people who haven't had a PHEV or BEV don't have a Type 2 device installed, is there something stopping you from getting one? Also people who don't charge PHEV's are either lazy/ignorant or maybe just can't due to parking arrangements, or they don't care.

dave1983 · 4 Apr 2022 at 11:54

Journey said:
Most people who haven't had a PHEV or BEV don't have a Type 2 device installed, is there something stopping you from getting one? Also people who don't charge PHEV's are either lazy/ignorant or maybe just can't due to parking arrangements, or they don't care.

We are renting at the moment and secondly our garage is over the road has no electric port, i don't feel to keen having a cable running from our house over a public path only for some one claiming they tripped over it or some youths having a laugh and cutting the power lead.

lordrobs · 4 Apr 2022 at 12:21

Journey said:
Most people who haven't had a PHEV or BEV don't have a Type 2 device installed, is there something stopping you from getting one? Also people who don't charge PHEV's are either lazy/ignorant or maybe just can't due to parking arrangements, or they don't care.

A large proportion of those who don't charge PHEVs are those who have them as company cars with fuel payed for by their employer. As they pay back their private miles at a fixed rate per mile it makes zero financial sense to ever plug them in as to do so would cost them 13ppm + whatever electricity they use as opposed to just 13ppm.

Unfortunately a system that benefits PHEVs with low BIK but then treats them as a standard petrol when it comes to fuel is going to have that exact outcome and you can't blame people for not going out of their way to be out of pocket.

mjt · 4 Apr 2022 at 12:42

lordrobs said:
A large proportion of those who don't charge PHEVs are those who have them as company cars with fuel payed for by their employer. As they pay back their private miles at a fixed rate per mile it makes zero financial sense to ever plug them in as to do so would cost them 13ppm + whatever electricity they use as opposed to just 13ppm.

Unfortunately a system that benefits PHEVs with low BIK but then treats them as a standard petrol when it comes to fuel is going to have that exact outcome and you can't blame people for not going out of their way to be out of pocket.

Completely stupid, as they're burning through more fuel and emitting more emissions by lugging around hundreds of kgs of batteries!