When are you going fully electric?

[bigmike20vt]

One for you folks, looking for a town car. Really wanting to limit my budget to sub 20k. Thinking around 3-4 years old. Top of the list for me is i3s or i-pace. Anything else I should look at for that money?

i have both of those. the ipace is nice (I love em to be honest) but it's not a town car, it's pretty big, can be stressful in busy streets and parking a challenge.
also whilst the ipace has dropped a lot in price I doubt you will get a good 3 year old one sub 20k. the MY21 model (late 2020) had a facelift with improved AC charging, improved infotainment and removed the problematic 2nd 12v battery. I would defo go for that but you are looking at 25k+ for one of those .

the i3 I really like it's unique visually and fun to drive in a go kart kind of way. there are cheaper EVs for the money however . generally people say you should keep away from the early ones with the round front lights.

for a genuine town car you could probably get a good example E208, Corsa for under £15k or a decent Zoe or 40kwh leaf for £10k

 

[Dis86]

i have both of those. the ipace is nice but it's not a town car, it's pretty big, can be stressful in busy streets and parking a challenge.
the i3 I really like it's unique visually and fun to drive in a go kart kind of way. there are cheaper EVs for the money however . generally people say you should keep away from the early ones with the round front lights

Firstly, congrats on not dying! I really like the look of the i3. Can comfortably get a 2020 model with sub 40k miles in budget but I keep thinking it's a 12 year old design now.

 

[bigmike20vt]

Firstly, congrats on not dying! I really like the look of the i3. Can comfortably get a 2020 model with sub 40k miles in budget but I keep thinking it's a 12 year old design now.

thanks I was happy not to die : D
I genuinely think both the ipace and the i3 could be future classics. you could argue I am biased. but that is a chicken and egg really

do I think they are great because I bought them or did I buy them because I think they are great .

the thing about the i3 is they are unique. nothing else looks anything like them. the suicide rear doors are not to everyone's taste and maybe would annoy me if we needed the back every day .... once you are in tho it's surprisingly roomy thanks to it being a proper EV architecture.

the boot is small tho.

 

[Simon]

thanks I was happy not to die : D
I genuinely think both the ipace and the i3 could be future classics. you could argue I am biased. but that is a chicken and egg really

do I think they are great because I bought them or did I buy them because I think they are great .

the thing about the i3 is they are unique. nothing else looks anything like them. the suicide rear doors are not to everyone's taste and maybe would annoy me if we needed the back every day .... once you are in tho it's surprisingly roomy thanks to it being a proper EV architecture.

the boot is small tho.

All EVs are roomy inside. And some even have a boot…

 

[msmalls74]

One for you folks, looking for a town car. Really wanting to limit my budget to sub 20k. Thinking around 3-4 years old. Top of the list for me is i3s or i-pace. Anything else I should look at for that money?

Any other things you ate looking for in the car? A kona or ioniq (not 5/6) is under that 20k budget for a 1 to 2 year old one with a few thousand miles and still several years left on the manufacturer warranty.

 

[Dis86]

Any other things you ate looking for in the car? A kona or ioniq (not 5/6) is under that 20k budget for a 1 to 2 year old one with a few thousand miles and still several years left on the manufacturer warranty.

Nah, I have 2 other cars in the household. Really want to see how I get along with a full electric option as on paper I think it works perfectly for me. Needs 4 doors to fit a small one in the back but basically be as efficient to run as possible. It'll be used to drop her off at nursery/school on the way to and from work. Popping to the shops. Local journeys.

 

[msmalls74]

Nah, I have 2 other cars in the household. Really want to see how I get along with a full electric option as on paper I think it works perfectly for me. Needs 4 doors to fit a small one in the back but basically be as efficient to run as possible. It'll be used to drop her off at nursery/school on the way to and from work. Popping to the shops. Local journeys.

The ioniq is full EV and is pretty efficient, more so than the I3.

 

[Simon]

The ioniq is full EV and is pretty efficient, more so than the I3.

It’s not a washing machine. Why the obsession with efficiency?

 

[jpaul]

touché - only one solution in the private purchase segment circa 20K - residuals/reliability/dealer-network/rwd/hatch-versatility iD3,
not going to get you into new more effcient motor+invertor hey-ho.

 

[Simon]

touché - only one solution in the private purchase segment circa 20K - residuals/reliability/dealer-network/rwd/hatch-versatility iD3,
not going to get you into new more effcient motor+invertor hey-ho.

Read that 5 times. Still can’t work out what you are saying

 

[chanjy]

Nah, I have 2 other cars in the household. Really want to see how I get along with a full electric option as on paper I think it works perfectly for me. Needs 4 doors to fit a small one in the back but basically be as efficient to run as possible. It'll be used to drop her off at nursery/school on the way to and from work. Popping to the shops. Local journeys.

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You don’t want anything too tiny or short range imo even if it’s a local car as you want your kids to be comfortable and be able to fit all your shopping in the boot

i3 has the funky looks and innovative chassis but the e-Niro is efficient and more practical

 

[b0rn2sk8]

It’s not a washing machine. Why the obsession with efficiency?

I wouldn’t say it’s an obsession but it’s a very important part of the range and charging equation.

Ultimately a more efficient car can have a smaller capacity battery and is therefore cheaper. It’s also a double whammy because that smaller capacity battery could also be made from a cheaper and lower density chemistry like LFP which further drives down the price.

The biggest complaint about (new) EVs is that they cost too much and don’t go far enough. So the solution to going further can’t be to just put in a bigger battery because it makes the car too expensive.

 

[Diddums]

One for you folks, looking for a town car. Really wanting to limit my budget to sub 20k. Thinking around 3-4 years old. Top of the list for me is i3s or i-pace. Anything else I should look at for that money?

The way things are going with EVs you can probably wait a few months and get a Taycan Turbo

 

[Kill_Phil]

@Dis86 I'd be looking at an ID3 or kona for a smallish sub 20k car

 

[Dis86]

@Dis86 I'd be looking at an ID3 or kona for a smallish sub 20k car

Kona is looking like an option. The ID3 appears to be a golf/polo with any kind of interesting design aesthetic completely removed!

 

[keyser van someone]

@Dis86 I'd be looking at an ID3 or kona for a smallish sub 20k car

+1 I own the Kona, the one downside is if the front seats are way back there is limited leg room in the back. Also the e-Niro uses the same drivetrain and is essentially the same car as the Kona but better for more space overall.

Plenty of choice now in the sub £20k second hand market, I recommend have a shortlist and go for test drives.

 

[Simon]

I wouldn’t say it’s an obsession but it’s a very important part of the range and charging equation.

Ultimately a more efficient car can have a smaller capacity battery and is therefore cheaper. It’s also a double whammy because that smaller capacity battery could also be made from a cheaper and lower density chemistry like LFP which further drives down the price.

The biggest complaint about (new) EVs is that they cost too much and don’t go far enough. So the solution to going further can’t be to just put in a bigger battery because it makes the car too expensive.

But I’ve never ever thought about efficiency when choosing any other car. There is more to a car and how it feels that some numbers. I guess I still think we are in motors forum rather than the move we have made talking about vessels from A to B

Took an F type out yesterday. No EV is ever going to make you feel the way you do driving one of those beasts.

Also have a Kia Soul EV for the weekend. Quite a contrast. Why they make fwd 200hp EV is beyond me. Comedy grip in the rain

 

[Diddums]

I've no experience with a Kona but having recently had a mooch around numerous other cars in a Hyundai showroom I was genuinely impressed. The quality has come on leaps and bounds in the last few years. And they all seem to have something that many modern cars lack - character.

 

[Simon]

Kona is looking like an option. The ID3 appears to be a golf/polo with any kind of interesting design aesthetic completely removed!

It’s a bigger golf. Cupras are getting near that price. They oddly seem to have held value. Probably cause they are a decent car.

 

[Kill_Phil]

Kona is looking like an option. The ID3 appears to be a golf/polo with any kind of interesting design aesthetic completely removed!

I'd go take a look at the id3 if you can. They're well refined and do have the bigger boot of the two. Great value if you can get past the temperamental infotainment