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Topic Originator: OzPar
Date: Sun 23 Mar 05:29
Are you an Elon Musk devotee who sees Tesla as the future, or do you think the next big thing might come from fast-rising Chinese contenders like BYD or SAIC?
The hybrid Toyota Prius has been around since the mid-’90s, so the concept isn’t cutting-edge anymore. These days, most manufacturers offer hybrid versions of their best-sellers — but are they worth the extra cost?
Or are you still firmly in the petrol and diesel camp, sticking with what you know? I’ll admit, I’m in that camp myself — more Jeremy Clarkson (“Why mess with a good thing?”) than James May, who tends to embrace tech with open arms.
I’ve always had a soft spot for powerful, slightly sporty cars. I still get a kick out of driving them. In the past, I have owned Saabs, Porsches, high-end Citroens and Fords, to name but a few. Most of them were funded by my work. But these days, I am retired and must watch my money.
I’m behind the wheel of a 3-litre V6 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe, but it`s four years old. It’s diesel, and yes, it’s cheaper to fill up than the petrol version. But no, I’m not rushing to trade it in for a battery pack. I will happily stick with what I have for some time.
What do you think about electric cars? Do you drive one, or are you a traditionalist and opt for a petrol or diesel car?
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Topic Originator: DunfyDave
Date: Sun 23 Mar 07:23
I have a BMW i4 and absolutely love it.
I made the transition from my previous BMW which was a hybrid.
I had a little anxiety about distance as it only offers around 320 miles to a full tank of electric but soon got over this.
I now relax a lot more on journeys, speak my destination to BMW assist (bit like Alexa), throw on the adaptive cruise control which can almost entirely drive for you autonomy (which is weird to watch your steering wheel move without your touch) and it calculates the fastest way to get to your destination and where, when and how to fill up with super-fast charge en route.
The charge experience is very relaxing. You tend to stop 3-4 hours into your journey, plug-in for the charge and go for a coffee and check-in on some emails or messages on your phone. Takes 30 to 45 minutes.
The drive experience is the best I have ever experienced. There is plenty of zoooooom if you like acceleration and the car hugs the road.
I have solar panels on my roof which surprisingly keeps the car well charged for free in sunnier Scotland but there is the safety net of cheap over night charging from Octopus at £0.07p per kilowatt (full tank £5.60 for 320 miles.
The car is also cheap to service as it has no real engine. A service every two years costs around £80
The downsides are obviously cost. They ain`t cheap but suspect over time this will balance itself out.
My other worry is the strain on the grid especially as more electric cars are rolled out. Most average homes only consume 10Kw of energy per day. My BMW can consume 80Kw if I burned 320 miles per day (which I don`t) but you can see where I am going with this.
At the moment, I am being spoiled with an overnight tariff of £0.07p per kilowatt so maximise my solar battery and all my household appliances to benefit from this BUT I suspect when the tipping balance arrives this will be withdrawn and it could be a lot more expensive.
DunfyDave
Post Edited (Sun 23 Mar 07:26)
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Topic Originator: DBP
Date: Sun 23 Mar 08:28
I’m a total convert.
I traded in my 4yr old car for the small electric bmw (the one that is discontinued but essentially became the electric mini)
It was three year old car bought on a 2 year lease and our monthly payment is smaller than before.
(We do have a staff deal for electric cars but that came out after I bought one)
For the first 2 months we used public chargers, which was hassle free - even the most expensive ones were still cheaper than what we were paying in petrol for last car - we used to spend about £60 a month on petrol which went to about £30 using public chargers. However after a few months we got a home charger and when we charge it overnight (about once per week) our fuel bill is now down to about £10 a month.
Our only goes 130 miles on a 80% charge but that’s plenty for typical journeys - including visiting folk in Glasgow and back via stops in dalgety bay and Livingston (not a huge detour) but no range anxiety yet.
Also, I had driven motorbikes most of my life (about last 20 years on a Honda fireblades) and even our wee electric (in sport mode) is the closest I’ve felt to what the bike felt pulling away…
We’ve got about 1yr and a bit left on the lease and will defo be getting another one when I hand it back - they’re not as expensive as you think and if we want a premium bring them will either take company schemes or get another 3 year old one
Post Edited (Sun 23 Mar 08:32)
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Topic Originator: JTH123
Date: Sun 23 Mar 09:04
I own my own car but used to travel a bit for work. At times I would have projects around Manchester which can easily be driven to and back in a long day.
We also take the car to France on holiday every 2nd year to visit family.
I was offered a Tesla by my previous employer but didn`t take it as it felt like I could be stuck for ages if fast chargers en route were down or they were already in use with people queuing so decided against it.
We have a wee electric 2019 Zoe at work which mostly does very short journeys and is perfect for that but I was surprised how much less mileage it gets on a full charge in winter. It can be almost 200 in summer and always just under 100 in winter.
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Topic Originator: P
Date: Sun 23 Mar 09:10
Took a Porsche EV through work scheme which is salary sacrifice which makes it very cheap. Get 250 miles in summer but less in winter. Have done one long trip to Silverstone and plugged in at a fast charger half way and went for the loo and a coffee and got a fully charged ping on my watch before I had even ordered my coffee (c15 mins). Similar on way back with a charge at destination. Never had range anxiety with it.
Also benefit from cheap rate charging with Octopus and added solar with battery so costs are negligible. Was £2.80 per 100 miles before the panels but less now.
They are incredibly stress free to drive as they are so quiet and they are rapid. I went from a 6l V12 Aston and while the Porsche is faster I would have that back in an instant just for the sound but cost and running was significantly more so started the downgrade trail towards retirement.
They aren’t for everyone and not everyone’s circumstances are the same for charging but the hatred and vitriol some folk have online for EV’s (coupled with an absence of up to date knowledge) is a particularly weird phenomenon that you become aware of.
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Topic Originator: Dave_1885
Date: Sun 23 Mar 11:26
£60 a month on fuel?! Christ Im £50 a week on fuel for my car 😂😂 would ruin an electric battery with the amount Id need to charge it I think.
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Topic Originator: jake89
Date: Sun 23 Mar 12:10
There are two issues I have that prevent me buying one:
1. Having to get a charger installed. Not a big deal but generally costs around a grand.
2. Lack of evidence of longevity. You see some old Nissan Leafs but usually the batteries are cooked. Newer e-cars will be far better but I`m the type who drives a car until it`s near knackered. How many e-cars are still going to be running after 10 years?
Ignoring those two issues, they seem decent buys. Very little to go wrong in them, cheap to run, cheap to service, good performance even from the smaller engines.
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Topic Originator: Angus_W
Date: Sun 23 Mar 12:18
I have a Volvo C40 company car.
I get 240 miles on a full charge but you get used to it, I can’t drive more than 200 without needing a break. Charging has always been easy. Being a company car & the Tax zilch bit like getting a pay rise.
I love it and wouldn’t go back
Post Edited (Sun 23 Mar 12:20)
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Topic Originator: Tad Allagash
Date: Sun 23 Mar 13:14
I don’t have one but, I’m thinking about it.
Petrol cars may have longevity but only if you maintain them. So you have to factor in how much you’ve spent over its lifetime on oil changes, spark plugs, filters, exhausts, clutches if you keep them long enough. None of which you have on an EV.
Second hand petrol cars still look expensive in comparison to similar second hand EVs. I guess part of this is that EVs are getting better so it’s a bit like buying a mobile phone in the 90’s - it goes from state of the art to old hat really quickly. This is an argument against buying a new EV, as you can expect steep depreciation. Modern petrol cars on the other hand are only slightly better than petrol cars from 10 years ago.
But if you can’t charge at home or you regularly do long journeys - and it’s your only car - then there’s still a place for the old dinosaur juice. Also, they’re going to start charging road tax on EVs and the insurance is pretty steep.
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Topic Originator: LochgellyAlbert
Date: Sun 23 Mar 13:26
Currently have a Nissan Juke Hybrid and with me and the Mrs being retired it is ideal, backed up with a 1.6 petrol engine it is nippy and quiet apart from wind noise. No need to plug in, has reverse warning noise to make pedestrians aware it is that quiet.
Currently hitting 68 mpg running about locally, I know some have hit 94mpg!
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Topic Originator: JTH123
Date: Sun 23 Mar 14:35
Other than the range thing I mentioned above the high cost and high depreciation is a turn off for me albeit these need to be weighed up against any running cost savings obviously.
One of my relatives lives in Guernsey which is the perfect place for an ev. She bought a top of the range fiat 500 ev for £33k but realised after 18 months or so that it was too small. She was initially offered £12k as a trade-in and finally accepted £18k as the best deal she could find. She sent me a link to an article she found that spoke about some ev`s losing £1k a month.
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Topic Originator: SAP PAR
Date: Sun 23 Mar 17:04
I have an Audi via salary sacrifice and love it. Had the charger fitted for free by Audi. 6.9p per Kw to charge overnight with Octopus means running cost of £30 a month compared to circa £200 for the mini countryman all4 we had previously. Had it 3 years and only charged it away from home once and never had an issue with range. I was very sceptical at first and only did it to save on my tax bill, but a convert now.
I can see why depreciation would scare people off but via salary sacrifice or leasing they are a good option.
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Topic Originator: ipswichpar
Date: Sun 23 Mar 17:26
Is the insurance for electric cars much higher? Previously I thought the lead time and costs for accident repairs were significant?
If I could still drive I`d be sticking with me petrol and diesel cars for a bit longer yet hoping that the price would drop a bit.
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Topic Originator: jake89
Date: Sun 23 Mar 18:18
Quote:
JTH123, Sun 23 Mar 14:35
Other than the range thing I mentioned above the high cost and high depreciation is a turn off for me albeit these need to be weighed up against any running cost savings obviously.
One of my relatives lives in Guernsey which is the perfect place for an ev. She bought a top of the range fiat 500 ev for £33k but realised after 18 months or so that it was too small. She was initially offered £12k as a trade-in and finally accepted £18k as the best deal she could find. She sent me a link to an article she found that spoke about some ev`s losing £1k a month.
But for people like me that high depreciation is great 😃
The problem I have with all cars nowadays is the prices. It`s obscene paying £15-20k for a 3-4 year old car.
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Topic Originator: NMCmassive
Date: Sun 23 Mar 19:00
The thing with electric cars is they aren’t actually as green as many would have you believe.
The batteries are absolutely toxic and extremely expensive to change. There’s a reason so many electric Porsches and Tesla’s go for well “under value” in the used market.
I do wonder if the market will swing back towards Hydrogen now that we can use renewable energy to perform the electrolysis process 🤷🏻♂️ seems a much better way to reduce emissions rather than the emission heavy battery production process
COYP
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Topic Originator: JTH123
Date: Sun 23 Mar 19:12
Understand what you are saying Jake but even as a second hand buyer you could lose a fair bit.
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Topic Originator: twin par
Date: Sun 23 Mar 21:42
Was coming back from the lake district about a year ago. Stopped at a service station,and all the charging points were filled with tesla’s.I had a petrol car and still do .I got talking to one of the owners ,and he noticed I had a petrol car His comment was,keep your petrol car mate,because,the time I wait to get a charging space you’ll be home,which was probably true . He was really not chuffed. Personally,if pushed,I would buy a hybrid,no way would I buy all electric.By the way,the prices are ridiculous,so much for encouraging folks to be greener,total fantasy.
Post Edited (Sun 23 Mar 21:50)
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Topic Originator: DunfyDave
Date: Mon 24 Mar 02:14
Quote:
NMCmassive, Sun 23 Mar 19:00
The thing with electric cars is they aren’t actually as green as many would have you believe.
The batteries are absolutely toxic and extremely expensive to change. There’s a reason so many electric Porsches and Tesla’s go for well “under value” in the used market.
I do wonder if the market will swing back towards Hydrogen now that we can use renewable energy to perform the electrolysis process 🤷🏻♂️ seems a much better way to reduce emissions rather than the emission heavy battery production process
^^^ It`s a good post Massive. The manufacturing process will have a negative impact on the environment.
However, the manufacturing process for fuel vehicles will equally be as damaging.
The difference being that fuel vehicles will continue to damage the environment loooooong after they have been manufactured.
DunfyDave
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Topic Originator: NMCmassive
Date: Mon 24 Mar 07:43
Quote:
DunfyDave, Mon 24 Mar 02:14
Quote:
NMCmassive, Sun 23 Mar 19:00
The thing with electric cars is they aren’t actually as green as many would have you believe.
The batteries are absolutely toxic and extremely expensive to change. There’s a reason so many electric Porsches and Tesla’s go for well “under value” in the used market.
I do wonder if the market will swing back towards Hydrogen now that we can use renewable energy to perform the electrolysis process 🤷🏻♂️ seems a much better way to reduce emissions rather than the emission heavy battery production process
^^^ It`s a good post Massive. The manufacturing process will have a negative impact on the environment.
However, the manufacturing process for fuel vehicles will equally be as damaging.
The difference being that fuel vehicles will continue to damage the environment loooooong after they have been manufactured.
Hydrogen fuels emit water and air warmed up by the engine.
COYP
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Topic Originator: Dandy Warhol
Date: Mon 24 Mar 08:41
Lithium leach fields, environmental hazards but yeah, go save the planet.
I don`t wanna go down like disco.
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Topic Originator: jake89
Date: Mon 24 Mar 14:47
All cars cause pollution whether it`s in making them, their engines or the fuel used to power those engines. Even if you use solar or wind power to charge your electric car there has been a lot of pollution generated. The solution to pollution isn`t greener cars, it`s FEWER cars. I am a hypocrite as I`ve got two cars on the drive like most people do nowadays but it wasn`t that long ago that two cars were a bit of a luxury. We only had one car growing up in the 90s and that was the same for most of my friends. Some people still had NO car.
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Topic Originator: parsfan
Date: Thu 27 Mar 22:51
A wee tip for anyone with an electric car, well anyone in the UK.
As you probably know, road tax is going up from free to £165 (maybe £195, I`ve seen both) from April.
You`re allowed to pay early at the prevailing rate, so if you`re due next month you can do that now for free instead of £165 (or whatever). It`s not just for those due next month though, but the later into the year you are the less of a saving it is and it becomes more like just postponing it for a couple of months.
Bear in mind this will also reset your renewal date.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The universe is ruled by chance and indifference
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Topic Originator: LochgellyAlbert
Date: Fri 28 Mar 12:46
Road tax also going up on luxury cars (over 40K) think it`s something like £600 for the new rate, Nissan recently dropped some car prices to £39,995 to miss the target!
There`s a way to dodge it this year, was explained to me by a car salesman, didn`t register with as it doesn`t affect me.
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Topic Originator: Thaipar
Date: Mon 31 Mar 13:09
Got 2 electric cars from BYD cost of both was equivalent to 40k gbp.
Use both cars daily and electric bill for charging at home is roughly the same each month, around 35gbp for the 2cars.
Finish finance on 1 car next year and by then hopefully the new 5 minute charge will be available here.
Network for ev charging is also great most petrol stations have them now, stop for a pee break and a coffee 30 minutes and on your way again.
Charging at a petrol station is of course more costly but no more than 8.00gbp for a full charge.
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