Which electric car to buy?

[reserves]

Super happy with our Model 3 Long Range. No regrets at all.

 

[Elmo3]

The way electricity prices are heading,, they’re becoming increasingly difficult to justify IMHO.

 

[reserves]

The way electricity prices are heading,, they’re becoming increasingly difficult to justify IMHO.

If you rely only on public charging then I agree.

Though overnight tariffs are still great value.

A full charge (around 275 miles) costs us around £5.50

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Owning an electric car for the last 2 months, it has been an eye opener and has required a rethink on many levels. Not a challenge, but it definitely requires a change in ways of thinking and planning. Sounds onerous, but it is not - once you change your mindset.

Our idea was also to have a car to use for long distance day trips (visiting family etc.). Around town it is usually a walk or cycle.

The Model 3 has proven to be a great vehicle and the best part of it is, where it plans the charging points for you. I, for one, appreciate that it has taken that one additional step of planning for chargers off the cards.

To be on the safer side, I have installed about 9 charging apps for the UK and subscribed etc, so that in case in a fix at any time, I know that I have backup options.

So far, it has been good. Done some very long distances and the car does make driving easy.

I have still not installed a home charger and rely on local chargers but considering one - which is a minefield in itself.

Our parking is in a detached area behind our row house so had to first put about 50 meters of underground ducting to get electricity to the parking location. This is now done.

I was convinced that a zappi charger is the best before someone on a forum mentioned that it looks like a urinal! And ever since I've been looking for an alternate one. Need solar as well as alternate battery storage charging to make it future proof.

We looked at all the various chargers. Ordered a wallbox but they sent the wrong one, changed it for the correct one but then had issues with their recommended installer…so got a refund.

Got a Tesla charger in the end (will also work for non teslas) & local electrician fitted it. Can recommend. We also have solar, still waiting for a Tesla power wall battery due to 6/12 month lead time….then home energy will be at 11p per kw (sell/buy) on the current octopus tariff.

 

[kurienp]

The way electricity prices are heading,, they’re becoming increasingly difficult to justify IMHO.

agree. Though the way I am thinking about it - the "software system" with the Tesla especially is something that is not available on petrol cars as yet. I am more sold on the driving and navigation features than on just the electric part of the car. As a full-package including driving, comfort, support systems and ease of use, IMHO, it is justifiable. In the process, you are possibly taking a small step towards a greener planet (I know, I know, that discussion is a minefield in itself).

 

[Kernowboy]

The way electricity prices are heading,, they’re becoming increasingly difficult to justify IMHO.

Really depends how you are going to use it. Charging away from home routinely will eat into savings against ICE, most rapid chargers seem to be around £0.50 / kWh. But if you charge mostly at home and use a decent ev tariff then savings are substantial.
We swapped a Tiguan for a Cupra Born 6 weeks ago and are finding it brilliant. the car will do around 18k miles/year, the majority being a daily commute of 70 miles / day plus all the local kids taxi service etc., and irregular trips up country. So mostly charged at home. It’s great to drive and the 2 x trips longer trips we have done so far have only involved a single quick stop at Exeter/Cullompton to recharge where there are great ev charging facilities. Noting that Exeter is 100 miles up country for us so it’s a handy stop off.
At home we pay 4.5p / kWh so £2.61 for a full charge from 0 to 100%, enough for 225 real world miles. Tariff pricing is fixed for 2 years so wont be affected in Oct.
Reckon we will be saving c.£3k a year over running the Tiguan but of course the initial cost was higher than an ICE equivalent.
At the moment we use a 3 pin plug to charge but have a charger being installed in the next few weeks - it is a Zappi, hadn’t linked it to a urinal before but now you mention it I can see the resemblance.

 

[kurienp]

At the moment we use a 3 pin plug to charge but have a charger being installed in the next few weeks - it is a Zappi, hadn’t linked it to a urinal before but now you mention it I can see the resemblance.

I can't get that out of my head ... and as of now thinking that I will go for a Zappi and then look to change the front plate doing some DIY to the shape (which I know I will not, and cringe everytime I look at it then ). Also looking at an Andersen - as they have a £200 discount going on right now.

 

[Kernowboy]

I can't get that out of my head ... and as of now thinking that I will go for a Zappi and then look to change the front plate doing some DIY to the shape (which I know I will not, and cringe everytime I look at it then ). Also looking at an Andersen - as they have a £200 discount going on right now.

We have at least gone for the black/grey one rather than the white….The Zappi is pushed on the solar integration so that may be a factor.
Will look at Andersen, not seen those before.

 

[reserves]

Easy for me to say as we have an EV but it’s not all about cost comparisons.

Our electric car is the best car we’ve owned by a country mile. It’s not just me, my wife loves driving it.

It’s quiet, super quiet and I don’t feel guilty driving it, it’s a really calming experience.

Electric cars or at least ours are so simple to drive; mostly one pedal driving, no handbrake, no worries about rolling back on hills, simple.

I’ve now turned into one of those people who are happy to do a quick super market run as I don’t mind driving at all, in fact I enjoy it.

It can pre cool the interior when it’s super hot and heat it when it’s cold.

Best thing is that every morning we have a full tank ready to go and don’t miss the trips to the patrol station.

We’ve not had one issue charging and I don’t worry before long journeys. Though to be fair if we’re going Cornwall / Devon I will do a pre check but not had any issues on these trips.

We do now use our Cali less and less, sad to say any ICE vehicle for me now feels a little antiquated, keep forgetting to pull the handbrake up!

So as I said, it’s not all cost & spreadsheets for us, I fully understand most of us here are in a privileged position already owning or looking for a California and that cost of living is going up like crazy.

However if you are considering an EV and all you’re looking at is cost comparisons maybe go test drive an EV and see what you think for yourself.

 

[johnyboy]

New MG looks amazing value

 

[RodCouncil]

Easy for me to say as we have an EV but it’s not all about cost comparisons.

Our electric car is the best car we’ve owned by a country mile. It’s not just me, my wife loves driving it.

It’s quiet, super quiet and I don’t feel guilty driving it, it’s a really calming experience.

Electric cars or at least ours are so simple to drive; mostly one pedal driving, no handbrake, no worries about rolling back on hills, simple.

I’ve now turned into one of those people who are happy to do a quick super market run as I don’t mind driving at all, in fact I enjoy it.

It can pre cool the interior when it’s super hot and heat it when it’s cold.

Best thing is that every morning we have a full tank ready to go and don’t miss the trips to the patrol station.

We’ve not had one issue charging and I don’t worry before long journeys. Though to be fair if we’re going Cornwall / Devon I will do a pre check but not had any issues on these trips.

We do now use our Cali less and less, sad to say any ICE vehicle for me now feels a little antiquated, keep forgetting to pull the handbrake up!

So as I said, it’s not all cost & spreadsheets for us, I fully understand most of us here are in a privileged position already owning or looking for a California and that cost of living is going up like crazy.

However if you are considering an EV and all you’re looking at is cost comparisons maybe go test drive an EV and see what you think for yourself.

Nail on the head, we'll prob drive ours over the UK next summer, network for Tesla and Ionity is incredible and as for a daily, I use the ebike and then the car but appreciate the feel good feeling on even those short trips to the shops. Nice to read a post from the open minded part of this forum too.

 

[Elmo3]

If you rely only on public charging then I agree.

Though overnight tariffs are still great value.

A full charge (around 275 miles) costs us around £5.50

Sounds like you’re on a vey low tarif. Could be very different when that expires or for any new entrants. How do the numbers look at 75p per kwh?

 

[Dodge1311]

We have an Audi Q4 Etron Sportback getting delivered tomorrow. Commute is only 50miles per day but a free charging point at work and low BIK rate made it the best option for us.

 

[Elmo3]

We have an Audi Q4 Etron Sportback getting delivered tomorrow. Commute is only 50miles per day but a free charging point at work and low BIK rate made it the best option for us.

That’s the way the govt is going about adoption, tax bribes. These will end once a critical mass is achieved (sound familiar, the switch from petrol to diesel 20 years ago?). With eye watering purchase or lease costs and skyrocketing electricity rates, it’s going to be long, slow road.

 

[RodCouncil]

Sounds like you’re on a vey low tarif. Could be very different when that expires or for any new entrants. How do the numbers look at 75p per kwh?

generate electricity from the sun so the logical step is solar, and the more investment in solar and on / offshore wind will see cheaper and cheaper prices, it’s greedy operators in the UK, even at the worst of the peak in Stockholm we only hit 1kr per KWh during the day, at night I’m paying 7-30 öre (the tax is 45 öre), the UK public must love being fisted, by anything.

My folks run their Leaf for free from their panels, bought with no bribes, charged by tax free electrons.

I guess NZ cows instead of solar fields is the obvious big win tho, the UK is a joke.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

That’s the way the govt is going about adoption, tax bribes. These will end once a critical mass is achieved (sound familiar, the switch from petrol to diesel 20 years ago?). With eye watering purchase or lease costs and skyrocketing electricity rates, it’s going to be long, slow road.

Main difference is that you can generate your own electricity

 

[reserves]

Sounds like you’re on a vey low tarif. Could be very different when that expires or for any new entrants. How do the numbers look at 75p per kwh?

If electric went to 75p per kWh I’d have solar installed.

What would you do if diesel went up 10 fold?

 

[clarinetbcn]

Here’s another way to look at it: my 1880 flat has functioned on solar since 2019, cost amortized in 2021. I don’t have a place to plug in, but the savings goes a long way toward filling up the Cali, which I only use out of town. That said, every time I turn the key of the Cali, the sensation of sitting in a modern vehicle with genius use of space is shattered by the groanings and whirrings of starter motor, valve train, fuel pump, transmission, cam belt (I have a musician’s and mechanic’s ear!), exhaust system, etc., etc., and I am transported back to the previous century. The 2.0 diesel is very efficient for what it is, but it’s not particularly nice to listen to. The change will inevitably come because car manufacturers are realizing that electrics are stupidly cheap and simple to make compared to ICE vehicles (Volkswagen has already announced that due to simpler assembly, their switch to electric will result in laying off 30% of their work force) AND they can sell them at a premium.

 

[Elmo3]

If electric went to 75p per kWh I’d have solar installed.

What would you do if diesel went up 10 fold?

That figure is entirely realistic for electricity cost next year (unfortunately). Never say never but I’d doubt diesel will be £20 a litre anytime soon. The answer is simple, drive less, which will make a bigger positive impact than how your vehicle is powered.

 

[SusiBus]

Saw this in the VW Windrush car showroom today.

 

[kurienp]

Saw this in the VW Windrush car showroom today.

View attachment 98045

The part that they do not advertise (or maybe it is in the small print below) - the free chargers are the same as a 3 pin plug at home and may give you up to 3 miles in an hour. My weekly shop is usually 30 mins, so that does not help there.

For many people, who will spend about 2 hours, it may help to recoup the travel to and from the store.

The high power ones are paid pods.

 

[Kernowboy]

Saw this in the VW Windrush car showroom today.

View attachment 98045

I wasn’t aware that VW were in any way responsible for the chargers at Tesco, which are free to use by any ev not just VW - which is indicated in the advert. Thought VW were aligned with ionity not pod point. The ones round us charge at 7kwh so 2-3 times 3 pin plug, equivalent to a single phase home charger.

 

[pjm-84]

Electric is on the up. My office supply is going up to 61p+VAT per kWh from the 9th September. I can see fuel rising again as its linked. If it doesnt there will be a run on generators!

Can charge at 7kwh at Tesco FOC. But time limited. I have a site in Guildford by a Tesco Superstore. We will normally add 20miles range whilst we grab breakfast and coffee prior to attending site. (Got to park anyway and the EV bays are right by the coffee place).

ID3 averages about 4.2miles per kWh. So 70p a kWH = about 50mpg at today's fuel prices. That said out of the 37000miles or so its covered about 30000 have been on free electricity via a 22kwh charger.

 

[The Broomwagon]

I wasn’t aware that VW were in any way responsible for the chargers at Tesco, which are free to use by any ev not just VW - which is indicated in the advert. Thought VW were aligned with ionity not pod point. The ones round us charge at 7kwh so 2-3 times 3 pin plug, equivalent to a single phase home charger.

A typical weekly shop can put about 10miles in our Q4. So, as you say - better than a 3pin plug and better than nothing but certainly not worth getting excited about.

 

[Kernowboy]

If it’s helpful to anyone, I use the Bonnet EV app for charging at Ionity charge points but it works at plenty of others as well.

Bonnet | EV Charging Made Easy

Bonnet is the easy way to charge your EV on the go. Access more than 6000 public chargers around the world. It's the must-have app for electric vehicle drivers everywhere.

www.joinbonnet.com

At Ionity it reduces the charge from £0.69 per kWh to £0.50 per kWh if you pay as you go, less if you go for a pre paid package. The £0.50 or less rate applies at all sites, and it is a really easy to use app. Use the code RWKBJJ on sign up and both you and I will get £15 credit.