Before you buy an electric vehicle.....

[Smurph]

Merthyr/Cardiff lads do, we are mostly west and mid wales mid west wales.

So they make it ok?

What are the chances of you being asked to make that journey on a regular basis?

 

[Niigata Jack]

So they make it ok?

What are the chances of you being asked to make that journey on a regular basis?

Which journey, I've been working quite local for a while now Carmarthen, Llanelli, Bridgend and occasional trip up to and around Aberdare area and I've worked from home a bit etc,

 

[Cooperman]

Which journey, I've been working quite local for a while now Carmarthen, Llanelli, Bridgend and occasional trip up to and around Aberdare area and I've worked from home a bit etc,

Call in for a cuppa next time you’re in Turksville.

 

[Cooperman]

Yep, the buying premium easily outweighs any ‘fuel’ savings unless you do mega miles over a long period. Plus you live with the range anxiety. The Chinese may eventually solve these problems, but until then I don’t really see it as a hard headed purchase.

Leasing or employer provided is the only sensible choice imo. No resale value (tech moves fast, and that’s all they are) and the battery risk as they get older markedly increases allegedly. As a small city runabout on a lease it does become a viable option. Now they are being taxed more and electric increasing, I still think a diesel (my neighbour has just done 170k in his 12 year old 3 series is still a cheaper long term option).

I have just squeezed 945 miles out of a tank of diesel in my 5 series. Drove to Gatwick on Sunday, hardly left the fast lane although traffic meant that it was a steady 80, managed 63mpg.

 

[Cooperman]

Range anxiety soon disappears once you've figured out your journeys etc.

Just been to London and back on one charge. When we did stop to charge it was more or less complete by the time all us had a waz and coffee.

That’s probably my limiting factor. My regular commute is Heathrow and back and I’m not prepared to stop for a charge when landing late ish on a Thursday and heading west. If there was a robust 400 mile range option then I might be interested.

 

[Smurph]

That’s probably my limiting factor. My regular commute is Heathrow and back and I’m not prepared to stop for a charge when landing late ish on a Thursday and heading west. If there was a robust 400 mile range option then I might be interested.

I've always been one to get in the car and drive without stopping.

The charging times these days is very quick and the impact to your journey is quite minimal. It's also actually quite relaxing. The cars themselves have so many add ons that can keep you occupied whilst charging or even catching up on work related things.

The range anxiety and the thought of having to stop is what put me off for years.

Now I've made the change it's highly doubtful I would swap back.

 

[Smurph]

Which journey, I've been working quite local for a while now Carmarthen, Llanelli, Bridgend and occasional trip up to and around Aberdare area and I've worked from home a bit etc,

Hereford, where you mentioned an electric van couldn't get you.

 

[Cooperman]

I've always been one to get in the car and drive without stopping.

The charging times these days is very quick and the impact to your journey is quite minimal. It's also actually quite relaxing. The cars themselves have so many add ons that can keep you occupied whilst charging or even catching up on work related things.

The range anxiety and the thought of having to stop is what put me off for years.

Now I've made the change it's highly doubtful I would swap back.

That’s a good post and probably highlights that I’m a bit stuck in my ways. Thanks for adding another dimension to my thought process.

 

[Smurph]

That’s a good post and probably highlights that I’m a bit stuck in my ways. Thanks for adding another dimension to my thought process.

No worries at all. As a recent convert I thought I'd share my experience.

Honestly I wrestled with the decision for ages. We're at the point where we need a new car for the Mrs and it's probably going to be an EV.

The charging network through out the country is getting better and better as we speak.

 

[Niigata Jack]

Hereford, where you mentioned an electric van couldn't get you.

I go to Hereford for pleasure not work, I've no interest in an electric vehicle, I've Diesel Merc Vito work van and a Transit minibus type van again run on diesel.
Lads in work got Electric vans and they all moan about them and being stuck charging them through the day and annoyingly to be able to get home.

 

[Pacemaker]

Second hand EV’s are a bargain, i have had mine over 3 years really pleased and will never go back to ICE.

As other have said so cheap to run on an overnight charge, literally £4 for 250 miles, no servicing costs as such, insurance the same or cheaper than an equivalent ICE vehicle and literally full very time I start a journey at home.

Drive to Surrey to see friends easy relaxed drive, i go to Heathrow and London City quite often i have left my car at Heathrow for 3 weeks parked up in the depths of winter never had an issue with it on return.

Best thing prior to jumping in the car early winter mornings windscreen already defrosted and seats and steering wheel nice and toasty.

Plenty of EVs now having completed massive mileages as Taxis quite a few showing 200k miles in 3 years with no issues.

 

[Pegojack]

I'm seriously thinking of biting the EV bullet in the autumn. I love my Skoda Octavia VRS turbo diesel to bits, it's the best car I've ever had and it'll break my heart to part with it, but it's coming up to seven years old from new and although it would probably go on for another four or five years without problems, I feel it's time for a change.
Got my eye on the new Skoda Elroq, the top of the range one with the biggest battery, which gives a quoted range of 540km. I know these figures are exaggerated, but 450km would be more than enough for me.
I'm thinking of installing solar panels and a home charging point in the summer, so my fuel charges would be next to nothing, and these installations have come down massively in price in Spain. I can get the whole kit and caboodle installed for around 6000€. Too good to ignore, and doing my bit for the planet .

 

[Pacemaker]

I have solar panels and a battery installed at my home. I charge my battery overnight at 7p a kilowatt and can also charge the car any other electrical appliances at the same cost between 2330 and 0530.

I then run the house all day off the battery and export the solar back to the grid at 15p a kilowatt during the day.

I could use solar to trickle charge the car but it is more beneficial to charge overnight and export any excess back.

I think in southern Europe the rates are not as good but electricity is not so expensive, if i was in your position i would look at using solar for my hot water and other high use items.

Skoda do a good job of EV’s and plenty of charging stations around Spain for longer trips.

I would be amazed if you needed a long range EV, most people assume that they do but when you actually break down your weekly journeys most people need the long range capability once or twice a year.

I have a standard range Model 3 and it is more than enough for my needs. By the time in the UK i have driven for 2 hrs plus i want to stop for a break anyway and when i am eating using the toilet etc i can add more than enough charge to carry on for another couple of hours.

 

[legoman]

If I might say to all the contributors to this thread, unless you have watched the video in the OP, you're kind of missing the point. The damage being caused to the environment in Indonesia and the flagrant disregard for health and safety on the part of the Chinese owners of these nickel plants is deeply disturbing.

 

[Niigata Jack]

I have solar panels and a battery installed at my home. I charge my battery overnight at 7p a kilowatt and can also charge the car any other electrical appliances at the same cost between 2330 and 0530.

I then run the house all day off the battery and export the solar back to the grid at 15p a kilowatt during the day.

I could use solar to trickle charge the car but it is more beneficial to charge overnight and export any excess back.

I think in southern Europe the rates are not as good but electricity is not so expensive, if i was in your position i would look at using solar for my hot water and other high use items.

Skoda do a good job of EV’s and plenty of charging stations around Spain for longer trips.

I would be amazed if you needed a long range EV, most people assume that they do but when you actually break down your weekly journeys most people need the long range capability once or twice a year.

I have a standard range Model 3 and it is more than enough for my needs. By the time in the UK i have driven for 2 hrs plus i want to stop for a break anyway and when i am eating using the toilet etc i can add more than enough charge to carry on for another couple of hours.

Proper posh you are Pacy.
Different with a van loaded up with materials and other equipment, one of the lads from Merthyr called at a job l was on in Ystalyfera and had charged his van overnight and hadn’t been far, but left me to go and charge his van in Asda.
He’d been to port talbot before coming to me