Leaf or e-Up! Head v heart maybe?

Leaf or e-Up! Head v heart maybe?

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mikeyr

Original Poster:

3,119 posts

198 months

Tuesday 26th September 2023
quotequote all
Interested in one of two cars to supplement our ID3 and work as a second car. Both have full dealer histories and are in good condition.

One is a very early 2014 VW e-Up! 18kwh. Plus sides are that:
1. It is small enough to fit on our drive along with the ID3. Plus easy to park elsewhere
2. To these eyes anyway it is kinda cool
3. Insurance group 10
4. Will be fine for local trips and is type 2 (same as our tethered charger) and CCS
Downsides:
1. Range is around the 60-70 mile mark
2. Only four seats and doggos will have to squeeze into boot

The other option is a 2016 Nissan Leaf with the 30kwh battery. Plus sides are:
1. Double the range
2. Enough room to use in same way as the ID3
3. More toys, e.g. reversing camera, bigger screen
Downsides:
1. Type 1 and chamedo (do have an adaptor for end of our cable that changes type 2 to type 1 though)
2. Larger so will need to park on the road and switch cars over when charging
3. Higher insurance, group 22

I've not yet driven either and don't expect to be blown away by excitement but I'm more drawn towards the Up! yet feel the Leaf is probably the better car. Anyone want to share experiences?

TheDeuce

24,233 posts

71 months

Tuesday 26th September 2023
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The Up is a fantastic, fun little electric town car - see the love it gets on the other Mii/Up thread...

Obviously it is less practical in terms of range and room than the Leaf, but if what is does offer is simply 'enough' then that's not a problem. The compact size makes town hopping and parking stupidly easy. I haven't driven a leaf (and tbh I have no desire to), but have driven an e-up! They feel larger and more solid, like a 'real car' than you would probably expect from such a compact car, feels like any other small VW, albeit way nippier and smoother in EV form.

I also think that both cars will go on to appeal to a certain type of future owner as and when you sell/p/x, but only one of those cars is going to be stuck with a charging format already on the decline and likely to decline more rapidly over the next few years as gen 1 public chargers are replaced with new chargers that will have only CCS.


mikeyr

Original Poster:

3,119 posts

198 months

Tuesday 26th September 2023
quotequote all
See this is what i was worried about, I'm going to end up wanting the smaller, lower range car aren't I?! biggrin

Thanks! If the car was the later bigger battery version this wouldn't even be a conversation but they are considerably more cash. Battery condition according to last VW service was 84%. Which for a ten year old car seems reasonable, appears most batteries drop 2-3% a year normally.

Benny Saltstein

664 posts

218 months

Tuesday 26th September 2023
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I don't know what your budget is but the electic Seat Mii and Skoda Citigo can both be found for around £11k for a 21 plate. Both with the larger 36kwh battery.

mikeyr

Original Poster:

3,119 posts

198 months

Tuesday 26th September 2023
quotequote all
Sadly about 4k more than I've got but would have been a nice idea. Decided we are going to drive it on Thursday and see if we like it. If it has been as pampered as it seems then will probably buy it.

lost in espace

6,262 posts

212 months

Tuesday 26th September 2023
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Leaf 30kwh battery has terrible chemistry having driven 75k in one. 24kwh better. Zoe?

mikeyr

Original Poster:

3,119 posts

198 months

Tuesday 26th September 2023
quotequote all
Kinda assumed the 30kwh would be the sweet spot. Zoes are remarkably expensive considering that most of the lower priced ones are on a battery lease.

Interesting to see how EV batteries are doing now we are over ten years since first really got going.

__CA__

63 posts

234 months

Saturday 4th November 2023
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mikeyr said:
Sadly about 4k more than I've got but would have been a nice idea. Decided we are going to drive it on Thursday and see if we like it. If it has been as pampered as it seems then will probably buy it.
What did you go with in the end? Love my e-Up (32kwh).

mikeyr

Original Poster:

3,119 posts

198 months

Saturday 4th November 2023
quotequote all
E-up! Really like it, feels like a little warm hatch. Smaller battery capacity but imagine the larger battery is probably awesome.

Came with the clip on Garmin/Navigon maps and more sat nav. Managed to update it using VW website and an SD card so has the last map set available (couple of years old I think).