E6 Diesel to Electric?
Discussion
My girlfriend currently has a 2015 Vauxhall Corsa 1.3d ecoflex. It's just gone over 80k and she's wanting something bigger and newer.
In the last year it's had rear brakes, front shocks, glowplugs and battery replaced. I'm pretty sure the aircon/aux belts need doing as well. I realise these are largely consumables but still...
She wants something the size of a ford kuga - smaller suv - and wants no older than 2022 ish.
She commutes about 40 miles per day 3 days a week largely via the m4. Doesn't go too far at the weekend. We do drive up to the lakes/ Cornwall once or twice a year from Reading though.
Has about 20/25k to spend inc the value of the corsa to be sold/part ex'd.
I'm interested in but totally confused as to the viability of going electric.
Whether hybrid is better?
Plug in vs self charging etc?
We have a large driveway with the ability to charge without issue.
For all the hate they get the corsa has been very good to us. It averages 60mpg and CAN get a fair bit more, plus only £30 VED.
Been looking at the likes of Skoda Elroq, Hyundai ioniq5 etc.
Ideas appreciated....
In the last year it's had rear brakes, front shocks, glowplugs and battery replaced. I'm pretty sure the aircon/aux belts need doing as well. I realise these are largely consumables but still...
She wants something the size of a ford kuga - smaller suv - and wants no older than 2022 ish.
She commutes about 40 miles per day 3 days a week largely via the m4. Doesn't go too far at the weekend. We do drive up to the lakes/ Cornwall once or twice a year from Reading though.
Has about 20/25k to spend inc the value of the corsa to be sold/part ex'd.
I'm interested in but totally confused as to the viability of going electric.
Whether hybrid is better?
Plug in vs self charging etc?
We have a large driveway with the ability to charge without issue.
For all the hate they get the corsa has been very good to us. It averages 60mpg and CAN get a fair bit more, plus only £30 VED.
Been looking at the likes of Skoda Elroq, Hyundai ioniq5 etc.
Ideas appreciated....
Pros of a full EV:
- Faster
- More refined
- Quieter
- Huge drop in your "fuel" bill
- Huge drop in servicing costs
- Given the daily commute is short, she will have no time wasted in petrol stations
- Massively more reliable (no cambelt, clutch, DMF, DPF, injectors, gaskets etc!)
Cons of a full EV:
- If ever you do go a little outside of the cars range, you might need a quick 10 minute blast on a charger. Just plug in, tap your card and wait a few minutes.
- If you ever need a long journey, plan stops for food where you can have longer charging sessions. Typically an hour on a supercharger will get you 200 miles.
In a nutshell, given she won't normally be doing many miles, electric is an absolute win.
- Faster
- More refined
- Quieter
- Huge drop in your "fuel" bill
- Huge drop in servicing costs
- Given the daily commute is short, she will have no time wasted in petrol stations
- Massively more reliable (no cambelt, clutch, DMF, DPF, injectors, gaskets etc!)
Cons of a full EV:
- If ever you do go a little outside of the cars range, you might need a quick 10 minute blast on a charger. Just plug in, tap your card and wait a few minutes.
- If you ever need a long journey, plan stops for food where you can have longer charging sessions. Typically an hour on a supercharger will get you 200 miles.
In a nutshell, given she won't normally be doing many miles, electric is an absolute win.
Hopefully she has had some tyres too, but rear brakes, front shocks, glow plugs and battery replaced seems really good. With the exception of the glow plugs these all could go wrong in an EV too (over a 10 year) period.
The EV would potentially be cheaper to run and we be down to your ability to home charge and remember to plug in, else it a disadvantage. In terms of paying for a new car you can compare ice vs ev and they maybe decisive to cost basis.
The EV would potentially be cheaper to run and we be down to your ability to home charge and remember to plug in, else it a disadvantage. In terms of paying for a new car you can compare ice vs ev and they maybe decisive to cost basis.
Doesn't sound like a huge annual mileage, so fuel costs are not the main thing, when you've got £20k depreciating on the drive.
Work out all the costs for a few options, make you best guesses about the long term, but you need to allow for it losing a fair bit of value over the next three years.
It's really more about finding a car you like, to the point you're happy paying for it.
Whether it's an EV or some sort of hybrid etc is really secondary.
Different people like different cars, there is no point trying to counter that with irrelevant 'logic'.
If you are doing two or three times the miles and trying to spend about half as much on the car, the fuel cost matters a lot more.
Work out all the costs for a few options, make you best guesses about the long term, but you need to allow for it losing a fair bit of value over the next three years.
It's really more about finding a car you like, to the point you're happy paying for it.
Whether it's an EV or some sort of hybrid etc is really secondary.
Different people like different cars, there is no point trying to counter that with irrelevant 'logic'.
If you are doing two or three times the miles and trying to spend about half as much on the car, the fuel cost matters a lot more.
at that budget you can get a 1 year old kia EV Niro 3 with a full 7 year warranty and £500 finance contribution
https://used-uk.kia.com/used-car-details/used-kia-...
or a Niro 2 for 22k
for home charging an ohme epod works with all the popular smart tarrifs and is good value
for the odd long trip we have an electroverse card that works on around 1.5 mill chargers and the app will plot your route and charge stops and is displayed on the screen in the Niro via carplay / android auto
https://electroverse.com/
https://used-uk.kia.com/used-car-details/used-kia-...
or a Niro 2 for 22k
for home charging an ohme epod works with all the popular smart tarrifs and is good value
for the odd long trip we have an electroverse card that works on around 1.5 mill chargers and the app will plot your route and charge stops and is displayed on the screen in the Niro via carplay / android auto
https://electroverse.com/
Edited by Dave Hedgehog on Friday 26th June 09:55
As others have said, EV seems like a no brainer really.
I’ve had my Megane e-tech for a year now, done about 8000 miles mainly local/charge at home, but it copes well with long trips (Dorset-Yorkshire). Range varies from about 190 miles in the middle of winter to over 240 miles in summer.
Pros:
Good looking car (imo)
Nice to drive. 220bhp is enough poke without being pointlessly overpowered.
Everything “just works”. Infotainment is straightforward, the range predictor is spot on so no issues with range anxiety/uncertainty
Proper physical buttons for heating controls
a rarity these days
Cons:
Not many. Boot is a little small and the lip is quite high so can be awkward lifting heavy bags in and out
Rear visibility a bit restricted but 360 / reversing camera mitigates this.
I’ve had my Megane e-tech for a year now, done about 8000 miles mainly local/charge at home, but it copes well with long trips (Dorset-Yorkshire). Range varies from about 190 miles in the middle of winter to over 240 miles in summer.
Pros:
Good looking car (imo)
Nice to drive. 220bhp is enough poke without being pointlessly overpowered.
Everything “just works”. Infotainment is straightforward, the range predictor is spot on so no issues with range anxiety/uncertainty
Proper physical buttons for heating controls
a rarity these daysCons:
Not many. Boot is a little small and the lip is quite high so can be awkward lifting heavy bags in and out
Rear visibility a bit restricted but 360 / reversing camera mitigates this.
25k will get you another Ford, the Explorer extended range.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202605152...
I've had mine for coming up to 2 years, very pleased with it going to keep it as long as I can.
Readers Cars thread here >- https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202605152...
I've had mine for coming up to 2 years, very pleased with it going to keep it as long as I can.
Readers Cars thread here >- https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
EV all the way for that use case.
No need to spend £20-25k to get into a <4 year old car TBH, £15-20k more than enough
As an example, my wife had one of these for 12 months and was very happy with it.
Very efficient, 250+ miles no issue, comfortable, plenty of kit, premium badge, all round a nice bit of kit.
Or one of these?
No need to spend £20-25k to get into a <4 year old car TBH, £15-20k more than enough
As an example, my wife had one of these for 12 months and was very happy with it.
Very efficient, 250+ miles no issue, comfortable, plenty of kit, premium badge, all round a nice bit of kit.
Or one of these?
Edited by SWoll on Friday 26th June 10:33
A modern Plug In Hybrid would cover her commutes fine on battery alone with no range concerns if you like covering the long runs early hours in one hit, never need to use a public charger and generally PHEV recharge fine in around 6 hours on a granny charger.
At that budget you're into pure EVs with bigger batteries.
As for future costs there's supposedly less to got wrong with EV but that isn't translating into rock solid depreciation for some reason, anyone offering 10 year service based warranties on EV apart from Toyota? if not why not if they're so bomb proof.
Her mileage has been keeping her Diesel happy so far, some bargains in Diesels out there, but no cheap home electric charging (for however long that lasts).
Whatever you buy suggest the longest maker's warranty possible, all long warranties depend on bomb proof dealer servicing to be 100% certain of cover.
At that budget you're into pure EVs with bigger batteries.
As for future costs there's supposedly less to got wrong with EV but that isn't translating into rock solid depreciation for some reason, anyone offering 10 year service based warranties on EV apart from Toyota? if not why not if they're so bomb proof.
Her mileage has been keeping her Diesel happy so far, some bargains in Diesels out there, but no cheap home electric charging (for however long that lasts).
Whatever you buy suggest the longest maker's warranty possible, all long warranties depend on bomb proof dealer servicing to be 100% certain of cover.
Biker9090 said:
I'm interested in but totally confused as to the viability of going electric.
...
We have a large driveway with the ability to charge without issue.
As others have said, if you have the ability to charge at home and rarely travel further...
We have a large driveway with the ability to charge without issue.
than the range of the car, an EV is pretty much a no brainer - the Kia/Ford/Volvo options
suggested above would all be ideal for her use case.
£20k will get you a lovely Approved Used VW ID5, or ID4. How do I know? I bought one a few months ago.
Terrific car and I've driven it to the south of France and back in 2 days recently, so range worries are a thing of total fiction.
Am just about to switch the aircon on remotely before my drive home from the office, it's 35c here today. Now that's what I call a luxury.
Get a proper home charger installed (possible for £500-£1000 depending on your specific circumstances). Never look back.
Terrific car and I've driven it to the south of France and back in 2 days recently, so range worries are a thing of total fiction.
Am just about to switch the aircon on remotely before my drive home from the office, it's 35c here today. Now that's what I call a luxury.
Get a proper home charger installed (possible for £500-£1000 depending on your specific circumstances). Never look back.
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