£16k First EV - Any ideas?
Discussion
Hello all
I’m currently after a used EV however I know nothing about EVs other than the basics.
Me and the missus don’t travel far for work, I work from home and the missus works 1 mile away part time (child care matters dictate).
The budget is £16K, so far we’ve narrowed it down to
Hyundai KONA
Renault Megane E-Tech
Kia Niro (missus doesn’t like the look of this)
Cupra born
I’ve enquired into a KONA today and asked the dealer for a battery health report, the car is 2023 plate on 37k miles and the battery report suggests 86.5%, I’m not entirely sure if this is any good or something I need to be concerned about? Does anyone know the true state of how long these cells and batteries last?? Do I need to ask for an in depth report?
Any help and advise for a novice would be appreciated.
Thanks
I’m currently after a used EV however I know nothing about EVs other than the basics.
Me and the missus don’t travel far for work, I work from home and the missus works 1 mile away part time (child care matters dictate).
The budget is £16K, so far we’ve narrowed it down to
Hyundai KONA
Renault Megane E-Tech
Kia Niro (missus doesn’t like the look of this)
Cupra born
I’ve enquired into a KONA today and asked the dealer for a battery health report, the car is 2023 plate on 37k miles and the battery report suggests 86.5%, I’m not entirely sure if this is any good or something I need to be concerned about? Does anyone know the true state of how long these cells and batteries last?? Do I need to ask for an in depth report?
Any help and advise for a novice would be appreciated.
Thanks
sheffieldjosh123 said:
Hello all
I m currently after a used EV however I know nothing about EVs other than the basics.
Me and the missus don t travel far for work, I work from home and the missus works 1 mile away part time (child care matters dictate).
The budget is £16K, so far we ve narrowed it down to
Hyundai KONA
Renault Megane E-Tech
Kia Niro (missus doesn t like the look of this)
Cupra born
I ve enquired into a KONA today and asked the dealer for a battery health report, the car is 2023 plate on 37k miles and the battery report suggests 86.5%, I m not entirely sure if this is any good or something I need to be concerned about? Does anyone know the true state of how long these cells and batteries last?? Do I need to ask for an in depth report?
Any help and advise for a novice would be appreciated.
Thanks
That doesn't sound great and suggests lots of fast charging. My 57k mile 2022 Peugeot e-Partner and my wife's circa-50k mile 2021 VW ID4 are both well north of 90%.I m currently after a used EV however I know nothing about EVs other than the basics.
Me and the missus don t travel far for work, I work from home and the missus works 1 mile away part time (child care matters dictate).
The budget is £16K, so far we ve narrowed it down to
Hyundai KONA
Renault Megane E-Tech
Kia Niro (missus doesn t like the look of this)
Cupra born
I ve enquired into a KONA today and asked the dealer for a battery health report, the car is 2023 plate on 37k miles and the battery report suggests 86.5%, I m not entirely sure if this is any good or something I need to be concerned about? Does anyone know the true state of how long these cells and batteries last?? Do I need to ask for an in depth report?
Any help and advise for a novice would be appreciated.
Thanks
We had the same criteria as you back in November and went for the ID4, and we absolutely love it.
DorsetSparky said:
That doesn't sound great and suggests lots of fast charging. My 57k mile 2022 Peugeot e-Partner and my wife's circa-50k mile 2021 VW ID4 are both well north of 90%.
We had the same criteria as you back in November and went for the ID4, and we absolutely love it.
Would you say an older year but better battery health is advisable then? We had the same criteria as you back in November and went for the ID4, and we absolutely love it.
Missus won’t try anything bigger than the KONA unfortunately
Panamax said:
How long does it take you to earn £16k (net after tax/NI) and on what basis are you thinking that buying an EV is a good idea?
It’s kind of different I had a redundancy package a few years ago that we’ve sat on. I’ve been going over petrols for a few months and I get down many rabbit holes and my thinking is fuel prices are going through the roof and will inevitably carry on for a few years on and off and the thinking would be we would have the EV for some years 5/6 years at least to potter around town and I really like the idea of EV
sheffieldjosh123 said:
DorsetSparky said:
That doesn't sound great and suggests lots of fast charging. My 57k mile 2022 Peugeot e-Partner and my wife's circa-50k mile 2021 VW ID4 are both well north of 90%.
We had the same criteria as you back in November and went for the ID4, and we absolutely love it.
Would you say an older year but better battery health is advisable then? We had the same criteria as you back in November and went for the ID4, and we absolutely love it.
Missus won t try anything bigger than the KONA unfortunately
I assume you have a driveway/garage where you can get power to the car to charge at home? You may be fine with a three-pin charger if you aren't often going far.
For battery health I'd hope for at least 90% I think, which most cars should be. Generally cars lose about 5% early on and then the degradation slows down. Avoiding leaving the car sat at 100% charge is probably the main thing owners can do to preserve the battery. There is a warranty on nearly all EVs of at least 70% of battery capacity for eight years or 100k miles, so I wouldn't worry too much about the fine details of battery health, most of them will be fine.
You don't talk about longer journeys, I'm assuming if you're spending £16k you want a reasonable range so that you're at least able to make longer trips. https://ev-database.org/uk/ is good for checking the realistic motorway range of EVs (a lot less than the publicised WLTP range which is nonsense). Charging speed is also helpful here, I'd hope for 100kW+ on these sorts of cars.
Of the cars you mention the Born is RWD which is preferable to me, but you may not care.
In terms of alternatives, the VW ID3 is the same body as the Born but cheaper (or newer/lower mileage for the same budget).
Kia Soul 64 kWh could be another possibility.
I'd consider the MG4 as they're meant to be decent to drive and are good value.
samoht said:
I assume you have a driveway/garage where you can get power to the car to charge at home? You may be fine with a three-pin charger if you aren't often going far.
For battery health I'd hope for at least 90% I think, which most cars should be. Generally cars lose about 5% early on and then the degradation slows down. Avoiding leaving the car sat at 100% charge is probably the main thing owners can do to preserve the battery. There is a warranty on nearly all EVs of at least 70% of battery capacity for eight years or 100k miles, so I wouldn't worry too much about the fine details of battery health, most of them will be fine.
You don't talk about longer journeys, I'm assuming if you're spending £16k you want a reasonable range so that you're at least able to make longer trips. https://ev-database.org/uk/ is good for checking the realistic motorway range of EVs (a lot less than the publicised WLTP range which is nonsense). Charging speed is also helpful here, I'd hope for 100kW+ on these sorts of cars.
Of the cars you mention the Born is RWD which is preferable to me, but you may not care.
In terms of alternatives, the VW ID3 is the same body as the Born but cheaper (or newer/lower mileage for the same budget).
Kia Soul 64 kWh could be another possibility.
I'd consider the MG4 as they're meant to be decent to drive and are good value.
Thank you for your advice and helpful suggestions and knowledge! For battery health I'd hope for at least 90% I think, which most cars should be. Generally cars lose about 5% early on and then the degradation slows down. Avoiding leaving the car sat at 100% charge is probably the main thing owners can do to preserve the battery. There is a warranty on nearly all EVs of at least 70% of battery capacity for eight years or 100k miles, so I wouldn't worry too much about the fine details of battery health, most of them will be fine.
You don't talk about longer journeys, I'm assuming if you're spending £16k you want a reasonable range so that you're at least able to make longer trips. https://ev-database.org/uk/ is good for checking the realistic motorway range of EVs (a lot less than the publicised WLTP range which is nonsense). Charging speed is also helpful here, I'd hope for 100kW+ on these sorts of cars.
Of the cars you mention the Born is RWD which is preferable to me, but you may not care.
In terms of alternatives, the VW ID3 is the same body as the Born but cheaper (or newer/lower mileage for the same budget).
Kia Soul 64 kWh could be another possibility.
I'd consider the MG4 as they're meant to be decent to drive and are good value.
The missus has a big say as primarily she will be the main driver and we’ve ruled out the soul and MG due to the looks unfortunately, pretentious as that may sound and I’ve got to be honest a part of me is still badge snobbery (leaning towards MG when I say that), and the MG does look bobby basic inside.
I’ve looked at the ID3 as well and that looks very basic inside too which surprises me for a VW.
You are right in thinking I’m looking at the bigger size batteries as we do often make occasional longer trips to family down south and twice yearly airport runs.
Yes we have a driveway to install a charger. I want to install one and avoid the three pin plug if I can help it, appreciate I probably don’t necessarily NEED a home charger but the convenience is key.
A couple of things that haven't been mentioned yet, particularly as you're looking at cars where more than one battery size was sold under the same model name:
1) Verify the battery size actually fitted to the specific car, rather than relying on the advert. Listings do get the battery size and trim mixed up, so check it against the car's paperwork/specification and what the car itself reports. A car advertised as the bigger-battery version that turns out to be the smaller one changes the whole comparison.
2) On the battery health report, ask what it actually is — a proper diagnostic report with a date on it is worth a lot more than a single percentage quoted verbally or a reading from the dashboard display. A point or two of state of health either way matters less in practice than how much of the original battery warranty is still left (both years and mileage), as that is your real protection if a cell does go wrong.
3) Keep some of the budget back for the home charger installation rather than spending the full amount on the car. Installation is usually straightforward with a driveway, but costs rise if the consumer unit needs work or the cable run is long, so it's worth getting that checked before you commit.
4) For your pattern of use — very short daily trips and occasional long ones — real-world motorway range in winter and how quickly it charges on a rapid charger will matter more on those long days than the headline range figure. Worth factoring that in over a slightly bigger battery that charges slowly.
1) Verify the battery size actually fitted to the specific car, rather than relying on the advert. Listings do get the battery size and trim mixed up, so check it against the car's paperwork/specification and what the car itself reports. A car advertised as the bigger-battery version that turns out to be the smaller one changes the whole comparison.
2) On the battery health report, ask what it actually is — a proper diagnostic report with a date on it is worth a lot more than a single percentage quoted verbally or a reading from the dashboard display. A point or two of state of health either way matters less in practice than how much of the original battery warranty is still left (both years and mileage), as that is your real protection if a cell does go wrong.
3) Keep some of the budget back for the home charger installation rather than spending the full amount on the car. Installation is usually straightforward with a driveway, but costs rise if the consumer unit needs work or the cable run is long, so it's worth getting that checked before you commit.
4) For your pattern of use — very short daily trips and occasional long ones — real-world motorway range in winter and how quickly it charges on a rapid charger will matter more on those long days than the headline range figure. Worth factoring that in over a slightly bigger battery that charges slowly.
LukeB_92 said:
A couple of things that haven't been mentioned yet, particularly as you're looking at cars where more than one battery size was sold under the same model name:
1) Verify the battery size actually fitted to the specific car, rather than relying on the advert. Listings do get the battery size and trim mixed up, so check it against the car's paperwork/specification and what the car itself reports. A car advertised as the bigger-battery version that turns out to be the smaller one changes the whole comparison.
2) On the battery health report, ask what it actually is a proper diagnostic report with a date on it is worth a lot more than a single percentage quoted verbally or a reading from the dashboard display. A point or two of state of health either way matters less in practice than how much of the original battery warranty is still left (both years and mileage), as that is your real protection if a cell does go wrong.
3) Keep some of the budget back for the home charger installation rather than spending the full amount on the car. Installation is usually straightforward with a driveway, but costs rise if the consumer unit needs work or the cable run is long, so it's worth getting that checked before you commit.
4) For your pattern of use very short daily trips and occasional long ones real-world motorway range in winter and how quickly it charges on a rapid charger will matter more on those long days than the headline range figure. Worth factoring that in over a slightly bigger battery that charges slowly.
Good points well made - thank you.1) Verify the battery size actually fitted to the specific car, rather than relying on the advert. Listings do get the battery size and trim mixed up, so check it against the car's paperwork/specification and what the car itself reports. A car advertised as the bigger-battery version that turns out to be the smaller one changes the whole comparison.
2) On the battery health report, ask what it actually is a proper diagnostic report with a date on it is worth a lot more than a single percentage quoted verbally or a reading from the dashboard display. A point or two of state of health either way matters less in practice than how much of the original battery warranty is still left (both years and mileage), as that is your real protection if a cell does go wrong.
3) Keep some of the budget back for the home charger installation rather than spending the full amount on the car. Installation is usually straightforward with a driveway, but costs rise if the consumer unit needs work or the cable run is long, so it's worth getting that checked before you commit.
4) For your pattern of use very short daily trips and occasional long ones real-world motorway range in winter and how quickly it charges on a rapid charger will matter more on those long days than the headline range figure. Worth factoring that in over a slightly bigger battery that charges slowly.
The home charger is a separate outlay which we have factored in and it should be relatively straight forward my electrics are at the front of my house.
Typically what battery health is good for a 3/5 year old car that’s done upwards of 40k would you say? This is the bit I’m more confused about and concerned about
I totally agree about the interiors of the MG4 and ID3, definitely get yourselves a car you both like.
I think leasing is competitive vs buying a new or nearly new car, but at £16k I suspect buying used is likely to work out cheaper as the likely depreciation isn't so high.
On the battery health point, quite a few of the cars on AT have a battery health certificate shown in the images gallery, eg this Born on 93.8% https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202609045...
I suggest for each model, browse AT and find cars with health certificates, that way you can build up a picture of what's normal at the age and mileage you are looking at.
I think leasing is competitive vs buying a new or nearly new car, but at £16k I suspect buying used is likely to work out cheaper as the likely depreciation isn't so high.
On the battery health point, quite a few of the cars on AT have a battery health certificate shown in the images gallery, eg this Born on 93.8% https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202609045...
I suggest for each model, browse AT and find cars with health certificates, that way you can build up a picture of what's normal at the age and mileage you are looking at.
sheffieldjosh123 said:
Good points well made - thank you.
The home charger is a separate outlay which we have factored in and it should be relatively straight forward my electrics are at the front of my house.
Typically what battery health is good for a 3/5 year old car that s done upwards of 40k would you say? This is the bit I m more confused about and concerned about
85-90% would be what I'd expect, and that's fine. Also, it will barely deteriorate at all after that in the future, they plateau after they've lost their for first 10-15% for a long time - that's what real world evidence is starting to show.The home charger is a separate outlay which we have factored in and it should be relatively straight forward my electrics are at the front of my house.
Typically what battery health is good for a 3/5 year old car that s done upwards of 40k would you say? This is the bit I m more confused about and concerned about
At your budget I'd go with the VW ID3. Try for the 77kwh rather than the 58kwh.
127Sport said:
85-90% would be what I'd expect, and that's fine. Also, it will barely deteriorate at all after that in the future, they plateau after they've lost their for first 10-15% for a long time - that's what real world evidence is starting to show.
At your budget I'd go with the VW ID3. Try for the 77kwh rather than the 58kwh.
Would you say mileage is a big player or the battery health? I’ve filtered to 40k miles but it seems the battery health is crucially the more important factor here At your budget I'd go with the VW ID3. Try for the 77kwh rather than the 58kwh.
sheffieldjosh123 said:
127Sport said:
85-90% would be what I'd expect, and that's fine. Also, it will barely deteriorate at all after that in the future, they plateau after they've lost their for first 10-15% for a long time - that's what real world evidence is starting to show.
At your budget I'd go with the VW ID3. Try for the 77kwh rather than the 58kwh.
Would you say mileage is a big player or the battery health? I ve filtered to 40k miles but it seems the battery health is crucially the more important factor here At your budget I'd go with the VW ID3. Try for the 77kwh rather than the 58kwh.
I've seen KIA Niros on sale with 200k on the clock and 85% battery health - born out by the range display on the dash showing proportional range for available charge.
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