Electric car anyone?
72 watchers
Oct 2020
4:58pm, 9 Oct 2020
12,270 posts
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larkim
Still not managed to forget to charge the car, and all running smoothly. Almost as if it was a mature technology, like petrol cars etc. I'm in the process of moving electricity supplier so that I can use the Octopus Go tariff; 5p electricity between 00:30 and 04:30 daily, so I've set my home charger to only operate through that period to see how I need to respond in terms of scheduled charging. 4 hours gives me 28kWh of charging time, which turns into about 25kWh usable power in the car. At a pessimistic 3.5miles/kWh that's about 88 miles of range per charge, so 2 days of commuting for me, so I'm getting into the habit of charging every two days. The car is nicer to drive when it hasn't just been topped up - the regenerative braking isn't active until the car's used about 5-6% of the battery (you can't "top up" a full battery I think is the logic) so as I head off downhill for the first mile of my journey I need to remember that lifting off the throttle doesn't cause any retardation of speed. If if wasn't for that, I might be just plugging in nightly to avoid any forgetfulness. But at the very least, I know if it's plugged in throughout the 5p charging period I've got a full day of commuting plus plenty of spare capacity if needed. |
Oct 2020
6:31pm, 9 Oct 2020
7,565 posts
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WA
Is it fully charged after 4 hours? I was looking at the e208 and the range is around 200 miles according to the blurb. To feel happy, I'd need about 130 reliably on the days I work
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Oct 2020
7:39pm, 9 Oct 2020
12,271 posts
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larkim
No, four hours would do just over 50% battery, it's 7 hours for the full thing. Overnight is a full charge, I'm just looking to save even more pennies. I'm getting comfortably 160 from a full charge even now it's a bit cooler so the heaters on in the car. In the warmth I'm getting about 180 miles, but what you get in terms of range will be quite dependent on the types of journeys. For me it's a mix of fast dual carriageway, motorway and then some stop start rush hour traffic with the slower bits being the more energy efficient. |
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Oct 2020
9:05pm, 9 Oct 2020
7,566 posts
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WA
Ok that's good to know. Mine would be hilly and bendy country lanes, then motorway, then residential streets
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Oct 2020
3:11pm, 14 Oct 2020
36,107 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Disappointing that new electric models based on same platform as ICE equivalents are 50% more expensive. That is no exaggeration: Citroen C4 - 20K, Citroen e-C4 30K. Grrr. Governments need to tax the shizzle out of new ICE or better subsidise EV until the volume/tech for batteries etc. makes them same price in the market. |
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Oct 2020
3:11pm, 14 Oct 2020
36,108 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
OK 20,990 v 29,180. Nearly 50%
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Oct 2020
3:12pm, 14 Oct 2020
36,109 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
autocar.co.uk
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Oct 2020
3:33pm, 14 Oct 2020
12,305 posts
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larkim
Yes, but you might find that lease deals bring the costs fairly in line - plus £1k a year fuel saving to be factored in. I do think I lucked into things a little. On Motability, my model is £1299 one off payment (currently) plus full motability contribution. The ICE version is between £499-£649 (dependent on engine choice) plus full contribution, so effectively at worst £800 different, which is recouped in the first year of ownership through fuel savings. It's predicated to a degree on the residual after 3 years, which I'm guessing are higher for the EV vs the ICE. I've not looked into leasing deals, but I get the impression that there is a similar, if perhaps not quite so advantageous, position there too. Cash buyers would be taking the risk on the residuals, but might find a total cost of ownership saving anyway, despite high up front costs. Retail, the gaps that you're quoting for the 208/e208 look about right. |
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Oct 2020
3:44pm, 14 Oct 2020
36,111 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Not that I can see larks - 340 per month lease for e-208 v 260 for a petrol or diesel. OK, that's only 30% more expensive not 50%, but it's still considerable and would put many people off, wouldn't it? Sure, lower running costs, but only just covers the difference? And on a bigger car (say 500 per month vs. 380, the fuel cost difference isn't even covered). It should be attractive to get an electric and punitive to buy non-electric for anyone getting a new car? That comment is probably for the Environment Thread!  G
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Oct 2020
4:17pm, 14 Oct 2020
12,306 posts
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larkim
That's a shame if the commercial marketplace isn't encouraging electric ownership. Though if that were the case and it was a clear "win" to own an EV I wonder whether the network / infrastructure would be there to support it in any event. At the moment there is something of a premium then for EV; you can see from my perspective why it was a good route to go down for our family, but the "advantage" of having access to Motability has it's negatives too (not that I'd ever really describe my son as a negative, but 18 years ago if I could have flicked a switch in his chromosones I would have taken the chance to do just that!). As an aside, my little sis, Professor at Manchester Uni is one of the Woman's Hour Power List judges this year and I like to think that the first person she was thinking of was me when her first comment on last week's programme was about EVs. She was also tactful in avoiding answering whether some families have too many children I suspect for fear of offending me rather than as an honest answer to a question about consumption levels of over-population! bbc.co.uk if anyone is interested (I was well impressed by her so I'm sharing the details far and wide to show my older-brother-inflected pride in here, which is partly patronising but mostly genuine!) |
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