looking to get a hybrid

almillar

A hybrid will only run on electric at low speeds, less than 25-30mph and

That's not true for all hybrids, maybe some. But they work in many different ways.

Anyway, despite some dark matters, there are usually some informative replies...

I ordered a Renault Zoe in May during a very good offer. Expecting delivery in November. It'll cost me either £141 or £151 per month, including battery rental, on PCP for 2 years with a 7,500 mile limit.
I'll be using it for commuting, and my other car (Nissan 350Z) will be for weekend driving.
I was pretty much spending £150 per month on fuel. Only other cost for the Zoe is roughly £140/yr for insurance.
What's 'better' - petrol, diesel, hybrid, pure EV? Depends on usage. The Zoe, for example, gets much less efficient (the motor, not just air resistance) above 60, so if you do a lot of motorway miles, you need to adjust your range expectations. Hybrids will get you further obviously, but you have the trade off of carrying 2 sets of motors and 'fuel' around.
Let's do Multi_Power's maths anyway. £100 per month on fuel. Zoe for 2 years at £151. That'll cost £1224 extra. Sell old car £?, reduction in road fund licence £? to see if that would make sense for you.
A second hand i3 would take a looooong time to pay back!

Wh05apk

Some good posts from Gzoom, and have to agree with him, I recently also bought a Lexus hybrid, tried a Merc diesel and felt like a tractor in comparison, fuel economy is overall similar to a diesel equivalent, but much better around town, the refinement is in a different league, with near silent running around town.


Like Gzoom, within a few days of owning it, I decided my next car will almost certainly be a full electric car (such as upcoming Tesla 3 ?) anything else feels agricultural by comparison.


Also agree with other comments, that changing a car to save a few pounds on fuel is never worthwhile, but if you are changing anyway then looking at a hybrid is worthwhile, the cost of batteries is irrelevant, very very few fail, compared to EGR's/DMF's on diesels, I now almost certainly would not buy another diesel as they are now too complicated and fragile.

gzoom

So I've just got back from my first Tesla Model S test drive.....Essentially I'm sold .

When the Leaf's PCP deal ends I'll be ordering one, not the crazy P85D, cannot afford that, going for the 'entry spec' 329bhp 70D. Just a shame I have to wait till next xmas before ordering

Strider590

Wh05apk wrote: »

Also agree with other comments, that changing a car to save a few pounds on fuel is never worthwhile, but if you are changing anyway then looking at a hybrid is worthwhile, the cost of batteries is irrelevant, very very few fail, compared to EGR's/DMF's on diesels, I now almost certainly would not buy another diesel as they are now too complicated and fragile.

You see I disagree, there's no reason to change a car unless the old one is too broken to fix and if you just WANT a new car for the shear passion and love of cars, then why on earth would you buy a hybrid or a diesel or whatever?

Which brings me to another point.... If your passionate about cars and you WANT a new car, just go buy one, don't make lame a55 excuses about fuel economy and tax and insurance and whatever else JUST DO IT.

If your not buying the car for YOU and your benefit, then your simply buying it for the neighbours. I'm sure they'll appreciate the debt you put yourself into in order to impress them.

This non-sense has started over the way from me, one guy gets a BMW company vehicle, 2 weeks later next door down has a new Audi, a month later someone else has a Lexus Hybrid and last week a new Range Rover and a Mercedes turned up.
I'm sure they all made lots of excuses as to why they needed these new cars, but at the end of the day that's all they are, excuses.

gzoom

Strider590 wrote: »

if you just WANT a new car for the shear passion and love of cars, then why on earth would you buy a hybrid or a diesel or whatever?

You clearly haven't even driven any full battery electric car.

It's completely different motoring experience, and its nothing like anything a hybrid/petrol/diesel car can do.

Which is the whole reason I sold my previous twin turbo petrol BMW for an electric Leaf.

Rather than just dismiss everyone who doesn't agree with you as been clueless about cars why don't you educate your self about EVs.

The consumer reports final report of the Tesla P85D is a good start...Spolier Alert - It did rather well

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/tesla-model-s-p85d-breaks-consumer-reports-ratings-system

satchef1

I ordered a Zoe a few weeks back. £37/month for the car, £80/month for the battery, 7500 miles.

Factoring in everything (fuel, VED, MOT, maintenance, repairs, depreciation) that's less than my 8 year old Suzuki Swift is costing me. Absolutely mental. Can't wait to get my hands on it. Shame Renault seem to be in no hurry to build the things.

Strider590

Like how my 11yr old car, cost me £3000 in 2008, it owes me nothing, has never failed an MOT and has only cost about £1500 in repairs over the last 7 years.

The "simple maths" is that i've paid a fraction of what I would have paid if i'd been financing a new car every 2-3 years, even if you consider fuel and tax.

benjus

How much does the range of EVs like the Leaf drop when it's cold outside and you want to put the heater on?

gzoom

Cannot tell you yet, not use mine through a cold winter

In summer air-con reduces range by about 3-5 miles from a full charger (90 miles range).

forgotmyname

15 - 20% drop in range from someones blog over 2years+.

And they use the heater as little as possiblt, dressing warm enough to be outside and not get cold in fact.

Seems even having the car in a warm garage will having it cooling down on the run and the range will drop quite a bit as everything cools.

Using the heated seats and wheel seems to be more efficient.