Anyone point getting an electric car if you do low mileage?

UKSBD

gzoom wrote: »

So just been for a i3 test drive with my parent in-laws.

But the i3 is pretty pricy for what it is, going to look at a Zoe tomorrow, their annual millage is 6K, deprecation on their mini in the last 5 years has worked out at £200/month. With Zoe deals coming in at below that, and with a very small deposit, next to no running costs it's, they are sold on the idea getting an EV to replace their mini - They still do have an E-class Merc though, I'll be doing my best to convince them to replace that with a Tesla in a few years time....

Cannot have them getting on before me

The more I look at the Zoe the more tempted I get.


I can't believe there is so little competition around for it yet, it seems to be the only choice in that size and price bracket.


What's the catch?

ElefantEd

I don't think there is a catch! Each manufacturer seems to do just one car, so they all have a niche. If the Zoe works for you I would go for it. There's a thread just up there somewhere that gives an incredibly low price for a new one. I am tempted and I don't even need another car!

FreddieFrugal

There are two downsides in my eyes to Zoe.

1. Too big, we'd just need a city car sized EV
2. It's Renault! Renault and electrics are a not a good mix, so the thought of an all electric Renault fills me with terror.

Renault has recurring issues across their models with headlights being too dim, instrument clusters failing, whole dashboards needing replacement due to poor electrics.

Why would you trust them to make a reliable electric drive train?

In this case it's not just old French stereotyping, they are actually genuinely shockingly bad with electrics, even in their more recent vehicles. Will have to wait and see if they've gotten away with it this time with Zoe. But early reports are still suggesting some of those gremlins remain, like the useless 'worse than a candle' headlight issue.

BeenThroughItAll

FreddieFrugal wrote: »

There are two downsides in my eyes to Zoe.

1. Too big, we'd just need a city car sized EV
2. It's Renault! Renault and electrics are a not a good mix, so the thought of an all electric Renault fills me with terror.

Renault has recurring issues across their models with headlights being too dim, instrument clusters failing, whole dashboards needing replacement due to poor electrics.

Why would you trust them to make a reliable electric drive train?

In this case it's not just old French stereotyping, they are actually genuinely shockingly bad with electrics, even in their more recent vehicles. Will have to wait and see if they've gotten away with it this time with Zoe. But early reports are still suggesting some of those gremlins remain, like the useless 'worse than a candle' headlight issue.

They haven't got away with it (when did 'gotten' become 'a thing' in the UK? Genuine question, I see it more and more esp. from youngerc colleagues).

Had my Zoe less than three hours when the first problem occurred. Two weeks later and it was back to Renault for eight weeks. Still really like the car, but the dealerships, and Renault themselves, are a shower of incompetents.

FreddieFrugal

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

They haven't got away with it (when did 'gotten' become 'a thing' in the UK? Genuine question, I see it more and more esp. from youngerc colleagues).

i haven't a clue, I don't remember choosing to type that. I always say got away, maybe I mistyped on ipad and it autocorrected?

Maybe it's a Scooby Doo thing

prowla

FreddieFrugal wrote: »

There are two downsides in my eyes to Zoe.

1. Too big, we'd just need a city car sized EV
2. It's Renault! Renault and electrics are a not a good mix, so the thought of an all electric Renault fills me with terror.

Renault has recurring issues across their models with headlights being too dim, instrument clusters failing, whole dashboards needing replacement due to poor electrics.

Why would you trust them to make a reliable electric drive train?

In this case it's not just old French stereotyping, they are actually genuinely shockingly bad with electrics, even in their more recent vehicles. Will have to wait and see if they've gotten away with it this time with Zoe. But early reports are still suggesting some of those gremlins remain, like the useless 'worse than a candle' headlight issue.

Yes, I think you have a point there.

gary_jules

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

All of the speculation about battery technology is fine, but the future of non-FF vehicles is likely to be hydrogen fuel-cells.


Had a little go in a Toyota Mirai at Millbrook last week. Lovely car, nice inside, beautifully screwed together, very handsome, can be filled with fuel quickly, and 250 mile nominal range - and nothing but water out the back.

The Toyota Mirai has 153 HP and 247 lb/foot torque yet only achieves 0-60 in 9.6 seconds and a top speed of 111mph? Can't be putting down that power very efficiently

gary_jules

1850 kg curb weight. £56,000? No thanks

gzoom

gary_jules wrote: »

1850 kg curb weight. £56,000? No thanks

The actual price pre-grant is £63,000 - Hydrogen cars get a larger EV grant for some reason??

Even at that price, apparently Toyota is still loosing money on each one produced, which is apparently one of the reasons why Toyota aren't mass producing the Mirai until at least 2020.

A 250 mile range 70kWh Tesla Model S cost £55,000 - before the EV grant, and at that price Tesla has a gross 25% profit margin per car before any options are added.

A EV rapid chargers costs £50,000 to install - The only ongoing costs are electricity supply. A hydrogen fuel station is £500,000+ - with ongoing costs of maintaining a steady supply of hydrogen.

The economics of hydrogen fuel cell technology just doesn't add up. It's dead end technology - Much like the video CD, min-disc.

almillar

Do the plugs lock onto the car so they can't be removed without key?

Yes, any model I know of, locks the plug in place.

Nissan actually offer a solution to this. Basically you can borrow a petrol car from them for a couple of weeks a year if you need to make trips for which your electric car isn't suitable

Yep, they promise 'at least a Note' - which means 'a Note'.

Renault offer a 10 or 20% discount off some car rental company, which is rubbish. BMW will lend you a petrol/diesel car too.

There are two downsides in my eyes to Zoe.

1. Too big, we'd just need a city car sized EV

It's very much the size of a Clio, just a bit higher. That's a supermini. You can have a city car, the VW e-Up!, but it'll cost you a lot more for a smaller car!

2. It's Renault! Renault and electrics are a not a good mix, so the thought of an all electric Renault fills me with terror.

I've had no problems with mine yet. I also haven't taken ownership of it yet!...

Headlights - if you're used to Xenons, you'll surely be disappointed. Some people have changed the bulbs with good results. It's a cheap electric car, designed to be as familiar as possible to drivers of normal cars. Budget for a pair of headlights if you think it might annoy you!