Ampera/Volt - why not?

jimbo6977

Parts availability.
Otherwise why wouldn't I buy one? 

forgotmyname

Better value options out there?

Petrol engine fitted for lightness, but would a smaller diesel use less fuel even with additional weight?
More torque low down to drive the generator at lower speeds using less fuel?

Or is it cheaper to fit petrol or they aim it at the US market where petrol still rules and they think
diesel is witchcraft?

missile

Where to charge it?

MinuteNoodles

missile said:

Where to charge it?

Not my town or the next two. Three towns serving a total of over 80,000 people during the winter rising to nearly quarter of a million in summer and 6 charging points between them all.

missile

MinuteNoodles said:

missile said:

Where to charge it?

Not my town or the next two. Three towns serving a total of over 80,000 people during the winter rising to nearly quarter of a million in summer and 6 charging points between them all.

Exactly; EVs are not an option for many. Not everyone can install a charging point at home. Will there ever be enough points available when more EVs are on the road.
I live in a development with 6 blocks of flats. A neighbour bought an EV. He expected all owners to contribute to the cost of installing a charging point in our car park.

jimbo6977

Charging I can do, although I appreciate this is a challenge for a lot of people and for the growth of the ev market generally. 

I started the thread because I have started spending money on fuel again and the savings over the last few months with no fuel bills have been phenomenal, so I'm considering an ev. 

I have read that even with the genny running the Ampera  gives 42mpg, which is no worse than I get now anyway, and I wouldn't be running it like that all the time anyway. 

Just wondering if there's some massive problem with it that I'm missing, coz it's looking like a good option that I hadn't considered before. 

forgotmyname

Only 4 seats would be a pain, mostly it would be fine but I know one day I will need that 5th seat.

And the silly gap they left between the seats, seems like a huge afterthought.

AdrianC

forgotmyname said:

Only 4 seats would be a pain, mostly it would be fine but I know one day I will need that 5th seat.

And the silly gap they left between the seats, seems like a huge afterthought.

There's a very simple reason they made the back seat two-person, not three.

Payload.

Kerbweight = ~1750kg (inc 75kg for the driver)
GVW = 2000kg

250kg is a very, VERY low payload - not even enough for three larger adults, let alone four passengers plus luggage.

motorguy

Risk of parts availability would put me off.

If i was going for an older Hybrid / EV i'd go with one of the long established brands with a good consistent track record and commitment both before and after.

bhjm

go for it !
at the end it depends on your circumstances. Do you have the infrastructure to recharge it? How is your daily commute? Could you charge it at work? Do you have another car for longer distances etc? If its just a car for commuting i would give it a go.

Price cost ratio - a car which cost 2-3times your monthly salary (for normal earner) is far more economically in terms of finances, as the depreciation of a new car outweighs any savings on fuel. 

DrEskimo

I would go on SpeakEV to ask some very knowledgable owners on there. It seems to be adored by it's owners and has one of the best ranges of any of the plug in hybrids.

They aren't cheap though. They seem to have held their value very well.