Your next car, will it be electric?

Grumpy_chap

As ranges are extending, I think an electric car is looking more attractive as an option.  I do still struggle with the financial point as the capital outlay is so high it makes it very difficult, even when the lower operating cost is considered.  A good Mondeo can be had for £25k.  An equivalent Tesla is £50k.  £25k pays for a lot of petrol or diesel.

gzoom

NaughtiusMaximus said:

If and when technology improves to give a REAL WORLD range of 400 miles and they have a purchase price comparable to the equivalent ICE/hybrid I'll seriously consider one.

It may sound odd, but a Taycan 4S with extended range battery for about £90K is probably the best 'value' car in the ENTIRE Porsche range right now. It's a quick as a 911 in the real world, but far more pratical, and its much cheaper than the Panamera.

https://youtu.be/Zz8_b50PGbM

Range on the Taycan really isn't an issue, even without access to non-Tesla rapid chargers doing LEJOG in an EV is pretty easy these days. 855 miles, 15hrs driving and only 1hr 30 minutes spent charging!

If you are in the market for a new Porsche right now, the Taycan should be your first choice not a 911 or certainly not a Panamera. If we had the disposable income free right now I would have one in a heart beat, its one of the best cars on sale today. 

EVs are still expensive, but some of them at least are now getting to the same price point as combustion options.

https://www.energylivenews.com/2020/09/15/new-record-for-shortest-john-ogroats-to-lands-end-ev-charging-time/

giraffe69

If electric cars are to move away from being niche purchases then, for me, they have to fix the following
1. Initial cost vs alternatively fuelled cars
2. The problem with range
3. The problem of being able to charge. I can have a home charger which solves some problems but is not available to many. The national network has to be a. reliable b. easy to use c. extended significantly. Too many people report difficulty finding a working recharger, problems with time and problems with knowing which charging system it works under.
4. Charging has to be quicker than it currently is. Completely unacceptable to me to have to top up and for it to take 40mins-1 hour compared to 5 mins to refuel with petrol or diesel.
All very well to say this is going to come compulsorily, in 2035 if not earlier but it won't (or at least people will hold on to their traditionally fuelled) cars for longer after the deadline.

Dandytf

No short term plans to go EV
Though once early adopters eventually help bring down EV Car purchase costs, then I could consider a Renault Zoe or similar as my next purchase, Interesting that charging costs seem to rising similar to Fuel costs, maybe not as much saving as I had 1st thought of.

silverwhistle

I bought an EV a couple of weeks ago. Only done a couple of hundred miles so far but a couple of free supermarket charges and topping up  from home with solar means the marginal cost of the mileage is very low. I wouldn't disagree about the capital cost though, just under 22k is a great, great deal more than I've ever spent on a car before, but I'm getting to an age when I might as well spend some of my savings.

Before I bought it I made a list of my regular and likely trips and they are all well within return range even in winter. There will be occasions when I need to charge on the road, but I'm not buying a car based on dealing with all scenarios, including the infrequent ones. So if I have to have an overnight stop once or twice a year that is acceptable to me, and the savings on my usual usage patterns more than compensate. I've done the Italian Alps in a day many times, but gradually age is slowing me down generally and stopping at a cheap hotel but spending money on a nice meal seems very attractive! I don't have the super bladder so many of the 'need 400 miles' group have, nor am I in such a rush. Those are my circumstances, although I appreciate there are some who seem to like, or need, to spend their time driving hundreds of miles regularly. They have my sympathy, particularly if it's on the UK motorway system! :-)

JustAnotherSaver

I'm not against anything if the price is right. 

For now electric cars don't interest me. The range is poor in my eyes. The recharge time isn't fast enough. I imagine repair costs to be higher although that's just a guess as I don't know anything about them. 

There'll likely come a time when it'll tick boxes for me but for now they don't. 

Grumpy_chap

JustAnotherSaver said:

 I imagine repair costs to be higher although that's just a guess as I don't know anything about them

I understand routine maintenance should be cheaper, as there is nothing to service, as such.  That doesn't guarantee it is actually cheaper

As for repairs if anything goes wrong, I have no idea.

Supersonos

silverwhistle said:

I don't have the super bladder so many of the 'need 400 miles' group have, nor am I in such a rush. 

But I'm sure your bladder empties an awful lot quicker than the battery of your EV charges...

gzoom

Porsche could soon be heading towards been mainly an EV brand!! Not mass market but it shows how good EVs are if people are buying them instead of 911/Panemeras.

https://insideevs.com/news/445261/taycan-best-selling-porsche-august-2020/

Yesterday did 160 miles round trip in the car, longest drive for ages. 3hrs of driving in total,  anyone who doesn't need a break after that is nuts.

Purchase costs of EVs maybe high but rnning costs really are crazy for these cars, 160 miles from 48kWh at 10% charging losses and 8p per kWh off peak equates to just over 2p per mile in fuel, for a 2ton+ 6 seater SUV with powered doors. I wasn't even hypermiling did the trip quicker than Google predictions.

These things are rdiculously cheap to own, good thing too as I need every penny saved as my next car will be an electric Porsche .