Onto electric car subscription - any thoughts/experience

mightbedave

Having worked from home for a year I'm now thinking about how I will start doing my commute again later this year and am considering an electric car subscription from a company like Onto (https://on.to/electric-cars) and was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or experience of using a service like this? 

I know the monthly cost is a lot compared to a normal 3 year lease but these are my reasons:

• I used to commute by train but will be going to the office less frequently so hard to justify a season ticket and daily ticket is now £80.
• I want to test the water with driving, e.g. is the traffic a nightmare or will it be reduced with more home working
• I want an electric car but want to make sure the range is fine in all conditions (110 mile round trip mostly on motorway) 
• This will be our second car so can easily go back to one car if it doesn't work out
• If it works out well I would either buy a car or swap for a multiyear lease

Thanks in advance!

AdrianC

Seems like a decent way to toe-dip, if it really is genuinely that price, one month commitment.

The headline figure includes insurance, too... Is there a published excess mileage figure over the 1k/mo, because you're going to be WAY over that?

mightbedave

AdrianC said:

Seems like a decent way to toe-dip, if it really is genuinely that price, one month commitment.

The headline figure includes insurance, too... Is there a published excess mileage figure over the 1k/mo, because you're going to be WAY over that?

I should be just about alright on the 1000 miles a month limit. Will probably be going in two days a week. If I get close I can always swap cars with my wife for a day as she only does short journeys.

DrEskimo

Head over to SpeakEV. There is a very active user group who have been using them (back when they were EVEZY) for a few years now.

The things to bear in mind are:

• The included insurance has a high excess, so may want to look at additional excess cover (although there was a large debate about what companies would cover a lease model like ONTO).
• You do not get a physical key, so have to rely on accessing the car with a smartphone App.
• They come with a mandatory dashcam (should that sort of thing bother you).

Personally, having a cheap insurance premium and not doing many miles, buying a used EV has worked out substantially cheaper, but can be a good way to try an EV for a month or so to see if it works for you.

[Deleted User]

How do you intend to charge it? Assuming 3 miles per kWh, then a round trip of 100 miles will require about 36KWhs (allowing for charging losses) which really requires an EVSE (a charging point).

mightbedave

[Deleted User] said:

How do you intend to charge it? Assuming 3 miles per kWh, then a round trip of 100 miles will require about 36KWhs (allowing for charging losses) which really requires an EVSE (a charging point).

Good question. I would get a charging point on my house expecting it to be useful in the long term even if I abandoned a second car in the short term.

mightbedave

DrEskimo said:

• You do not get a physical key, so have to rely on accessing the car with a smartphone App.

Hmm, hadn't realised that. Could be annoying when rushing to try to beat the queue out of the office car park!

ElefantEd

Our 30kw Leaf can easily do 100 miles - more in the summer. In very cold weather it wuld struggle.

DrEskimo

mightbedave said:

DrEskimo said:

• You do not get a physical key, so have to rely on accessing the car with a smartphone App.

Hmm, hadn't realised that. Could be annoying when rushing to try to beat the queue out of the office car park!

Yea, and enough stories of people being unable to unlock the car would put me off too....

DrEskimo

mightbedave said:

[Deleted User] said:

How do you intend to charge it? Assuming 3 miles per kWh, then a round trip of 100 miles will require about 36KWhs (allowing for charging losses) which really requires an EVSE (a charging point).

Good question. I would get a charging point on my house expecting it to be useful in the long term even if I abandoned a second car in the short term.

I think the lease needs to be held for 6 continuous months to get the OLEV grant.

AnotherJoe

mightbedave said:

Having worked from home for a year I'm now thinking about how I will start doing my commute again later this year and am considering an electric car subscription from a company like Onto (https://on.to/electric-cars) and was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or experience of using a service like this? 

I know the monthly cost is a lot compared to a normal 3 year lease but these are my reasons:

• I used to commute by train but will be going to the office less frequently so hard to justify a season ticket and daily ticket is now £80.
• I want to test the water with driving, e.g. is the traffic a nightmare or will it be reduced with more home working
• I want an electric car but want to make sure the range is fine in all conditions (110 mile round trip mostly on motorway) 
• This will be our second car so can easily go back to one car if it doesn't work out
• If it works out well I would either buy a car or swap for a multiyear lease

Thanks in advance!

I used them for 5 months in their previous incarnation (EVEZY IIRC). Prices were good.

Needing an app to start the car was a PITA but i understand (from their adverts !! )  theyve improved that now.

I dont know the home charging situation because i already had one (I was between owned EVs) but as anoter poster said you have to have one ona 6 month lease minimum i think.

Id certainly consider using them again.

It shoudl be easy to get a car which can do 110 miles on motorways, most of theirs will, just skip the leaf and the Zoe 40. I had the BMW. Hated it but that was because i had passengers. if its just one or two people its OK and quite nippy.