How do ordinary people make the switch to electric vehicles ?

laidbackgjr

I think there is a genuine issue with the EV market and pricing - looking at under 1 year old cars to replace my current 2016 Ford Mondeo - I have these options.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109067035598 - Polestar 2 for £53,900 or
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108035768443 - Mondeo for £23,000

Despite the premium price the Polestar doesn't tick as many boxes as the Mondeo - boot space / rear seat space is smaller. Apart from the drivetrain difference on a day to day basis, I'd not find much difference between them for my needs, it's going to take some very expensive diesel or cheap electricity to recover the price difference.

motorguy

laidbackgjr said:

I think there is a genuine issue with the EV market and pricing - looking at under 1 year old cars to replace my current 2016 Ford Mondeo - I have these options.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109067035598 - Polestar 2 for £53,900 or
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108035768443 - Mondeo for £23,000

Despite the premium price the Polestar doesn't tick as many boxes as the Mondeo - boot space / rear seat space is smaller. Apart from the drivetrain difference on a day to day basis, I'd not find much difference between them for my needs, it's going to take some very expensive diesel or cheap electricity to recover the price difference.

really?

The only EV option you could find was a Polestar?

What about a Hyundai Ioniq 

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109167449395 - Ioniq for £22,134

[Deleted User]

laidbackgjr said:

I think there is a genuine issue with the EV market and pricing - looking at under 1 year old cars to replace my current 2016 Ford Mondeo - I have these options.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109067035598 - Polestar 2 for £53,900 or
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108035768443 - Mondeo for £23,000

Despite the premium price the Polestar doesn't tick as many boxes as the Mondeo - boot space / rear seat space is smaller. Apart from the drivetrain difference on a day to day basis, I'd not find much difference between them for my needs, it's going to take some very expensive diesel or cheap electricity to recover the price difference.

A Polestar is a bit of a step up from a Mondeo. Closer would be something like a Nissan Leaf, which you can get for £22k brand new.

There's also the MG ZS EV and quite a few others in that category.

Grumpy_chap

[Deleted User] said:

A Polestar is a bit of a step up from a Mondeo. Closer would be something like a Nissan Leaf, which you can get for £22k brand new.

There's also the MG ZS EV and quite a few others in that category.

I really would not say that a Leaf can be considered as comparable to the Mondeo and nor would I say the Polestar is a step up from a Mondeo.  Remember, actual broker costs to purchase a high-spec Mondeo outright brand new are much the same as the actual broker costs for an Audi A6:

https://www.broadspeed.com/CarView/Ford/Mondeo/49790/EcoBlue_2.0_190PS_Diesel_Vignale_Automatic_5_doors

https://www.broadspeed.com/CarView/Audi/A6/48535/40_TDI_2.0_204PS_Diesel_Sport_Automatic_4_doors

BOWFER

Anyone who thinks a Polestar isn't a step up from a Mondeo can't be helped.
A much ,much more premium product.
I know which car I desire, and which car I wouldn't keep if I got it for nothing.

shinytop

WJB1971 said:

I have worked all my life and having done so have got to the point where I own a Volvo XC60 of which I am very fond, it isn't new, it is several years old but it is mine.

However, I accept there is need to go electric and would like to do so.

The nearest comparable vehicle all electric would be the Volvo XC40 but at round the £60k mark there is no way I can afford to make that change. Looking for a second hand SUV I might be able to afford it would be a Kia Soul, and with the best will in the world they are just not comparable vehicles.

The biggest problem then to ordinary people wanting to make the change and to try and be greener, is the cost to us, and because we cannot afford it, we have to accept having a smaller car not of our choice, or carry on polluting.

What about leasing ? I am sorry but if you think any of us earning 20k a year can afford to lease and manage the rest of life's living expenses then think again.

What about grants and such ? yes but we still have to find the rest of the money and most of us don't have it.

So those of us with least will end up driving a polluting car because we cannot afford to do otherwise. We will end up having to pay more and more for doing so, which will make finding the money to change even more impossible. We will be frowned upon for still driving such a car by those who can afford to go green.

Anyone got a solution ?

At the moment, no.  EVs are more expensive.  IMO, to be practical, EVs need to have a real range of 120 miles.  People on £20k p.a. incomes can't afford one of these now.  Hopefully by the time they have no choice, they will be able to.  Going green is expensive.         

BOWFER

shinytop said:

At the moment, no.  EVs are more expensive.  IMO, to be practical, EVs need to have a real range of 120 miles.  People on £20k p.a. incomes can't afford one of these now.  Hopefully by the time they have no choice, they will be able to.  Going green is expensive.         

Nissan Leaf 40KWh or Renault Zoe 50KWh are both real 120 mile cars, no problem at all.
And they're at the cheap end of EV rental/lease.
I'm not one to say people on £20K a year can't afford one, are you?

Grumpy_chap

shinytop said:

IMO, to be practical, EVs need to have a real range of 120 miles.     

There is a massive choice of EV's available on the market that meet this criteria.

BOWFER

Grumpy_chap said:

shinytop said:

IMO, to be practical, EVs need to have a real range of 120 miles.     

There is a massive choice of EV's available on the market that meet this criteria.

I'm assuming he means the people earning £20K won't be able to afford a new one and the cheap end of the market (£5000-£6000) won't get you a 120 mile car.
Doesn't take much use to rack up £20-£25 a week on petrol/diesel though.
I was going through that doing only 7 miles commuting every day and general errands.
So take that £80-£100 month off the £200 a month it would cost you to PCP a new/nearly new EV and you're talking £100-£120 a month for brand new car with no repair costs and no roadtax.

motorguy

Grumpy_chap said:

[Deleted User] said:

A Polestar is a bit of a step up from a Mondeo. Closer would be something like a Nissan Leaf, which you can get for £22k brand new.

There's also the MG ZS EV and quite a few others in that category.

I really would not say that a Leaf can be considered as comparable to the Mondeo and nor would I say the Polestar is a step up from a Mondeo.  Remember, actual broker costs to purchase a high-spec Mondeo outright brand new are much the same as the actual broker costs for an Audi A6:

https://www.broadspeed.com/CarView/Ford/Mondeo/49790/EcoBlue_2.0_190PS_Diesel_Vignale_Automatic_5_doors

https://www.broadspeed.com/CarView/Audi/A6/48535/40_TDI_2.0_204PS_Diesel_Sport_Automatic_4_doors

Polestar is a premium brand EV offshot of Volvo.  Not at all comparable.

What about a Hyundai Ioniq?  I linked to one above.  Similarly priced to the Mondy, similar size and spec.