EV Discussion thread

shinytop

michaels said:

shinytop said:

EVs are cheaper than ICE

Not a headline but based on my own search for a 2-3 year old, low mileage small hatch/\SUV.  About a grand less I'd say.  But even though I have off road parking/garage, do a lot of city driving and 95% of my trips are less than 200 miles I won't be getting one. Why? Because none of the ones I would buy can tow.  A bit short sighted of the manufacturers but I suppose it's not worth the effort for them.

Would the £1k saving in price plus the fuel savings if you are charging at home pay for hire of a van or towing vehicle when you needed one?

Maybe but the inconvenience/need to plan ahead puts me off.  I wouldn't even be towing long distance (no need to charge) and it's only a trailer rather than a caravan. 

michaels

shinytop said:

michaels said:

shinytop said:

EVs are cheaper than ICE

Not a headline but based on my own search for a 2-3 year old, low mileage small hatch/\SUV.  About a grand less I'd say.  But even though I have off road parking/garage, do a lot of city driving and 95% of my trips are less than 200 miles I won't be getting one. Why? Because none of the ones I would buy can tow.  A bit short sighted of the manufacturers but I suppose it's not worth the effort for them.

Would the £1k saving in price plus the fuel savings if you are charging at home pay for hire of a van or towing vehicle when you needed one?

Maybe but the inconvenience/need to plan ahead puts me off.  I wouldn't even be towing long distance (no need to charge) and it's only a trailer rather than a caravan. 

I can understand that, it is a faff to get a hire car somehow, it is where it starts to save over £1000 a year after the extra costs that the trade off might be worth it for us, your mileage may of course differ.

Grumpy_chap

shinytop said:

EVs are cheaper than ICE

Not a headline but based on my own search for a 2-3 year old, low mileage small hatch/\SUV.  About a grand less I'd say.  But even though I have off road parking/garage, do a lot of city driving and 95% of my trips are less than 200 miles I won't be getting one. Why? Because none of the ones I would buy can tow.  A bit short sighted of the manufacturers but I suppose it's not worth the effort for them.

I agree that many EVs seem unable to tow, or unable to have a tow hitch added if not factory added when the car was first built.
It is a phenomenon that is not unique to EVs though - there are now some ICE cars that are being offered with tow hitch only available if as part of the factory build.
I don't know why cars are being constructed in a way that prevents an after-market tow hitch.  It may be something to do with safety regulations.

EricMears

Grumpy_chap said:

shinytop said:

EVs are cheaper than ICE

Not a headline but based on my own search for a 2-3 year old, low mileage small hatch/\SUV.  About a grand less I'd say.  But even though I have off road parking/garage, do a lot of city driving and 95% of my trips are less than 200 miles I won't be getting one. Why? Because none of the ones I would buy can tow.  A bit short sighted of the manufacturers but I suppose it's not worth the effort for them.

I agree that many EVs seem unable to tow, or unable to have a tow hitch added if not factory added when the car was first built.
It is a phenomenon that is not unique to EVs though - there are now some ICE cars that are being offered with tow hitch only available if as part of the factory build.
I don't know why cars are being constructed in a way that prevents an after-market tow hitch.  It may be something to do with safety regulations.

Or of course it might be to maximise benefit to the manufacturer !

Martyn1981

Anyone got any experience (or thoughts) on the Kia Soul? Especially the cut down version, the 'Urban EV'.

Been keeping an eye out for SH Kona's and Niro's, as a potential replacement for our IONIQ, and noticed a pre-reg Soul.

Exiled_Tyke

Martyn1981 said:

Anyone got any experience (or thoughts) on the Kia Soul? Especially the cut down version, the 'Urban EV'.

Been keeping an eye out for SH Kona's and Niro's, as a potential replacement for our IONIQ, and noticed a pre-reg Soul.

No but I've driven a couple of Konas and I have a friend who has one and I'm very impressed by them.     And I really like the look of the new INSTER

michaels

Martyn1981 said:

Anyone got any experience (or thoughts) on the Kia Soul? Especially the cut down version, the 'Urban EV'.

Been keeping an eye out for SH Kona's and Niro's, as a potential replacement for our IONIQ, and noticed a pre-reg Soul.

Test drove one of the old 30kwh. Range was very good for the battery size and it felt quite refined but small in the back and boot. Suspect the revised bigger batt ones may be completely different though

Martyn1981

Thanks guys. Just been to have a look at a pre-reg being sold by Kia. Nice looking, slightly smaller than Kona / Niro, but absolutely fine. Being the cut down version of the Soul, it's 'only' got the 39kWh battery, but that's fine for us as our second car, and will have a bit more range than the 28kWh IONIQ.

Caught me out of the blue tbh, it's ~£18k which is good for a new (24 reg 14 miles on the clock) BEV, but it is now discontinued. But at the same time, so is the IONIQ. Can't work out if it's a good car to consider, or one to avoid, as it's a bit of an anomaly (pre reg, discontinued, etc etc). But I've always been a bit of a fan of box shaped cars, as they are so practical.

@ET, had a nose around the Inster at the recent Everything Electric show. It's a lovely little package. Also got up close to some EV3's today, which I do thinbk look nice, and the seriously large EV9, which wouldn't fit in our drive, but looks like it could happily solve that by simply driving through our garden wall.

Exiled_Tyke

Yeah I'm trying to get my friend to get the Inster for the better range than the short range Kona she has.  The EV9  looks seriously impressive.  I want one but: not sure I could fit in the car park spaces at the supermarket NOR get it down the tight ramps of the multi-storey I park at for work. More to the point I'm not sure it really is in the spirit of EVs! But I still want one.  Given my allegiance I will probably have to stick to Hyundai. Is the Ioniq 9 the equivalent ?  I've seen the new Santa Fe and that is seriously impressive but only PHEV at best. 

michaels

Martyn1981 said:

Thanks guys. Just been to have a look at a pre-reg being sold by Kia. Nice looking, slightly smaller than Kona / Niro, but absolutely fine. Being the cut down version of the Soul, it's 'only' got the 39kWh battery, but that's fine for us as our second car, and will have a bit more range than the 28kWh IONIQ.

Caught me out of the blue tbh, it's ~£18k which is good for a new (24 reg 14 miles on the clock) BEV, but it is now discontinued. But at the same time, so is the IONIQ. Can't work out if it's a good car to consider, or one to avoid, as it's a bit of an anomaly (pre reg, discontinued, etc etc). But I've always been a bit of a fan of box shaped cars, as they are so practical.

@ET, had a nose around the Inster at the recent Everything Electric show. It's a lovely little package. Also got up close to some EV3's today, which I do thinbk look nice, and the seriously large EV9, which wouldn't fit in our drive, but looks like it could happily solve that by simply driving through our garden wall.

Think you could get a brand new MG ZS for about the same money on carwow.