Hybrid, Plugin Hybrid or Full EV?

Goudy

Iceweasel said:

Why not a mild hybrid to replace both your current vehicles?

Many folks sre not even aware of their existence.

I have a diesel-electric, it does well over 60mpg and needs no charging connection at all.

It has a 48v 'power' battery as well as conventional separate 12v one.

To me this is the intermediate answer until fully electric vehicles can replace ICE engined vehicles for everyone with no downsides such as range, charging availability, and the downtime  needed on long journeys.

Yes, some of the more modern attempts at the mild hybrid systems are actually pretty good.

OK, you can't run on electric alone even for short bursts, which some of the latest full hybrids can, but at the end of the day it's a balance of efficiency verses costs.

In some of the real world tests ran by various reviewers, the latest mild hybrid Suzuki Swift isn't far off the latest Toyota Yaris Hybrid for mpg in most circumstances which is a full hybrid.  
There's around £4000 difference between the two, so not insignificant.

They aren't sold here but I had the new Suzuki Grand Vitara on hire on holiday last year.
The thing was large, around the size of the latest Rav4 but it had a 1.5 mild hybrid engine.
It never felt underpowered but obviously it's no sports car. The mpg was pretty amazing considering the roads, I was at least 1000 miles away from a motorway, all tight country roads, plenty of rough tracks and lots of snaking hills and it worked out in the mid 40's. I'd struggle to get that out of a super mini on those roads.

My colleague has just swapped out her 8 years old 175,000 mile old Yaris Hybrid for the latest one and it's even more efficient.
It has more ability to run in electric than the last, both for distance and speed.
The battery is better as it's Li-on rather then the old nickel metal hydride and the gearbox works differently.
All it's lower speed is handled by a two speed direct electric drive, the CVT part only handles the higher speed gearing, so it's smaller and lighter.

Her old averaged around 78 mpg over her normal commute.
The new is nearly 90 mpg. Over 20,000 miles a year that adds up. 

If you haven't the means to buy or cheaply charge a full EV, there are some other options.

WellKnownSid

ButterCheese said:

But somehting to think about.  it might only be once a year but it's not fun if you have small kids who don't handle waiting for hours very well, on top of an already long journey.

We were concerned about this when we did Scotland to London the first time on electric.  Main comments:

1. Our small kids with complex needs needed to stop five times more often than the car needed to.  So the reality was it made no difference.
2. We could have charged without waiting every time we did stop - the only reason I did a 'one charge' strategy was because I'm tight and the public Tesla superchargers off the M6 at Stoke on Trent are about half the price of motorway rapid charging.  But again, there was no 'waiting' - I had to unplug and move the car because toileting and feeding the kids was taking much longer than the car needed and Tesla charge idle fees.
3. Arriving in London and feeling entirely fatigue-free due to the complete lack of vibration in the drivetrain was astonishing.  I mean I knew it was a smooth ride but it isn't until you complete a long journey that you realise how different it is.  I love my straight six Mercedes 'weekend car' and always thought it smooth but it's a tractor by comparison.

henry24

If you're only doing low mileage then why buy electric apart from they are worthless to buy see WellKnownSid post 

facade

henry24 said:

If you're only doing low mileage then why buy electric apart from they are worthless to buy see WellKnownSid post 

Full EV is perfect for low mileage.  None of the engine wear caused by short trips, the fuel  in the tank doesn't go off, the heater works much quicker, or you can set it to activate before you start off.

The longer the public perception that EVs are a poor alternative to IC, and they lose a fortune lasts, the better!

It means second hand EVs are very reasonably priced as WellKnownSid says.

TBH a lot of the devaluation is because the initial price is massively inflated compared to the likes of BYD. I expect the depreciation will start to match IC cars now that more reasonably priced new EVs are appearing.

(BYD are very good for the money, all the software features that European manufacturers charge £££££££££ to activate, even though they are already there, are active from the beginning.)

Iceweasel

skycatcher said:

Iceweasel said:

Why not a mild hybrid to replace both your current vehicles?

Many folks sre not even aware of their existence.

I have a diesel-electric, it does well over 60mpg and needs no charging connection at all.

It has a 48v 'power' battery as well as conventional separate 12v one.

To me this is the intermediate answer until fully electric vehicles can replace ICE engined vehicles for everyone with no downsides such as range, charging availability, and the downtime  needed on long journeys.

May i ask what your vehicle is?

Mine happens to be a BMW, but Google lists 17 possibilities of makers, including Fiat and Suzuki.
Both petrol and diesel models are available.

Herzlos

bloke91 said:

Currently have a small hatchback and SUV in the household, both traditional petrol cars.  Small hatchback is used mainly for around the town and work commutes of 60 miles round trip 4 times a week.  SUV used for longer range trips for holidays and around the town driving.

If you can charge at home, a full EV would be ideal. Any modernish one should comfortably do a 60 mile round trip and you've got another car for bigger trips. Plus at that mileage you'll see pretty substantial fuel savings; potentially enough to cover the cost of the car.

Ectophile

henry24 said:

If you're only doing low mileage then why buy electric apart from they are worthless to buy see WellKnownSid post 

If you've got any sense, buy a used one.  If they are so worthless, you'll get a bargain!

Mine was 13 months old, 3000 miles (ex-demonstrator), and just over 50% of the list price.  I couldn't turn down a deal like that.

Bigwheels1111

I run a Peugeot 5008 1.6 bluehdi automatic 2016 with only 26k on the clock.
Was pre owned, by Peugeot and had 8 miles on the clock.
Got it for 48% below list price.

Cold starts and local runs gives me 42mpg ish, at 60 mph on a run I get 55-60 mpg.
£35 road tax is very nice also.

In 3 years I hope to move into a new house, plus change my car around the same time.
If I can have a home charger, solar panels and batteries an EV would be my first choice.
Otherwise it’s a Toyota Corolla hybrid, 100,000 plus cab drivers can’t be wrong.

Cheap new EV, MG5 long range Trophy edition £22k, seen them at 20-21k in the last few months.
MG4 Xpower 26k, mad little car, under 4 seconds to 60mph.

WellKnownSid

Bigwheels1111 said:

Cheap new EV, MG5 long range Trophy edition £22k, seen them at 20-21k in the last few months.
MG4 Xpower 26k, mad little car, under 4 seconds to 60mph.

Or the standard range MG4.  Not as exciting, shorter range, but comes with LFP chemistry.  No Nickel, and potential for a 600k maybe a million miles on the same battery.

Bigwheels1111

WellKnownSid said:

Bigwheels1111 said:

Cheap new EV, MG5 long range Trophy edition £22k, seen them at 20-21k in the last few months.
MG4 Xpower 26k, mad little car, under 4 seconds to 60mph.

Or the standard range MG4.  Not as exciting, shorter range, but comes with LFP chemistry.  No Nickel, and potential for a 600k maybe a million miles on the same battery.

Safe & sensible was the Toyota or as you say the MG4, but the new estate version that is coming soon.
If it looks like this it would be very tempting.

https://www.chapelhouse.co.uk/about-us/blog/is-mg-launching-an-estate-version-of-mg4-ev-in-2024/