Electric Cars: Are they Really Worth it? (Ch5)

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I watched Channel 5's latest EV bashing documentary today.

There were quite a few things that I had "issues" with, but by far the worst was their sums.

They took two identical fully charged Kia somethings (they all look the same to me) and sent them on a 130 mile trip.

Speedy Sam drove like he stole it and got home with 29% left, so he used 71% in 130 miles, and 130/0.71 gives 183 miles range to zero, if we are aiming for 5% left lets call it 174 miles useable range.

Ch 5 made up out of nowhere a figure of 200miles for his range  

Careful Ken meanwhile drove carefully and a bit slower and got home with 54% left, so he used 46%,

130/.46 gives 283 miles range to zero, near enough what Kia advertise. If we aim for 5% left, it would be around 268 miles.

Ch 5 made up a figure of 235 miles out of nowhere

Having made up some figures (not much point in the "test" then...) they then declare that you'll never get the advertised figures even though Careful Ken achieved it by my maths...

Then there was the expert who declared that the reason public charging is around 3x the standard domestic rate is because VAT is 5% on domestic electricity but 20% on retail.......

Is it me who can't do maths, or them?

Mildly_Miffed

Two points:

1. It would be illegal for Kia, or any other manufacturer or their agent, to quote any range figures except those generated from the UNECE standardised test on the WLTP cycle.

2. Why are you believing things on TV?

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Mildly_Miffed said:

Two points:

1. It would be illegal for Kia, or any other manufacturer or their agent, to quote any range figures except those generated from the UNECE standardised test on the WLTP cycle.

2. Why are you believing things on TV?

1) I know, but by my calculations and their figures Careful ken would achieve it easily in Summer.

2) Yes, I should just laugh and treat it as the mindless "entertainment" that it is, or better yet stick to the superior stuff on CBBC. 

It was just that I nearly fell off my perch when they showed that Speedy Sam used 50% more energy than Careful Ken, but claimed that he could achieve 85% of Careful Ken's range.

MattMattMattUK

It is on Channel 5, I think that says all one needs ro hear.

Stubod

..it's popular TV, what relevance have the facts got to do with anything????

flaneurs_lobster

I wouldn't take any TV car program seriously unless they fired the Kia out of a cannon and into a caravan.

sheenas

Shock horror range depends on how you drive your Car. Around 200miles is typical based on weather and driving style. Don't think I would plan on going below 10% charge myself. 

born_again

Are they worth it..

My math
Kia Niro Hybrid 16,400 miles, cost in Petrol £2,108,83
Kia E-Niro 11,183 miles, cost in electric £209.15

OK so just over 5K less in E-Niro. So that's just another £100.
Got to love home 7p charging.

As to these programs. Load a rubbish & paid for by whoever wants to get their point across.

EV is just the same as a ICE, weather, driving style all effect range. 

sheenas

The fuel cost is not the major cost as devaluation over 3 years is like to be sworse than the petrol , so any real saving are like to be slim pickings.

The worse example I have seen Porsche taycan gen 1 owner by the youtuber MacMaster.. He said that he purchased the car for around £120,000 on a 4 year PCP with a £20K deposit and £1,000 ish per month. So thats cost him £68K over 4 years well its worse than that because he has gone over the milage which will cost hime something like £8,000. The PCP value is £50,000 and the WebuyAnyCar.com value is around £26,000, so no easy ways out of it for him. Point being while a petrol tycan would use a shed load of petrol and devalue badly it's nothing like £68,000s worth.  

Jaybee_16

It was a dreadful programme.

First few minutes there was a person talking about breaking down in the middle of nowhere.

Then the narrator said 'The government have said by 2030 we will have to give up petrol for electric cars.' No mention of new cars just that statement.

Hoenir

born_again said:

Are they worth it..

My math
Kia Niro Hybrid 16,400 miles, cost in Petrol £2,108,83
Kia E-Niro 11,183 miles, cost in electric £209.15

OK so just over 5K less in E-Niro. So that's just another £100.
Got to love home 7p charging.

As to these programs. Load a rubbish & paid for by whoever wants to get their point across.

EV is just the same as a ICE, weather, driving style all effect range. 

My math
Kia Niro Hybrid  base cost new OTR - £29,865
Kia E-Niro base cost new OTR - £37,270

OK so just over 7.5K less for the ICE

 Load a rubbish & paid for by whoever wants to get their point across.

In the real world EV prices are beyond the budget of the average person.