Hybrid running costs calculations

Hybrid running costs calculations

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Type R Tom

Original Poster:

3,926 posts

151 months

Wednesday 1st May
quotequote all
I currently have a 120-mile commute with town driving on either end. My 2011 V60 T6 averages 31mpg on the journey so I’m using about £27 in fuel or about 23p a mile at £1.50 per l

I’ve seen a 2013 D6 twin engine for sale. This will do around 25 miles with a 12khw battery and about 45mpg on diesel. At home, the battery would cost £3.24 to fill at 27p per KWh and £9.72 at 81p per KWh at its most expensive on the street. The diesel engine will do around 45mpg or about 16p per mile.

Therefore, from home 25 miles at 13p and 35 miles at 16p would make the commute to work cost £8.85
From work 25 miles at 81p (worst case) and 35 miles at 16p would make the commute home £15.32

The total commute to work be £24.17, only around £3 less than what my 3.0 T6 would do.

Or am I missing something or making a huge mistake? Does the cost of using public charging points make plug-in hybrids uneconomical? Does the poor KWh per mile make them uneconomical?

Would the stop-start, 20mph, congestion, etc, mean the reality would be a lot better than I've calculated?

Type R Tom

Original Poster:

3,926 posts

151 months

Wednesday 1st May
quotequote all
The "city" part of my commute is about 16 miles each way, so I wouldn't have enough to do it all on one charge, hence the need to top up publicly.

I'm asking the question to see what I've missed.

Type R Tom

Original Poster:

3,926 posts

151 months

Wednesday 1st May
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies

It seems that the best solution would be to save electricity for the working end of the commute, which is definitely the worst part of the economy, and just charge at home.


Type R Tom

Original Poster:

3,926 posts

151 months

Wednesday 1st May
quotequote all
gmaz said:
Any reason why you would not want to go full EV? You can get costs down to about 2p/mile using an EV tariff, and have lower maintenance costs, quieter, more responsive drive.
I can't afford one that would fit the family's needs at the moment.

Type R Tom

Original Poster:

3,926 posts

151 months

Wednesday 1st May
quotequote all
gmaz said:
Type R Tom said:
gmaz said:
Any reason why you would not want to go full EV? You can get costs down to about 2p/mile using an EV tariff, and have lower maintenance costs, quieter, more responsive drive.
I can't afford one that would fit the family's needs at the moment.
Assuming 20 days work per month, you're paying ~ £540 a month for diesel! You could lease a brand new car for less than that.

What's more important? Your family's needs, or doing 0-60 in 3.8 seconds?

https://www.leaseloco.com/car-leasing/mg-motor-uk/...
I only have to go in one or two days a week. The cost of the new car is virtually the same as what mine is worth, so I'm working strictly on MPG as there is no other outlay, and VED will be less.

If I ever have to go back to the office full-time, they will definitely be considered.

Type R Tom

Original Poster:

3,926 posts

151 months

Wednesday 1st May
quotequote all
SWoll said:
I'd also suggest it's unlikely an 11 year old hybrid is going to have anything like the battery only range it did when new?

Prolonged charging to 100% and running down to 0% unlike an EV is not good for battery packs, I'd want a state of health before considering a purchase.
Yes, those points crossed my mind, especially that battery life one. The book says 31 miles so I used 25 in my calculations but no idea if that is accurate.

This guy made me laugh!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iGC3kZ58T8&ab...


Type R Tom

Original Poster:

3,926 posts

151 months

Wednesday 1st May
quotequote all
blank said:
Type R Tom said:
I currently have a 120-mile commute with town driving on either end. My 2011 V60 T6 averages 31mpg on the journey so I’m using about £27 in fuel or about 23p a mile at £1.50 per l

I’ve seen a 2013 D6 twin engine for sale. This will do around 25 miles with a 12khw battery and about 45mpg on diesel. At home, the battery would cost £3.24 to fill at 27p per KWh and £9.72 at 81p per KWh at its most expensive on the street. The diesel engine will do around 45mpg or about 16p per mile.

Therefore, from home 25 miles at 13p and 35 miles at 16p would make the commute to work cost £8.85
From work 25 miles at 81p (worst case) and 35 miles at 16p would make the commute home £15.32

The total commute to work be £24.17, only around £3 less than what my 3.0 T6 would do.

Or am I missing something or making a huge mistake? Does the cost of using public charging points make plug-in hybrids uneconomical? Does the poor KWh per mile make them uneconomical?

Would the stop-start, 20mph, congestion, etc, mean the reality would be a lot better than I've calculated?
You've missed a few things...

It won't do 25 miles on the battery in real life. Particularly in the cooler months.

You could "fill" it at home at 7p/kWh rather than 27.

The public charging at 86p/kWh is way more expensive per mile than running on diesel.

Overall not really the best use case for a PHEV either so even if you adjust the figures, it will be cheaper than your current petrol, but nothing groundbreaking.
So list is 31 miles so used 25 as an age reduction for all the potential issues.

I've not looked into different energy rates so thanks for that.

I also do some local journeys, popping to my parents', the supermarket's, my daughter's nursery, the zoo's, etc., all 10-15 mile return trips. The 3.0 T6 for those journeys is rubbish! Part of my thought process was doing them on electricity.




Type R Tom

Original Poster:

3,926 posts

151 months

Wednesday 1st May
quotequote all
Tractor Driver said:
I think if you saved the battery for use solely in town, you’d be surprised how far it would travel. Using the battery on a PHEV on faster roads or motorways will use up the entire capacity pretty quickly. In stop/start traffic and an element of battery regen as you decelerate or brake, especially in warmer weather, it should give the quoted range or perhaps even better.

As others have said, get a decent overnight electric tariff and charge the battery that way. Don’t even think about charging away from home unless it’s free (or very low cost), as the economics don’t stack up and PHEVs take an age to change.
The average for the D6 engine is 45mpg combined. I'd hope on the motorway at 70mph it would get 55mpg. I would need to manage the electric for city bits.