My Electric Car thread!
Discussion
I appreciate that this thread might die a fiery death on PH, but I want to start a thread to share my experiences of trailing an electric car for 6 months. Feel free to ask any questions and I will do my best to answer them!
To give you a little background - My previous daily driver was a 2002 3.0 Manual X-Type, which I bought at 60k miles and drove on a daily basis for just over 5 years. I even took it on a PH Highlands run! Before that, I had a series of diesel company cars including (2002-2006 plate) Golfs, Vectras, Passats, Focus(s?), Avensis, etc.
I really enjoyed owning my top spec X-Type as my only car, but when I finally bought my TVR last year, I found that the running costs of the Jag were starting to annoy me. The more money I had to spend on the Jag for fuel, parts and servicing, the less money I had left to fuel my TVR. Something had to change, and it wasn’t going to be the Tiv!!!
I had been looking at various small cars for a daily driver when someone at work mentioned that there was a scheme looking for volunteers (victims?) for trailing an Electric car for 6 months. I thought – why not!? I can just give it back after 6 months by which time I would have saved up enough for my next daily driver.
So I sold the Jag and signed up to trial a Peugeot iOn 100% Electric car through the Switch EV trial. I collected the car in late October. Here it is!
The car is worth a barmy £33k but the Government will chip in £5k so that you only pay £28k. The bulk of the cost is the battery, which is still a new technology for this kind of application. Just like a Porker 911, the powerplant (motor) is at the back and it is RWD, so it must be good!
Some initial thoughts:
I made a comment on Facebook that I might be getting an electric car and everyone took the piss. I mean EVERYONE. Random guys that I barely know from primary school said that I was an idiot and clearly gay for even considering an electric car. Colleagues from work said they would disown me. Everyone said that they would laugh when I get stranded in the middle of nowhere. I’m still not sure if they were joking or not! Having owned an X-Type, i'm used to it! I did however have an eco-warrior lentilist friend who thought the idea was brilliant. I don’t think he realised I have a 5-litre TVR for the weekends though. Everyone seems to have a strong opinion on electric cars.
One of the main things you notice is that the iOn is almost silent! To start the car, you turn the ignition key like you would in a normal car. Instead of hearing the engine fire up, you hear an electronic “Pinnng” noise and a green light appears on the dash. That’s it – the car is on and ready to go. You then slide the automatic-style gear stick into the “Drive” position, release the footbrake and drive off. There are no gears. You just get one continuous surge of torque from the motor from 0 to the 80 mph top speed. The lack of noise actually makes the car feel much faster than it actually is.
I have previously read posts on PH about having to maintain momentum when driving small-engined cars. I used to wonder what the hell that was about when I had 230+ bhp on tap in the V6 Jag, but I now know what it means! It adds a new dimension to driving and you have to plan manoeuvres a lot earlier.
I’m interested to see how it gets on in the snow! I'm sure I will find out over the next few months.
I am only one month in to the trial, so I will be using this thread to record some of my thoughts and experiences.
To give you a little background - My previous daily driver was a 2002 3.0 Manual X-Type, which I bought at 60k miles and drove on a daily basis for just over 5 years. I even took it on a PH Highlands run! Before that, I had a series of diesel company cars including (2002-2006 plate) Golfs, Vectras, Passats, Focus(s?), Avensis, etc.
I really enjoyed owning my top spec X-Type as my only car, but when I finally bought my TVR last year, I found that the running costs of the Jag were starting to annoy me. The more money I had to spend on the Jag for fuel, parts and servicing, the less money I had left to fuel my TVR. Something had to change, and it wasn’t going to be the Tiv!!!
I had been looking at various small cars for a daily driver when someone at work mentioned that there was a scheme looking for volunteers (victims?) for trailing an Electric car for 6 months. I thought – why not!? I can just give it back after 6 months by which time I would have saved up enough for my next daily driver.
So I sold the Jag and signed up to trial a Peugeot iOn 100% Electric car through the Switch EV trial. I collected the car in late October. Here it is!
The car is worth a barmy £33k but the Government will chip in £5k so that you only pay £28k. The bulk of the cost is the battery, which is still a new technology for this kind of application. Just like a Porker 911, the powerplant (motor) is at the back and it is RWD, so it must be good!
Some initial thoughts:
I made a comment on Facebook that I might be getting an electric car and everyone took the piss. I mean EVERYONE. Random guys that I barely know from primary school said that I was an idiot and clearly gay for even considering an electric car. Colleagues from work said they would disown me. Everyone said that they would laugh when I get stranded in the middle of nowhere. I’m still not sure if they were joking or not! Having owned an X-Type, i'm used to it! I did however have an eco-warrior lentilist friend who thought the idea was brilliant. I don’t think he realised I have a 5-litre TVR for the weekends though. Everyone seems to have a strong opinion on electric cars.
One of the main things you notice is that the iOn is almost silent! To start the car, you turn the ignition key like you would in a normal car. Instead of hearing the engine fire up, you hear an electronic “Pinnng” noise and a green light appears on the dash. That’s it – the car is on and ready to go. You then slide the automatic-style gear stick into the “Drive” position, release the footbrake and drive off. There are no gears. You just get one continuous surge of torque from the motor from 0 to the 80 mph top speed. The lack of noise actually makes the car feel much faster than it actually is.
I have previously read posts on PH about having to maintain momentum when driving small-engined cars. I used to wonder what the hell that was about when I had 230+ bhp on tap in the V6 Jag, but I now know what it means! It adds a new dimension to driving and you have to plan manoeuvres a lot earlier.
I’m interested to see how it gets on in the snow! I'm sure I will find out over the next few months.
I am only one month in to the trial, so I will be using this thread to record some of my thoughts and experiences.
Well one thing is for certain, our love of the car is changing fast and has changed loads since I became a petrolhead back in the late sixties.
This my daughter when she was invited to take part and report on the electric car alternative Brighton to London.
http://www.milesperlitre.com/?p=607
These electric cars are expensive now but as time goes on technology will improve them.
This my daughter when she was invited to take part and report on the electric car alternative Brighton to London.
http://www.milesperlitre.com/?p=607
These electric cars are expensive now but as time goes on technology will improve them.
Edited by trackerjack on Wednesday 7th December 23:40
Steffan said:
What is the practical range? 80 miles? How long to recharge to capacity? Four hours?
Steffan,The book figure for the iOn is 93(?) miles but I have never seen the range indicator read about 75 miles when fully charged.
This could be for various reasons including:
The indicator is particularly pessimistic
Battery doesn’t perform quite as well when below zero degrees
Lights, heater, aircon - all sap power and reduce range
My route to work is very hilly. Hills sap power!
I am lucky to have charging points at home, work and at my shopping locations, so range really isn't a problem for me. Access to charging points will be the difference between an electric car being a viable option or not.
I bookmarked, and will watch this thread with interest, as fortunately my current employment involves V6 800odd BHP racing cars, however the FIA today announced an electric racing series in the future.
However I get daily approaches from windmillists and yoghurt knitters about my future employment.
I kinda hope it goes well (your car), as we can't keep doing what we are doing forever.
This reply, within minutes of your OP made me laugh though.
However I get daily approaches from windmillists and yoghurt knitters about my future employment.
I kinda hope it goes well (your car), as we can't keep doing what we are doing forever.
This reply, within minutes of your OP made me laugh though.
P I Staker said:
Gay.
The joke is these electric cars are not green at all. They produce more CO2 per mile than an efficient modern petrol engine. What all the advocates forget is that the production, transmission and storage of electrical energy as well as battery weight greatly reduce the efficiency from the original 33% of a coal fired plant. And before someone says wind power, there is not enough wind power to genertae the needed energy for homes let alone transport etc. etc.
Cheers
Cheers
moreflaps said:
The joke is these electric cars are not green at all. They produce more CO2 per mile than an efficient modern petrol engine. What all the advocates forget is that the production, transmission and storage of electrical energy as well as battery weight greatly reduce the efficiency from the original 33% of a coal fired plant. And before someone says wind power, there is not enough wind power to genertae the needed energy for homes let alone transport etc. etc.
Unfortunately everything you've said is true, however it won't stop the f
kwits in charge on a march to oblivion.Actually everything he said is bks, wind is not the only clean power supply is it?
Anyway, I'm another person who'd love to see more details as you live with the car. How much is the lease if you don't mind me asking? I see from the website the scheme is the "North East" - I wonder if that includes West Yorkshire?
ks, wind is not the only clean power supply is it?Anyway, I'm another person who'd love to see more details as you live with the car. How much is the lease if you don't mind me asking? I see from the website the scheme is the "North East" - I wonder if that includes West Yorkshire?
The trouble with the 'My energy production is greener than your energy production' arguments is that they tend to be short on reliable data and long on opinions.
To a large extent this depends on the way you do the calculations/lifetime cost analysis.
I an interested to see three aspects of this post.
1) Does the vehicle prove to be capable reliable and effective for the OP.
2) Does the vehicle require maintenance beyond the IC engine, Battery life is my concern here.
3) Just how much of a premium does the ownership involve. The longer term values secondhand are open to question IMO. And they are not cheap iitially despite the direct subsidy.
Good luck to the OP and please keep us informed, is my take on this.
It is unquestionably a very interesting study.
To a large extent this depends on the way you do the calculations/lifetime cost analysis.
I an interested to see three aspects of this post.
1) Does the vehicle prove to be capable reliable and effective for the OP.
2) Does the vehicle require maintenance beyond the IC engine, Battery life is my concern here.
3) Just how much of a premium does the ownership involve. The longer term values secondhand are open to question IMO. And they are not cheap iitially despite the direct subsidy.
Good luck to the OP and please keep us informed, is my take on this.
It is unquestionably a very interesting study.
90% of my journeys are 8 miles or less and I might do between 2 and 6 in a day so an Electric car is an actual option for me. If it was ecconomic to have one, I would and tuck it up in the garage to charge it overnight.
People go on about how they arn't green but I don't care. I would buy it when its cheaper to run than a petrol car which I would guess will be about 6 years. At that point one of these or a Leaf will be about £5-6k and be quite popular I expect.
People go on about how they arn't green but I don't care. I would buy it when its cheaper to run than a petrol car which I would guess will be about 6 years. At that point one of these or a Leaf will be about £5-6k and be quite popular I expect.
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