Leaf/EV as a daily for 73 miles each way commute - mental?!!
Discussion
Hi EV Collective. 
The daily 2003 Citroen Picasso hack is on it's way out. 144k on the clock and it's (literally) falling apart. Immediate thought process was a newer diesel but find myself drawn to an EV...
Hybrids seem to be out of the window as the cars in my price range (it's more the monthly lease/PCP as the driver £200 - £300pcm) as any fuel savings are offset by the petrol element of the car. Though I am more than happy to be proved wrong on this point. I was eyeing up Ampera's until I found out Vauxhall had discontinued them.
My daily commute is Weston-super-Mare to Swindon. 73 miles each way and all bar 10 miles in total are motorway. We have charge points at my offices that I can book daily, a local Waitrose with two points and there's a services charge point mid way in each direction of the commute.
I'd really appreciate any (owner's) views/experiences on whether this is just a stretch too far for the current EV tech/range. Ideally I'd like to see a range of c200 miles per charge meaning that I'd only need to charge overnight but I guess that's still a few years away yet. Sadly I don't have Tesla depth pockets.
Everybody (even a few dealers) have said "get another diesel" but I'd love to be able to hammer down my monthly fuel bill and use it to offset the cost of a newer car.
Thoughts?
Thanks in advance. Tuan
The daily 2003 Citroen Picasso hack is on it's way out. 144k on the clock and it's (literally) falling apart. Immediate thought process was a newer diesel but find myself drawn to an EV...
Hybrids seem to be out of the window as the cars in my price range (it's more the monthly lease/PCP as the driver £200 - £300pcm) as any fuel savings are offset by the petrol element of the car. Though I am more than happy to be proved wrong on this point. I was eyeing up Ampera's until I found out Vauxhall had discontinued them.
My daily commute is Weston-super-Mare to Swindon. 73 miles each way and all bar 10 miles in total are motorway. We have charge points at my offices that I can book daily, a local Waitrose with two points and there's a services charge point mid way in each direction of the commute.
I'd really appreciate any (owner's) views/experiences on whether this is just a stretch too far for the current EV tech/range. Ideally I'd like to see a range of c200 miles per charge meaning that I'd only need to charge overnight but I guess that's still a few years away yet. Sadly I don't have Tesla depth pockets.
Everybody (even a few dealers) have said "get another diesel" but I'd love to be able to hammer down my monthly fuel bill and use it to offset the cost of a newer car.
Thoughts?
Thanks in advance. Tuan
Edited by GI Jnr on Sunday 26th July 19:21
Hi all,
Thanks for your comments. Update for you.
We've decide to flip it on it's head - We have a Citroen Grand Picasso for when the family is all together (weekends and late evenings). It's got 40k on the clock with 9 months main dealer warranty so I'm going to use that for the daily. It's gives better economy than the current wreck and so that'll save something.
Then Mrs Tuan is going to have the EV as a local daily. 3 of the 4 kids are at school and so doesn't need a 7 seater during the week. Even with local runs the diesel bill is c£200 a month and so that saving will fund either a Leaf or Zoe. If I brave it for the commute every now and again that'll save me c£15 a day!
So next week I have both a Zoe and a Leaf for extended test drives from Wednesday to the following Tuesday so will be able to test both over a work commute, weekend with the kids as well as some Mrs Tuan usage.
Leaf is currently the favourite providing I can get to sub £200pcm all in for a 2 year lease/10k.
Happy days! Will let you know how I get on.
Tuan
Thanks for your comments. Update for you.
We've decide to flip it on it's head - We have a Citroen Grand Picasso for when the family is all together (weekends and late evenings). It's got 40k on the clock with 9 months main dealer warranty so I'm going to use that for the daily. It's gives better economy than the current wreck and so that'll save something.
Then Mrs Tuan is going to have the EV as a local daily. 3 of the 4 kids are at school and so doesn't need a 7 seater during the week. Even with local runs the diesel bill is c£200 a month and so that saving will fund either a Leaf or Zoe. If I brave it for the commute every now and again that'll save me c£15 a day!
So next week I have both a Zoe and a Leaf for extended test drives from Wednesday to the following Tuesday so will be able to test both over a work commute, weekend with the kids as well as some Mrs Tuan usage.
Leaf is currently the favourite providing I can get to sub £200pcm all in for a 2 year lease/10k.
Happy days! Will let you know how I get on.
Tuan
budfox said:
I think you've absolutely nailed it and I cannot for the life of my understand why more people with your driving habits (two cars, one used for regular short journeys) don't buy one.
We've covered 11k miles in 11 months in ours and the fuel savings alone are only slightly less the £180/month that my car costs. I'm on a 12k miles/year deal. Factor in the pleasure of driving a brand new car, and the sheer pleasure of using a Leaf and it really is the proverbial "no brainer".
Good luck with the car, but I warn you, once you've driven one for a while you'll really start to find conventional ICE cars rather 'old school'.
We've covered 11k miles in 11 months in ours and the fuel savings alone are only slightly less the £180/month that my car costs. I'm on a 12k miles/year deal. Factor in the pleasure of driving a brand new car, and the sheer pleasure of using a Leaf and it really is the proverbial "no brainer".
Good luck with the car, but I warn you, once you've driven one for a while you'll really start to find conventional ICE cars rather 'old school'.
The more a research, the more it makes sense. TBH it's now just working out whether it's a Leaf or a Zoe. Default is the Leaf due to being bigger and but need to get the monthly cost as low as possible and definitely sub £200pcm. Looking for a 12k 24 month lease deal to future proof against tech developments.Having said that the Renault salesman called me yesterday to "formally recommend against attempting the commute in the Zoe" I think his boss told him to so there'd be no come back if I got stranded!
Collecting the Zoe tomorrow and Leaf Friday so it's going to be a fun weekend!
Thanks again all.
Tuan
Hi all,
Update on my antics for those that are interested. Collected both a Zoe and Leaf (Tekna) yesterday for the weekend and covered about 50 miles in each.
Zoe's a fun little car but you do get what you pay for when compared to the Leaf. Leaf's the frontrunner by a margin at the moment but both are brilliant entries into the EV world IMO. So we're convinced it's one of the two.
Re deals. I've been offered a Zoe (no paint, bigger wheels) for £180pcm all in and a Acenta for £200pcm. <£500 down. There's more movement I sense which is good. Both deals on 24 months/12,00 miles. If that differential stays true, then it'll be the Leaf.
Tomorrow I will be attempting the daily commute in the Leaf. I stand corrected in that it's actually 61 miles and not 73 and so I'm even more confident that it'll be ok...(!) Wish me luck!
Cliche I know but after a day messing around in these cares getting back into the 6 year old diesel, I felt a little dirty...
Tuan
Update on my antics for those that are interested. Collected both a Zoe and Leaf (Tekna) yesterday for the weekend and covered about 50 miles in each.
Zoe's a fun little car but you do get what you pay for when compared to the Leaf. Leaf's the frontrunner by a margin at the moment but both are brilliant entries into the EV world IMO. So we're convinced it's one of the two.
Re deals. I've been offered a Zoe (no paint, bigger wheels) for £180pcm all in and a Acenta for £200pcm. <£500 down. There's more movement I sense which is good. Both deals on 24 months/12,00 miles. If that differential stays true, then it'll be the Leaf.
Tomorrow I will be attempting the daily commute in the Leaf. I stand corrected in that it's actually 61 miles and not 73 and so I'm even more confident that it'll be ok...(!) Wish me luck!
Cliche I know but after a day messing around in these cares getting back into the 6 year old diesel, I felt a little dirty...
Tuan
Hi all, I'll post properly when I can but currently sat at a rapid charger en route to handing back the Zoe.
What a brilliant few days with both cars!
I've seen a real world 104 miles out of both Zoe and Leaf so as a family car and/or daily hack, then it'll work for us. Granted no heating/air con or lights were used.
Two totally different cars at different price points.
We're getting one of these, just now need to secure the best deal possible. Currently have the dealers at £180pcm (Zoe Dynamite) and £200pcm (Leaf Acenta). 24 months 12k pa with minimal deposit. I'm thinking the Leaf pips it... The though of buying both crossed my mind!
the household diesel savings would pay for themselves!
Tuan
What a brilliant few days with both cars!
I've seen a real world 104 miles out of both Zoe and Leaf so as a family car and/or daily hack, then it'll work for us. Granted no heating/air con or lights were used.
Two totally different cars at different price points.
We're getting one of these, just now need to secure the best deal possible. Currently have the dealers at £180pcm (Zoe Dynamite) and £200pcm (Leaf Acenta). 24 months 12k pa with minimal deposit. I'm thinking the Leaf pips it... The though of buying both crossed my mind!
the household diesel savings would pay for themselves! Tuan
Cross posting so sorry about that.
To end the story - Lived with the Leaf for a week and took it to work three times. stopped en route to rapid charge and hit some emails on my phone whilst I waited. If anything, knowing that i might need to top up on the way made me leave the office a little sooner so it wasn't actually any extra on my commute. Leaf is so much more of a nicer place to be. (though it was tempting when the Renault dealer offered my a new iZoe for £7,500!!!!) so ordered a Tekna Leaf.
My brother in law did the same! pleased as punch. Good deals well i think. My brother in law's deal in brackets.
24 months for both £750 deposit (nil), 25k pa (8k pa) £266pcm (£204).
And the protection pack for £75.
Nissan seem to have just recently teamed up with Rolec for their installs/cables. Type 1 to type 2 cable for £136 and a tethered 7.2kw wall charger install for £195.
Delivery in September.
Thanks all for your comments, Tuan.
To end the story - Lived with the Leaf for a week and took it to work three times. stopped en route to rapid charge and hit some emails on my phone whilst I waited. If anything, knowing that i might need to top up on the way made me leave the office a little sooner so it wasn't actually any extra on my commute. Leaf is so much more of a nicer place to be. (though it was tempting when the Renault dealer offered my a new iZoe for £7,500!!!!) so ordered a Tekna Leaf.
My brother in law did the same!
pleased as punch. Good deals well i think. My brother in law's deal in brackets.24 months for both £750 deposit (nil), 25k pa (8k pa) £266pcm (£204).
And the protection pack for £75.
Nissan seem to have just recently teamed up with Rolec for their installs/cables. Type 1 to type 2 cable for £136 and a tethered 7.2kw wall charger install for £195.
Delivery in September.
Thanks all for your comments, Tuan.
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