690 miles in an electric car with a 18 months old :)

690 miles in an electric car with a 18 months old :)

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gangzoom

Original Poster:

6,344 posts

216 months

Saturday 16th December 2017
quotequote all
ash73 said:
but how much did the car cost about £80-90K? For that you could buy a luxury ICE car, hire a chauffeur for a year and sit in the back and read the paper, and be there in half the time!
Our X cost almost the same as a diesel Q7 (£71K versus £69K), difference been it costs me £5 fill the tank compared to £50? (no idea how much a Q7 costs to refuel). As for sitting in the back and reading the paper, you have to be joking right? with a 18 months old next to you.


giblet

8,878 posts

178 months

Saturday 16th December 2017
quotequote all
Electric cars are still relatively new. All the OP was doing was showing that it’s easy enough to do a long roadtrip and recharge along the way.

For the record I had to pre plan my routes on long roadtrips when I ran a LPG car. If anything the EV charger setups are easier to find, longer waits but less faff and every single one I’ve used so far has been free!

arfursleep

818 posts

105 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
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I had a Model S on demo for a couple of days recently (100D) and it had 275 miles range when I collected.

Night before handing back I though i'd better charge it so i can get to the dealership. Plugged it in to a 13A socket and left it alone for 10hrs - 60 miles charged for about £2. Easy.

I was concerned about charging points for long journeys etc but found the Zap-Map app which shows all the charging points (pretty much) in the UK and which network they belong too. Some are free to use, some you pay a fee. All need you to join the relevant network to unlock & use the charging point. Couple of the networks are free to join, one is £7 a month - no great cost then especially when around 80% of the charging points are free to use (funded by supermarkets, hotels etc around which they sit). So whilst there could be some charges to use - still cheaper than petrol / diesel but downside is that takes longer.

We regularly do a 200 mile trip down the South coast to see wife's family. Do-able without charging but we usually stop for a coffee/leg stretch/pee break somewhere along the way so just make sure we do that somewhere with a charging point. Might require a 30 min stop vs 15 min but that's not a big problem. Charging whilst there could be an issue however - not many points according to the map and only 1 of the relatives has off-street parking.

Compromises have to be made but if you're prepared for that and know that going into the ownership experience then I don't see the problem.

Sheepshanks

32,924 posts

120 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
quotequote all
gangzoom said:
Our X cost almost the same as a diesel Q7 (£71K versus £69K), difference been it costs me £5 fill the tank compared to £50? (no idea how much a Q7 costs to refuel).
Just over £100 if filled up with V-Power.

arfursleep

818 posts

105 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
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Sheepshanks said:
Just over £100 if filled up with V-Power.
My current car (Lexus GS300h) does 40mpg - 20k miles a year is about £2.5k in fuel.

With a Tesla & same mileage the charging cost is around £1.25k. I think I’ll do most charging at work (where it’s free) so my cost should be a £250-300 or less. Big direct cost differential.

SimonYorkshire

763 posts

117 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
quotequote all
arfursleep said:
Sheepshanks said:
Just over £100 if filled up with V-Power.
My current car (Lexus GS300h) does 40mpg - 20k miles a year is about £2.5k in fuel.

With a Tesla & same mileage the charging cost is around £1.25k. I think I’ll do most charging at work (where it’s free) so my cost should be a £250-300 or less. Big direct cost differential.
What we find on threads like this is that if non-EVers talk about EV crappy range and long charge times pro EVers point out that average mileage is only 8000 per year / if an EVer talks about doing higher mileage pro EVers talk about how much money in fuel costs the EV will save over running an ice car.

The Tesla might save £1250 over 20000 miles in fuel costs over a 40mpg ice car, but first you've got to buy an £80k Tesla! Meanwhile, you could buy a 40mpg ice car for £1000... Regardless of make//model of the ice it will have better range than the Tesla, but even if it had worse range than the Tesla range would still be less of an issue than for the Tesla because the ice car can be refuelled on any forecourt in a couple of minutes.

Since when have people who spend £80k on a car been overly concerned about running costs over 20000 miles anyway? How much of a pita would an EV be for someone driving more than 20000 miles per year, say a company rep (or anyone who doesn't know where those 20000+ miles will take them) - Points to consider would be likelihood of charging points along the 20k, convenience of EV enforced long battery charging breaks along the 20k.

Diesel as a car fuel has probably seen the best of it's days in which case the real alternative to a pure EV (makes sense even though EVs are really the alternative to mainstream) is going to be a petrol or petrol hybrid vehicle... of which there are a vast range available both new and second-hand. Just about any petrol or petrol hybrid can be converted to LPG, most can be converted for less than £1400. A decent ROI on an LPG conversion is about 12 months, so we might expect someone who spent £1400 on an LPG conversion to save roughly £1400 in a year on fuel costs too... Hmm that's similar fuel cost savings to the £80k Tesla, difference being that the ice car buyer chose from the vast range of ice vehicles, the Tesla probably chosen as the only EV capable of half decent range and 'fast' (yet still painfully slow) charging ability / The ice driver could choose a vehicle at any price point new or second hand (and unless they bought something a bit special an LPG conversion would be likely to cost nearer £1000 than £2000), the EV buyer had to pay X for the Tesla / EV's on the second hand market come with second hand (and partially range reduced) batteries that would be expensive to repair, or have to lease (pay for ever) batteries where cost of leasing batteries could be going towards paying for petrol/LPG for any ice car at any price point.

Since my last post I've driven around Scotland myself, not worth writing a thread about because we're all familiar with how long it takes to refuel an ice and where you can refuel an ice... hardly an event. Even though my ice car only does 20+mpg, even if I chose to run it on petrol instead of LPG (which I wouldn't), it would still have cost less over that (or any) trip than the Tesla... It doesn't cost me money just to sit there, it's depreciation has all but ended. It's old but nice, comfy, reliable, it doesn't impose certain routes, lengthy refuel times or range anxiety on me, no road trip is off-limits for lack of refuelling locations. It's fuel tank is old but won't cost £10000 to replace when it breaks. Do new batteries for old EVs come at new EV prices? Battery lease for an old EV come at new EV prices? If so, how will that effect second hand value and how much of that £80k initial value has been lost - and how much petrol / LPG could that sum have bought? If new tech and cheaper batteries come out... great until you consider that's akin to buying an ice car with a fuel tank worth £10k only for a fuel tank that gives better range and only costs only £1k coming out after you paid £10k for the fuel tank in the car you bought (a factor in the value of the car when you bought it).

rscott

14,802 posts

192 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
quotequote all
SimonYorkshire said:
arfursleep said:
Sheepshanks said:
Just over £100 if filled up with V-Power.
My current car (Lexus GS300h) does 40mpg - 20k miles a year is about £2.5k in fuel.

With a Tesla & same mileage the charging cost is around £1.25k. I think I’ll do most charging at work (where it’s free) so my cost should be a £250-300 or less. Big direct cost differential.
What we find on threads like this is that if non-EVers talk about EV crappy range and long charge times pro EVers point out that average mileage is only 8000 per year / if an EVer talks about doing higher mileage pro EVers talk about how much money in fuel costs the EV will save over running an ice car.

The Tesla might save £1250 over 20000 miles in fuel costs over a 40mpg ice car, but first you've got to buy an £80k Tesla! Meanwhile, you could buy a 40mpg ice car for £1000... Regardless of make//model of the ice it will have better range than the Tesla, but even if it had worse range than the Tesla range would still be less of an issue than for the Tesla because the ice car can be refuelled on any forecourt in a couple of minutes.

Since when have people who spend £80k on a car been overly concerned about running costs over 20000 miles anyway? How much of a pita would an EV be for someone driving more than 20000 miles per year, say a company rep (or anyone who doesn't know where those 20000+ miles will take them) - Points to consider would be likelihood of charging points along the 20k, convenience of EV enforced long battery charging breaks along the 20k.

Diesel as a car fuel has probably seen the best of it's days in which case the real alternative to a pure EV (makes sense even though EVs are really the alternative to mainstream) is going to be a petrol or petrol hybrid vehicle... of which there are a vast range available both new and second-hand. Just about any petrol or petrol hybrid can be converted to LPG, most can be converted for less than £1400. A decent ROI on an LPG conversion is about 12 months, so we might expect someone who spent £1400 on an LPG conversion to save roughly £1400 in a year on fuel costs too... Hmm that's similar fuel cost savings to the £80k Tesla, difference being that the ice car buyer chose from the vast range of ice vehicles, the Tesla probably chosen as the only EV capable of half decent range and 'fast' (yet still painfully slow) charging ability / The ice driver could choose a vehicle at any price point new or second hand (and unless they bought something a bit special an LPG conversion would be likely to cost nearer £1000 than £2000), the EV buyer had to pay X for the Tesla / EV's on the second hand market come with second hand (and partially range reduced) batteries that would be expensive to repair, or have to lease (pay for ever) batteries where cost of leasing batteries could be going towards paying for petrol/LPG for any ice car at any price point.

Since my last post I've driven around Scotland myself, not worth writing a thread about because we're all familiar with how long it takes to refuel an ice and where you can refuel an ice... hardly an event. Even though my ice car only does 20+mpg, even if I chose to run it on petrol instead of LPG (which I wouldn't), it would still have cost less over that (or any) trip than the Tesla... It doesn't cost me money just to sit there, it's depreciation has all but ended. It's old but nice, comfy, reliable, it doesn't impose certain routes, lengthy refuel times or range anxiety on me, no road trip is off-limits for lack of refuelling locations. It's fuel tank is old but won't cost £10000 to replace when it breaks. Do new batteries for old EVs come at new EV prices? Battery lease for an old EV come at new EV prices? If so, how will that effect second hand value and how much of that £80k initial value has been lost - and how much petrol / LPG could that sum have bought? If new tech and cheaper batteries come out... great until you consider that's akin to buying an ice car with a fuel tank worth £10k only for a fuel tank that gives better range and only costs only £1k coming out after you paid £10k for the fuel tank in the car you bought (a factor in the value of the car when you bought it).
And he's back.

Of course, that £1k ICE you mention was once a brand new car which someone might well have spent £80k on...

yellowjack

17,082 posts

167 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
quotequote all
I read a couple of posts at the start, then skipped to the end to post this. So forgive me if I've missed a point or it's already been mentioned, but...

Just this week, in Farnborough, Hampshire, I spotted an Italian registered Tesla saloon.

I'm not a fan of electric vehicles (yet), nor can I afford a Tesla. In fact I've often mocked a household around the corner from me who have three or four plug-in electric cars and hybrids hanging out about the place at various times. But seeing a Plug-in EV from Italy knocking around in Hampshire impressed me quite a bit.

No idea how it got here, obviously, and it could have been flown in to Farnborough airport, or come across by train or on a transporter lorry maybe. But I really want to believe it got here under it's own power on a scenic road trip across continental Europe, just to give naysayers some food for thought...

anonymous-user

55 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
quotequote all
yellowjack said:
I read a couple of posts at the start, then skipped to the end to post this. So forgive me if I've missed a point or it's already been mentioned, but...

Just this week, in Farnborough, Hampshire, I spotted an Italian registered Tesla saloon.

I'm not a fan of electric vehicles (yet), nor can I afford a Tesla. In fact I've often mocked a household around the corner from me who have three or four plug-in electric cars and hybrids hanging out about the place at various times. But seeing a Plug-in EV from Italy knocking around in Hampshire impressed me quite a bit.

No idea how it got here, obviously, and it could have been flown in to Farnborough airport, or come across by train or on a transporter lorry maybe. But I really want to believe it got here under it's own power on a scenic road trip across continental Europe, just to give naysayers some food for thought...
??? That food for thought is long digested.

Of course it’s possible to drive a Tesla across Europe; especially mainland Europe. You just have to plan accordingly and it is likely to take quite a bit longer than with a similarly priced ICE car at the moment.

There’d be no 120 mph hoons through Germany for instance, and likely a lot less 80mph cruising anywhere else but it’s all quite possible if you’re happy to travel that way.

Someday it’ll hopefully be possible to go as fast as you want for 300 miles at a time and recharge in 15 minutes, almost anywhere, in a £50k EV.

Just now it’s not.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

255 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
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A top end tesla can do 500kms a day charge up overnight or in an hour whilst you have lunch.

Plenty of superchargers around too.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

255 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
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[redacted]

giblet

8,878 posts

178 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
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Christ on a fking bike

I love how bitterly defensive some people are of their preferred propulsion method. I’m nearly 1000 miles in on my Renault Zoe. Still haven’t paid for a charge and the only issue I’ve had was the one trip to the local free fast charger when it was being hogged by an inconsiderate BMW 530e user.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

255 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
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[redacted]

gangzoom

Original Poster:

6,344 posts

216 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
quotequote all
SimonYorkshire said:
Do new batteries for old EVs come at new EV prices? Battery lease for an old EV come at new EV prices? If so, how will that effect second hand value and how much of that £80k initial value has been lost - and how much petrol / LPG could that sum have bought? If new tech and cheaper batteries come out
Good thing you haven't bought an EV than??

I find your concern about EVs odd as you have nothing invested in EVs where as I've been driving them since 2015, all funded for with my own cold hard cash.

How about people like me who are trying all this new tech worry about those things smile

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

255 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
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I ignore both equally. Simon takes more scrolling.

Only two names I look for against a post lol..


As to no one talking about environmental issues we do and have, it's pretty much taken for granted overall though.

The point is making usable desirable or cheap cars so people don't have easy excuses to carry on running ice vehicles.

gangzoom

Original Poster:

6,344 posts

216 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
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[redacted]

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

255 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
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And around we go......

Even an ioniq or leaf is suitable for almost everyone almost all the time

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

255 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
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It might seem tricky but if you've no interest in evs then avoiding the ev and alt section might be the way to go?

The Mad Monk

10,493 posts

118 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
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[redacted]

rscott

14,802 posts

192 months

Wednesday 10th January 2018
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