Potential EV Newbie - no idea where to start
Discussion
I'm seriously considering an EV for my wife and daughter to use. My daughter travels two 10 mile journeys every day and my wife runs around locally in between, so the use case for a home charged EV seems strong.
I'm also seriously considering subsequently installing solar panels and battery storage. The problem is I haven't a clue how it all integrates together to ensure maximum efficiency. When the solar panels or the batteries are producing juice, how does it distribute it between the house and car (which, obviously would be charged at night).
I'm currently with Octopus. I understand I would need to have a smart meter fitted. My main concern is installing the right kit to ensure compatibility with the subsequent fitment of solar panels/battery pack. Can anyone point me towards a simplistic idiot's guide to it all?
I'm also seriously considering subsequently installing solar panels and battery storage. The problem is I haven't a clue how it all integrates together to ensure maximum efficiency. When the solar panels or the batteries are producing juice, how does it distribute it between the house and car (which, obviously would be charged at night).
I'm currently with Octopus. I understand I would need to have a smart meter fitted. My main concern is installing the right kit to ensure compatibility with the subsequent fitment of solar panels/battery pack. Can anyone point me towards a simplistic idiot's guide to it all?
Panamax said:
lornemalvo said:
My daughter travels two 10 mile journeys every day and my wife runs around locally in between, so the use case for a home charged EV seems strong.
Weekly fuel bill, say, £35. That's £1,750 a year.How much are you planning to spend on this new car?
I also can't help thinking having an ICE plus an EV makes sense. My daughter must get to her horses twice a day so in the event of fuel shortages (currently reminded how fragile our energy supply is), or electricity shortages, we are covered. An unlikely scenario for either, but not impossible.
I’m not that clued up but AFAIK you may need a charger with PV integration? My Hypervolt has this feature.
I’d recommend a BMW i3 by the way. The Mazda MX30 seems great value, my neighbour has just bought a four year old one with 20k miles for about £10k, the range isn’t that great though.
I’d recommend a BMW i3 by the way. The Mazda MX30 seems great value, my neighbour has just bought a four year old one with 20k miles for about £10k, the range isn’t that great though.
lornemalvo said:
I'm seriously considering an EV for my wife and daughter to use. My daughter travels two 10 mile journeys every day and my wife runs around locally in between, so the use case for a home charged EV seems strong.
I'm also seriously considering subsequently installing solar panels and battery storage. The problem is I haven't a clue how it all integrates together to ensure maximum efficiency. When the solar panels or the batteries are producing juice, how does it distribute it between the house and car (which, obviously would be charged at night).
I'm currently with Octopus. I understand I would need to have a smart meter fitted. My main concern is installing the right kit to ensure compatibility with the subsequent fitment of solar panels/battery pack. Can anyone point me towards a simplistic idiot's guide to it all?
I wouldn't over think it.I'm also seriously considering subsequently installing solar panels and battery storage. The problem is I haven't a clue how it all integrates together to ensure maximum efficiency. When the solar panels or the batteries are producing juice, how does it distribute it between the house and car (which, obviously would be charged at night).
I'm currently with Octopus. I understand I would need to have a smart meter fitted. My main concern is installing the right kit to ensure compatibility with the subsequent fitment of solar panels/battery pack. Can anyone point me towards a simplistic idiot's guide to it all?
I bought my first EV last week (Mégane E tech) and have Octopus installing home charger in a month's time (long waiting time at the moment).
For the time being I am just topping up on a standard tariff with a 10A granny charger. (The charger will do 13A but my socket is not rated to keep that going continuously for a day.).
So far it all seems pretty straight forward. Just needs to work out how to charge in the 'wilds' now.... So will try that out soon before it is a necessity......
With regards to solar just ask Octopus for advice. There are a myriad of on-line DIYers but for peace of mind and legality I would ask the professionals....
And lastly, if you want or need a new car for your use-case, a second hand EV makes sense. Ignore the naysayers
You're looking at two separate things here: an EV; adding solar and batteries to your home.
Get the EV you like and install a home charger.
Do the sums on installing solar panels. Typically you're looking at £6,000 supply and fit plus your battery costs. The break even point on solar panels is about 10 - 14 years. This may change based on government policies and energy costs.
Given you're talking about your wife and you leaving your daughter a good car, do you want to hand over a chunk of her inheritance to a solar installer?
Have a look at money saving expert and energy saving trust on this subject.
Get the EV you like and install a home charger.
Do the sums on installing solar panels. Typically you're looking at £6,000 supply and fit plus your battery costs. The break even point on solar panels is about 10 - 14 years. This may change based on government policies and energy costs.
Given you're talking about your wife and you leaving your daughter a good car, do you want to hand over a chunk of her inheritance to a solar installer?
Have a look at money saving expert and energy saving trust on this subject.
I believe most of us looked to EVs initially either for a potential cost saving or other motivation pretty divorced from the choice of EV itself, but how they drive can be motivation itself... They're typically quite different from ICE and it would be worth driving a few before trying to narrow down on choice via specs alone. They are quiet and can be very rapid. I particularly like one pedal driving. So I would recommend that you go arrange a few test drives.
IMO for a local runabout pretty much any cheap relatively recent EV is probably OK. But I'd also say that you'd be missing out on not getting a car that could also function as a primary mode of transport and IMO for that you want something that has access to the Tesla supercharging network (or a combination of others), so that you have access to reliable, well maintained, numerous and reasonably priced DC fast charging infrastructure.
I think efficiency is important and think the current trend for a heavy SUV with massive battery and high cost a bit pointless... An efficient vehicle (approaching 4miles per kWhr and above), will enable good range without a huge battery, it will also charge faster (miles per hour), all else being equal and if you're using public chargers, it will be cheaper.
A model 3 would be my go to. I'd buy a used 21+ and fit the Highland suspension. I helped my daughter get one.
I like the Tesla integration of the software for charging, navigation and the state of charge.
For context I have owned a TR7V8, NA MiataV8, NA Miata, Elise, XKR and various s
t boxes, minivans etc. I used to travel extensively for work so have also driven a lot of rentals. I currently own a 996, but do the vast majority of my miles in a Model Y dual Motor. I am considering selling the 996 to part fund a 2026 Model 3 Performance.
IMO for a local runabout pretty much any cheap relatively recent EV is probably OK. But I'd also say that you'd be missing out on not getting a car that could also function as a primary mode of transport and IMO for that you want something that has access to the Tesla supercharging network (or a combination of others), so that you have access to reliable, well maintained, numerous and reasonably priced DC fast charging infrastructure.
I think efficiency is important and think the current trend for a heavy SUV with massive battery and high cost a bit pointless... An efficient vehicle (approaching 4miles per kWhr and above), will enable good range without a huge battery, it will also charge faster (miles per hour), all else being equal and if you're using public chargers, it will be cheaper.
A model 3 would be my go to. I'd buy a used 21+ and fit the Highland suspension. I helped my daughter get one.
I like the Tesla integration of the software for charging, navigation and the state of charge.
For context I have owned a TR7V8, NA MiataV8, NA Miata, Elise, XKR and various s
t boxes, minivans etc. I used to travel extensively for work so have also driven a lot of rentals. I currently own a 996, but do the vast majority of my miles in a Model Y dual Motor. I am considering selling the 996 to part fund a 2026 Model 3 Performance.I would forget the solar and battery installation, unless you really want to go down that route for other reasons. They are not necessary for cheap EV motoring.
We have a Renault 4 Iconic EV on a lease for 3 years. EDF EV tariff and a Podpoint charger (longest warranty I think). All very easy to operate (once set up I don't even think about it now).
The car costs £280 per month for 10,000 miles per year (no deposit). Electric charges are about £3 for a FULL charge overnight. Range is currently about 200 miles.
Great little car. The charger, I bought online and got our local electrician to fit it (not complicated) for a total of £680.
I have to say I was not exactly EV positive until we leased this car. It really is very good and easy.
We have a Renault 4 Iconic EV on a lease for 3 years. EDF EV tariff and a Podpoint charger (longest warranty I think). All very easy to operate (once set up I don't even think about it now).
The car costs £280 per month for 10,000 miles per year (no deposit). Electric charges are about £3 for a FULL charge overnight. Range is currently about 200 miles.
Great little car. The charger, I bought online and got our local electrician to fit it (not complicated) for a total of £680.
I have to say I was not exactly EV positive until we leased this car. It really is very good and easy.
skyebear said:
You're looking at two separate things here: an EV; adding solar and batteries to your home.
Get the EV you like and install a home charger.
Do the sums on installing solar panels. Typically you're looking at £6,000 supply and fit plus your battery costs. The break even point on solar panels is about 10 - 14 years. This may change based on government policies and energy costs.
Given you're talking about your wife and you leaving your daughter a good car, do you want to hand over a chunk of her inheritance to a solar installer?
Have a look at money saving expert and energy saving trust on this subject.
I agree with your first point, also made by others - focus on the car first, there's no need to do both at once.Get the EV you like and install a home charger.
Do the sums on installing solar panels. Typically you're looking at £6,000 supply and fit plus your battery costs. The break even point on solar panels is about 10 - 14 years. This may change based on government policies and energy costs.
Given you're talking about your wife and you leaving your daughter a good car, do you want to hand over a chunk of her inheritance to a solar installer?
Have a look at money saving expert and energy saving trust on this subject.
Where are you getting your typical solar costs and breakeven points from? I have just had a 5kW array plus 10kWh battery installed from a nationwide company with over 40 years of experience in the insulation/renewables market. It cost me £7k and assuming the panels deliver at 50% of capacity I'll breakeven in 7 years (excluding opportunity cost). That's before factoring in any export revenue.
As others are saying, car first and ignore solar & battery. One just done that.
To really charge cheaply you might want to consider a smart meter. However, while I get a 3.9p overnight tarrifs to get they 5 they whacked up my day rate. I do 10-12k miles a year, so it made financial sense. I just created a wee spreadsheet to check it all based on my usage. My car now charges each night for a seriously low cost. Last month I spent £30 on charging compared with 2-3 tanks of petrol at £120-160...
Car wise you do need to go drive a few and speak to a few owners. I'm my case I do charge on public fast chargers on occasion. I was put off the Kia and Hyundai I thought I would get due to slow charging, and ended up with a much faster charging Polestar. Your use case may vary.
I would most definitely fit a proper home charger and not rely on a wee three pin plug and extension lead out the window. Partly because Octopus and my charger both work together to give me free electricity when it's available - that £30 of spend on charging actually put £40 of charge in to my car, plus £5 a month cashback for being flexible.
To really charge cheaply you might want to consider a smart meter. However, while I get a 3.9p overnight tarrifs to get they 5 they whacked up my day rate. I do 10-12k miles a year, so it made financial sense. I just created a wee spreadsheet to check it all based on my usage. My car now charges each night for a seriously low cost. Last month I spent £30 on charging compared with 2-3 tanks of petrol at £120-160...
Car wise you do need to go drive a few and speak to a few owners. I'm my case I do charge on public fast chargers on occasion. I was put off the Kia and Hyundai I thought I would get due to slow charging, and ended up with a much faster charging Polestar. Your use case may vary.
I would most definitely fit a proper home charger and not rely on a wee three pin plug and extension lead out the window. Partly because Octopus and my charger both work together to give me free electricity when it's available - that £30 of spend on charging actually put £40 of charge in to my car, plus £5 a month cashback for being flexible.
Edited by POIDH on Monday 13th April 07:53
In late 2024 I brought an E-Golf for my commute and local running around. We had a wall charger installed and switched to Octopus Go (you will need a smart meter) for cheap overnight charging. We have another petrol car for longer journeys.
Suggest looking for a sub £10k EV and just charge it from the mains overnight.
We have covered about 17,000 miles in the golf and paid £425 in electricity.
Suggest looking for a sub £10k EV and just charge it from the mains overnight.
We have covered about 17,000 miles in the golf and paid £425 in electricity.
For charging cars overnight which don't do too many miles, one of these can work, to avoid the costs of a dedicated EV charger. It's the slowest possible solution, but it doesn't really matter if you don't do many miles.
https://www.superlecdirect.com/masterplug-mode2-ch...
https://www.superlecdirect.com/masterplug-mode2-ch...
DJP31 said:
I agree with your first point, also made by others - focus on the car first, there's no need to do both at once.
Where are you getting your typical solar costs and breakeven points from? I have just had a 5kW array plus 10kWh battery installed from a nationwide company with over 40 years of experience in the insulation/renewables market. It cost me £7k and assuming the panels deliver at 50% of capacity I'll breakeven in 7 years (excluding opportunity cost). That's before factoring in any export revenue.
Money Saving Expert and Energy Saving Trust. I'd had a look a couple of weeks ago as every ad I get is for companies punting solar panels and batteries, some of whom are marked as dissolved on Companies House or frequently change names. Their sales pitches are very similar so I wanted to check what typical break evens are. Lots of these companies conflate savings and profits.Where are you getting your typical solar costs and breakeven points from? I have just had a 5kW array plus 10kWh battery installed from a nationwide company with over 40 years of experience in the insulation/renewables market. It cost me £7k and assuming the panels deliver at 50% of capacity I'll breakeven in 7 years (excluding opportunity cost). That's before factoring in any export revenue.
Seemingly the OP has been banned from their own thread.
skyebear said:
DJP31 said:
I agree with your first point, also made by others - focus on the car first, there's no need to do both at once.
Where are you getting your typical solar costs and breakeven points from? I have just had a 5kW array plus 10kWh battery installed from a nationwide company with over 40 years of experience in the insulation/renewables market. It cost me £7k and assuming the panels deliver at 50% of capacity I'll breakeven in 7 years (excluding opportunity cost). That's before factoring in any export revenue.
Money Saving Expert and Energy Saving Trust. I'd had a look a couple of weeks ago as every ad I get is for companies punting solar panels and batteries, some of whom are marked as dissolved on Companies House or frequently change names. Their sales pitches are very similar so I wanted to check what typical break evens are. Lots of these companies conflate savings and profits.Where are you getting your typical solar costs and breakeven points from? I have just had a 5kW array plus 10kWh battery installed from a nationwide company with over 40 years of experience in the insulation/renewables market. It cost me £7k and assuming the panels deliver at 50% of capacity I'll breakeven in 7 years (excluding opportunity cost). That's before factoring in any export revenue.
Seemingly the OP has been banned from their own thread.
https://www.instagroup.co.uk/instagen-home/renewab...
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