RE: Mini Electric is here!
Discussion
Nigel_O said:
Jon_S_Rally said:
More and more people are willing to pay that monthly amount though, even those on relatively low incomes. We are also possibly going to see a shift in ownership habits, where people lease cars, maybe even as they need them, rather than having one all the time.
I think you are probably right (or at least in the right direction). At my age, with my attitudes to spending and car ownership, I accept of probably in a decreasing minority when it comes to how I want to own and buy a car.I think that most PH'ers are sufficiently enthusiastic about cars to want to own it, rather than hire it. However, PH'ers aren't typical of the general car buying public, so I can see an automotive equivalent of Boris Bikes being quite appealing to some folk.
If we're talking about green credentials of electric cars, nobody has yet mentioned that at least 50% of National Grid electricity is still derived from fossil fuels, so all that's happening with electric cars is we're changing where the pollution is generated from the street to the power station (I accept this is a good thing if you live in a big city though)
My missus works for BMW so it will be interesting to see what these are like cost wise when they are available to staff to order. I work majority from home, and the missus has a larger company car so this would be ideal as a second car run around in. My office has charging points so can boost it at work.
sgtBerbatov said:
This is the ideal car for herself in doors when she wants to drive down to the local village to have her hair done. Leave it parked up on the gravel driveway for a few days while she sips G&T watching Pedro the gardener prune her bushes. With her husband always away working hard, he's able to purchase the proper high capacity charger than the MINI needs for it to be a practical form of transport. She doesn't like it though, as she'd rather sit in her garden and watch Pedro's glistening torso in the light of her beautiful, lonely garden in her surburban paradise.
A world away from the rest of the mainstream, who live in the city centre and are encouraged to purchase electric vechicles on their "green" credentials. The same people who bought diesels 10 years ago based on the same creentials. Except this time they haven't got access to a high powered charger, and the extension lead they have won't reach their car parked in either the underground car park or on the street. Instead they rely on charging the car when they visit their local Tesco's, but alas today the two charging points there are full. Not by disgusting petrol/diesel drivers, but by other people who - just like them - can't charge their precious status symbol at home. They decide to drive to a local service station, a bit of a trek away from their flat, only to find that the Ecotricity charger that's available either doesn't work with their car or doesn't work full stop. Dejected, they start to drive home. Only to run out of battery. The car stops, unable to move. It's an hour to wait for the AA to come and rescue them, to bring the car to a suitable location. But the Tesco charging point is now available but out of use. Alone, they leave the car plugged in, with the hope it'll charge by morning. They trudge away while booking an Uber through their unrecycled iPhone XS, and await their fossil fuelled hybrid carriage while tucking in to a Chicken and Avacado sandwich, wondering how life has gone so wrong for them to live in a council borough that won't allow you to run extension leads on or over the pavements outside their box rooms in London.
That, is why, this car isn't for the mainstream. No plug in electric car will ever be one.
Careful now, with a rant like that you'll incur the wrath of Max Torque.A world away from the rest of the mainstream, who live in the city centre and are encouraged to purchase electric vechicles on their "green" credentials. The same people who bought diesels 10 years ago based on the same creentials. Except this time they haven't got access to a high powered charger, and the extension lead they have won't reach their car parked in either the underground car park or on the street. Instead they rely on charging the car when they visit their local Tesco's, but alas today the two charging points there are full. Not by disgusting petrol/diesel drivers, but by other people who - just like them - can't charge their precious status symbol at home. They decide to drive to a local service station, a bit of a trek away from their flat, only to find that the Ecotricity charger that's available either doesn't work with their car or doesn't work full stop. Dejected, they start to drive home. Only to run out of battery. The car stops, unable to move. It's an hour to wait for the AA to come and rescue them, to bring the car to a suitable location. But the Tesco charging point is now available but out of use. Alone, they leave the car plugged in, with the hope it'll charge by morning. They trudge away while booking an Uber through their unrecycled iPhone XS, and await their fossil fuelled hybrid carriage while tucking in to a Chicken and Avacado sandwich, wondering how life has gone so wrong for them to live in a council borough that won't allow you to run extension leads on or over the pavements outside their box rooms in London.
That, is why, this car isn't for the mainstream. No plug in electric car will ever be one.
For anyone who would consider an EV but isn't quite sure if it would work for them, worried about charging etc, and so doesn't want to commit to either buying one or leasing one long term, do what I did and try one for a month to see if you get on with it okay.
If you like it, keep it on a rolling monthly contract.
If you don't like it, give it back.
I think there are a few companies doing this now, but the one I used is called www.evezy.co.uk
Regarding the costs of running an EV vs other cars, and leasing vs owning, have a go with this calculator I created..
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ARUrS7YaFM...
I think some would be surprised how close a lease car can be in actual total running cost to a bought used car.
With an EV, the fuel cost of 2p - 3p per mile is a significant factor.
If you like it, keep it on a rolling monthly contract.
If you don't like it, give it back.
I think there are a few companies doing this now, but the one I used is called www.evezy.co.uk
Regarding the costs of running an EV vs other cars, and leasing vs owning, have a go with this calculator I created..
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ARUrS7YaFM...
I think some would be surprised how close a lease car can be in actual total running cost to a bought used car.
With an EV, the fuel cost of 2p - 3p per mile is a significant factor.
Edited by MaxSo on Wednesday 10th July 15:14
charltjr said:
This is a new car, for people who want a new car, not a used car. Comparisons with used cars are futile, because people who are happy to have a used car will almost always get better value out of having a used car. That's not the point.
The point is that this is the first attainable big brand car that a lot of people will be familiar with and would want to own, so it will be really interesting to see how it does. It's a Mini, but it's electric. That will be very, very comforting for a lot of people as it's instantly familiar.
Petrolheads aren't the target, people like my wife with her petrol Cooper are. She doesn't really know anything about cars, but she knows what she likes and the Mini ticks all the boxes for her. She likes the idea of EVs generally but finds everything affordable which is currently on the market unappealing for one reason or another. The Zoe has a crap interior, the i3 "looks weird", etc, etc. Home charging an EV would be easy for us. She doesn't need a car which can do hundreds of miles more than once in a blue moon, and she can drive my car if she ever does need to do a long journey.
I think it'll sell by the bucket-load.
Spot. I expect to see tons of them in my part of London. Perfect second car/city car for someone with a bit of wedge. The point is that this is the first attainable big brand car that a lot of people will be familiar with and would want to own, so it will be really interesting to see how it does. It's a Mini, but it's electric. That will be very, very comforting for a lot of people as it's instantly familiar.
Petrolheads aren't the target, people like my wife with her petrol Cooper are. She doesn't really know anything about cars, but she knows what she likes and the Mini ticks all the boxes for her. She likes the idea of EVs generally but finds everything affordable which is currently on the market unappealing for one reason or another. The Zoe has a crap interior, the i3 "looks weird", etc, etc. Home charging an EV would be easy for us. She doesn't need a car which can do hundreds of miles more than once in a blue moon, and she can drive my car if she ever does need to do a long journey.
I think it'll sell by the bucket-load.
Edited by charltjr on Wednesday 10th July 11:33
Fastdruid said:
J4CKO said:
Go in work on a sunny day with 60 miles remaining and come out and have seventy odd, would take the edge off the range thing btu I cant help thinking that if it was worth doing, they would have already, we have cars that stop the engine in traffic which always seems like a marginal benefit but the manufacturers did that.
The trouble is that its not something you could rely on as it might be overcast. Same as you'd have to leave a decent margin for cold weather/battery degradation over time. If you can't rely on it then it's very expensive for no real benefit.
Stop/Start makes a few mpg difference (and hence CO2 ratings) to the NEDC tests as 1/2 the time the car is stationary, it makes little difference in the really real world, especially when people instinctively turn it off as they don't like it!
I'm not sure how much difference stop/start will make with WLTP but I noticed with interest from looking at the Skoda Superb that under WLTP the (petrol) manual is more economic than the automatic it used to be the other way round.
Looks solar can add useful range,
https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/5/20683111/toyota-...
If its outside, and its sunny, pretty cool if not exactly attractive.
Imagine being able to do your commute and back on solar power alone, or leave your almost emoty car for a couple of days and come back to full batteries.
https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/5/20683111/toyota-...
If its outside, and its sunny, pretty cool if not exactly attractive.
Imagine being able to do your commute and back on solar power alone, or leave your almost emoty car for a couple of days and come back to full batteries.
A typical domestic solar panel is something like 250 watts peak and you might get the equivalent of two of them on a car? So peak charging rate from solar would be of the order of one to two miles per hour.
So a day of sun could add 25ish miles of range, best case. Enough for the average UK commute if we had that much sun.
So a day of sun could add 25ish miles of range, best case. Enough for the average UK commute if we had that much sun.
Edited by kambites on Wednesday 10th July 15:20
kambites said:
The list price looks quite high compared to the 39kwh Kona which has a much higher range. Lease deals may be good for those that go down that route though.
I guess you're paying for the MINI image to some degree.
They are cheaper but comparatively higher but as you say, it's MINI vs Hyundai image is a big part of it.I guess you're paying for the MINI image to some degree.
Edited by kambites on Wednesday 10th July 15:08
Plus the Kona is a good example of the demand that kind of car is under at the minute, they're quoting minimum 12-18month lead times. I believe the Kia e-Niro is the same.
When they say this will take BEV's mainstream, the truth is the wind is already blowing that way!
Really appeals to me as a car for everyone in the family to use with even the occasional go myself. Would replace our 1.4 MINI One.
It's ideal for my wife and kids who all only do short local journeys. Easy to charge on the driveway. Low running costs. Almost zero running effort. Looks great and should be a really fun steer as most MINIs are. What's not to like?
(Unless you take personal issue with EVs or new cars in general, in which case... save your keystrokes
).
It's ideal for my wife and kids who all only do short local journeys. Easy to charge on the driveway. Low running costs. Almost zero running effort. Looks great and should be a really fun steer as most MINIs are. What's not to like?
(Unless you take personal issue with EVs or new cars in general, in which case... save your keystrokes
). Jimbo89 said:
They are cheaper but comparatively higher but as you say, it's MINI vs Hyundai image is a big part of it.
Plus the Kona is a good example of the demand that kind of car is under at the minute, they're quoting minimum 12-18month lead times. I believe the Kia e-Niro is the same.
When they say this will take BEV's mainstream, the truth is the wind is already blowing that way!
The lead tines on the Kia’s are nuts. A director at work has ordered one and it won’t be here for at least 12 months. The range is useful though compared to many other EV’s.Plus the Kona is a good example of the demand that kind of car is under at the minute, they're quoting minimum 12-18month lead times. I believe the Kia e-Niro is the same.
When they say this will take BEV's mainstream, the truth is the wind is already blowing that way!
SOL111 said:
Personally I love my i3 but you pay dearly for the quirkiness and development.
The mini will be great and is £20k less than my i3, which is amazing, especially if you consider what the VW eUp costs.
She will love it. It'll drive like a regular car, is reasonably practical and save her a small fortune.
The mini will be great and is £20k less than my i3, which is amazing, especially if you consider what the VW eUp costs.
She will love it. It'll drive like a regular car, is reasonably practical and save her a small fortune.
I love the ethos behind the i3 and it’s slightly odd design. A friend has a REX one and it’s fun; it’s bloody nippy from a standing start. But for many it’s too expensive and way too weird design wise.
My other half won’t be getting one for a while at best though. Having tried something new and lost a fortune on it, were going the other way and she’s going to be driving a cheapo 1 series we’re buying from her mum.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff