Has anyone gone back from EV ownership?
Discussion
I went from Tesla Model S back into a Range Rover.
I do lots of miles all over the place though with time pressures and through rain, snow etc. The variable range due to conditions and added time of charging just added an extra layer of complexity to my life that I could just do with out. Also I found having to manage my speed etc frustrating on long runs.
I do see the benefits of EVs though still have the Tesla it’s brilliant for my wife. The switch to EV won’t be that bad once the technology comes on a bit more, still keeping an eye for when I will go back.
Just hope they don’t do something stupid like ban ICE in the future and allow for petrolheads who want to do tiny mileages in the grand scheme of things in special cars for a bit of fun.
I do lots of miles all over the place though with time pressures and through rain, snow etc. The variable range due to conditions and added time of charging just added an extra layer of complexity to my life that I could just do with out. Also I found having to manage my speed etc frustrating on long runs.
I do see the benefits of EVs though still have the Tesla it’s brilliant for my wife. The switch to EV won’t be that bad once the technology comes on a bit more, still keeping an eye for when I will go back.
Just hope they don’t do something stupid like ban ICE in the future and allow for petrolheads who want to do tiny mileages in the grand scheme of things in special cars for a bit of fun.
Would take a considerable change of circumstances for us to go back now. We run an i3 and Model 3 so have both city and longer range travel covered with the ability to charge at home and use superchargers for the occasional trip.
If I needed to cover 200+ miles a day on a regular basis or couldn't charge at home then we'd likely have to begrudgingly get rid of at least one of the EV's and go back to ICE purely due to convenience. We find the EV driving experience far superior for day to day use so fingers crossed that doesn't happen.
If I needed to cover 200+ miles a day on a regular basis or couldn't charge at home then we'd likely have to begrudgingly get rid of at least one of the EV's and go back to ICE purely due to convenience. We find the EV driving experience far superior for day to day use so fingers crossed that doesn't happen.
Went from an i3 to jag XE s.
I3 was bought for 90 mile round commute (which made the numbers work) Change of job saw that drop by 60 odd miles so went for a v6 petrol before it's to late.
I really liked the electric drive train, tech, overall ease of driving and pre heating. , but whilst the i3 is fine around town, I found it seriously compromised on country lanes. Skittish and forever losing traction. My Kids used to feel sick in the back often too.
I3 was bought for 90 mile round commute (which made the numbers work) Change of job saw that drop by 60 odd miles so went for a v6 petrol before it's to late.
I really liked the electric drive train, tech, overall ease of driving and pre heating. , but whilst the i3 is fine around town, I found it seriously compromised on country lanes. Skittish and forever losing traction. My Kids used to feel sick in the back often too.
I have an i3 (and a couple of other cars) and I’m thinking of selling it this year and getting a normal car instead. It’s a very unique car and I’m enjoying it but I’ve kind of ticked that box now. A lot of the newer and probably more sensible EVs don’t appeal to me really unless we’re talking Taycan type of stuff but if I’m spending that kind of money I think want something that makes engine noises, weighs half as much, and can be refuelled in a couple of mins.
But we’ll see, maybe my inner environmentalist will take over and I’ll keep it.
But we’ll see, maybe my inner environmentalist will take over and I’ll keep it.
This new video from Harry's Garage gives a really good real world view of EV ownership.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEyfCcAbtKU
Harry’s video in fair in some respects (I drive an i3), but IME he got very unlucky with his charging experience.
On the motorway range point, it’d be like a driving a diesel car up and down the motorway all week and then filling it up. The dash display would say you’ve got 600 odd miles until empty. Then if you spent the next week driving around a city in it, you’d find it won’t deliver those 600 miles..
On the motorway range point, it’d be like a driving a diesel car up and down the motorway all week and then filling it up. The dash display would say you’ve got 600 odd miles until empty. Then if you spent the next week driving around a city in it, you’d find it won’t deliver those 600 miles..
Edited by MaxSo on Monday 20th January 10:14
Would never go back now, but then I'm pretty much the ideal EV use case (city driving, have a driveway for home charging, don't do long distances in it).
However if I was only allowed one car, would I choose an EV? Nope. I've never tried public charging and never intend to - too many different companies, too expensive, too compromised, although I guess this will improve over time.
However if I was only allowed one car, would I choose an EV? Nope. I've never tried public charging and never intend to - too many different companies, too expensive, too compromised, although I guess this will improve over time.
NDA said:
This new video from Harry's Garage gives a really good real world view of EV ownership.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEyfCcAbtKU
This just shows more than ever why Tesla got their charging network right, although plenty of people here will tell you the charging network isn't important.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEyfCcAbtKU
Shaoxter said:
Would never go back now, but then I'm pretty much the ideal EV use case (city driving, have a driveway for home charging, don't do long distances in it).
However if I was only allowed one car, would I choose an EV? Nope. I've never tried public charging and never intend to - too many different companies, too expensive, too compromised, although I guess this will improve over time.
As Harry mentions though, go Tesla and that issue pretty much goes away. I'd happily run our Model 3 P as the only car in the household as it covers all the bases better than any car I've ever owned and if I had to do regular long distances the supercharger network offers both the speed and reliability for it to still be usable.However if I was only allowed one car, would I choose an EV? Nope. I've never tried public charging and never intend to - too many different companies, too expensive, too compromised, although I guess this will improve over time.
Any other manufacturer, no chance.
Ask me again as Sep 2020 gets closer
I am on my 2nd (Zoe, i3) and will have done 6 years EV by then. I extended the lease on the i3 in Sep 18 (from 2 to 4 years) because swapping into a new EV just didn't make sense financially at that time. If it doesn't make sense when the lease is coming up to expire, I will be back into an ICE
I am on my 2nd (Zoe, i3) and will have done 6 years EV by then. I extended the lease on the i3 in Sep 18 (from 2 to 4 years) because swapping into a new EV just didn't make sense financially at that time. If it doesn't make sense when the lease is coming up to expire, I will be back into an ICE
jjwilde said:
NDA said:
This new video from Harry's Garage gives a really good real world view of EV ownership.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEyfCcAbtKU
This just shows more than ever why Tesla got their charging network right, although plenty of people here will tell you the charging network isn't important.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEyfCcAbtKU
I can’t envisage when we would need to charge anywhere but at home for the time being and I would suggest the majority are doing likewise.
jjwilde said:
NDA said:
This new video from Harry's Garage gives a really good real world view of EV ownership.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEyfCcAbtKU
This just shows more than ever why Tesla got their charging network right, although plenty of people here will tell you the charging network isn't important.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEyfCcAbtKU
Once that Hammersmith hub starts charging for use (it's on an intro/testing free vend, hence always a queue) it'll be a more useful prospect. And they're already contactless, beep your credit or debit card and go.
SWoll said:
Shaoxter said:
Would never go back now, but then I'm pretty much the ideal EV use case (city driving, have a driveway for home charging, don't do long distances in it).
However if I was only allowed one car, would I choose an EV? Nope. I've never tried public charging and never intend to - too many different companies, too expensive, too compromised, although I guess this will improve over time.
As Harry mentions though, go Tesla and that issue pretty much goes away. I'd happily run our Model 3 P as the only car in the household as it covers all the bases better than any car I've ever owned and if I had to do regular long distances the supercharger network offers both the speed and reliability for it to still be usable.However if I was only allowed one car, would I choose an EV? Nope. I've never tried public charging and never intend to - too many different companies, too expensive, too compromised, although I guess this will improve over time.
Any other manufacturer, no chance.
It’s been fine re. charging (we’ve encountered 1 charger off line and 1 that was occupied in all this time), but.... I quite enjoy (for now) the planning aspect of it, we don’t have kids, and generally aren’t under pressure to be places by certain times etc. I would not have done the driving we’ve done without planning long trips - and this is where it will currently fall down for the masses, and where Tesla have got it sewn up - provided they can keep increasing Supercharger capacity to match demand.
The masses will want to be able to get in the car, punch in a destination and follow the instructions. You simply cannot do that in any EV that isn’t a Tesla (at least not in this country, and even in other countries with better networks I still don’t think non-Tesla EVs have the software built in to find available chargers).
In this country, you can try just setting off and heading to chargers that you search for or stumble across on route, but it’s practically guaranteed that you’ll get unlucky sooner or later.
There’s room for improvement for Tesla too though, I think (although I haven’t yet driven one) - their software could be better still if it also linked into non-Tesla chargers.
What’s really needed is regulation that mandates all rapid chargers must provided live status and availability info in a universal format that any manufacturer (or other software developer) can then tap into to use for routing calculations and maybe other stuff like paid reservations etc at certain locations. (You pay in advance for what the charge your car says you will need and when you will need it. The space is reserved for you and entry is allowed to the bay when the system recognised your reg. plate. If you don’t claim the charge by a defined cut off, you lose the reservation and your upfront payment.
Edited by MaxSo on Monday 20th January 10:34
MaxSo said:
SWoll said:
Shaoxter said:
Would never go back now, but then I'm pretty much the ideal EV use case (city driving, have a driveway for home charging, don't do long distances in it).
However if I was only allowed one car, would I choose an EV? Nope. I've never tried public charging and never intend to - too many different companies, too expensive, too compromised, although I guess this will improve over time.
As Harry mentions though, go Tesla and that issue pretty much goes away. I'd happily run our Model 3 P as the only car in the household as it covers all the bases better than any car I've ever owned and if I had to do regular long distances the supercharger network offers both the speed and reliability for it to still be usable.However if I was only allowed one car, would I choose an EV? Nope. I've never tried public charging and never intend to - too many different companies, too expensive, too compromised, although I guess this will improve over time.
Any other manufacturer, no chance.
It’s been fine re. charging (we’ve encountered 1 charger off line and 1 that was occupied in all this time), but.... I quite enjoy (for now) the planning aspect of it, we don’t have kids, and generally aren’t under pressure to be places by certain times etc. I would not have done the driving we’ve done without planning long trips - and this is where it will currently fall down for the masses, and where Tesla have got it sewn up - provided they can keep increasing Supercharger capacity to match demand.
The masses will want to be able to get in the car, punch in a destination and follow the instructions. You simply cannot do that in any EV that isn’t a Tesla (at least not in this country, and even in other countries with better networks I still don’t think non-Tesla EVs have the software built in to find available chargers).
In this country, you can try just setting off and heading to chargers that you search for or stumble across on route, but it’s practically guaranteed that you’ll get unlucky sooner or later.
Aren’t there apps that will work out a route if you do make a long trip? That will be displayed through Apple Play etc and should do the job if it’s really necessary.
JPJPJP said:
I am on my 2nd (Zoe, i3) and will have done 6 years EV by then. I extended the lease on the i3 in Sep 18 (from 2 to 4 years) because swapping into a new EV just didn't make sense financially at that time. If it doesn't make sense when the lease is coming up to expire, I will be back into an ICE
Have you noticed any deterioration in battery performance (holding it's charge/range) given the length of time you've owned an EV?very timely thread this for me - i have a model 3, albeit through evezy and not tesla direct (so no tesla app access).
I have an issue today which is yet again down to the evezy app thats probably going to result in me returning it and going back to ICE - i want to like this car but im really struggling. I know some of the issues are with evezy and not tesla, but the car isnt perfect either.
I have an issue today which is yet again down to the evezy app thats probably going to result in me returning it and going back to ICE - i want to like this car but im really struggling. I know some of the issues are with evezy and not tesla, but the car isnt perfect either.
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