Which EV to buy?

Author
Discussion

ThomW

Original Poster:

1,120 posts

29 months

Sunday 19th December 2021
quotequote all
Hey everyone, I’m a Brit and have lived in the US for just over 15yrs. Moving back to the U.K. in the new year and starting to think about cars. I want an EV as my commute will only be 20-30 miles a day and won’t do huge mileage.

So far I’m thinking either the Hyundai Ioniq5, BMW i4 40 MSport or at an outside shot the base Taycan. I know the lead times are huge right now so will be using Onto until I can get my own business lease delivered.

I think I’m heading towards the i4, read some great reviews of it and watched some on YouTube. Feel like I’d be much happier with a well specced i4 that a ‘Taycan on steelies’ type thing.

But then the Ioniq5 is a ground-up EV design and looks mega retro cool.

Anyone got any experiences? Thoughts?

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

255 months

Sunday 19th December 2021
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How about something more suited to doing 20-30 miles and no big trips?

All those seem overkill.

nordboy

1,493 posts

51 months

Sunday 19th December 2021
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Drove the Kia EV6 this week, that's not a bad EV.

I'd certainly consider one if I was in the market

ThomW

Original Poster:

1,120 posts

29 months

Sunday 19th December 2021
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
How about something more suited to doing 20-30 miles and no big trips?

All those seem overkill.
I did consider a Honda E as well. I do however have lots of family to visit when I’m back. I’ll only do 8k miles a year but will have a few 400 mile journeys to see family, don’t want to be playing infrastructure roulette.

Plus my job is pretty fluid, my remit changes fairly often so don’t want to rule out doing bigger miles over the next few years.

TheDeuce

21,899 posts

67 months

Sunday 19th December 2021
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
How about something more suited to doing 20-30 miles and no big trips?

All those seem overkill.
Like a town car? I got an email the other day offering a lease VW e-up for £150 ish a month which is astounding value given it would be at least £100 cheaper a month to run Vs the ICE Up for most people.

Anyone who currently has an old ICE runaround that spends £100 a month on fuel should have a rethink about what cheap motoring actually is... I'm willing to bet there's thousands out there nursing an old ICE car because of budget constraints that would assume an EV is totally out of their grasp.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

255 months

Sunday 19th December 2021
quotequote all
TheDeuce said:
Like a town car? I got an email the other day offering a lease VW e-up for £150 ish a month which is astounding value given it would be at least £100 cheaper a month to run Vs the ICE Up for most people.

Anyone who currently has an old ICE runaround that spends £100 a month on fuel should have a rethink about what cheap motoring actually is... I'm willing to bet there's thousands out there nursing an old ICE car because of budget constraints that would assume an EV is totally out of their grasp.
Thats nuts! How could you not the e-up seems a decent little car shame VW isnt keen on it..



Op sounds like they would rather a car capable of longer range trips tho.

georgeyboy12345

3,542 posts

36 months

Sunday 19th December 2021
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How much can you spend? Remember, cars cost more here than in the USA

MOBB

3,623 posts

128 months

Sunday 19th December 2021
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
TheDeuce said:
Like a town car? I got an email the other day offering a lease VW e-up for £150 ish a month which is astounding value given it would be at least £100 cheaper a month to run Vs the ICE Up for most people.

Anyone who currently has an old ICE runaround that spends £100 a month on fuel should have a rethink about what cheap motoring actually is... I'm willing to bet there's thousands out there nursing an old ICE car because of budget constraints that would assume an EV is totally out of their grasp.
Thats nuts! How could you not the e-up seems a decent little car shame VW isnt keen on it..



Op sounds like they would rather a car capable of longer range trips tho.
I pay £160 a month for the Seat Mii electric, and it’s been a revelation. Peanuts to run and genuinely fun to drive.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

255 months

Sunday 19th December 2021
quotequote all
MOBB said:
I pay £160 a month for the Seat Mii electric, and it’s been a revelation. Peanuts to run and genuinely fun to drive.
I'm guessing thats basically the same car?

Zarco

17,941 posts

210 months

Sunday 19th December 2021
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I love the look of the Ioniq5.

TheDeuce

21,899 posts

67 months

Sunday 19th December 2021
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
MOBB said:
I pay £160 a month for the Seat Mii electric, and it’s been a revelation. Peanuts to run and genuinely fun to drive.
I'm guessing thats basically the same car?
Pretty much just a badge swap.

And yes, all these little town hopper EV's are super cheap and wayyyyy better to drive than their nasty 3 cylinder ICE siblings.

A town car is the perfect candidate for EV.

anonymous-user

55 months

Sunday 19th December 2021
quotequote all
nordboy said:
Drove the Kia EV6 this week, that's not a bad EV.

I'd certainly consider one if I was in the market
I looked at an EV6 kast week and tbh, was slightly dissapointed. The boot is really rather small for such a big car (blame the heavily sloping rear hatch and shallow boot) and the cabin materials simply don't feel anywhere near high enough quality for a car that is going to be knocking on the door of £50k once spec'd up.

I'm sure the battery and powertrain are great, and you do get a fair amout of "car for your money" compared to the more premium brands, but i just didn't warm to the thing at all in all honesty.

anonymous-user

55 months

Sunday 19th December 2021
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TheDeuce said:
RobDickinson said:
MOBB said:
I pay £160 a month for the Seat Mii electric, and it’s been a revelation. Peanuts to run and genuinely fun to drive.
I'm guessing thats basically the same car?
Pretty much just a badge swap.

And yes, all these little town hopper EV's are super cheap and wayyyyy better to drive than their nasty 3 cylinder ICE siblings.

A town car is the perfect candidate for EV.
Given the UP has a pretty poor range and a bloody long charge time that seems a poor car unfortunately? https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/new/e-up.html

And the Mii Electric seems to be discontinued?
https://www.seat.co.uk/new-cars/mii-electric/overv...

TheDeuce

21,899 posts

67 months

Sunday 19th December 2021
quotequote all
I think what we're seeing here is several manufacturers having an early stab at EV. Some make great sense financially... Others are but of a head scratcher.

I think the budget/town car sector is bang on the money, as is the high end luxury/performance sector.

It's the but in the middle that's a bit of a minefield. IE: you just want a spacious family car with average performance and trim level, but it suddenly costs at least £40,000.

The problem is that in EV world performance is cheap but range is expensive. So the manufacturers currently focus on selling fast luxury cars that easily justify their price tag with their on paper stats, and also will sell you a town car with a limited range for next to nothing. They simply don't need to make a typical family car affordable right now because they can very clearly max out production lines and sell out to the two extremes of budget/performance.

I love EV but for those in the middle.. I'd say a diesel is still often a better shout. At least for now.

Having said all that, I see the Mustang Mach e is starting to make affordable sense, given the price of traditional fuel.

TheDeuce

21,899 posts

67 months

Sunday 19th December 2021
quotequote all
speedyguy said:
TheDeuce said:
RobDickinson said:
MOBB said:
I pay £160 a month for the Seat Mii electric, and it’s been a revelation. Peanuts to run and genuinely fun to drive.
I'm guessing thats basically the same car?
Pretty much just a badge swap.

And yes, all these little town hopper EV's are super cheap and wayyyyy better to drive than their nasty 3 cylinder ICE siblings.

A town car is the perfect candidate for EV.
Given the UP has a pretty poor range and a bloody long charge time that seems a poor car unfortunately? https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/new/e-up.html

And the Mii Electric seems to be discontinued?
https://www.seat.co.uk/new-cars/mii-electric/overv...
Not really valid criticisms for a town car! That's the point really, horses for courses. The previous poster asked about more affordable EV's with less range, and such cars exist and are definitely affordable, and definitely have enough range to get the job done for many people and charge times are irrelevant when charging takes place as you eat dinner, crack a beer and then sleep wink

Like I said, for many that need a typical family car, EV is a stretch right now. For those that want a town car run-around however, it's a no brainer. Also for those that want luxury and performance, there are endless options that are cheaper than the ICE equivalents once all costs are considered. It's all about driver profile as to whether or not an EV makes sense.

dmsims

6,555 posts

268 months

Monday 20th December 2021
quotequote all
TheDeuce said:
It's the but in the middle that's a bit of a minefield. IE: you just want a spacious family car with average performance and trim level, but it suddenly costs at least £40,000.
ID3

MOBB

3,623 posts

128 months

Monday 20th December 2021
quotequote all
speedyguy said:
TheDeuce said:
RobDickinson said:
MOBB said:
I pay £160 a month for the Seat Mii electric, and it’s been a revelation. Peanuts to run and genuinely fun to drive.
I'm guessing thats basically the same car?
Pretty much just a badge swap.

And yes, all these little town hopper EV's are super cheap and wayyyyy better to drive than their nasty 3 cylinder ICE siblings.

A town car is the perfect candidate for EV.
Given the UP has a pretty poor range and a bloody long charge time that seems a poor car unfortunately? https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/new/e-up.html

And the Mii Electric seems to be discontinued?
https://www.seat.co.uk/new-cars/mii-electric/overv...
Driven carefully in the summer these cars can surpass 200 miles.

I get 160 in the summer on average, 120 in the winter.

For the spec and price of the car, I think that's pretty good - better than the Honda e and Mini

TheDeuce

21,899 posts

67 months

Monday 20th December 2021
quotequote all
dmsims said:
TheDeuce said:
It's the but in the middle that's a bit of a minefield. IE: you just want a spacious family car with average performance and trim level, but it suddenly costs at least £40,000.
ID3
Exactly. With the higher capacity battery that car is £40k.

You haven't quoted the bit where I referenced it being cheaper to get an EV if you can cope with shorter range...


Oldwolf

942 posts

194 months

Monday 20th December 2021
quotequote all
I've just ordered a Kia EV6

A nice drive and although the interior isn't as plush as some European brands it felt solid and the control interfaces were all good. One thing that really appealed to me is the fast charge capability (10-80% in 18 minutes) which makes long journeys quite easy once the chargers are more common.

EV Beano

20,854 posts

276 months

Monday 20th December 2021
quotequote all
ThomW said:
I know the lead times are huge right now so will be using Onto until I can get my own business lease delivered.
Why do you want to own a car?

Much easier to just use a subscription service in the period where a) as you point out, getting a new car is challenging and b) the technology is still moving on month after month...

So why not subscribe until the point you can see through the fog and make a more informed choice?

....that's my decision anyway....

(And I have a referral code for £50 off On.to at the moment if anyone needs one - just DM me)