Anyone giving up EV?

[Nomme de Plum]

cerb4.5lee said:

Modern diesels are really good for range now though. It was showing 775 miles on the range in the summer last year as well.

I am not denying what is achievable with a modern diesel under the right conditions. But diesels do not like short journeys so aren't very flexible.

[plfrench]

cerb4.5lee said:

Modern diesels are really good for range now though. It was showing 775 miles on the range in the summer last year as well.

Out of interest Lee, what mpg are you averaging over the life of your GLE400d? You must be driving pretty gently to actually get 700 plus from a tank. That's over 40mpg+ assuming an 80 litre tank.

My E350d, admittedly with a smaller tank, would generally get around 475miles and I got just under 36mpg overall from that I think over the 30,000 miles I had it.

[cerb4.5lee]

Nomme de Plum said:

I am not denying what is achievable with a modern diesel under the right conditions. But diesels do not like short journeys so aren't very flexible.

Yes and I agree. For our use case diesel is great, because it is only ever used for long distance/high mileage. I wouldn't use a diesel for just nipping around local though(I appreciate that many folk do use them for that though).

As has been said many times, you just buy the car that suits your own usage case I think. I've often consider a small EV to pop around in locally, however I don't think an electric drivetrain would suit our 7 seater 2300kg SUV though. However maybe one day an electric drivetrain could match a diesel engine for range though. Who knows?

[cerb4.5lee]

plfrench said:

cerb4.5lee said:

Modern diesels are really good for range now though. It was showing 775 miles on the range in the summer last year as well.

Out of interest Lee, what mpg are you averaging over the life of your GLE400d? You must be driving pretty gently to actually get 700 plus from a tank. That's over 40mpg+ assuming an 80 litre tank.

My E350d, admittedly with a smaller tank, would generally get around 475miles and I got just under 36mpg overall from that I think over the 30,000 miles I had it.

It is doing 38mpg overall since we've had it from new(it is 2 years old and on 57k miles now) The problem I've got is that I drive it steady, so it tends to do more mpg when I use it. However my missus is the main user though, and she has a heavier right foot than me in it!

I've got other performance cars that I like to have fun in, so when I get in the Merc, I just kick back and chill out in it mostly.

[Evanivitch]

I used to get about 1400 miles on a tank in my PHEV...

[Fox-]

Nomme de Plum said:

I am not denying what is achievable with a modern diesel under the right conditions. But diesels do not like short journeys so aren't very flexible.

An ideal two car driveway would be a diesel with range like that and a small fully electric city car. I think a lot of the issues with electric cars are a result of trying to make them the answer to every question - they are not, but neither was a diesel car or a petrol car.

[cerb4.5lee]

Evanivitch said:

I used to get about 1400 miles on a tank in my PHEV...

My FIL has a PHEV, and because he hardly does any mileage in it, it very rarely gets filled up with petrol at all. So for what he uses it for, it is brilliant.

[Nomme de Plum]

cerb4.5lee said:

Nomme de Plum said:

I am not denying what is achievable with a modern diesel under the right conditions. But diesels do not like short journeys so aren't very flexible.

Yes and I agree. For our use case diesel is great, because it is only ever used for long distance/high mileage. I wouldn't use a diesel for just nipping around local though(I appreciate that many folk do use them for that though).

As has been said many times, you just buy the car that suits your own usage case I think. I've often consider a small EV to pop around in locally, however I don't think an electric drivetrain would suit our 7 seater 2300kg SUV though. However maybe one day an electric drivetrain could match a diesel engine for range though. Who knows?

Can I assume you have 7 seats because you need them for a hobby, sport or something. Most people do not drive 7 seater cars even with two children.

[Nomme de Plum]

Fox- said:

Nomme de Plum said:

I am not denying what is achievable with a modern diesel under the right conditions. But diesels do not like short journeys so aren't very flexible.

An ideal two car driveway would be a diesel with range like that and a small fully electric city car. I think a lot of the issues with electric cars are a result of trying to make them the answer to every question - they are not, but neither was a diesel car or a petrol car.

And that is the point. In ten years time when it starts too get important the EV will no doubt cover more bases but for now I suspect the work mainly for people with off street charging, possibly tax breaks and smaller journey profiles. In reality many people fit into this category but people are very conservative and do not take to take change easily.

The new price is still an issue plus a lack of used supply. That will take another 5 years or so.

[DodgyGeezer]

Nomme de Plum said:

cerb4.5lee said:

Modern diesels are really good for range now though. It was showing 775 miles on the range in the summer last year as well.

I am not denying what is achievable with a modern diesel under the right conditions. But diesels do not like short journeys so aren't very flexible.

and EV's don't really like fast long journeys - all horses for courses...

[cerb4.5lee]

Nomme de Plum said:

cerb4.5lee said:

Nomme de Plum said:

I am not denying what is achievable with a modern diesel under the right conditions. But diesels do not like short journeys so aren't very flexible.

Yes and I agree. For our use case diesel is great, because it is only ever used for long distance/high mileage. I wouldn't use a diesel for just nipping around local though(I appreciate that many folk do use them for that though).

As has been said many times, you just buy the car that suits your own usage case I think. I've often consider a small EV to pop around in locally, however I don't think an electric drivetrain would suit our 7 seater 2300kg SUV though. However maybe one day an electric drivetrain could match a diesel engine for range though. Who knows?

Can I assume you have 7 seats because you need them for a hobby, sport or something. Most people do not drive 7 seater cars even with two children.

All I meant was that I don't know how well an electric drivetrain would suit a big/heavy/tall SUV that's all(I presume the range would fall off a cliff because of the shape/weight of the car). We don't need 7 seats with only 4 of us of course, however we wanted the 400d engine though, and 7 seats come as standard in that model that's all.

The 7 seats have only been used 3 times in 2 years for example. They are a nice to have though, especially because I have 2 other cars with only 2 seats in comparison. So I have a nice mix of sporty and practical I reckon.

[smn159]

plfrench said:

cerb4.5lee said:

Modern diesels are really good for range now though. It was showing 775 miles on the range in the summer last year as well.

Out of interest Lee, what mpg are you averaging over the life of your GLE400d? You must be driving pretty gently to actually get 700 plus from a tank. That's over 40mpg+ assuming an 80 litre tank.

My E350d, admittedly with a smaller tank, would generally get around 475miles and I got just under 36mpg overall from that I think over the 30,000 miles I had it.

80 litres of diesel would be, what £125?

That's one area where EV's are definitely better

[740EVTORQUES]

cerb4.5lee said:

All I meant was that I don't know how well an electric drivetrain would suit a big/heavy/tall SUV that's all(I presume the range would fall off a cliff because of the shape/weight of the car). We don't need 7 seats with only 4 of us of course, however we wanted the 400d engine though, and 7 seats come as standard in that model that's all.

The 7 seats have only been used 3 times in 2 years for example. They are a nice to have though, especially because I have 2 other cars with only 2 seats in comparison. So I have a nice mix of sporty and practical I reckon.

You’re right about the shape which is why EVs tend to be aerodynamically good.

Weight, as has been pointed out endlessly before, is really not that important and makes far less impact on range than in an ICE car which lacks regenerative braking.

[cerb4.5lee]

smn159 said:

80 litres of diesel would be, what £125?

That's one area where EV's are definitely better

I can't lie...and I filled up the other day and it came to £122! I genuinely did think of you lot when I tapped my card on the machine. An EV would save me a fortune I reckon in that regard for sure.

[Ken_Code]

740EVTORQUES said:

You’re right about the shape which is why EVs tend to be aerodynamically good.

Weight, as has been pointed out endlessly before, is really not that important and makes far less impact on range than in an ICE car which lacks regenerative braking.

Although very long journeys tend to involve very little braking, so it’s not going to be a significant contribution there.

[740EVTORQUES]

Ken_Code said:

Although very long journeys tend to involve very little braking, so it’s not going to be a significant contribution there.

And equally if they don’t involve much braking they don’t involve much acceleration either so the weight is not as important.

[Shaoxter]

vikingaero said:

I have a VW Passat diesel reserved solely as the car for University runs and holidays. So for example in one day before Easter I collected both Vikingettes. It did Kent to Manchester at 4am in 3.5 hours without needing a toilet break, Manchester to Birmingham, Birmingham to Kent (Around 9 hours and 550 miles) We ate around loading up and only stopped for 3 minute toilet stops.

Why don't they take the train?

[TheDeuce]

Shaoxter said:

vikingaero said:

I have a VW Passat diesel reserved solely as the car for University runs and holidays. So for example in one day before Easter I collected both Vikingettes. It did Kent to Manchester at 4am in 3.5 hours without needing a toilet break, Manchester to Birmingham, Birmingham to Kent (Around 9 hours and 550 miles) We ate around loading up and only stopped for 3 minute toilet stops.

Why don't they take the train?

This always gets me. I have a very powerful and quite fun EV as a daily. On work trips I can take that or hire a pickup or van, all paid for. But I choose the train or plane on longer trips because... Life is too short.

On a recent block of work in Edinburgh I had an excuse to drive as I had a load of kit to take up. But I palletised it sent it that way, it was about £60. I then grabbed cheap last minute first class tickets on the train - two glasses of wine, a beef stew and a snooze later... I'm there. I made the trip without needing to obsess over ICE cost Vs EV en route charging

I'm baffled by people that claim they 'frequently' need to drive several hundred miles so an EV is 'impossible'. Whatever, if it's that frequent find a better way to travel than driving..

[Cobnapint]

Another thing that would stress the b'jesus out of me on a long journey would be the lack of a collapsible spare wheel. I don't know of an EV that lets you spec one.

And before someone asks how many times have I had a total deflation - I have, once. A chunk of metal ripped a whopping great unsealable gash in one of my Audi TT's tyres.

So I guess breakdown recovery is a necessity. And while we're on the subject, do breakdown services get you out the doggy do-dos if you misjudge things and run out of charge in the middle of nowhere? Is that part of the package or can you get separate cover?

[vikingaero]

Shaoxter said:

vikingaero said:

I have a VW Passat diesel reserved solely as the car for University runs and holidays. So for example in one day before Easter I collected both Vikingettes. It did Kent to Manchester at 4am in 3.5 hours without needing a toilet break, Manchester to Birmingham, Birmingham to Kent (Around 9 hours and 550 miles) We ate around loading up and only stopped for 3 minute toilet stops.

Why don't they take the train?

Because. 2024 Students. They came back for around a fortnight as both had assignments/dissertations to write and wanted to come home to complete them away from distractions and friends dragging them out. The modern student doesn't travel light anymore and they use the opportunity to decant stuff back home and pick up stuff they want.