Is an EV suitable for keeping at 2nd home?
Discussion
We currently keep a Citigo at our second home in Somerset to use as a local runaround and it happily sits on the drive unused for weeks on end without any issue. I quite fancy dipping my toe into the EV world and was wondering whether a small EV would fulfil the same brief?
My concerns are primarily what happens to batteries left uncharged for a couple of months, or four in the case of the current lockdown.
My concerns are primarily what happens to batteries left uncharged for a couple of months, or four in the case of the current lockdown.
If you're keeping the vehicle in a garage with available charging then could be left plugged in and schedule a short weekly trickle charge to keep it topped up?
Without that vampire drain is likely to flatten the battery in the longer time period you mention, but this is model dependent with some worse than others and factors like temperature coming into play.
Without that vampire drain is likely to flatten the battery in the longer time period you mention, but this is model dependent with some worse than others and factors like temperature coming into play.
SWoll said:
If you're keeping the vehicle in a garage with available charging then could be left plugged in and schedule a short weekly trickle charge to keep it topped up?
Without that vampire drain is likely to flatten the battery in the longer time period you mention, but this is model dependent with some worse than others and factors like temperature coming into play.
We generally keep it parked on a drive so it sounds like I might have to rethink the idea. Thanks.Without that vampire drain is likely to flatten the battery in the longer time period you mention, but this is model dependent with some worse than others and factors like temperature coming into play.
Bobtherallyfan said:
SWoll said:
If you're keeping the vehicle in a garage with available charging then could be left plugged in and schedule a short weekly trickle charge to keep it topped up?
Without that vampire drain is likely to flatten the battery in the longer time period you mention, but this is model dependent with some worse than others and factors like temperature coming into play.
We generally keep it parked on a drive so it sounds like I might have to rethink the idea. Thanks.Without that vampire drain is likely to flatten the battery in the longer time period you mention, but this is model dependent with some worse than others and factors like temperature coming into play.
You need a car/charger combination that is smart enough or connected enough to allow you to monitor or switch on the charge as needed. Because of differences in battery management philosophy it also depends what car you have. For instance BMW recommend keeping the car connected and fully charged with dire warnings about allowing it to go flat, whilst other manufacturers want you to keep it at 80% charge. Don't get a Citigoe IV as the the connected app is apparently pretty useless. Much as I am a fan of EVs your use case looks like a very poor fit for an EV and of course afterwards the drive home in your ICE car will feel like going back to the stone age.
Bobtherallyfan said:
We generally keep it parked on a drive so it sounds like I might have to rethink the idea. Thanks.
Just get an outside 7kw charger fitted, okay, its a few hundred up front but your going to need it one day.We've got a 2nd place at the far end of Cornwall, luckily with a garage. My wife has a Zoe, I'll soon have a Polestar so its quite likely one will be left in the garage down there for a few weeks at a time. I'd have no qualms, assuming I've got a proper 7kw charger fitted, I'll just leave it plugged and we've got a webcam inside and outside of the garage to keep half an eye on it. Personally, I'd rather it be outside (fire risk?)
Set the Zoe's in-car timer for 1hr of charge every Sunday night - that should do it.
Actually, the Zoe is perfect for that part of the world, narrow lanes etc. especially out St Just way.
Funnily enough, we are heading down tomorrow - I'm going via work in the 911
(claim those business miles), Wife is taking a leisurely 230 mile drive in the Zoe and has never used public charging before..... we've just been debating Ionity at Cullompton.....Me? Might take the A39 (from North Somerset funnily enough) on long route across North Devon via Bude, Newquay etc. and into Camborne, you know, before they ban ICE and all that
Edited by dgswk on Sunday 11th April 17:15
Not sure about this but do some EV’s have a “normal” 12V battery than has to be kept charged along with the main battery. I only ask because we have an ID3 and I noticed in the handbook there are dire warnings about letting the 12V battery go flat. Probably not an issue for us as the ID3 gets used daily but some of our other cars in the fleet are a PITA for parasitic losses when they are parked up, the 420ML for example will only do 2 weeks or so without a good run out. The majority of my cars are sat on Ctek chargers all the time. Be a bit ironic if I had to do this for the EV.
bigmowley said:
Not sure about this but do some EV’s have a “normal” 12V battery than has to be kept charged along with the main battery. I only ask because we have an ID3 and I noticed in the handbook there are dire warnings about letting the 12V battery go flat. Probably not an issue for us as the ID3 gets used daily but some of our other cars in the fleet are a PITA for parasitic losses when they are parked up, the 420ML for example will only do 2 weeks or so without a good run out. The majority of my cars are sat on Ctek chargers all the time. Be a bit ironic if I had to do this for the EV.
Good point, and yeah I’d not thought about that. Presume if it’s plugged in, the 12v charges - even if just an hour a week???dgswk said:
Just get an outside 7kw charger fitted, okay, its a few hundred up front but your going to need it one day.
We've got a 2nd place at the far end of Cornwall, luckily with a garage. My wife has a Zoe, I'll soon have a Polestar so its quite likely one will be left in the garage down there for a few weeks at a time. I'd have no qualms, assuming I've got a proper 7kw charger fitted, I'll just leave it plugged and we've got a webcam inside and outside of the garage to keep half an eye on it. Personally, I'd rather it be outside (fire risk?)
Set the Zoe's in-car timer for 1hr of charge every Sunday night - that should do it.
Actually, the Zoe is perfect for that part of the world, narrow lanes etc. especially out St Just way.
Funnily enough, we are heading down tomorrow - I'm going via work in the 911 (claim those business miles), Wife is taking a leisurely 230 mile drive in the Zoe and has never used public charging before..... we've just been debating Ionity at Cullompton.....
Me? Might take the A39 (from North Somerset funnily enough) on long route across North Devon via Bude, Newquay etc. and into Camborne, you know, before they ban ICE and all that
That’s a lovely drive....I’m heading down that way in two weeks and am trying to persuade the wife that my 911 can fit in a weeks worth of holiday crap!We've got a 2nd place at the far end of Cornwall, luckily with a garage. My wife has a Zoe, I'll soon have a Polestar so its quite likely one will be left in the garage down there for a few weeks at a time. I'd have no qualms, assuming I've got a proper 7kw charger fitted, I'll just leave it plugged and we've got a webcam inside and outside of the garage to keep half an eye on it. Personally, I'd rather it be outside (fire risk?)
Set the Zoe's in-car timer for 1hr of charge every Sunday night - that should do it.
Actually, the Zoe is perfect for that part of the world, narrow lanes etc. especially out St Just way.
Funnily enough, we are heading down tomorrow - I'm going via work in the 911
(claim those business miles), Wife is taking a leisurely 230 mile drive in the Zoe and has never used public charging before..... we've just been debating Ionity at Cullompton.....Me? Might take the A39 (from North Somerset funnily enough) on long route across North Devon via Bude, Newquay etc. and into Camborne, you know, before they ban ICE and all that
Edited by dgswk on Sunday 11th April 17:15
The 12v takes its top up from the HV batteries . ID3s had some software issues on release which led to the 12V going flat and killing the car .
Provided the EV is kept topped up the 12v shouldn't be an issue in the short to medium term , it does seem recommended to change the 12V after 4 to 5 years to avoid getting stranded .
Provided the EV is kept topped up the 12v shouldn't be an issue in the short to medium term , it does seem recommended to change the 12V after 4 to 5 years to avoid getting stranded .
My Leaf would not power up with a flat 12V battery even though the traction battery was half full, so this would need to be trickle charged or checked to be in good condition.
EVs don't make sense for occasional use as they are cheap to run but capital intensive. Or they didn't, though now with interest rates nearly negative and savings subject to "vampire drain" perhaps putting 30K into an occasionally used EV not such a bad idea.
Debt is free but savings cost. Why does the government print so much money and pump it into an economy which cannot create enough value, so just existing assets go up, particularly property.
EVs don't make sense for occasional use as they are cheap to run but capital intensive. Or they didn't, though now with interest rates nearly negative and savings subject to "vampire drain" perhaps putting 30K into an occasionally used EV not such a bad idea.
Debt is free but savings cost. Why does the government print so much money and pump it into an economy which cannot create enough value, so just existing assets go up, particularly property.
Funnily enough, we are heading down tomorrow - I'm going via work in the 911
(claim those business miles), Wife is taking a leisurely 230 mile drive in the Zoe and has never used public charging before..... we've just been debating Ionity at Cullompton.....Me? Might take the A39 (from North Somerset funnily enough) on long route across North Devon via Bude, Newquay etc. and into Camborne, you know, before they ban ICE and all that
Edited by dgswk on Sunday 11th April 17:15
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That’s a lovely drive....I’m heading down that way in two weeks and am trying to persuade the wife that my 911 can fit in a weeks worth of holiday crap!
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Lucky so-and-so's!! Deeply jealous.
Had a 997.2 for 8 years and these comments stir memories of some cracking drives down to Cornwall and Devon. That flat-6 howl......
Mikehig said:
Funnily enough, we are heading down tomorrow - I'm going via work in the 911 (claim those business miles), Wife is taking a leisurely 230 mile drive in the Zoe and has never used public charging before..... we've just been debating Ionity at Cullompton.....
Me? Might take the A39 (from North Somerset funnily enough) on long route across North Devon via Bude, Newquay etc. and into Camborne, you know, before they ban ICE and all that
That’s a lovely drive....I’m heading down that way in two weeks and am trying to persuade the wife that my 911 can fit in a weeks worth of holiday crap! (claim those business miles), Wife is taking a leisurely 230 mile drive in the Zoe and has never used public charging before..... we've just been debating Ionity at Cullompton.....Me? Might take the A39 (from North Somerset funnily enough) on long route across North Devon via Bude, Newquay etc. and into Camborne, you know, before they ban ICE and all that
Edited by dgswk on Sunday 11th April 17:15
Had a 997.2 for 8 years and these comments stir memories of some cracking drives down to Cornwall and Devon. That flat-6 howl......
Its not quiet today!!!! Wife has reported 40-60mph all the way from the Midlands through to Somerset on the M5. It was busy when I left at 04:30 in heavy sleet and snow, in a 911 
On a positive note, she's just put 30mins of juice in the Zoe and back up to 166 miles range. Hurrah for Ecotricity!
On a positive note, she's just put 30mins of juice in the Zoe and back up to 166 miles range. Hurrah for Ecotricity!
To be honest, I've never had an issue, but loads of others seem to!!!
She's planning a quick 10min stop at GeniePoint Okehampton and it should be job jobbed with 10-15% to spare. Plug it into the 3-pin when she arrives and we are good for the week. I'm driving back, so we'll give Ionity at Cullumpton a go, but at 69p/kwh its expensive when Ecotricity is only 30p and we can only take a 50Kwh charger anyway.
On thread, yeah, EV's can work with 2nd homes and holidays and the Zoe will be ideal when we are there!
She's planning a quick 10min stop at GeniePoint Okehampton and it should be job jobbed with 10-15% to spare. Plug it into the 3-pin when she arrives and we are good for the week. I'm driving back, so we'll give Ionity at Cullumpton a go, but at 69p/kwh its expensive when Ecotricity is only 30p and we can only take a 50Kwh charger anyway.
On thread, yeah, EV's can work with 2nd homes and holidays and the Zoe will be ideal when we are there!
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