Electric Car... whats the craic?

[vkurup]

We are a one car family. While we have been able to manage so far, it is increasingly becoming difficult with golf, kid sports, wife's weekend work etc. So might bite the bullet and get the second car. We can go for a traditional choice, but am thinking of giving Electric a look. For most of the week the 2nd car will be stood in the drive way, so why pay tax et al for it.

Rather than look for a people carrier, am looking for something that is suitable for motorway driving (approx 60miles round trip). Can I add a charging point in the garage? Are they worth the trouble given the good finance options on 'regular' cars?

 

[DCB]

You may even get assistance with a charging point at home, worth checking what your local Council is doing to push electric cars as a way forward. Look very carefully at the battery rental costs which vary significantly depending on annual mileage.

60mile motorway driving might be interesting depending on traffic flow.

 

[palindromicbob]

We are a one car family. While we have been able to manage so far, it is increasingly becoming difficult with golf, kid sports, wife's weekend work etc. So might bite the bullet and get the second car. We can go for a traditional choice, but am thinking of giving Electric a look. For most of the week the 2nd car will be stood in the drive way, so why pay tax et al for it.

Rather than look for a people carrier, am looking for something that is suitable for motorway driving (approx 60miles round trip). Can I add a charging point in the garage? Are they worth the trouble given the good finance options on 'regular' cars?

Honestly feel that Electric is yet to be a viable option for most.

Get a 1litre Kia Rio diesel. No tax, low insurance, If you are doing motor way driving it'll clean all the filters etc. Pretty cheap financing. 7 Year warranty. Good fuel economy and actually big enough to take 4 bags (2 cart/2carry), an electric trolley (gokart), a pull trolley and 4 grown men thanks to the 30/70 split (small side on drivers side) and only a 1 inch high divide in the middle of floor of the rear seats.

 

[Rooter]

At some point in time, i am going to buy a Tesla. One of these, http://www.teslamotors.com/en_GB/modelx 7 seater and hopefully comes in sport with an Insanity button.

 

[Smiffy]

I think we are doing a deal at the moment on new Nissan Leaf Visia's. Outright purchase, so no battery lease costs to worry about.
£999.00 deposit, £149.00 per month.

 

[bobmac]

I think we are doing a deal at the moment on new Nissan Leaf Visia's. Outright purchase, so no battery lease costs to worry about.
£999.00 deposit, £149.00 per month.

Where's the photo?
Got to have a photo.
Just because the mods are still asleep, doesn't mean no one is watching
Got to have a photo.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

60 miles, in the real world, is pushing the edges of what your car can do if you factor in outside conditions, hills, heater, passengers etc. As soon as you add these the range drops like a stone. Do you want to spend all of your time worrying about can you reach a charging point? A hybrid could well be answer for you but a pure electric is a risk at this stage. Electric cars at this stage are white elephants.

 

[bobmac]

Electric cars at this stage are white elephants.

I hate to think where the batteries go

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Shhhhhh. No mfr wants to talk about the batteries. Kills the green credentials.

 

[vkurup]

Honestly feel that Electric is yet to be a viable option for most.

Get a 1litre Kia Rio diesel. No tax, low insurance, If you are doing motor way driving it'll clean all the filters etc. Pretty cheap financing. 7 Year warranty. Good fuel economy and actually big enough to take 4 bags (2 cart/2carry), an electric trolley (gokart), a pull trolley and 4 grown men thanks to the 30/70 split (small side on drivers side) and only a 1 inch high divide in the middle of floor of the rear seats.

Interesting never considered the Kia Rio, though the Sportage does take my fancy.. but just looked up the Rio reviews, looks very interesting.

At some point in time, i am going to buy a Tesla. One of these, http://www.teslamotors.com/en_GB/modelx 7 seater and hopefully comes in sport with an Insanity button.

Tesla is top of my list... but Bank says no..

I think we are doing a deal at the moment on new Nissan Leaf Visia's. Outright purchase, so no battery lease costs to worry about.
£999.00 deposit, £149.00 per month.

The Leaf is interesting one, but tbh, it may not pass the HID's looks test.

I agree we might be in hybrid territory rather than pure electric (other than Tesla). Which makes things like the Lexus, Mitsubhsi PHEV or the Audi A3 e-tron into play.. all differnt cars.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I think Toyota does a Hybrid Auris which be around the size you are looking for. They have a very tried and tested hybrid system so worth considering.

 

[vkurup]

I think Toyota does a Hybrid Auris which be around the size you are looking for. They have a very tried and tested hybrid system so worth considering.

Had a quick look at the online quotes.. The Hybrid Auris comes up as monthly around £375!!! that is more than an Audi A4. I know everything is negotiable but...

 

[Smiffy]

60 miles, in the real world, is pushing the edges of what your car can do

I'd say 80. Despite Nissan saying 120, 80 is about right.
60 if you drove the thing like Fernando Alonso, but if you drove it "sensibly" then 80 is achievable without too much of a problem.

 

[MegaSteve]

Should be made to have a playing card jammed into the wheel spokes so you can hear the damn things coming along...

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I think we are doing a deal at the moment on new Nissan Leaf Visia's. Outright purchase, so no battery lease costs to worry about.
£999.00 deposit, £149.00 per month.

One off my golf buddies has one of these. Odd being in it at first as minimal engine noise - but it seems nice - and she loves it.

 

[Smiffy]

Should be made to have a playing card jammed into the wheel spokes so you can hear the damn things coming along...

The Leaf has a gizmo built in that makes a noise at speeds under about 18mph to warn pedestrians that it's on it's way

 

[BubbaP]

I think there are 3 classes
1 the all electric plug in. As has been said this is where range anxiety comes in. Although you have a regular car so can fetch it
2 the range extenders. Like the Volt and PHEV, which use a combustion engine to recharge.
3 hybrids, where a mix of combustion engine and leccy drive the vehicle.

If your driver is finance you would need to look a closely, but if spending a lot of time on drive then I'd be surprised if the sums work, but you will know.
If more about having something a little different or liking the tech then that is something else.

I have a RXH and was more about the latter above really, though mixed in with some finance.