• We'd like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas from all at Golf Monthly. Thank you for sharing your 2025 with us!

Plug In Hybrid Cars - Experiences?

lobthewedge said:
Just starting the process of renewing a dozen cars in our business, so i feel your pain. BIK rates are killing off company car schemes, while the added costs of going electric/hybrid to a company cannot be ignored. Its a delicate balance.

I have gone for a BMW 330e, but we got a great discount on the lease and my daily commute lends itself perfectly to the 30(ish) mile electric range. The boot is pretty small, but luckily it passed the golf bag test, partly due to me having a cut down driver.

We are also looking at the Skoda hybrids due for release, and I have literally just come out of the Peugeot garage having had a look at the new 3008 plug in hybrid. Just awaiting lease prices, with a view to spreading them over 48 months instead of our usual 36 in a hope to dilute the added costs.

Until a few years ago we had a car fleet of 22, but most have gone for a commercial option instead, taking advantage of the tax loophole this presents.
Click to expand...


My neighbor has a 3 series hybrid and they're really nice - did look a little cramped in the boot for clubs but I think with a bit of tetris style maneuvering it's fine.
 
clubchamp98 said:
Is the lack of engine noise just highlighting the tyre noise.?
Click to expand...
No, I don't think so. The car is propelled by a combination of petrol engine and battery so their is an engine working still, 1.8 petrol. Whether in a normal car the tone of the engine cancels out part of the tyre noise I'm not sure but I doubt it. Perhaps they have skimped on sound insulation on the car or may be I am being over sensitive and looking out for issues.
 
Lord Tyrion said:
I've pretty much given up on the plug in hybrid, they are just not right for me yet. I am currently test driving a Prius, not the right one unfortunately but that's another issue. Drives okay but the tyre noise seems high. They had the tyres pumped up to 40psi so I reduced them to 36psi, the standard recommendation for that car, and that helped a bit but it still seems a little noisy. I can't work out if I am being paranoid or whether that is the case.

Anyone on here have a Prius or has been in one? Did you notice excessive tyre noise?
Click to expand...

To be honest I always have music or podcasts on in the car so tyre noise is irrelevant most of the time.
 
Hacker Khan said:
To be honest I always have music or podcasts on in the car so tyre noise is irrelevant most of the time.
Click to expand...
Me too but I am having to turn the volume up higher than I would have expected. It also means conversations are a little more difficult.

I think I am talking myself out of this :unsure:. I have it for another day, it will be interesting to see if I become immune to the noise and stop noticing it.
 
HID has a Leaf and the tyre noise is not something I notice as a passenger, but if pedestrians etc hear an oncoming Leaf because of tyre noise so much the better as it is pretty quiet.
 
Lord Tyrion said:
I thought I had posted this on here but it must be a different forum. Hydrogen is surely a better answer than electric? The infrastructure is largely in place, no delays when refuelling is required, no major lifestyle changes necessary, no enormous financial input required to change people over.
Click to expand...

What you are saying is correct, not only that, but anyone with half a brain can see that it is such a good practical difference from accommodating the electric only route.
Just need hydrogen gas tanks instead of petrol/diesel tanks at fuel stations which already exist and are plentiful.
Now that word plentiful is very Important. There is no way that accommodation addresses without their own drive can safely and conveniently refuel electric cars. And that is a lotta addresses! Millions in fact.
Which begs the question, "what do the authorities know that we don't?"
Either they know that round the corner, ( or here now) is 1,the technology which permits the batteries ,needed to drive these cars, to be removed from the cars and taken indoors to charge. ( like I can do with my buggy battery), or 2,they are taking one hell of an irresponsible gamble, or 3,they are stupid.
I cannot see anything short of 1, which will allow electric cars to be used by nearly all the nations drivers.
The way electric is being pushed leads me to think the technology is imminent, but telling us might not be a good idea at the moment.
 
Swinglowandslow said:
What you are saying is correct, not only that, but anyone with half a brain can see that it is such a good practical difference from accommodating the electric only route.
Just need hydrogen gas tanks instead of petrol/diesel tanks at fuel stations which already exist and are plentiful.
Now that word plentiful is very Important. There is no way that accommodation addresses without their own drive can safely and conveniently refuel electric cars. And that is a lotta addresses! Millions in fact.
Which begs the question, "what do the authorities know that we don't?"
Either they know that round the corner, ( or here now) is 1,the technology which permits the batteries ,needed to drive these cars, to be removed from the cars and taken indoors to charge. ( like I can do with my buggy battery), or 2,they are taking one hell of an irresponsible gamble, or 3,they are stupid.
I cannot see anything short of 1, which will allow electric cars to be used by nearly all the nations drivers.
The way electric is being pushed leads me to think the technology is imminent, but telling us might not be a good idea at the moment.
Click to expand...
How light would a battery be to take say a Nissan Leaf 200mls range and would a 70yr old be able to carry it in the rain / snow etc.
Where would it go?
Can only think it would have to go in the boot.
I think we are light years away from this and the date for ice cars to be abolished will be moved.
Could be back to the old days were only the rich had cars.
 
clubchamp98 said:
How light would a battery be to take say a Nissan Leaf 200mls range and would a 70yr old be able to carry it in the rain / snow etc.
Where would it go?
Can only think it would have to go in the boot.
I think we are light years away from this and the date for ice cars to be abolished will be moved.
Could be back to the old days were only the rich had cars.
Click to expand...

I agree it would have to be ( relatively) very light.Like my buggy battery, say.
And , as far as I am aware, it doesn't seem feasible in the foreseeable future.
But look at mobile phones ! Remember when they first arrived.
Now, wireless charging of unbelievably small batteries. And cameras with 100 times zoom
Never underestimate technology ?
 
Peugeot - having driven them for the last 3 years wouldn't touch one with a barge pole. Cheap plastic crap, bits snap and break under normal use, handling is all wrong and just a horrible drive.

Prior to that it was Ford Focus estates we had which were absolutely bombproof compared to Peugeot. They handled so much better, quality of the interior was much better also. I believe they now share the same engine. Shame Peugeot can't deliver the same drive or comfort or quality as Ford.

I've been in a couple of all electronic cars, they're "interesting" and a friend has a lovely big Lexus hybrid which is nice although not sure what range he gets out of the electric part.

We do need to look after the environment but not sure how much better off we will be by being forced down the electric car route.
 
Swinglowandslow said:
I agree it would have to be ( relatively) very light.Like my buggy battery, say.
And , as far as I am aware, it doesn't seem feasible in the foreseeable future.
But look at mobile phones ! Remember when they first arrived.
Now, wireless charging of unbelievably small batteries. And cameras with 100 times zoom
Never underestimate technology ?
Click to expand...
A phone and a 1 ton car are worlds apart.
It’s just keeping the climate change lobby appeased.
Look at a trolley battery that will do 36 holes I just can’t see a battery small enough to carry into the house anytime soon .
There is a limit to tech.
A nuclear cell that plugs into the dash more likely.
 
Sats said:
My neighbor has a 3 series hybrid and they're really nice - did look a little cramped in the boot for clubs but I think with a bit of tetris style maneuvering it's fine.
Click to expand...

Not the biggest boot in the world but it did pass the golf bag test when I had the demo.
Mind you it does help being a shortarse with a cut down driver!
 
Swinglowandslow said:
There is no way that accommodation addresses without their own drive can safely and conveniently refuel electric cars. And that is a lotta addresses! Millions in fact.
Click to expand...

So having charging points at supermarkets, pubs, restaurants, motorway services, workplace, gym, golf club, car parks etc etc isn't safe and convenient?
 
bobmac said:
So having charging points at supermarkets, pubs, restaurants, motorway services, workplace, gym, golf club, car parks etc etc isn't safe and convenient?
Click to expand...
It will be eventually.
But imo it’s going to be private company’s that do this .
I can’t see the government doing it nation wide.
They have spent all their cash on a railway.
So it’s catch 22 no charging points people won’t buy EV.
No EVs company’s won’t sanction charging points.
Having dates for carbon neutral won’t work.
They don’t work in any other field so can’t see it working here.
 
EV charging points are being installed at the rate of around 500 per month.
There are currently over 31,000 charging points in the UK so at the current rate, by 2030 that will bring the total up to around 91,000.

HID goes to Tescos* shopping.
Plugs in at the car park.
Does the shopping while the car gets charged FREE.
Finishes shopping, unplugs, drives home.
I'd call that safe and convenient.

*Other supermarkets are available

https://pod-point.com/rollout/tesco-ev-charging

download.jpg
 
clubchamp98 said:
It will be eventually.
But imo it’s going to be private company’s that do this .
I can’t see the government doing it nation wide.
They have spent all their cash on a railway.
So it’s catch 22 no charging points people won’t buy EV.
No EVs company’s won’t sanction charging points.
Having dates for carbon neutral won’t work.
They don’t work in any other field so can’t see it working here.
Click to expand...

£400m investment in electric car infrastructure

https://uk.motor1.com/news/370388/government-invests-400-million-in-electric-car-infrastructure/
 
bobmac said:
EV charging points are being installed at the rate of around 500 per month.
There are currently over 31,000 charging points in the UK so at the current rate, by 2030 that will bring the total up to around 91,000.

HID goes to Tescos* shopping.
Plugs in at the car park.
Does the shopping while the car gets charged FREE.
Finishes shopping, unplugs, drives home.
I'd call that safe and convenient.

*Other supermarkets are available

https://pod-point.com/rollout/tesco-ev-charging

View attachment 29348
Click to expand...
Just noticed the golf behind this guy is not being charged and has just parked.
That’s a common complaint in car parks.
They will need a robust parking policy to stop this.
 
clubchamp98 said:
Just noticed the golf behind this guy is not being charged and has just parked.
That’s a common complaint in car parks.
They will need a robust parking policy to stop this.
Click to expand...
I think its an older (current) plug in Golf, seeing as the whole ad an scheme is sponsered by VW:)
 
Bunkermagnet said:
I think its an older (current) plug in Golf, seeing as the whole ad an scheme is sponsered by VW:)
Click to expand...
Might be but it’s not plugged in ,the plug is still on the charger point.!
The wheels give it away ,but once you have charged it you should move to another bay.
The one he is plugging in looks like a new ID3 there not out yet?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Robster59
Buying my company car
Replies
10
Views
446
Billysboots
Billysboots
Mel Smooth
Golf Equipment Lease deals.
2
Replies
26
Views
2K
elmoag
E
Kennysarmy
Any used car guys on here?
2
Replies
23
Views
1K
Bunkermagnet
Bunkermagnet
Mudball
Cars on personal lease
Replies
12
Views
2K
Hobbit
Hobbit
rudebhoy
Q for the car mechanics - track rod split
Replies
12
Views
493
RichA
R
Top