The all things EV chat thread

[PhilTheFragger]

Also worth remembering that the electric version will avoid congestion zone charges.

Not strictly accurate

Whilst it is true that Pure EV’s are charged at a nil rate, they have to be registered with the congestion zone authority.

I recently delivered an electric car to Victoria in London, inside the LCC.

The recipient was unaware of this and messaged me later to thank him for the info

Certainly in London it costs £10 to register your EV for a year

This system ends at Christmas, when a new scheme will be introduced, with EV’s paying a discounted rate, but not free

 

[srixon 1]

That seems a little off, Ford quote a range of 196 miles full charged (68 KWH battery pack)

Assuming you used a fast charger approx 52kwh charged at around 80p per KWH but in theory it would do just short of twice the mileage you have done.
A diesel transit would need about £20 worth of fuel for 100 miles judging by what it says online

Also worth remembering that the electric version will avoid congestion zone charges.

The palaver is reduced by most EV drivers as they will normally have apps to tell them where chargers are.

1st time that I had to drive it for a distance where it required charging outside of our work place. Short notice too so no time to research the best charging places before setting off.

 

[larmen]

Vans are probably lacking most range because, I assume, the range calculation are done in optimum conditions, eg light, but people that actually use vans are often tooled up and/or carry materials.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Vans are probably lacking most range because, I assume, the range calculation are done in optimum conditions, eg light, but people that actually use vans are often tooled up and/or carry materials.

Exactly.
There hasn’t been 1 EV van driver I’ve spoken to that has said they get he range the spec says, normally it’s between half and 2 thirds.
The main benefit is the reduced roadside parking charges, but the cost to buy is just so ridiculously high for me it’s keep the Euro 6 diesel van and run it till I retire.

 

[jim8flog]

Not strictly accurate

Whilst it is true that Pure EV’s are charged at a nil rate, they have to be registered with the congestion zone authority.

I recently delivered an electric car to Victoria in London, inside the LCC.

The recipient was unaware of this and messaged me later to thank him for the info

Certainly in London it costs £10 to register your EV for a year

This system ends at Christmas, when a new scheme will be introduced, with EV’s paying a discounted rate, but not free

Thanks for that. I too was not aware - must check Bath and Bristol in particular.

 

[jim8flog]

Not strictly accurate

Whilst it is true that Pure EV’s are charged at a nil rate, they have to be registered with the congestion zone authority.

I recently delivered an electric car to Victoria in London, inside the LCC.

The recipient was unaware of this and messaged me later to thank him for the info

Certainly in London it costs £10 to register your EV for a year

This system ends at Christmas, when a new scheme will be introduced, with EV’s paying a discounted rate, but not free

I did some checking there was no mention of a £10 charge in London on the Transport for London website. From the web the £10 charge is something proposed from January 2026.


As a double check I also used my car reg so it may be worth using then is method to check for a specific vehicle

Using my reg all results were for no charge in any area listed on the governments website with specific checks made for London and Scotland.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I did some checking there was no mention of a £10 charge in London on the Transport for London website. From the web the £10 charge is something proposed from January 2026.


As a double check I also used my car reg so it may be worth using then is method to check for a specific vehicle

Using my reg all results were for no charge in any area listed on the governments website with specific checks made for London and Scotland.

My understanding was the C charge was going to apply to all vehicles from very soon

 

[PhilTheFragger]

I think your research powers need adjusting

Electric vehicles currently receive a 100% discount on the London Congestion Charge, but this exemption ends on December 25, 2025. Starting January 2, 2026, a new "Cleaner Vehicle Discount" will be introduced, which will offer a 25% discount for electric cars and a 50% discount for electric vans and HGVs registered for Auto Pay.

What to know now

• Current exemption: Fully electric vehicles are currently exempt from the Congestion Charge.
  
  
• How to get the discount: You must apply for the Cleaner Vehicle Discount to receive the exemption.
  
  
• Expiry date: The current 100% discount for all electric vehicles is scheduled to end on December 25, 2025.
  

What to know for 2026

• New discount system: A new tiered discount system will replace the current exemption.
  
  
• Electric cars: Will get a 25% discount (paying £11.25 if the charge is £15).
  
  
• Electric vans, HGVs, etc.: Will get a 50% discount (paying £7.50 if the charge is £15).
  
  
• Note: These discounts will require vehicles to be registered for Auto Pay.

Also

Who pays the London Congestion Charge?​

Everyone pays the charge, although thankfully there are some exceptions to an otherwise universal charge. Discounts or complete exemptions are available to Blue Badge holders, vehicles with nine or more seats and those who live within the zone.

There’s also a cleaner vehicle discount of 100% which applies only to battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as of 25 October 2021. Which means that all the electric car leases that DriveElectric provides can qualify for this 100% discount.

But this discount isn’t automatically applied, you need to register for it.

You can do this online by setting up a London road user account, which you can then use to manage and renew your discount.

It only costs £10 each year to renew the discount, with a qualifying V5C vehicle registration certificate all you need for your claim.

A word of warning, if you haven't registered and activated your 100% discount then you'll need to pay the Congestion Charge!


Google is your friend

 

[jim8flog]

I think your research powers need adjusting

Electric vehicles currently receive a 100% discount on the London Congestion Charge, but this exemption ends on December 25, 2025. Starting January 2, 2026, a new "Cleaner Vehicle Discount" will be introduced, which will offer a 25% discount for electric cars and a 50% discount for electric vans and HGVs registered for Auto Pay.

What to know now

• Current exemption: Fully electric vehicles are currently exempt from the Congestion Charge.
  
  
• How to get the discount: You must apply for the Cleaner Vehicle Discount to receive the exemption.
  
  
• Expiry date: The current 100% discount for all electric vehicles is scheduled to end on December 25, 2025.

What to know for 2026

• New discount system: A new tiered discount system will replace the current exemption.
  
  
• Electric cars: Will get a 25% discount (paying £11.25 if the charge is £15).
  
  
• Electric vans, HGVs, etc.: Will get a 50% discount (paying £7.50 if the charge is £15).
  
  
• Note: These discounts will require vehicles to be registered for Auto Pay.

Also

Who pays the London Congestion Charge?​

Everyone pays the charge, although thankfully there are some exceptions to an otherwise universal charge. Discounts or complete exemptions are available to Blue Badge holders, vehicles with nine or more seats and those who live within the zone.

There’s also a cleaner vehicle discount of 100% which applies only to battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as of 25 October 2021. Which means that all the electric car leases that DriveElectric provides can qualify for this 100% discount.

But this discount isn’t automatically applied, you need to register for it.

You can do this online by setting up a London road user account, which you can then use to manage and renew your discount.

It only costs £10 each year to renew the discount, with a qualifying V5C vehicle registration certificate all you need for your claim.

A word of warning, if you haven't registered and activated your 100% discount then you'll need to pay the Congestion Charge!


Google is your friend

That is about the changes for 2026, as said in the first paragraph

Trouble is none of this is on the Transport for London website that I can find , even with further checking, so what is the source of the information?

It also says the £10 registration is for the Congestion Charge it does not refer to the LEZ or ULEZ charges

 

[jim8flog]

I think your research powers need adjusting

Electric vehicles currently receive a 100% discount on the London Congestion Charge, but this exemption ends on December 25, 2025. Starting January 2, 2026, a new "Cleaner Vehicle Discount" will be introduced, which will offer a 25% discount for electric cars and a 50% discount for electric vans and HGVs registered for Auto Pay.

What to know now

• Current exemption: Fully electric vehicles are currently exempt from the Congestion Charge.
  
  
• How to get the discount: You must apply for the Cleaner Vehicle Discount to receive the exemption.
  
  
• Expiry date: The current 100% discount for all electric vehicles is scheduled to end on December 25, 2025.

What to know for 2026

• New discount system: A new tiered discount system will replace the current exemption.
  
  
• Electric cars: Will get a 25% discount (paying £11.25 if the charge is £15).
  
  
• Electric vans, HGVs, etc.: Will get a 50% discount (paying £7.50 if the charge is £15).
  
  
• Note: These discounts will require vehicles to be registered for Auto Pay.

Also

Who pays the London Congestion Charge?​

Everyone pays the charge, although thankfully there are some exceptions to an otherwise universal charge. Discounts or complete exemptions are available to Blue Badge holders, vehicles with nine or more seats and those who live within the zone.

There’s also a cleaner vehicle discount of 100% which applies only to battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as of 25 October 2021. Which means that all the electric car leases that DriveElectric provides can qualify for this 100% discount.

But this discount isn’t automatically applied, you need to register for it.

You can do this online by setting up a London road user account, which you can then use to manage and renew your discount.

It only costs £10 each year to renew the discount, with a qualifying V5C vehicle registration certificate all you need for your claim.

A word of warning, if you haven't registered and activated your 100% discount then you'll need to pay the Congestion Charge!


Google is your friend

Further checking it seems you are quoting an AI generated reply to the question. Transport for London had a proposal and consultation document with a right to comment which ended on 11th Aug. The AI could have got it from that.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Further checking it seems you are quoting an AI generated reply to the question. Transport for London had a proposal and consultation document with a right to comment which ended on 11th Aug. The AI could have got it from that.

No, the discounts will be available but the CC goes up to £18 from 2nd Jan.
As it's a "congestion charge" it bugs me that they are going to give any vehicle a discount.

 

[Neilds]

On a similar topic, the ULEZ expansion (reported cost £155 million) has failed to have any further cuts in pollution than the original smaller zone. Source, University of Birmingham.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Further checking it seems you are quoting an AI generated reply to the question. Transport for London had a proposal and consultation document with a right to comment which ended on 11th Aug. The AI could have got it from that.

Jeez Jim, you are making this hard work

My Company does “Press Moves” (taking cars to journalists for them to review) and also end user deliveries,

Whenever we deliver a press EV to the LCC zone, we have to check if it has been registered to get the 100% Cleaner energy discount, if it hasn’t we register it , but we have to pay the LCC charge until it becomes registered, at that point you can claim a refund.

The scheme is changing from end December

This is from the TFL website

 

[larmen]

interesting watch.


Also for you bladder kings, Skoda has driven a Superb for about 2,800 km.

Ohne Tanken: Skoda Superb Rekordfahrt 2831 km – nonstop!

Rallye-Champion Miko Marczyk fährt 2831 km im Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI ohne Tankstopp. Beeindruckende Leistung auf öffentlichen Straßen.

www.bild.de

If 300 miles are not enough miles for you without a break, then there is the car you should drive as a serious motorist.

 

[C7usk]

How important is a heat pump? Was pretty much nailed on for getting an Enyaq coupe for next company car but now edging towards the Id7... The extra range and boot space is appealing..

 

[larmen]

How important is a heat pump? Was pretty much nailed on for getting an Enyaq coupe for next company car but now edging towards the Id7... The extra range and boot space is appealing..

Based on YouTube videos I watched a heat pump makes a difference, but they are all so expensive that if it is about the money they never pay back.
I am not sure if it is giving a different comfort like it does for home heating where it is supposed to give a more even heat.

 

[WorldHandicapSystem]

How important is a heat pump? Was pretty much nailed on for getting an Enyaq coupe for next company car but now edging towards the Id7... The extra range and boot space is appealing..

Don’t ID7s now come with a heat pump as standard?

 

[C7usk]

Don’t ID7s now come with a heat pump as standard?

I am not sure tbh... If they did then probably another tick for the Id7 over the enyaq for me..
I will have a check.
I am asking for a car that's maybe a few months old, as opposed to a new build..
Comp car allowance is ball park 40k.
I wouldn't be able to get the Id7 or the enyaq coupe otherwise.. The depreciation from new is scary so able to get a great deal if get one a few months old with a couple of thousand on the clock..
Works happy with that also. Only lose a few months off the manufacturers warranty.

 

[WorldHandicapSystem]

I am not sure tbh... If they did then probably another tick for the Id7 over the enyaq for me..
I will have a check.
I am asking for a car that's maybe a few months old, as opposed to a new build..
Comp car allowance is ball park 40k.
I wouldn't be able to get the Id7 or the enyaq coupe otherwise.. The depreciation from new is scary so able to get a great deal if get one a few months old with a couple of thousand on the clock..
Works happy with that also. Only lose a few months off the manufacturers warranty

The plus variant of each model comes with a heat pump I believe.

 

[larmen]

I probably watched ‘all’ YouTube videos about the Enyak, compared to the ID4, Audi Q4, Kia Niro, … . I don’t think it ever gets compared to the ID7 which seems to be a far superior car