Please tell me about your experience with electric cars

[electricsix]

Thinking about going electric, purely for the BIK/p11D saving as I don't rate them too much myself. I do a lot of business miles a month but never more than a full charge in one day - probably even allowing for the real life reduction of performance. I've seen a few threads here about electric cars so was hoping I could piggy back off your experiences and not make a massive mistake because I'm uninformed.

My concerns are
The increase in my electricity bill - how much does it cost to charge yours from empty to full as I will be doing this almost every day?

Range anxiety but I imagine I will get used to this?

Those rare occasions we go on a family holiday to somewhere really far away - what are the chargers like at services, reliable etc? And in Devon, Cornwall, Scotland middle of nowhere, are there public chargers??? How much of a faff is it?

What electric car do you have and can you tell me pros and cons?

Are you happy with your choice or do you regret?

Anything that I haven't thought about that you think I should know.

Long time user but I always name change if I start a thread just in case. Cancel the cheque etc.

Thank you wise mumsnetters

@FlyingFlamingo e208 can do 22kw or more charging, there's a stopper over the extra socket bit that you can just remove so the larger charging plug fits.

It isnt as hard as it sounds once you see it all. There are different ways to charge

"Granny" charger - this plugs into a normal 3-pin plug. Very slow charging and just a top up when visiting granny. We have never used it.

Type 2 cable - plugs into a AC home charger or a 7kw-22kw charger when out. How much charge speed you get depends on what your car can take, whether it is a phase 1 or phase 3 cable you have and what the charger can give. My MG4 2022 can charge at 9.6kwh so i use a phase 3 cable. Newer MG4s can only charge up to 7kw on AC so you only need a lighter phase 1 cable. Home supply is "usually" 7kwh.

CCS cable - is the DC rapid chargers 50kwh+, you dont need your own cable as they are attached to the chargers.

It can connect to a 22kw but will only accept 7, on the Type 2 cable. The one I had also used CCS. I kept wondering why I was only ever getting 7kw on 22kw chargers and googled it, very few cars will accept 22kw on an AC charger, anything above 7 would involve using CCS/DC.

No. Your car will come with a type 2 cable for using on 7kw chargers. Rapid charger cables are really thick and heavy and are attached to the charger itself. Some cars also come with a ‘granny’ charger with a standard plug, mine didn’t so I just bought one, I don’t use it often but it is useful when I stay at my parents.

If you’re getting a home charger fitted I recommend getting a tethered one. As a previous poster said it saves lugging wet cable about. I plug my car in every time I get home, but then charge it (I can control this via my phone and Zappi charger) when it suits, eg if there’s solar power available.