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Original poster

Anyone got an electric car ?

114 replies

UnrelentingFruitScoffer · 22/04/2019 09:11

Seriously considering the Nissan Leaf as a second car and for short distances to my work and to the shops and such. Do you find it easy to use an electric car?

OP posts:
Frazzled2207 · 28/04/2019 15:38

@TranquilityofSolitude do you mind my asking, do you ever have any trouble eg going to a charging point and finding it broken/taken. This is my biggest worry especially for long journeys when stops would have to be very much planned.

TranquilityofSolitude · 28/04/2019 18:12

@Frazzled2207 no, that's never happened to us. The place where we usually charge has 6 charging points but I've never seen more than 2 of them occupied.

I did see that Sunderland have opened an electric "petrol" station so hopefully it will get easier. The different networks of charging companies seem to have good maps on their apps. We can see in advance where the chargers are and how many are occupied.

Cobblersandhogwash · 28/04/2019 18:18

Tesla Model X. It's great. I love it. I am not a car person really but this car is wonderful.

Except for parts. There is always a long wait for parts. Garages find they have shortages. Auto glass have just told me a two week wait to replace the windscreen that my dcs managed to crack. Shock

Cobblersandhogwash · 28/04/2019 18:20

Would like a fully electric Vovlo XC 90 but they're not due out for ages.

Frazzled2207 · 28/04/2019 19:01

@TranquilityofSolitude thanks for that very reassuring.
My biggest niggle with the whole idea really even though we would buy the home charge kids to charge at home 90% of the time

Snugglepiggy · 30/04/2019 09:05

We have a Leaf and an electric N200 van so fully electric both of us.Would never go back to petrol or diesel.The only time we had a problem charging was arriving at service sation to find both charging points out of action.We had enough juice to go back to the one before, but then realised if we hopped across the motorway on the service bridge we could charge on the other side.Asked permission and no problem. Had considered a camper van for when we retire soon to explore more of the UK and France.But decided to treat ourselves to a new Audio e tron with a bigger range and stay in nice b and bs instead.

Cobblersandhogwash · 30/04/2019 11:17

@Snugglepiggy what do you mean - you hopped over the other side?

Snugglepiggy · 30/04/2019 17:52

Went over the motorway to the northbound services and charged up when we found both charging points were faulty southbound Using the access bridge that has no entry as not generally for public use.Used by service stations to go from one side to the other.Saved us coming iff motorway to go back to previous services
Or stressing about reaching the next.The only time we've come close to running out of charge.

Original poster
UnrelentingFruitScoffer · 04/05/2019 00:12

Bump

OP posts:
fimoing123 · 05/05/2019 17:22

OOh timely post. Need a new car and considering a Leaf but... live in a terraced house with street parking only. Has anyone had an electric car without a charging point? It would mainly be used for little trips around town, no commute. I've seen a couple of charging points locally, is this likely to be enough?

TranquilityofSolitude · 05/05/2019 18:33

@fimoing123

We don't have a charging point and we're managing at the moment.

If you're just driving around town I think you'll only need to charge occasionally. Our eGolf recovers a lot of charge on urban drives and it only really consumes range on dual carriageway etc.

I would download a couple of the apps (PodPoint etc) and see where there are chargers near to you. We haven't yet paid for a charge and we've done 3000 miles since we got the car.

Number12 · 05/05/2019 22:36

Today I test drove the ZOE and the BMW i3, I totally blame you lot!!

I wrote a bit of a review on both and lost it all right at the end. So in the short the ZOE felt like a cheap and cheerful hire car. Drove nicely, really smooth and quiet, good space and boot but bland really lacking in style or imagination. To me it was expensive for what it was and you have to lease the battery and pay approx £69per month in addition to the cost of the car. I didn't get to see any tech stuff, sat nav etc as they didn't have an sd card.

Then I tried the bmw i3 and I worried about boot space and if it was a bit gimmicky but the test drive blew me away. This car can shift and quickly, its faster than my current petrol car. It was fun to drive, loads and loads of features and I love that its made from renewable and recycled materials. But it has a hefty price tag. Though at least with this I can see and feel where my money has gone. I need one!! I can stick the shopping on the back seat right?! Currently sat flicking through the brochure....

Original poster
UnrelentingFruitScoffer · 09/05/2019 16:33

Still dithering. The Tesla Model 3 is now out in the UK and you can order with delivery in about 10 to 12 weeks. The cheapest (which is quite good, to be fair) is £38,500 and then it goes right up for models with more features.

Should we go with the Nissan Leaf which is nice but very pedestrian or should we go for the Tesla. We can get a Leaf for £29,380 or with more options on for £34, 950. Is the Tesla Model 3 worth the extra £4,000 ??

OP posts:
shylt · 10/05/2019 12:46

If you price up the base model Tesla model 3 with the smaller range of 230miles it comes out to £38,900. This limits you to the colour black and black plasticky-looking wheels, too. I'd also be wary about the 10-12week delivery time - Tesla is notorious for not delivering on time. However, model 3 vs Leaf is a no brainer - definitely pay the extra £4k for a Tesla.

Cobblersandhogwash · 10/05/2019 19:58

Tesla are wonderful cars.

But it takes ages to get parts supplied should you damage the car.

tilder · 10/05/2019 20:11

Electric cars are the future. They are improving all the time.

If you have solar panels in your house, or buy your electricity from a genuine green energy company, even better for carbon footprint.

Our next car will be electric.

OhHolyJesus · 21/05/2019 09:09

Got ours yesterday! I really recommend looking at ex demos and second hand as even with the subsidy for a new one it would have been 28k and we got one (after a few let downs) for 24k.

I'm scared to drive it, it's so shiny!

shylt · 23/05/2019 11:55

For those considering any Tesla Model 3, don't get fooled into thinking you pay no road tax. That is indeed the case for the first year, but from years 2-6 you will be liable to pay £310/year. This is because the original price of the base model 3, before the £3500 gov't subsidy, is over £40k. This is the threshold price point that generates the £310/yr road tax from years 2-6 of ownership of ANY car. Put another way, the £3500 EV gov't subsidy is effectively halved.

MrsJamin · 04/06/2019 06:49

Does anyone have any advice on types of chargers for teslas? We've ordered a model 3 so just deciding which charger to go for.

Original poster
UnrelentingFruitScoffer · 08/06/2019 22:40

Bump. Any more opinions on the Tesla Model 3 ? The website is currently telling us delivery in early September ......

OP posts:
1tisILeClerc · 24/06/2019 10:36

An interesting discussion going on here. I would get an electric for 'shopping' use but it would have to be no more than £3,000 all in. (not going to happen).
Of course the figures can be contested but I found the German article interesting in that it debunks the usual statement that electric cars are 'green' and enviro friendly. At the end of it all it falls down to basic physics, shifting a load (you, vehicle and luggage) by a distance (miles) takes energy. It is all too easy to forget the significant waste of energy, particularly when you can't see it with your own eyes. Getting electricity from where it is generated, makes cables and other equipment warm, representing waste. Obviously you can't feel how warm the cables on pylons are getting, but it is just one of the places where the idealised world of brochures and politicians fails.

CruelAndUnusualParenting · 27/06/2019 11:39

If you don't take into account the energy costs of transporting large amounts of crude, and refining it into diesel/petrol then your study is going to be slanted in favour of fossil fuels.

Electric cars are locally cleaner (no exhaust fumes on your street) and probably globally cleaner (studies differ, but the majority find that they are cleaner).

needsomesleepy · 27/06/2019 11:43

They terrify me as a driver. Pedestrians have been conditioned to use their ears for awareness. I drove an electric for work for a day and the amount of people that were walking in the same direction as I was driving and simply stepped onto the road before turning to look (for a car further away I guess) was shocking. To be fair it was a few hours City driving from location to location a lot but it didn't fill me with confidence as a driver.

Laurajjj · 27/06/2019 11:45

They are good for short burst runs across the city but not for long haul.

barnet · 27/06/2019 11:53

We’ve had the Leaf since 2014 as our only car, love it. Has had no problems in that time. For long journeys need to factor in a fast charge stop. Otherwise we charge at home with normal plug when required. It has great acceleration. And a heated steering wheel which is LOVELY in winter.