EV charging

Agree on price, after thinking about it.

Charging would be at home, we never go anywhere more than about 100 miles away by car (for longer journeys we go by train), so we would never have to charge at a public location. On the other hand, my wife's flat in Germany has a parking space 100m away, so an electric car would be totally impractical.

Agree on running a car into the ground, my current diesel is 8 years old, my wife's is 10 years. I agree that the technology will keep improving, but at my age there's a good chance that my next car will be my last, so I'm running out of time for the improvements to kick in.

 

I drive an EV too...

 

Same here, works for me brilliant as a company car as it’s far cheaper to me overall even with the higher lease rate.

Would I have one yet if I bought my own car - probably not due to cost and the fact I dont know how good the batteries will still be in 5/6/7 years time

when my lease runs out and it’s time for a new company car would I get another? If the tax rates are still the same, definitely- it’s a no brainer.

 

I've about 15 months left on a lease and I really want my next change to be to EV. The problems in doing so are local charging is pretty non existent and good old London Victorian terraces aren't the easiest to charge direct from your property. The other issue is if we go anywhere, its far. And we're likely to do about 1000 miles in a week. The shortest journey would be circa 80 miles. But the car generally sits outside for 3-4 weeks at a time.

Its something we'll have to do though, the conscience won't allow any other option.

 

Why would you never buy one?

 

2 years into owning an EV and no, no stress at all about charging points. I use the built in SatNav if I think I might need a charge before I get to my destination, it routes my drive via suitable charge points.

It's really quite easy and no stress.

 

People who die because they are travelling in explosion devices certainly will live longer. Seriously, who thought it would be a good idea to drive a machine that runs on the the explosive power of a highly flammable or toxic fuel. Utter madness that this was normalised.

 

Just wish they did more diesel hybrids

 

All EV drivers used to drive ICE cars previously, but I agree, when you put it like that.....

It highlights another example of the myths that are perpetuated in the media and that people pick up on and believe to be fact - the idea that EVs are dangerous because they often catch fire. When stats from various countries show that on average, ICE cars catch fire around 20 times more frequently than EVs. (Pro rata, because of course there are more ICE cars than EV). Nearly every EV fire makes the national news, but there are around 300 ICE car fires a week on average.

Of course, there are sub stories within there. Yes, true, when an EV goes up, the fire is harder to contain. True also that on average, ICE cars are older so perhaps more prone to 'issues'. But 20 x more, clearly the headline that they are more dangerous is wrong.

 

Or worst solution, depending on your circumstances and point of view. Hybrids certainly have a place, but it very much depends on the driving profile. For anyone doing long miles for example, it's probably better to just get an ICE car if you don't want an EV. Otherwise, 30 miles into your journey and the battery is empty and its just being driven as an ICE car anyway, but with a dead weight in the boot.

 

Yeah - good reply.

Everyone sees it through their own journey profile. Hybrid suits mine for now.

 

The problem for me with hybrids is twofold

1. They are often mis-sold to people for whom it wouldn't be the best option, by manufacturers who push them because they don't have anything better to offer (looking at you Toyota).

2. I don't think the attractive benefit in kind rates should apply to them, as too many people effectively abuse it by signing up for a plug in hybrid and then never charging it, which means that it is in practise just a petrol car with a discounted BIK rate. There a lots of examples apparently of ex salary sacrifice PHEV lease cars coming off lease and into the auction houses, and the type 2 charging cable is still in its original packaging in the boot, unopened.