[Misc] Electric Cars

[Greg Bobkin]

I was surprised when we went out and started looking for cars, how few manufacturers actually had cars available. Demand has clearly been a bit stop start, and manufacturers have clearly been caught out.

For all the doom and gloom headlines about EV demand softening, so many manufacturers were quoting six month plus lead times. Not to mention those like Skoda who announced the Elroq, which when we went to look at it, we were told that despite all the marketing nonsense being released, even the dealership wouldn’t get one until March next year.

Kia, Hyundai and MG seemed to be the only places other than Tesla where you could actually buy a car.

Interestingly all three of those manufacturers had loads of discounts on their combustion engine vehicles, which almost suggests the opposite picture to the narrative currently in the press.

A lot of it is a hangover from chip shortages (and even a bit of covid-related delays) and subsequent issues around missing production slots, cars built with certain features missing (due to missing chips) and just general delays in getting cars here. (Dare I say Brexit also makes things a bit more complicated).

Manufacturers are in a bit of a spot because they know that the deadline is coming and have the targets/requirements of the ZEV mandates hanging over them but, at the same time, have a load of pure ICE and hybrid stock to shift. It's not an easy market, but the products just keep on coming. I drove the new Karoq last week and it's very good. Smaller (but doesn't feel it) and cheaper than a Enyaq, but just as good. And yes, you can order it, but the first RHD cars won't be coming until late Jan – and even then it'll be limited numbers...

In other news, even if a Skywell BE11 is available, don't touch it with a bargepole!

 

[Papak]

There are a few of this type of video on YouTube, worth a watch if you are thinking of taking the plunge:

 

[chickens]

There are a few of this type of video on YouTube, worth a watch if you are thinking of taking the plunge:

Oh no. I watched it and now I want a Polestar 4. We’ve only just got the MG ZS Electric.

I really enjoy head to head tests like that, as each car’s had to cover the same terrain in the same conditions, thanks for posting.

The only comments I’d make regarding the test would be that their choice of services to stop at for charging seemed bizarre. Any EV driver would use Electroverse or Zapmap to identify stopping places, there’s literally hundreds deliberately located just off motorway exits.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Oh no. I watched it and now I want a Polestar 4. We’ve only just got the MG ZS Electric.

I really enjoy head to head tests like that, as each car’s had to cover the same terrain in the same conditions, thanks for posting.

The only comments I’d make regarding the test would be that their choice of services to stop at for charging seemed bizarre. Any EV driver would use Electroverse or Zapmap to identify stopping places, there’s literally hundreds deliberately located just off motorway exits.

That'll be Mat (with one t) Watson, for you. Anything to create a bit of drama for the video. Not to mention grief for most people he comes into contact with...

 

[chickens]

That'll be Mat (with one t) Watson, for you. Anything to create a bit of drama for the video. Not to mention grief for most people he comes into contact with...

I get the impression that you’ve had prior dealings. I also wanted to ask about your experiences with the Skywell BE11 (if you can without compromising your professional reputation)

It’s surprisingly rare for a proper turkey to appear these days, most “bad” cars are just unexciting/bang average.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Intelligent Go is a great deal at 7p/kwh 23.30 - 05.30. Dishwasher and washing machine overnight will save you a bit.

Considered a home battery and or solar?

Had my first charge on Intelligent Go last night and it worked! I was a little worried as there are whole Facebook groups on this tariff giving tips on how to get it to work etc. I guess the main issue being there are 3 apps you can set the charge schedule on (Octopus, car and charger) and depending on your charger, you use a different method.

Anyway, the Ohme app worked perfectly so all good.

I have been thinking about a home battery and solar but I really need to consider my longevity at my current address before I invest. I’m not sure I’d get much ROI if I moved.

 

[chickens]

Had my first charge on Intelligent Go last night and it worked! I was a little worried as there are whole Facebook groups on this tariff giving tips on how to get it to work etc. I guess the main issue being there are 3 apps you can set the charge schedule on (Octopus, car and charger) and depending on your charger, you use a different method.

Anyway, the Ohme app worked perfectly so all good.

I have been thinking about a home battery and solar but I really need to consider my longevity at my current address before I invest. I’m not sure I’d get much ROI if I moved.

I’m in a similar boat, the wife and I would like to make one more move (ideally to a bungalow - we’ve reached that age) so the full solar/battery expenditure doesn’t make sense where we are.

Glad the charge worked, always nice when the tech does its job first time. Nothing worse than having to RTFM.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I get the impression that you’ve had prior dealings. I also wanted to ask about your experiences with the Skywell BE11 (if you can without compromising your professional reputation)

It’s surprisingly rare for a proper turkey to appear these days, most “bad” cars are just unexciting/bang average.

Yeah, me and many others...

As for Skywell, I've never been the world's (or even Sussex's) greatest road tester – and my review isn't yet online – but the BE11 is less than bang average, for a number of reasons. Check out the wonderful Matt Robinson for all the details either in a (very entertaining) Murdoch title or, if you're against that mob, another good bunch of guys from Ireland.

I fear it won't be the last. Skywell has got a hot hatch EV coming, so it'll be interesting to see how it compares. But other new arrivals are sure to miss the target in the quest for success.

 

[chickens]

Yeah, me and many others...

As for Skywell, I've never been the world's (or even Sussex's) greatest road tester – and my review isn't yet online – but the BE11 is less than bang average, for a number of reasons. Check out the wonderful Matt Robinson for all the details either in a (very entertaining) Murdoch title or, if you're against that mob, another good bunch of guys from Ireland.

I fear it won't be the last. Skywell has got a hot hatch EV coming, so it'll be interesting to see how it compares. But other new arrivals are sure to miss the target in the quest for success.

I read them both. I’m looking forward to the reviews of their hot hatch now. I’m expecting hedges and roadsides to be littered with crashed examples when it’s road-testing time.

I’m genuinely impressed that somebody has brought a car this poor to market. Who needs testing, eh? I wonder how quickly (or even if) it gets round the Nurburgring?

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I read them both. I’m looking forward to the reviews of their hot hatch now. I’m expecting hedges and roadsides to be littered with crashed examples when it’s road-testing time.

I’m genuinely impressed that somebody has brought a car this poor to market. Who needs testing, eh? I wonder how quickly (or even if) it gets round the Nurburgring?

One of the weird things in the presentation was that the guy went into detail about how it had improved the pre-production version that people drove a few months back (I drove with someone who had experienced that one and it had got better). Bearing in mind, I've sat through hundreds of these things, I've never heard a company slag off any of its cars – let alone one that was effectively a prototype, so it's bound to be not great.

But then when you drive it and you realise there is STILL so much wrong with it, you almost want to say do they engineers want another go!

 

[nicko31]

Had my first charge on Intelligent Go last night and it worked! I was a little worried as there are whole Facebook groups on this tariff giving tips on how to get it to work etc. I guess the main issue being there are 3 apps you can set the charge schedule on (Octopus, car and charger) and depending on your charger, you use a different method.

Anyway, the Ohme app worked perfectly so all good.

I have been thinking about a home battery and solar but I really need to consider my longevity at my current address before I invest. I’m not sure I’d get much ROI if I moved.

It is a tadge confusing, I ended up deleting the VW app and it seems to clash with my Indra charger.

Concerning the latter, also consider the viability of your roof, ie aspect, shading and size, makes a big difference to ROI. Reckon I'm on 6-7 years depending on elec price

 

[trueblue]

Not getting on with my car at all currently and tempted to go electric if I change it. Hyundai Ioniqs look interesting - anyone with experience of them or recommendations for others that would make a good motorway car? Decent seat comfort is more important than an exciting ride. Also, presumably leasing is a very good option compared to buying considering how quickly the technology is developing? Just dipping my toe in the water at this point..

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Not getting on with my car at all currently and tempted to go electric if I change it. Hyundai Ioniqs look interesting - anyone with experience of them or recommendations for others that would make a good motorway car? Decent seat comfort is more important than an exciting ride. Also, presumably leasing is a very good option compared to buying considering how quickly the technology is developing? Just dipping my toe in the water at this point..

You don't need to look past a Volkswagen ID.7 – if that is your main concern. The seats are some of the most comfortable I've experienced (alongside, bizarrely, the Renault Clio...) and the heated and massage functions are a game-changer. Even if it isn't just about seating, you'll get loads of miles from it as well as decent ride quality. I've been running one for the past few months – read from the bottom up – and prefer it to the BMW i5 I had at the beginning of the year (something I never thought would happen).

The Ioniqs are good – the 6 looks a bit odd to some people, but the company has gone down the route of creating a brand of cars that are designed (literally) to stand out from ICE models. The 5N is a right laugh, but not the best as a motorway companion. Other than that, there are other Korean models that are worth a look – Kia EV6 and Genesis GV60 and 80 – and a whole load of SUV EVs, if that's your bag.

I'm not sure if there are any still kicking around, but the Jaguar I-Pace is a great cruiser. Plus, there are bound to be some good deals on them.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I’m in a similar boat, the wife and I would like to make one more move (ideally to a bungalow - we’ve reached that age) so the full solar/battery expenditure doesn’t make sense where we are.

Glad the charge worked, always nice when the tech does its job first time. Nothing worse than having to RTFM.

There was an unfortunate RTFM epilogue to this tale which involved me proudly prancing out to the EV post charge this morning, packing the kids in the back for the school run, only to find the charging plug was ‘locked’ in position.

I panicked.

The smart charger issued an unhelpful message. “Unlock on the app”. I tried to unlock on the app and couldn’t. I then started googling the charger model and questions around unlocking. The kids starting yelling ‘we’re going to be late Dad - hurry up’.

After about 10mins of panic googling where my WiFi mysteriously slowed and then disappeared, I finally realised that there was an unlock button on the car, adjacent to f***ing charging socket (in the most obvious place). FFS RTFM

 

[Hugo Rune]

It’s long but I found this interesting and informative, and whilst I get why some swear by EVs it reinforced my thoughts about never buying one. Fascinating and impressive technology though. JayEmm‘s presenting style is marmite, but I thinks he’s one of the best reviewers on Youtube

I’ve watched this now and it’s a very thorough review. I’m not a massive Tesla fan but after watching that, I really can’t see myself ever owning one.

However, to say that review puts you off ever buying an EV is the equivalent of an American (who has never left their home country) watching a French holiday review vlog and declaring that they are never going to visit Europe.

There is so much more to EVs than Tesla.

 

[Flounce]

I’ve watched this now and it’s a very thorough review. I’m not a massive Tesla fan but after watching that, I really can’t see myself ever owning one.

However, to say that review puts you off ever buying an EV is the equivalent of an American (who has never left their home country) watching a French holiday review vlog and declaring that they are never going to visit Europe.

There is so much more to EVs than Tesla.

I prefer to think of it as living in the South of France and deciding against moving to Switzerland
I don’t want a car that doesn’t have a sound track, cost of fuel given my annual mileage is of no consequence and I certainly don’t want a car that beeps and nags me to do things unless I remember to do a pre drive switch off EVERY time I go anywhere.

Each to their own. I know they are the future and that many love them but I know they are not for me! However I also know that I am not their target market.

I’m still interested in reading and watching reviews about EVs though

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I prefer to think of it as living in the South of France and deciding against moving to Switzerland
I don’t want a car that doesn’t have a sound track, cost of fuel given my annual mileage is of no consequence and I certainly don’t want a car that beeps and nags me to do things unless I remember to do a pre drive switch off EVERY time I go anywhere.

Each to their own. I know they are the future and that many love them but I know they are not for me! However I also know that I am not their target market.

I’m still interested in reading and watching reviews about EVs though

That'll be every new car (and therefore plenty of used ones, too) soon enough – not just EVs. In fact loads of them already do. If it makes you feel better, the manufacturers hate the fact they have to add in all these things (probably more from a cost POV than anything else!), although they like they fact they can say their new car's got the latest safety tech, etc.

I get the resistance from people to EVs – and I respect it in many ways. I'm no EV evangelist, so I know that they don't work for everyone (or people won't make them work for them). But I have learned to love them and live with them.

 

[Flounce]

That'll be every new car (and therefore plenty of used ones, too) soon enough – not just EVs. In fact loads of them already do. If it makes you feel better, the manufacturers hate the fact they have to add in all these things (probably more from a cost POV than anything else!), although they like they fact they can say their new car's got the latest safety tech, etc.

I get the resistance from people to EVs – and I respect it in many ways. I'm no EV evangelist, so I know that they don't work for everyone (or people won't make them work for them). But I have learned to love them and live with them.

I saw that coming and hence bought a non nanny new ICE car in late 2022! It has loads of this tech, but everything except the stop start can be turned off. I spent £60 on a stop/start delete module from Poland, so I now only have the blind spot monitor, which I love, permanently activated. I think it may also have the “look out you’re going to crash” warning too, but fortunately so far it hasn’t activated.

I was amused by a detailer I had working on my car last week. He told me that he was valeting the inside of a Tesla, it was drizzling and he was trying to clean the door shuts. The car kept telling him it was raining and he should shut the door. I think it may have even tried to shut it for him

Pleased you love yours, as do many. I am not anti EV, I just don’t want one.

 

[FatSuperman]

I'm not sure if there are any still kicking around, but the Jaguar I-Pace is a great cruiser. Plus, there are bound to be some good deals on them.

I've got an iPace and it is fantastic. You can still get them from Jaguar 'approved used', and there are a bunch that are actually new cars. You can pick one up with delivery mileage for £42,500 - which honestly feels like great value. I'm assuming this represents the risk is that Jaguar might arbitrarily pull support for it, if their re-brand doesn't go well.

 

[AlbionBro]

Oh no. I watched it and now I want a Polestar 4. We’ve only just got the MG ZS Electric.

I really enjoy head to head tests like that, as each car’s had to cover the same terrain in the same conditions, thanks for posting.

The only comments I’d make regarding the test would be that their choice of services to stop at for charging seemed bizarre. Any EV driver would use Electroverse or Zapmap to identify stopping places, there’s literally hundreds deliberately located just off motorway exits.

What is your view on the MG ZS Electric, my lady friend is quite keen, are they good value for money?