[Misc] Electric Cars

[chickens]

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

It’s very well put together, real world range is 190 miles in winter and (we’re told) 230 miles in summer. The winter range is accurate, so we’ve no reason to doubt the salesperson on the summer range.

It’s not a “keen driver” car, it’s a competent, FWD SUV. It has adaptive cruise control which works well, the app’s a bit naff as it only allows one person to be registered to the vehicle at a time, so in a scenario where you share the vehicle, only one person has control via the app.

Rear space is good. Boot space is good. Nothing’s gone wrong, rattled, or fallen off and you can turn off all the lane assist nonsense easily enough. Nothing has given us cause to regret our choice so far.

There are good offers on them atm, because they’re clearing remaining inventory for the ZS’s replacement (due next year)

If your lady friend wants the latest and greatest it’s worth holding off a bit and looking at the ZS replacement, however this does mean that your nearest dealership may have a ZS ex-demonstrator they’re looking to let go of cheap. (If she’s more interested in a bargain)

 

[AlbionBro]

It’s very well put together, real world range is 190 miles in winter and (we’re told) 230 miles in summer. The winter range is accurate, so we’ve no reason to doubt the salesperson on the summer range.

It’s not a “keen driver” car, it’s a competent, FWD SUV. It has adaptive cruise control which works well, the app’s a bit naff as it only allows one person to be registered to the vehicle at a time, so in a scenario where you share the vehicle, only one person has control via the app.

Rear space is good. Boot space is good. Nothing’s gone wrong, rattled, or fallen off and you can turn off all the lane assist nonsense easily enough. Nothing has given us cause to regret our choice so far.

There are good offers on them atm, because they’re clearing remaining inventory for the ZS’s replacement (due next year)

If your lady friend wants the latest and greatest it’s worth holding off a bit and looking at the ZS replacement, however this does mean that your nearest dealership may have a ZS ex-demonstrator they’re looking to let go of cheap. (If she’s more interested in a bargain)

Thanks for this detail, she is partial to a bargain, I will inform her. How old is it and how many miles have you done please?

 

[chickens]

Thanks for this detail, she is partial to a bargain, I will inform her. How old is it and how many miles have you done please?

We literally collected ours at the start of December, so we’re only two weeks in. We’re aware that by driving it off the forecourt we’ve immediately lost money, but while I argued for used, I was overruled. We’ve only put 622 miles on it so far, but it’s done motorway, country lanes and city traffic, and behaved itself in all of them.

You can pick up 2-3yo models for £20k, though main dealer prices will probably add a couple of grand to that. Now is a great time to go and haggle with the dealers if she’s interested, if they’ve got inventory, they’ll want rid before the new one’s out.

I’d also just ask if she has a place to charge? They’re not expensive to run even if you charge solely away from home, but you only save meaningful sums of money if you can home charge.

 

[Audax]

I've not driven one, but know someone who has. Only heard good things (both from the acquaintance and in general) of the MG EV's. They're on the cheap end of the market, but the drivetrain is good and reliable.

 

[GOM]

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

Incredibly good value, they are almost giving them away (slight exaggeration) new as they are clearing out stock ready for the replacement coming in the new year.

 

[nicko31]

You can understand why European and US car manufacturers are bricking it

 

[carlzeiss]

Crazy discounts available on 74 plate Nissan Leaf's although the chademo charging ports that these use make them really only viable for those that charge mainly at home now I suspect

Nissan LEAF Exclusive Yeomans Offer | New Car Offers | Yeomans Nissan

Save up to £13,000 on a brand new Nissan LEAF, exclusively at Yeomans Nissan in Aldershot, Basingstoke, Bognor Regis, Eastbourne, Portsmouth, Worthing and Barnard and Brough Nissan in Haywards Heath.

www.yeomans.co.uk

 

[chickens]

Crazy discounts available on 74 plate Nissan Leaf's although the chademo charging ports that these use make them really only viable for those that charge mainly at home now I suspect

Nissan LEAF Exclusive Yeomans Offer | New Car Offers | Yeomans Nissan

Save up to £13,000 on a brand new Nissan LEAF, exclusively at Yeomans Nissan in Aldershot, Basingstoke, Bognor Regis, Eastbourne, Portsmouth, Worthing and Barnard and Brough Nissan in Haywards Heath.

www.yeomans.co.uk

Do the latest Leaf’s still have CHAdeMO? That feels like a fairly major oversight, I thought Nissan had switched to CCS2 like the rest of the known world.

 

[nicko31]

Do the latest Leaf’s still have CHAdeMO? That feels like a fairly major oversight, I thought Nissan had switched to CCS2 like the rest of the known world.

CHAdeMO is the betamax is AC charging, no one is introducing new models with these

 

[LamieRobertson]

We literally collected ours at the start of December, so we’re only two weeks in. We’re aware that by driving it off the forecourt we’ve immediately lost money, but while I argued for used, I was overruled. We’ve only put 622 miles on it so far, but it’s done motorway, country lanes and city traffic, and behaved itself in all of them.

You can pick up 2-3yo models for £20k, though main dealer prices will probably add a couple of grand to that. Now is a great time to go and haggle with the dealers if she’s interested, if they’ve got inventory, they’ll want rid before the new one’s out.

I’d also just ask if she has a place to charge? They’re not expensive to run even if you charge solely away from home, but you only save meaningful sums of money if you can home charge.

A mere £20k

 

[Hugo Rune]

Do the latest Leaf’s still have CHAdeMO? That feels like a fairly major oversight, I thought Nissan had switched to CCS2 like the rest of the known world.

I think they have both.

“The Nissan Leaf uses two charging standards for its inlets – Type 2 and CHAdeMO. The Type 2 inlet is used when charging at home or at public slow and fast AC points. The CHAdeMO inlet is used to carry high power during rapid DC charging from a CHAdeMO connector.”

But, it seems the Type 2 only charges to 6.6kW where as the CHAdeMO can charge to 50kW if you can find one. However, the range of the Leaf pretty much makes it a City or County car. Long trips could be tricky.

“The Nissan Leaf is fitted with a 6.6 kW on-board charger for Type 2 AC charging, in addition to rapid 50 kW DC capability. This means that even when connected to a fast charger with a rated output above 6.6 kW, the Leaf will only be able to charge at 6.6 kW.”

Nissan Leaf EV charging guide - Zapmap

Guide to charge your Leaf. Zapmap's Nissan Leaf charging guide will help you get the most from your electric car.

www.zap-map.com

 

[alanfp]

I know two people who have a MG4.
Both very pleased. In both cases it's not the only car in their household and I don't think either of them have ever charged away from home.
One has the XPower - he says it's got unbelievable performance.
Plenty of virtually new cars on the MG website.

 

[chickens]

A mere £20k

Well yeah, new/nearly new cars cost money, regardless of powertrain.

There’s Nissan Leaf or Renault Zoe if you’re on a budget, which can be found at any price from £2000 upwards. If your budget hits the £9000 to £12000 price range then you start to get some genuine choice.

BMW i3, Mini electric, Peugeot e208 or e2008, Mazda MX-30, MG ZS, Hyundai Kona, DS DS3, VW e-Golf, Vauxhall Corsa, Vauxhall Mokka, Fiat 500, even early VW ID 3s (with the lower battery capacity) can creep in.

A bog standard entry/mid level VW Golf has a list price of £27,565, this is just what new/nearly new cars cost.

 

[Buffalo Seagull]

I think they have both.

“The Nissan Leaf uses two charging standards for its inlets – Type 2 and CHAdeMO. The Type 2 inlet is used when charging at home or at public slow and fast AC points. The CHAdeMO inlet is used to carry high power during rapid DC charging from a CHAdeMO connector.”

But, it seems the Type 2 only charges to 6.6kW where as the CHAdeMO can charge to 50kW if you can find one. However, the range of the Leaf pretty much makes it a City or County car. Long trips could be tricky.

“The Nissan Leaf is fitted with a 6.6 kW on-board charger for Type 2 AC charging, in addition to rapid 50 kW DC capability. This means that even when connected to a fast charger with a rated output above 6.6 kW, the Leaf will only be able to charge at 6.6 kW.”

Nissan Leaf EV charging guide - Zapmap

Guide to charge your Leaf. Zapmap's Nissan Leaf charging guide will help you get the most from your electric car.

www.zap-map.com

Not quite. EVs all have separate connectors for AC and DC charging. Almost all cars now have Type 2 connectors for AC charging, including the Leaf. Where the Leaf is different is its DC charging connector, which is the Chademo. All other EVs use the CCS2 connector. DC charging is the rapid charging system, like the Tesla Superchargers, whereas AC charging gives a much slower charge, and is the system you use when you charge at home.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Well yeah, new/nearly new cars cost money, regardless of powertrain.

There’s Nissan Leaf or Renault Zoe if you’re on a budget, which can be found at any price from £2000 upwards. If your budget hits the £9000 to £12000 price range then you start to get some genuine choice.

BMW i3, Mini electric, Peugeot e208 or e2008, Mazda MX-30, MG ZS, Hyundai Kona, DS DS3, VW e-Golf, Vauxhall Corsa, Vauxhall Mokka, Fiat 500, even early VW ID 3s (with the lower battery capacity) can creep in.

A bog standard entry/mid level VW Golf has a list price of £27,565, this is just what new/nearly new cars cost.

Well yeah I know……but for those of us who really don’t operate at this end of the market ..it makes us chuckle

 

[chickens]

Well yeah I know……but for those of us who really don’t operate at this end of the market ..it makes us chuckle

Ah, understood. TBF, very few of us pop into a showroom with £20k+ and plonk it on the salesperson’s desk. And yes, it’s absolutely possible to run bangers through your whole life, prior to having a family I’d never spent more than £2000 on a car.

I’d argue that most of us in these markets are operating on a monthly cost of between £200pcm and £400pcm, and factoring the cost into our monthly outgoings.

We’re an essential part of the ecosystem, if nobody was doing that, there’d be a shortage of used vehicles appearing on the market in 3-4 years time.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Ah, understood. TBF, very few of us pop into a showroom with £20k+ and plonk it on the salesperson’s desk. And yes, it’s absolutely possible to run bangers through your whole life, prior to having a family I’d never spent more than £2000 on a car.

I’d argue that most of us in these markets are operating on a monthly cost of between £200pcm and £400pcm, and factoring the cost into our monthly outgoings.

We’re an essential part of the ecosystem, if nobody was doing that, there’d be a shortage of used vehicles appearing on the market in 3-4 years time.

Good point ….can’t disagree with that

 

[nicko31]

Decent debunking of anti-EV sentiment

 

[Greg Bobkin]

A bit more debunking (sort of) one of the major criticisms that people have about EVs: https://fleetworld.co.uk/ev-diary-36-hours-with-a-dacia-spring/

TL;DR: with a bit of planning and patience, it's not that bad.

 

[Uncle C]

Incredibly good value, they are almost giving them away (slight exaggeration) new as they are clearing out stock ready for the replacement coming in the new year.

If you think these are good value, then try Dacia.