[hailst0rm]

Hi everyone,

I am just about to start a new job which will involve a 73 mile round trip commute. I've worked out I'll be looking at £200-250 in fuel each month. Current car is a VW Fox which is owned by my fiancé. She's pretty attached to it so isn't hugely keen on me sticking 17k miles on it a year.

Rather than burning that money in fuel I would rather put it towards an EV. I've been wanting one for the last 10 years but it's either been too expensive or impractical.

I don't have anywhere to charge at home or at work. Is it possible to survive off public charging only? I'll be travelling from Yate to Cheltenham so I've got a few options - Geniepoint in Yate and Ecotricity at Michealwood or Gloucester services.

Not looking to go too much over £300 per month on a PCP so will probably looking at less than £20k. Is there an EV that could withstand being charged on a rapid on a daily basis?

 

[Creationblue]

Hi I assume you’ll be getting new on a pcp, in which case the long term effects that may or may not affect the battery won’t be your concern in the long run. No problem with using dc rapids at all. The only problem you may get if the Ecotricity chargers at the services, some have issues with them not working.

 

[goldtop]

Ouch. Adding an hour to the daily commute for a charging break would be a challenge for me to consider. So a medium-to-long range EV would be needed.

Perhaps a Kona/E-Niro/similar might reduce that to one charge every fourth day? But that assumes you don't drive it during weekends or evenings. I bet you would, as it'd be a nicer place to be than the Fox.

 

[hailst0rm]

Hi I assume you’ll be getting new on a pcp, in which case the long term effects that may or may not affect the battery won’t be your concern in the long run. No problem with using dc rapids at all. The only problem you may get if the Ecotricity chargers at the services, some have issues with them not working.

I would probably be getting used on PCP just to keep the cost down. I'm aware that Ecotricity can be hit or miss. There is enough alternatives off the motorway that it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[srichards]

If you don't have home or workplace charging then don't. It's a short route to madness and irritation.

 

[hailst0rm]

Ouch. Adding an hour to the daily commute for a charging break would be a challenge for me to consider. So a medium-to-long range EV would be needed.

Perhaps a Kona/E-Niro/similar might reduce that to one charge every fourth day? But that assumes you don't drive it during weekends or evenings. I bet you would, as it'd be a nicer place to be than the Fox.

I was hoping it would be more like 20-30 mins each day to top up the charge. Probably try and combine that with getting food in the evening so I'm making more use of the time.

Don't think I would be happy with an extra hour though. I had a two week trial with a 40kwh Zoe and the charge times on that drove me crazy.

 

[DenkiJidousha]

If you don't have home or workplace charging then don't. It's a short route to madness and irritation.

Good advice if you have a 73 mile round trip commute, unless perhaps you have a multiple unit rapid charging hub on your route (e.g. a Tesla supercharger if you're able to go for a Tesla)? For example, in Dundee you might be OK as we are fortunate to have multiple rapid charging hubs up and running here.

 

[mad_rich]

I don't think I would consider that commute in anything other than a Tesla, preferably long range, with stops at Michaelwood services to top up as necessary. I hope you like M&S food for dinner!

Even in a new Zoe, with one of the best ranges around in an affordable car, I doubt you'd get two full days' commute except in ideal temperatures. Especially given that - using rapid chargers - you'd never be useing the top 20% of your battery.

Is there anywhere near work or home where you could charge overnight/ all day?

 

[Prof.X]

If you will be doing only highway miles and charging on public (paid) stations you should consider buying a diesel!
I know it is a dirty word around here but it would be probably more expensive /mile to drive an electric vehicle than a diesel.

I made a calculation while ago and for highway as long as my the car is capable of doing >10km/l it would beat the electric car +public charging

 

[goldtop]

^ I thought that, too. A diesel or a motorbike seem to be the most financially viable, with the latter being the fastest (albeit most vulnerable) method of commuting, too.

 

[andrew*debbie]

If you don't have home or workplace charging then don't. It's a short route to madness and irritation.

This.

 

[cyclingaviator]

Also, don’t ignore the cost of public charging

 

[jonsel]

A secondhand Kona/Niro would easily give you three round trips in winter and three and a half in summer. So quick top ups needed daily only. The OP wants an EV so not sure why posters are recommending a belching diesel unless it’s to salve their own consciences.

 

[i-s]

In this circumstance I think that it's not really going to work. The only car that I'd remotely consider this idea with would be a Tesla as there are superchargers at Michaelwood, but your budget is not going to stretch to that. By the way, have you considered that a £20k personal loan over 6 years is £302 pcm? Compared to a PCP at least you keep the car at the end of it, can sell the car at any time (no finance to be settled), total interest cost is about £1800 over the 6 years.

Any cost "savings" over driving an ICE car will be destroyed by the cost of MSA food and coffee, as well as paying for rapid charging prices (which will get you up to about 10p/mile "fuel" cost, which is not far off what a super-economical ICE will do for you).

I'd say you either have to resolve the work or home charging situations, or buy a cheap economical ICE and save the monthlies. Something like a Hyundai Ioniq hybrid or a toyota Prius should give you >60mpg real world and should be reliable and comfortable for that kind of commute. A £10k ioniq hybrid is probably a better bet than a £20k EV for you at this point.

 

[farmergiles]

A self charging hybrid makes more sense and cleaner than a diesel.

 

[Prof.X]

I wrote my comment in order to raise the attencion towards the costs of public charging and the high consumption on highway driving.

When I first made the calculation of the costs I was very surprised to find out how expensive running with public charging is. Even charging at home is marginal depending on the deal you have!
The Op. wrote about saving money so I think it is a valid point. But at the same time I have no business in judging the other people automotive choices based on praticality.

 

[goldtop]

A secondhand Kona/Niro would easily give you three round trips in winter and three and a half in summer. So quick top ups needed daily only. The OP wants an EV so not sure why posters are recommending a belching diesel unless it’s to salve their own consciences.

No - it's because we actually read his post: under £20k budget. I'll give you £20k, now find me a Kona/Niro...

Fact: EVs are not the solution to every motoring use case.

Next!

 

[i-s]

I wrote my comment in order to raise the attencion towards the costs of public charging and the high consumption on highway driving.

When I first made the calculation of the costs I was very surprised to find out how expensive running with public charging is. Even charging at home is marginal depending on the deal you have!
The Op. wrote about saving money so I think it is a valid point. But at the same time I have no business in judging the other people automotive choices based on praticality.

It's an easy calculation to do.

Today's average fuel price in the UK is £1.23 per litre for petrol and £1.26 per litre for diesel. Assuming a realistic 60mpg on the commute, that gives a fuel-only cost of 11p per mile for driving an ICE.

A typical EV should be able to return an average of 4 miles per kWh on this commute. If at the headline ecotricity cost of 39p/kWh (yes, I know this hasn't been widely implemented yet, many are still 30p) then it's just under 10p/mile.

Expensive (ie single-rate, middle-of-the road tariff) home charging should be around 15p/kWh, so closer to 4p/mile. A smart tariff overnight rate would be 5p/kWh, so about 1.5p/mile.

 

[jonsel]

No - it's because we actually read his post: under £20k budget. I'll give you £20k, now find me a Kona/Niro...

Fact: EVs are not the solution to every motoring use case.

Next!

It really depends what you can get for £300 PCP or alternative rather than headline cash price. I agree with your latter point although I would also argue that diesels should never be the answer.

 

[farmergiles]

It really depends what you can get for £300 PCP or alternative rather than headline cash price. I agree with your latter point although I would also argue that diesels should never be the answer.

My ex demo 2020 Leaf 62kw costs me £223/month on a 3yr PCP with a 9k deposit. There is a hefty final payment if i want to keep the car or i can hand it back and walk away, or trade it in. I'll worry about what to do in 2024!