Yes! After dieselgate, I tried to persuade a friend to try an EV. The best I could do was to get him to buy a petrol car to replace his diesel. Three years later (he hates MOTs, so changes every three years) he was planning to get a hybrid, but after several weeks I persuaded him to try an EV. One drive in a MG5 and he was instantly sold, and will never go back. While that was being repaired after a traffic cone jumped out (I wasn’t there, so have no reason to doubt him) he was lent an MG HS hybrid, which has one of the worst drivetrains in existence, with a weedy petrol engine, notchy gearbox, and barely noticeable EV bits. That cemented what I was saying about the pointlessness of hybrids - the worst of both worlds. He persuaded his wife, who now drives a Kia EV9, while he has an MG4. Another friend tested lots of EVs after hearing me go on about them, and now drives a BYD Atto3. My father had one ride in my Smart #1, and within 6 weeks had traded in his BMW X1 diesel for a BMW i3 and installed a home charge point.

 

It all depends on how you use your car and what you use it for tbh, if you regularly do long trips then, unless you buy a subscription to reduce the cost of public charging (it’ll be be stupidly expensive), then an ev can cost up to 5 times that of an ICE car. It’s just simple maths. My wife’s previous car was a Yaris hybrid, good reliable car, very economical for an ice car (about 8-10p /mile).

ive eventually persuaded my wife to get a Zoe for work, as it’s all fairly local.
but there isn’t an ev around, yet, that can replace my Diesel Audi Allroad, I routinely carry 17’ canoes with the outriggers inside as they’re both awkward & fragile to tie down on the roof. It’s seriously comfortable and still costs less than my Leaf to drive to Yorkshire & back, purely due to the ridiculous cost of public charging. By about £30. The Leaf isn’t as comfortable for long trips either. Air suspension has a lot going for it.

I bought the Leaf to avoid using the diesel for short journeys. That’s working out great but I try to avoid any trip in it that requires using a DC public charger, simply Because of the cost.

so far the only cars I’ve found that come close to being in the same capability bracket are the new Omoda 9 & the Mazda CX-80, both are PHEVs with a realistic ev range of 35 (Mazda) & 60-70 for the Omoda, so would cover all my local trips.

I won’t know if or how comfortable they are without a test drive & im not ready to swap the Audi out just yet. My son drives a leased Toyota corrola, it does between 70-80mpg and doesn’t cost 5 times as much to fill up like an ev does.

It's just a fact that EVs don’t suit everyone or every circumstance. Vans are an excellent example of the problem, around 90-95% of ev vans are bought by people or companies doing local runs only, anyone doing any amount of miles every day is still opting for a diesel. (Recently published industry figures, I saw the article it in the Express).

Id love to go full ev but currently they’re just not there yet for me. If I gave up the paddling (that would be like cutting off my arms & legs though!), then I might be able to get along with one, but right now. The Audi is the car I’ve been looking for all my life.

 

I had a petrolhead friend ask me today did have range anxiety, I said no just bladder anxiety. Most EV's will cover you for at least three hours driving, by which time you need a break, then plug in and have a coffee, then carry on. This of course if the trip is longer than the car's range which is usually on a couple of times a year

 

I tell people a similar thing.
"Count the number of times a year you spend more than 2hrs on a trip driving at 70Mph. Any car with 200-250miles range will get you there. You'll need to charge just before you get there or just after you leave but then you'll also get home fine too."
I then pull out ZapMap to show charger coverage.

Mind you I have also had people say "I'm waiting for Hydrogen" so I say "buy a Mirai, They've been out for ages" (2015 apparently). Make sure you seem excited as if you forgot about the Mirai.
"They've been out for so long there's probably load of fueling stations by now" (maintain the excitement) and then I google it in front of them, I think there's about 8 in the UK if you exclude the Bus ones. Then look a bit disappointed before putting the phone away. You dont have to say anything unless they ask.

 

Two of my old postmen kept asking about my Mokka.
They both had an EV Van but one was really inquisitive.
Basically 10 minutes of questions every time I saw the bugger.

He had to wait about a year or so before he could swap his old pile for something newer and was pretty much sold on the Mokka.

Not sure if it was the design of the thing or the colour but he loved it more than I did,

Geezer!

Gaz

 

Dunno about convinced, but I've certainly contributed to one (maybe two) neighbours and at least a couple of people at work. Mostly by being happy about how practical my Leaf is and how little it costs to run.

 

The wife, not that she had anything against evs but feared change.
Since she's had her ev she keeps saying how she lives it's smoothness and quietness.
No clutch/biting point to mess with and no filling up of petrol.

 

The wife, not that she had anything against evs but feared change.
Since she's had her ev she keeps saying how she lives it's smoothness and quietness.
No clutch/biting point to mess with and no filling up of petrol.

Oh I forgot about my wife… does this make me a bad husband?

I had been pure EV for a few years and she could see that even my short ranged E-Tron 50 was perfectly capable of getting her to work and back in style and in any weather.

So in late 2021 early 2022 when she came to replace her aging diesel Q2 and she was lamenting the absolutely crazy used prices (it wasn’t just EVs). I suggested we go for a 3 year lease through my work SS scheme and showed her how considerably cheaper an EV was compared to an ICE.

She has been driving a very nice Volvo C40 single motor since April 2022 and when I ask what she likes the most about EVs, it’s “never having to use fuel pumps at a garage”.

 

Not by answering questions exclusively no, hence my almost complete indifference to answering people’s questions any more. I just know the biggest hurdle is these people will never know until the act of driving one. But will never get over the “fear” to actually own one. Being a passenger is just not enough in my experience. I find it usually needs another catalyst, or eureka moment to get people over that final hurdle of fearing the unknown.

I inadvertently convinced a couple of people by insisting my team at work did driving assessments in our new work van. The fact it was a Citroen and nothing special apart from being an EV was perfect catalyst for a major opinion shift for a few people.

Comments like:

• Wow, this drives smoother and quieter than my car.
• This is so relaxing to drive.
• I expected this to be terrible to drive but is amazing.

Two of the team went EVs when they got around to changing their cars. 4 of us out of the 19 were already converted and had been “answering questions” for years but really getting nowhere. But the simple act of driving a much maligned Stellantis group EV did more to convert people than answering questions ever did.

A few in the team are ultra EV detractors that have the “they will have to pry my petrol Civic faux R type keys from my cold dead hands” mentality and will never change.

 

Didn't take any persuading really but partner, her daughter and my daughter all bought EVs this month.

 

Damn it, we should all be getting some kind of EV sales commission.

 

As ICDP_EV says there's got to be a catalyst. My friend is picking up an MGS5 this month to replace his Hyundai Tuscon after the gearbox exploded (hole in the casing) and took out the clutch along the way. All under warranty but it took multiple garage trips to get fixed and this was after something else important failed earlier this year, perhaps brakes.

It ruined his trust in the car enough to look for a new one and there were some really good incentives on a new MGS5. A test drive showed how smooth an EV drives and how much fun they are with instant pedal response.

 

I have had only one success - two weeks ago one of my friends took the plunge after I had waxed lyrical about my EV experience and bought a second hand Fiat e500 which she is delighted with. My wife on the other hand is oblivious to my suggestions she moves from her 13 year old VW Polo to an EV. She hates the fact that we can't drive 500 miles straight in my Zoe and believes everything the EV sceptics spout about reliability, cost, environmental footprint, damage to road surfaces and multi-story car parks and range. My son and his partner, despite being environmentalists would rather keep running their ICE vehicles, primarily because of cost. On the other hand my sister is now saying her next car will be an EV.

 

My wife swapped her top of the range Clubman (which was really nice) for the new style Mini Cooper hatch with the smaller battery a little over a year after I got my first EV. I didn't even do any persuading, she just suddenly said it made more sense for the 10 or 20 and occasional 50 mile journeys she does. And she's right!

 

Got my daughter into a ZS EV after she had a ride in my id3 and I explained the benefits.
She is slightly disappointed with her range but otherwise loves it.

 

"Yeah but we haven't got a charge point and the salesman said they cost a fortune".
I left it there.
Absolutely thick as mince.

Don’t people treat car salesmen like thieves by default? 😂

 

I convinced my parents to go for EV and my extremely traditional/slow-follower type in-laws to get hybrid.

Not sure if converting wife counts. She doesn't care what she drives. But when we still had diesel Octavia, she would often comment on the sluggish pull from stop compared to the Leaf.

Family friend is currently looking at getting an EV as second car. But I'm not sure they understand the brief "using their bigger GLC for long trips and a small cheap EV for local trips will do", they are currently considering BYD Atto 3.

 

The whole family is EV. Next week our future DIL is getting Inster as well, so this is going to be 4 out of 4 😁

 

Maybe? There is one neighbour that recently bought a new Corsa EV and another that bought a new Yaris hybrid. Strangely enough the hybrid owning neighbour was the one with all the EV questions, the Corsa owner merely acknowledged that I owned an EV, no other questions.
Most of my family and friends are all anti-EV, and btw, neither the Corsa owner or I have home charging.

 

Ashamed to say no and the most shocking thing is a friend who was one of the very first leaf owners and who was apparently at the time a complete convert simply refuses to believe they have improved and despite us travelling to see him 800km away in ours!
He used his leaf for a daily commute of around 50miles when charging infrastructure barely existed and arranged for his employer to fit a charge point for him and then used a granny charger at home. He could not use the heater as it drained too much power…..a primitive 1st car not designed for the use he put it to. But he would constantly say it was the way to go yet now…..utterly strange.
I think another friend who is also a biker may be silently appreciating their benefits from trips in ours when here and his brothers appreciation (he is in his second) but he likes to tinker and the thought he cannot do anything to the car is a barrier I think but he is coming to the age now when doing anything is no longer so important so he may change we shall see.

 

I'm sure we have, in a soft power kind of way. Not by preaching, but just going about our daily lives the past 12 or so years in EVs, being able to get to work, college, wherever, without any drama and without bankrupting ourselves.
Let me backtrack slightly on that not preaching bit- if anyone asks 'how do you find the EV'? then I will get a bit more 'enthusiastic'.
It's great to share the good news, right?

 

I tell everyone who cares to listen and some that don't. Net result: Zero. It will happen despite my stellar failure.

Edit: I just remembered my Father telling me this weekend that the partner of a Cousin of mine has just bought a Tesla to use for his Taxiing business. I remember taking him out in my EV when he visited some time ago. Maybe I did plant a seed.

 

Take the win 😉

 

Wife (I didn't give her a petrol/diesel option he he as i was buying ) ,though she didn't want to lose gear changing !
She does love the preheated seat in cold mornings (still teaching).
And I might throw in the entire street as 3 years ago was my phev and a Tesla ,now there are 8 Evs (ok the Tesla might have a claim on that one!).

 

My wife wasn't convinced with getting a ZE40 four years ago. We hung on to our old Corsa because she said she was going to use it for longer journeys (range anxiety? because it has 160-170 mile practical range instead of the Corsa's 350ish) Three weeks later and I can barely get to use the Zoe and no one had used the Corsa at all so that had to go. Now she totally refuses to drive an ICE.

I have older neighbours and none of those have converted but I've said if you were born before about 1965 you should never have a need to get an EV if you don't want one. Your driving career will probably end before you run out of ICEs to buy.

My children all love borrowing the Zoe when they need to but stick to ICEs. I think the loss of range (not the actual range) is what bothers them but they will eventually come round to them at some point. They are all two car households (with drives) and with children so I think they will get a 'run around' EV at some point.

 

Just had a count up in street.
There's 6 out of maybe 40 houses.
We were the first but only 1 neighbour has ever asked about them.
They haven't bought one- fail.

 

Just had a count up in street.

I also just had a count up while walking home. Out of around 40 houses where 2 years ago no EV’s were present now there are 8.
5 Tesla’s, a Zoe, a Leaf and an Ioniq 5. The apartment building where I live has 2 EV’s out of a possible 15 tenants.

 

My other half (if that counts). Originally planned to flip my wee runaround to an EV but the big car gave out. A combination of great second hand prices and the super cheap overnight charge cost finally won out over range anxiety. He's so taken with it that when I suggested we should switch the wee car too even though there's no real financial incentive, he wholeheartedly agreed.

One friend who very much wanted to go EV didn't know their rural postcode would qualify him for scotgov 2nd hand loan and is now shopping for his first EV.

I find that just sharing positive experiences with friends and colleagues has changed perspective... Maybe not enough to take the plunge immediately but definitely for any future car changes.

 

Nope. Mother has not even been in mine, and has no interest in trying one.
Bessy mate parrotted: 'I don't think the technology is there yet.'
GF sold the one I bought her the day after I bought it.

I tried.

 

The mother is permanent fixture...however, the girlfriend is not

(just kidding )

 

I have never actually tried to convert anyone. I will discuss EVs if they ask, but otherwise I never raise the subject. Recently, an acquaintance became quite agitated. He was telling me about his order for a new BMW X2, and being still a bit of a petrolhead, I asked about performance etc.

Pretty poor at 8.5 seconds 0-62, 170bhp. It was £46k as configured and claimed 48mpg. 54 litre tank to give 575 mile range. That led to a discussion about such range being a bit irelevant as bladder range and safe driving hours were important.

That kicked him off into a rant about how he doesn't want to stop when on a road trip. He described a regular trip from Southport to Maidstone, approx 260 miles taking the thick end of 6 hours and how he absolutely needed a fast car that could make that journey without stopping or having any 'range anxiety' - the last words said with heavy emphasis and a sneer.

Red rag to bull time.

I just said that imo, driving that distance and time, without a break, was far from ideal in safety terms. He then went off like a bottle of pop and was at 20,000 feet in a second. Ranted about 'us' EV drivers dictating to him how he should drive in order to justify the mistake we all made by buying an EV. And that we only did that because EV range was totally unsatisfactory. So we criticised people who didn't want to stop every hundred miles. Oh dear.

I backed away slowly, muttering, 'Hide the knives' as, unknown to me, he was a rabid EV hater for some reason, and was willing to sour our long-term relationship in that way because of that mental condition.

Imagine my reaction when, a few weeks later, I heard that he had cracked the large dashboard screen on his five-day-old X2 accidentally by impact at one corner with a large ring that he wears. Not a warranty claim, and the replacement cost was almost £3000. Oh dear ...........

 

Not converted anybody, but several sceptics are now considering EVs for their next car.

On another side, we walked round a new housing development and all the houses had a charge point and there were charge points on the parking bays for the flats, so it will be interesting to revisit in a couple of years and see how many EVs there are.