[b789pilot]

Hi. I’ve owned a Mokka E since April. I was the first one to buy one from the dealership and as an aside, I have yet to see another on the road.
I think they look and drive really good. I got the blue colour. I had an issue a week in when the car wouldn’t charge. It was back in the garage for two weeks while they sourced a replacement charging unit. Since then, I have had no issues. Having owned a Mokka and Mokka X previously, I have to say the driving position is much lower in the E. I agree with the earlier comment that it feels like a reverse tardis. As I’m usually on my own in the car or with my wife, the space isn’t an issue. I have got used to the space and driving position pretty quickly.
Although not unique to this car, the adaptive cruise control is my favourite feature. It’s like magic. Lol. I can do a motorway journey without using any pedals if the traffic is flowing well.

As to range, I have yet to do a long journey but my regular commute is around 35 miles each way with around 65% being motorway. The motorway eats up energy. If you travel at 70 mph or more, you will consume more energy miles than the corresponding physical miles. My 70 mile commute can sometimes take 90 miles out of the battery. On the other hand, driving on local roads to the shops say, the opposite is true. Less energy miles than the physical distance. I can visit my local supermarket in ECO mode with brake regen on and travel 8 miles but the energy taken can be as low as 3 or 4 miles.
Switching between modes adds or subtracts 10 miles to the range available. The advertised range is 201 but on a full charge in the morning, switching to ECO from the default NORMAL shows a range of 210 miles.
The boot space is smaller too but I have adapted to it quickly. Using the false floor, I store both cables (type 2 plus 3pin granny cable) as well as other typical car boot stuff under the floor leaving the space above clear for shopping bags. I like it.
I rarely use NORMAL driving mode and SPORT is only for showing someone how fast EVs are. ECO all the way for me and it still has very surprising acceleration in that mode.
I’ve waffled on enough. Happy to respond to specific questions.

ECO mode on this car is only really for those times you are on a longer journey and you are getting a bit anxious about reaching the next charger. The amount of energy it saves you is minuscule. You’ve spent close to £30k and you want to save a couple of pence? When in ECO the motor response is subdued so you get less acceleration which could be critical if you suddenly need it although I believe you can kick down to override that.

The other amusing thing about people driving around in ECO, especially in mid winter or sweltering summer is the fact that ECO mode also reduces the air conditioning so you’ll see some people driving their £30k car whilst wearing thick coats, woolly hats and thick gloves with the inside of the car getting all condensed up from the steamy breath as they drive around saving 0.001p per mile. Same in mid summer when the temp goes into the 30s, they drive with windows open, sweltering in the heat not realising the the 0.001p per mile they’re saving is offset by around 5-10 times that because the aerodynamics are less efficient with the windows open.

ECO is for emergency use. However, if you’re happy knowing you may be saving an extra 1p every 10 miles in your £30k car… go right ahead.

 

[bob_sixer]

An interesting commentary, thank you. I don’t use ECO mode to save 0.001p (thanks for the maths) but to maximise range. The difference between NORMAL and ECO appears to average 10 miles of range. I hope to never find myself in a position where I’m down to 10 miles range but it’s the approach I prefer to take. As for acceleration to get out of trouble, this car in ECO has dramatically more acceleration than my previous petrol and diesel cars.

 

[b789pilot]

An interesting commentary, thank you. I don’t use ECO mode to save 0.001p (thanks for the maths) but to maximise range. The difference between NORMAL and ECO appears to average 10 miles of range. I hope to never find myself in a position where I’m down to 10 miles range but it’s the approach I prefer to take. As for acceleration to get out of trouble, this car in ECO has dramatically more acceleration than my previous petrol and diesel cars.

But how often, if ever, do you plan to drive down to 10 miles range remaining? I doubt the vast majority of people in ICE cars ever do that either. As I said, you should only have to rely on ECO mode if you're on a long drive and have left yourself short, for whatever reason, and may need to stretch for that extra 10 miles.

In normal day-to-day driving, the majority of people are driving their EV without any need to be concerned about needing an extra 10 miles range. What you're saying is that you 'need' to maximise the range all the time? If that's the case, then you are not considering this correctly. If your peace of mind requires you to know that you can get an extra 10 miles of range all the time, even if you are never likely to go to that extreme of range, then all you are doing is saving that fraction of a penny each mile you drive but you've spent a lot of money on the car.

Hey, it's your car and your money and you drive it as you like. I'm just pointing out the flaw in your thinking about ECO mode. The most useful mode isn't called "NORMAL" for nothing!

 

[bob_sixer]

I would never drive in a too cold or too hot car to maintain the ECO setting. It is just a flick of a switch to change modes. I appreciate your point of view and I will factor it into my thinking. 👍

 

[Gdank]

Thanks all for the reports.

My friend got a Mokka-e on Thursday, just came over to borrow my 3-pin charger, as she is already at 10%. She is moving house next weekend and will get the charger installed there.

She has found the car needs locking to start the charge. That's needs to be patched ASAP imho.

 

[b789pilot]

Thanks all for the reports.

My friend got a Mokka-e on Thursday, just came over to borrow my 3-pin charger, as she is already at 10%. She is moving house next weekend and will get the charger installed there.

She has found the car needs locking to start the charge. That's needs to be patched ASAP imho.

You can charge with the driver's door unlocked. There is a setting where you can select the option to only unlock the driver's door when in proximity or you use the fob or button on the door handle. It's only unlocking any passenger door that interrupts AC charging.

 

[bransoj]

We've not got our Corsa-e yet but when we had one on 48hr test i charged it on the charger some family have and that was very simple. Insert the plug into the car and then locked the car and it just started charging straight away.

 

[Problemchild]

On the e208, it doesn’t seem to matter if the doors are open/closed, locked/unlocked

Weird as it’s got to be the same software

JJ

 

[b789pilot]

On the e208, it doesn’t seem to matter if the doors are open/closed, locked/unlocked

Weird as it’s got to be the same software

JJ

We're talking about AC charging. I think it isn't affected in DC charging.

 

[Problemchild]

We're talking about AC charging. I think it isn't affected in DC charging.

I’m talking about charging at home - is that not what we are talking about?

JJ

 

[b789pilot]

I’m talking about charging at home - is that not what we are talking about?

JJ

Well, having discussed this with other e-20(0)8 owners on other forums, they and all the Corsa/Mokka e owners that I've talked with, the car doesn't charge AC when a passenger door is unlocked. That is why I suggested the driver door only unlocking, which is why I think it was set up for in the first place.

In my Corsa-e, I have the system set up for driver door only unlocking and the charge is not interrupted when I unlock the car. As soon as I unlock the other doors, the charge is interrupted.

 

[Darklord87]

Well, having discussed this with other e-20(0)8 owners on other forums, they and all the Corsa/Mokka e owners that I've talked with, the car doesn't charge AC when a passenger door is unlocked. That is why I suggested the driver door only unlocking, which is why I think it was set up for in the first place.

In my Corsa-e, I have the system set up for driver door only unlocking and the charge is not interrupted when I unlock the car. As soon as I unlock the other doors, the charge is interrupted.

My car charges when the door is unlocked

Soon as you plug it in and it locks the cable that's it .. confirmed on public and private AC chargers

However if I unlock it after locking then the cable unclips and charge stops

Restarts again if not taken out within a min

 

[b789pilot]

My car charges when the door is unlocked

Soon as you plug it in and it locks the cable that's it .. confirmed on public and private AC chargers

Maybe it changed after the recent ECU updates. I'll have to check.

 

[Darklord87]

Maybe it changed after the recent ECU updates. I'll have to check.

It's been like that since day one

I don't use the one door unlock function

Leave the car unlocked and plug in.. after 10 seconds or so it will start charging

Few times I've not locked car whilst charging

 

[b789pilot]

It's been like that since day one

I don't use the one door unlock function

Leave the car unlocked and plug in.. after 10 seconds or so it will start charging

Few times I've not locked car whilst charging

That may be the case but... when you unlock the car after having started a charge, if any of the passenger doors are unlocked, the charge is interrupted. What a lot of people are complaining about is that they plug in to start their charge and then go off to do whatever. When they come back and they want to continue charging but maybe sit in the car and wait, as soon as they unlock the doors, the charge stops. This only happens when a passenger door is unlocked. The only way around that is to have driver door only unlocking.

 

[Darklord87]

That may be the case but... when you unlock the car after having started a charge, if any of the passenger doors are unlocked, the charge is interrupted. What a lot of people are complaining about is that they plug in to start their charge and then go off to do whatever. When they come back and they want to continue charging but maybe sit in the car and wait, as soon as they unlock the doors, the charge stops. This only happens when a passenger door is unlocked. The only way around that is to have driver door only unlocking.

Or unlock the car then get in and do nothing
Charge restarts after a min

 

[Problemchild]

Or unlock the car then get in and do nothing
Charge restarts after a min

yeah I thought this was what happened - I need to check this now

I will try and do a vid

i have the car set to unlock all doors

JJ

 

[b789pilot]

I tried it in mine and the charging did restart after a minute or so. I’m sure it didn’t do that before the ECU update.

 

[Gdank]

Update: My Friend got her Mokka two weeks ago. A few points:-

1. It's really dumb they don't supply a 3-pin charger with the car. I had to lend her mine for 1.5 weeks before she brought a 2nd hand one. I know they help with a "Free" home charger, but it's been two weeks and the company hasn't even got in contact with her.

2. The GOM does that whole "show the best range possible" ... so starts at 200 miles and drops very fast, leading into a lot of uncertainty and worry. Companies need to learn that showing a more realistic range from the get go. Don't do this ... no one is doing 200 miles at 30-50mph around town, windows down, no air con, and in B mode.

3. ZERO hand over ... they didn't even explain the DC CCS charging, how to set up the app, how to set the schedule charging, etc...

Vauxhall you need to do better!

For the record my Polestar suffered with point 2, but they did supply a 3-pin and gave a decent hand over.

 

[bob_sixer]

Update: My Friend got her Mokka two weeks ago. A few points:-

1. It's really dumb they don't supply a 3-pin charger with the car. I had to lend her mine for 1.5 weeks before she brought a 2nd hand one. I know they help with a "Free" home charger, but it's been two weeks and the company hasn't even got in contact with her.

2. The GOM does that whole "show the best range possible" ... so starts at 200 miles and drops very fast, leading into a lot of uncertainty and worry. Companies need to learn that showing a more realistic range from the get go. Don't so this ... no one is doing 200 miles at 30-50mph around town, windows down, no air con, and in B mode.

3. ZERO hand over ... they didn't even explain the DC CCS charging, how to set up the app, how to set the schedule charging, etc...

Vauxhall you need to do better!

For the record my Polestar suffered with point 2, but they did supply a 3-pin and gave a decent hand over.

Sorry to hear of your friends experience. It will improve I assure you - the ownership, not Vauxhall’s customer service.

I’ve had mine since the end of April and after a week, it stopped charging. It went back to Vauxhall and they had to source a replacement charging unit from the continent. It took two weeks. I was given a petrol courtesy car but when I returned it to collect my Mokka E, there was no good will consideration for the petrol I purchased during the two weeks. The EV has been fine since.

My experience with pod point was better. I had mine installed within four days of me collecting the car. I had bought a third party 3 pin charging cable when I collected the car just in case but it mustn’t have been compatible with the car so I returned it and bit the bullet buying the Vauxhall 3 pin charging cable at £600 (stupid I know, but I’d rather have one that works, and it does).

My car was the first Mokka E sold by my dealership. There was low level knowledge of the vehicle but the salesman was as involved and as helpful as I could have expected. I suppose people buying them from there now may be getting a better experience.

Ah, the GOM (Guess-O-Meter). I have yet to do a really long journey that needs a mid point charge so anxiety is low but it is amazing how the energy or miles left depletes quickly when a large part of your commute involves motorway. In the recent weather with the A/C on high and 70% of my drive on a motorway, my 68 mile round trip can take over 90 miles of range out of the battery. Sometimes more if I’m pushing the envelope. On the other hand, I regularly find 20-30 mile local journeys at 40mph or less only show 50% of the distance used off the range - if that makes sense. It’s a different paradigm to be sure but I’m glad to be a relatively early adopter. I’m sure my second or third EV will be much better. 🤞🏼

PS The app is crap and when I get with a supplier with a cheaper overnight tariff, I will rely on the pod point scheduled charging as it looks much simpler.