[Baldylocks65]

Hi all

I took delivery of a brand new 70reg EGolf on Tuesday and have charged it fully through my front room window on a normal 3 pin household socket. It took a while to charge, which was fine, but when it was fully charged it said I had a range of just 111 miles! Now I know real world mileage is around 125, but I was pretty sure the range would be a lot higher than that with a full charge! Is this normal for a new car? It is cold today as I write this, but it was mild a day or so ago when I finished charging it. Any help gratefully received. Merry Christmas.

 

[Baldylocks65]

That estimated range is based on its previous usage. Don't worry about it; just drive normally without risking a flat battery pack and the range value will creep up.

That’s great, thank you so much for replying!

 

[Baldylocks65]

That depends a bit. If the OP drives like a joyriding teenager it might go down

To be honest I do sometimes have an issue with a heavy right foot! But, my daily drive is straight into the city of London and the speed limit is a heady 20mph and there’s cameras every 5 feet to make sure you abide by the rules. So there will be a mix of steady sensible driving, and the occasional increase in speed where safe and possible! I’m hoping it should even out over time. One other other thing I’d like to ask, I sit in a lot of traffic and was wondering if the battery is fetched drastically while I’m not moving? I would probably have the heating on low and my music playing via Apple car play. Cheer in advance gents.

 

[Baldylocks65]

This is one of the best bits about driving electric. Whilst you're not moving there's hardly any juice coming out of the battery. It's mainly stuff run from the 12 volt battery (which is then topped up by the big battery). Mainly it's stuff like the AC and heating. On mine that will be the equivalent of 4 miles in an hour. So if you shut those off you're barely using anything at all. However, as I said, it's so small a drain that I wouldn't bother being uncomfortable just to save a few electrons. It ain't worth it.

Another plus is you aren't putting out all those noxious gases whilst standing still.

That’s so good to hear. Please forgive my spelling, damn autocorrect is a nightmare!
My journey is only 12 miles and I intend to keep the battery charged on a daily basis, just in case I may need it. So I’ll definitely need to be keeping the heating on and the comfortable amenities on.
very much looking forward to many silent and clean miles of driving.

 

[Baldylocks65]

If your drive home was mostly at 70mph+ then 115 miles is about right. I have a regular 90 mile trip and arrive with 10- 20 miles left in the winter.

Thanks for that. Do you keep your car topped up everyday? Also, what EV do you have and if you charge it at home do you use a proper charging point or a standard plug? And lastly, how much does it cost for a full charge?
I’m really not sure if it’s worth paying £450 for a charging point if running the cable through my window and plugging it into a standard socket does the job. What would you say? Thanks again to you all for your advice. I’ve only ever had standard engines cars so this is all very Greek to me despite all my research.

 

[Baldylocks65]

Others will have their own view but I always recommend going for the 7 kW home charger. Once installed it lasts for many years and fits all modern EVs, using the type 2 connector. A grant is still available towards the cost of purchase and installation - not sure of you had factored that in with your figure. Wether or not you use the 3 pin plug or a 7 kW home charger, it is possible in many homes to switch to a special tariff for EVs, for example Octopus Go which gives a good day rate and four hours overnight at 5p per kWh. That means you can charge your car for just over 1p per mile of travel.

I had an e-Golf for 12 months and currently a Tesla Model 3. Sounds like you have made a wise choice for your journeys. I echo the sentiment of others - just put climate control on and at a comfortable level and enjoy the car.

That’s great advice, thank you very much for taking the time to give it.
I have to admit that the wall charger is a lot less faffing about, I imagine. I had factored in the grant reduction. It’s with Hive and it’s cheaper than the nearest competitor by about £90. There will be a subscription cost after the first year, but I think it’s about £10 for the year, so nothing too drastic.
I've just signed for another year with my energy supplier so will have to bear that for now. I’ll mainly be charging it at work though. It’ll be on a 3 pin plug, but it’s in a locked car park and there’s an outside point to plug in to, and best of all, it’s totally free!! I just think it would be best to get a wall charger now before the grant is stopped and prices rocket. We’ll all be driving electric soon enough.
Thanks for the compliment, the e-Golf is lovely, but your Model 3 is downright amazing! Wish I could have afforded one of those on a lease, but they’re out of my price range.