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Tiny EV for 3rd car - hints ?

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973 views 25 replies 16 participants last post by  Chris810  
M
#1 ·
Have two EVs, Leaf 59kWh as daily runaround and Jag iPace for fun/longer trips. Happy with both and no plans to change them.
However, there are a few places nearby including 1960s multistoreys with very tight spaces.

Since we're in a fairly fortunate position with spare cash and a 6-car driveway, now thinking about adding a third tiny EV e.g. Smart EQ , Citroen C-Zero or Peugeot iON; this will never go more than 10 miles from home and never go on a motorway, so range and performance not an issue. Main questionmark is reliability, plus a pre-2016 for the £20 road tax is desirable so it'll be out of warranty.

Any experience / hints on these, especially are they reliable ?
 
S
#2 ·
VW E-Up or equivalent is perhaps the obvious choice (if they go back that far) otherwise early leaf or zoe - I think the I-On was more of an idea than an actually usable car...

I confess I think you'd be better changing the Leaf you have for a smaller car and get it more modern and keep the Jag - to buy another old and potentially troublesome car to save £175 of road tax a year doesn't compute to me - you can easily spend that on maintaining an old high miles car plus a 3rd insurance policy will probably cost more than the £175 saving?

I would sell the leaf, buy a Soul (so a short wheelbase perfect for multistorys and yet a decent range in case 2 people in the family want to go on longer trips at the same time) or as above an e-up or something like it.. These can be got for £10k plus now.
 
M
#3 · (Edited)
SoulGW said:
I would sell the leaf, buy a Soul (so a short wheelbase perfect for multistorys and yet a decent range in case 2 people in the family want to go on longer trips at the same time) or as above an e-up or something like it.. These can be got for £10k plus now.
Click to expand...
Nope, Mrs. Mallard won't change the Leaf and I won't change the iPace, so it's 3rd car or just stick with current 2 ... smaller and cheaper the better, as long as it's reliable. Given the tiny mileage, could just dabble in dino juice and get an ancient petrol Smart I suppose, but would prefer EV if there's a reasonable option around the £5k level and pre-2016.
 
S
#4 ·
C
#5 ·
Instead of getting a glorified beach buggy as above I'd just get an older leaf Tekna (with the 360 cameras if you struggle to park the thing) and just drive it into the ground. It will be a far more usable car for not much more money.

Other option, to save on another car's insurance policy, another car's running costs (leccy/tax) and another car's wear and tear...
I'd swap the other half's leaf for one with 360 cameras - You say shes not happy to change it but its the same car with a couple extra gadgets.
I've had my old MG ZS EV in a local '60s multi and while it was a pain in the arse to park the thing (no front camera/sensors) I always slung it in spaces and was able to get out just fine. 60kwh Leaf MUST be smaller than a ZS (though I havent checked so could well be corrected) I didn't enjoy getting the ZS into that multi mainly because I couldnt see where the front was and had to adjust my mirrors down to keep track of the lines. With 360 cams it would have been in tidy.

The final option is the old old old micra. Pretty much bomb proof. needs no looking after and is only around 10% larger than a packet of crisps...
 
K
#6 ·
When you get to this age/price and such low mileage use the risk between the cars must be very hit and miss.

I had a P Ion for a few yrs and they fit your requirement exactly - narrow, short, turning circle of a London taxi, more space than you might think with the rear seat down. Sounds like you could afford to loose £2k if it came to it.
 
#9 ·
I had @KenB ’s Ion after him and can endorse the above. They are great little things as long as you go easy with the heater.
 
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M
#7 ·
Our Leaf is a Tekna with 360 cameras so it's ok. The snag is if Mrs.M takes the Leaf somewhere, then I'm not so happy driving the iPace into a 1960s multistorey, or trying to get an on-street space near the railway station.

That £2k i-Miev looks tempting, though I understand Mitsubishi have left UK so first MOT fail is probably the end... I can afford to take a gamble on £2k as long as it has a 75% chance of surviving a few years.
 
M
#12 ·
Yes, unfortunately I think doing the sums it probably is cheaper to just get occasional taxis. I was mainly attracted to the idea of having "guaranteed parking", because in any car park there's always at least one space with a Range Rover sticking 8 inches over the white line, where a normal car can get in but can't open the doors. Back in my 20s I could do the Dukes of Hazzard exit via the window, but too old now.
 
Z
#22 ·
Except for the pre-April 2017 for £20 VED part, and maybe the £2k price tag.

Twizy should fit both, but I'd rather extract myself from an Ami than a Twizy.

Edit: actually, I went to check AT and cheapest Twizy I find is 2012 for £4k. Not many cars keep 50% of their value after 13 years :p
 
A
#18 ·
A friend had the petrol version of the i-Miev, it was very big inside given the tiny external dimensions and could frequently be fitted into a space that other cars (e.g. my Leaf) had no chance of squeezing into. For the intended mission, it or the french equivalents sound pretty good.

Not sure about the EV reliability; the petrol one died when the turbo failed.
 
Z
#24 ·
Again, after 2017 and way over £2k. The C0/iOn/iMiev is likely the only BEV that is small enough and has such a low cost, unless G-Wiz has enough boot size for the shopping considered.

@OP: although Mitsubishi have left, the former PSA are still around. I doubt they'll be much help though. On the other hand, if there is any EV specialist garage near you, they should be able to help if you have an issue. Maybe check https://hevra.org.uk.
 
M
#25 ·
On further looking, it's a bit surprising that 2015 Twizys and Smart EQs seem to sell for more than 2015 Leafs - less supply I guess.
On reflection, I've probably binned the idea now as the cost is slightly more than occasional taxis, plus there's the hassle of a third MoT/insurance/etc to deal with. Hope it may be useful to someone else, e.g. without a nearby taxi service.
 
C
#26 ·
I would go BMW i3 the early 22kw ones are in the £5000, area and very over engineered. I have just bought a 42 kw one for 2nd car use and occasional 130 mile trips. Despite my wife being very anti beforehand stating that she would continue to use the model y, once it came i cant get her out of it she has not driven the y in 3 weeks but has put 1300 miles on the i3 and now bangs on about its turning circle and ease of parking, it was supposed to be my car but thats no longer the case i have lost it. A cheap i3 is a lot of car for the money.
 
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