Off Topic Electric/ Hybrid Cars

.

 

I’ve had my first full EV for two weeks - a Hyundai Kona 64kwh Ultimate. Bought 2nd hand from an indie dealer who gets ex Motability vehicles (half price after just 13 months with four years’ manufacturer’s warranty and seven years’ battery warranty left). So far, I love it. Real 300 plus mile range in the summer (I’m actually averaging 5.5 miles per KWh which would multiply up as 350 miles.) I know it will plummet in the winter but I’m still impressed. The Kona is one of the few that actually matches or betters its WTLP figures. Don’t have a home charger yet so charge on lamppost across the street for 24p/kWh but have been accepted onto council scheme for free cross pavement cable channel as part of a trial, which means I’ll qualify for the £350 government grant for a home charger (and then at current rates it’s 7p/kWh overnight).

 

There's a charging point on a lamppost across the street ? I assume this is in the UK ?

 

From memory the Kona has a 25% range reduction below 0 degrees - which isn't too bad at all. There's some great deals in the UK.

Good to spread positivity, instead of fear.

 

Yes. West London has lots. Richmond Council has some of the cheapest from 24p/kwh which is below standard domestic rates. But they are old contracts with Ubitricity which are gradually being phased out at that price to be replaced by 39p/kwh, but that’s still not a bad price compared with other public chargers. The last cheap one will go in. Nov 25 but hopefully I should have my home charger well before then. If not, will granny charge with a cable cover across pavement.

 

Yes I saw all the negative stuff on here which inspired me. However, I would caution only buy with plenty of manufacturers’ and battery warranty left. The reason the 2nd hand EV market is tanking is because of you need a new EV battery out of warranty, they are so expensive your car will in effect be a write off. I thought that was going to happen to my previous AUDI PHEV but I managed to get a repair job on the EV controller for £2k. Water was dripping out of it, though, and Audi weren’t interested as out of warranty. But with Konas if less than 3 years old with full service history, if bought from a dealer they will bump up the warranty to a full five years again.

 

Audi are absolutely **** when it comes to customer care, I had a clutch go on an A6 just under 200 miles out of warranty and the car approx 18mnths old and they weren't interested in anything but a full price repair

 

Yes I went to an indie EV specialist. He said Audi would have insisted on a whole new EV battery at £10k a pop, plus £240 an hour labour. He tried to get some goodwill but they wouldn’t play ball and charged full whack for the part he wanted. After he’d finished with it, he car was better than new but I’d lost faith in it.

 

I went straight back into a BMW after that and have stuck with them ever since, will never touch another Audi again

 

I had an Audi S4 V8 in 2005.. it looked like a standar saloon, but it shifted fast enough and was a great car.. until it had an electrical failure and set on fire in a multistorey carpark.. caused the equivalent of several million quids worth of damage, including the clean up. My insurance paid out immediately, but there was a two year battle where Audi refused any responsibility (it was 12 months old) with the insurance company. No idea how it ended, as I was long out the loop..

 

Ouch! TBF you probably want to be out of that asap and just let them fight it out

 

You haven’t half caused some pollution in your time.

 

You could always sack your chauffeur.

 

Or maybe the head butler…

 

Hasn't he lost summat like £140 Billion since he's been Trumps sidekick?

 

The annoying thing is that the only rapid chargers with reasonable pricing for non-Tesla EV drivers are the Tesla open to all ones - at 2/3 the price of others (which are a complete rip off). The consolation in using them as a non-Tesla driver is that most other EVs have to use up two bays to do so, and park down the midline because the tethered cables are so short, thus pissing off Tesla drivers.

 

Never understood Teslas been so popular anyway they're ugly as ****

 

While my daughter is in Dubai I’m using their car here in Spain. It’s a Kia seven seater sorento petrol hybrid, auto. I can honestly say it is one of the best cars I’ve ever driven, ridiculously smooth and perfect for going up and down these mountains. Also great on local roads and the motorway. Boot is huge but not so when the 7 seater is in operation. From the week I’ve been driving it I’d say it is amazing on fuel though I’d have to have it longer to make an accurate opinion. Loads of room inside the car and the driver’s seat is perfect.

 

Car manufacturers are shying away from full electric

I've had a petrol hybrid, that's the way to go, plug in is ****. Those that travelled to Bristol yesterday in a fully electric car should be back in Hull shortly.


The views expressed in my posts are not necessarily mine.