Greetings.

I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with electric cars. My better half was asking me about them the other day as she is considering a used Nissan Leaf or similar. In all honesty there was little I could tell her except for a few simple bits gleaned from Google. Online reviews suggest they are really good, but what about maintenance, battery life, cost of replacing batteries, benefits/brawbacks of battery rental schemes etc.

If any of you have any clues or advice, that would be simply smashing. Ta.

i find wearing open toed sandals doing all my shopping at sainsbobs and of course having the detox once a month so au fait
so i leave electric cars to mugs

sorry

Wow! How incredibly helpful. Thanks very much

deeyup is your man on the Leaf.

I've a Prius Plug In, which is the best of both worlds, EV for local journeys and Hybrid for the longer ones, so no issue about EV range. Had it just over 3 weeks now and really happy with my choice.

deeyup and I have been chatting as he'd seen I've got a PIP (plug-in Prius) and was telling me about the Leaf he's just purchased, so leaf specific questions are probably his domain, but any general questions I may be able to help with

THIS is more like the FF I remember - helpful posts instead brainless smug nonsense replies.

Thanks MEP

Was looking at them a while back, one thing to be wary of is cheap ones don't get an energy efficient aircon system (they do have aircon but it takes more power) or a rapid charge facility so if your looking at one possibly avoid the lowest spec (visia).

StevenRB45 said:

or a rapid charge facility so if your looking at one possibly avoid the lowest spec (visia).

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Interesting, I assumed the all had the same charging systems and could all do the 30min 80% charge thing.

I'm kinda (very) jealous of MEPs plug in Prius, for the cost it's more than I would currently want to pay for a car but the current generation of Prius is incredibly well developed

I'm seeing more and more electric cars on the road and I hear they expect there to be as many as 300,000 by the end of next year, as people begin to take note


I was reading a review of the current tesler which showed the car has some amazing technology on board but is horrifically expensive, once that tech starts trickling down to more affordable models it's going make they main stream

Recently I keep seeing Vauxhall amperes about

Most Easterly Pandas said:

Interesting, I assumed the all had the same charging systems and could all do the 30min 80% charge thing.

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It may have been fitted to all the early ones but when they released the cheaper one (the one that's about 16k new after government grant) it's not there so may well have been cut to get the sticker price down.

s and b said:

i find wearing open toed sandals doing all my shopping at sainsbobs and of course having the detox once a month so au fait
so i leave electric cars to mugs

sorry

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http://www.aftermarketonline.net/Technical/2013/28481-/Bring-batteries-back-to-life


oooooooooooh thumbs down hurty hurty

StevenRB45 said:

It may have been fitted to all the early ones but when they released the cheaper one (the one that's about 16k new after government grant) it's not there so may well have been cut to get the sticker price down.

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Makes sense, I suppose something has to give to keep prices down. Not sure if its a major loss either, as isn't recommended to be used that often as it can damage the battery apparently (I think that's what I'd read) if the fast charge is used too often. Also can't be used from a Domestic 3pin socket as I recall, so only any good for long distance driving where you need a top up at a service station etc.

Dominion said:

THIS is more like the FF I remember - helpful posts instead brainless smug nonsense replies.

Thanks MEP

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you sure that was FF used to be all food n rabbits

i was looking at some little electric cars on ebay the other day REVA G-WIZ that were a few years old. they were selling for around £800, battery packs were £1500

I saw a Tesla Model S on the road. That's one awesome electric car, shame I ain't got £50k stuffed in a mattress. If EV's carry on getting better like that I'm in

ChrisUK said:

I saw a Tesla Model S on the road. That's one awesome electric car, shame I ain't got £50k stuffed in a mattress. If EV's carry on getting better like that I'm in

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Have you seen this?

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla_model_s

I want one too!!

Electric cars - depends on your needs. If all your journeys are short then it will suit you. Any longer journeys ie over 100 miles then either a hybrid or a vehicle with an engine as a generator will be needed.

Some electric cars - you buy the battery pack and others lease them to you on a monthly basis. For the first, as an example is the I3 BMW where the battery pack is not one but individual cells so, in theory each cell can be changed instead of a whole pack.
The second is (IIRC) the Renault where the cost is about £50 pm.

Battery life is around 10 - 12 years according to BMW dealer for the I3.

I have driven the I3 and it is quick off the mark, naturally, as all torque is there instantly.
It also has excellent regen braking meaning that in many situations the foundation brakes are not needed, even to come to a complete stop.

Cost is also a concern. There is still a £5000 grant from government on any electric car. So the I3 comes in at £28,000 for the full electric and £33,000 for the one with a genny (range extender).
Then take off you £5k and compare it with a diesel or petrol vehicle of the same size for cost.
OK, so no or little fuel to pay and zero road tax on an electric car but there are many low tax "normal" cars with good mpg.

Horses for courses as they say but until the range on a battery car is improved, I won't be investing.
I doubt this will happen until they run out of fuel engines or legislation forces them to stop producing them. Then the range will be extended, you watch.

HTH

there is one of them bmw at waitrose every day i think it may be staff, its always plugged in though

dave said:

there is one of them bmw at waitrose every day i think it may be staff, its always plugged in though

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Not surprised if its free leki.

hennabm said:

For the first, as an example is the I3 BMW where the battery pack is not one but individual cells so, in theory each cell can be changed instead of a whole pack.

OK, so no or little fuel to pay and zero road tax on an electric car but there are many low tax "normal" cars with good mpg.

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I doubt it, as it'll need to be balanced with the other cells. The Prius is made of a range of cells but you change the lot (if required, but they seem to be knocking out 250k miles + before a possibility of a change being required in a few cases from what I've seen on the net). It's just like how when you change batteries in a radio set they say change them all with the same type, not just one or two and not to mix and match.

And don't forget fuel is ever increasing in cost at the pump, certainly faster than the price of electricity.

1.5-2p a mile on electricity vs about 11p+ (was what my Diesel Bravo was getting on combined MPG). That's a hell of a difference.

Like you say though, won't work for everyone, but would work for most, but its the unknown 'aging' of the tech and batteries which puts people off I think.

Most Easterly Pandas said:

Not surprised if its free leki.

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are supermarkets free? there are a few that always plug in at asda but don't seem to be charging, i thought they just got lead out so they could park near the door, our asda decided electric car driver were more likely to get run over than kids, so took away kid parking and put chargers there instead.

dave said:

are supermarkets free?

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Depends upon the charge scheme they're part of.

Not sure if source east goes down your way, but if it does it just £10 a year membership and unlimited charging. Although most are in Pay and Display car parks so you still have to pay your normal parking costs.

be carefull leaving charge lead out in a deserted carpark they sell for a lot on ebay,