EV for commute. Viable?

mistress_gi

Hi Guys!
So I am starting to look into the wonderful worlds of EV's has I have a long commute and was hoping to transition from diesel to electric.
So ideally I need to do 220 km on a single charge all year around (all motorway driving), so I started looking at the Ioniq but figured that this is not an option at the moment so now I am more focused on the Zoe.
Any EV owners out there that would be able to advise?
Thank you!

DrPhilG

220km in one go leaves you the newer Zoe or the Leaf that is due out shortly. Unless you're filthy rich and can afford a Tesla.

The other option is a BMW i3 with range extender but if you're doing that trip constantly I'd personally prefer a pure EV that's fit for it.

What's your budget and size requirements? The Zoe is a lot smaller. Leaf won't be available until probably March.

mistress_gi

Thanks for the reply!
So budget I am not sure yet as I will be doing the finance thing but defo not filthy rich so the tesla is for sure out! I think I could afford around 40k (though the stinginess in me makes me less than happy)!
No real size requirements either as I do the commute on my own and don't have a family to cart around on most days!
I would also like to have the EV as an only vehicle so I am not sure it can be done

KCross

I'm not sure there is any car, apart from Tesla, that can do 220km at motorway speed.

The new 40kWh Leaf will do 250-300km+ @ 100km/h. Very unlikely you will get 220km @ 120km/h and add in some wind, rain and cold and you definitely won't.


Do you do that 220km without stopping?
Do you drive at 120km/h on the motorway?
Is that commute daily?! :eek:
If its not daily and you were willing to stop for 10-20mins the 40kWh Leaf would be fine.

mistress_gi

Hi! No, my commute goes the following way:
1. Travel about 87 km
2. Stop and charge 
3. Travel about 87 km
4. Stop, no charge
5. Travel 87 Km
6. Stop and charge

KCross

mistress_gi wrote: »

Hi! No, my commute goes the following way:
1. Travel about 87 km
2. Stop and charge 
3. Travel about 87 km
4. Stop, no charge
5. Travel 87 Km
6. Stop and charge

I don't fully understand your routine above and how it fits in with the requirement to do 220km without stopping?

Are the "stop and charge" rapid charges along the way from the eCars map that are available to you, or are they destination/work chargers?

Is the 220km you speak of just your ideal scenario so you can remove the "stop and charge"?

If you are willing to do the stops you have listed above then that opens up a few more EV's to you as your longest stint there is 174km which would fit the Ioniq, Zoe 40, i3 Rex, Leaf 40kWh, maybe new eGolf.

DrPhilG

Ahh, I thought you meant no stops at all.

And are you on the motorway doing full pelt or smaller/slower roads?

mistress_gi

Sorry, I am not the best at explaining these things
All the 87 km trips would be motorway.

I would like to only charge the car at work, so it would be :

Home to work (87km ) - charge the car
Work to home (87km)
Next day (no overnight charge)
Home to work (87 km) - charge the car


Restart the cycle above

listermint

Can i ask why no home charge ?

is it lack of option , apartment or something? or balking at the 3 Euro electricity to fill it ?

because it seems the commute is doable easily by any of the latest EVs.

DrPhilG

Agreed, you're making it difficult for yourself by not home charging. Unless that is a forced issue by being in an apartment etc?

Do you have another car in the household? If home charging is not an option then what happens if you get home and then want to go somewhere else that night?

80sDiesel

Assuming a leaf 40 and his work charge ( and that it slows down the charge after 80%) , how long would it take his work charge to get to 100 %?

KCross

mistress_gi wrote: »

Sorry, I am not the best at explaining these things
All the 87 km trips would be motorway.

I would like to only charge the car at work, so it would be :

Home to work (87km ) - charge the car
Work to home (87km)
Next day (no overnight charge)
Home to work (87 km) - charge the car

Restart the cycle above

OK, so you need 174km for your daily commute and then you added another 50km for tootling around at home in the evening? Is that where the 220km came from?

I'd echo the others responses in that you really should have home charging, if possible. Do all your charging at work if its available but have the home charging there as an option, again, if possible.

If you had home and work charging any 28kWh+ EV available today (Ioniq, Leaf 30 or 40, Zoe 40, eGolf etc) would do you based on the figures you've posted.

If you only have the work charging then you need to be looking at 40kWh+ EV's... Zoe 40, Leaf 40 and maybe the i3 Rex if that floats your boat.


There are also supposed to be longer range Leaf and Ioniq's coming out for 191 and some other SUV style EV's like Kia Niro and Hyundai Kona also in 191. These would all be suitable but they are a year away.

KCross

80sDiesel wrote: »

Assuming a leaf 40 and his work charge ( and that it slows down the charge after 80%) , how long would it take his work charge to get to 100 %?

It only slows down on a rapid charger. The work charger would charge at an almost constant rate to 100%. The last percent or two would slow down but not much as its only charging at 7kW's anyway as opposed to a rapid at 50kW.

thierry14

I would get an i3 rex

Easily get a year old low milage one from the UK for under 30k all in

OP is too reliant on charging.

I don't think even the New Leaf would do 174km @ 120 in the wind and rain

Zoe40 estimator @ 120 in 5c says 172km, that's not even including wind we get

https://www.renault.ie/vehicles/new-vehicles/zoe/driving range.html

New Leaf won't be much better

It probably has smaller battery even

ELM327

You could get an early model S 60kWh for 40k which would do those trips in comfort.

80sDiesel

ELM327 wrote: »

You could get an early model S 60kWh for 40k which would do those trips in comfort.

Would it have to be plugged in for the day? 7*8hrs = 56.

ELM327

80sDiesel wrote: »

Since it would have to be plugged in for the day? 7*8hrs = 56.

Where's the 7kW coming from?

I have 22kW 3 phase at work.

80sDiesel

ELM327 wrote: »

Where's the 7kW coming from?

I have 22kW 3 phase at work.

I was assuming single phase fast charger

Which is the more common setup at work places?

ELM327

80sDiesel wrote: »

I was assuming single phase fast charger

Which is the more common setup at work places?

Without wanting to identify my company too much, at the site where I'm usually based, there are 4 other companies with chargers. 3 of these are 22kW and one is 7kW.

Since there's not much difference in the cost between 7kW and 22kW I'd imagine most places have 22kW (unless there's supply limitation)

mistress_gi

Thank you all for all the replies!
Home charging is really not an option, not due to financials but due to logistics constraints.
I will keep an eye open for a model S or maybe the I3 with a range extender I think my personal preference would be the latter due to the small but present petrol engine !
Or I may actually wait until next year for the new models.
Thanks again

Shefwedfan

mistress_gi wrote: »

Thank you all for all the replies!
Home charging is really not an option, not due to financials but due to logistics constraints.
I will keep an eye open for a model S or maybe the I3 with a range extender I think my personal preference would be the latter due to the small but present petrol engine !
Or I may actually wait until next year for the new models.
Thanks again

You could look at 18 eGolf. The ecogrant has been extended so you get additional 4k off it with an old diesel banger

Also the PCP is low rate 1.9%

Could be worth a look