Considering options - electric car?

heuston

Hi,

I'm currently driving an Audi a3, 2012. Diesel. 160,000km on the clock. I want to change the car and as it is a smallish car I was considering something much bigger, such as the hyundai sante fe or kia sorrento. Since I bought the A3, we've two babies a 3 yr old and and 20 month old.

However, I would like to know your views on whether an electric car would be a realistic alternative, on an average day, I drive to and from the train 16km each way and on the odd day would drive to the Dublin and back 50km each way or wicklow and back 60km each way. We'd have to get a power point at home as there is no points at work. It would be out only car so, so ideally it could handle the random trip to galway or cork. (Finally, I'd like something easy on the eye).

I'd appreciate any advice, thanks in advance.

waynegalway

heuston wrote: »

Hi,

I'm currently driving an Audi a3, 2012. Diesel. 160,000km on the clock. I want to change the car and as it is a smallish car I was considering something much bigger, such as the hyundai sante fe or kia sorrento. Since I bought the A3, we've two babies a 3 yr old and and 20 month old.

However, I would like to know your views on whether an electric car would be a realistic alternative, on an average day, I drive to and from the train 16km each way and on the odd day would drive to the Dublin and back 50km each way or wicklow and back 60km each way. We'd have to get a power point at home as there is no points at work. It would be out only car so, so ideally it could handle the random trip to galway or cork. (Finally, I'd like something easy on the eye).

I'd appreciate any advice, thanks in advance.

What’s your budget?

For your size of family, I’d say you’re looking at a LEAF 30kwh version at a minimum. What I mean is, that’s probably the cheapest option that would suit you. Your normal day to day stuff would be do-able in a 24kwh LEAF, but your odd 120 round trip would be a push, especially in Winter.

Unless you have a big budget, Galway or Cork is going to mean at least one stop along the way at a rapid charger. These are free at the moment, but you’ll have to pay for them from the middle of next year on.

Anyway, if you can provide a ballpark budget, it will help us answer your question.

heuston

Thanks for your reply, we’d be willing to put in €20,000 plus A3 so probably, €25-28,000

Atlantic Dawn

PM me if you are are selling your 2012 A3 for €5k

waynegalway

heuston wrote: »

Thanks for your reply, we’d be willing to put in €20,000 plus A3 so probably, €25-28,000

Okay. You have options so. There are a couple of Hyundai Ioniqs on the market in that price range. I know very little about them, but maybe someone in here that owns one can confirm range.

Other alternative might be a 40kWh version of the LEAF. I’m not sure what kind of depreciation is hitting them, but I’d say at the 25-28k price range you should be well able to pick one up.

Mike9832

waynegalway wrote: »

Okay. You have options so. There are a couple of Hyundai Ioniqs on the market in that price range. I know very little about them, but maybe someone in here that owns one can confirm range.

Other alternative might be a 40kWh version of the LEAF. I’m not sure what kind of depreciation is hitting them, but I’d say at the 25-28k price range you should be well able to pick one up.

Brand new Ioniq for 26k scrappage is the way to go

Find some banger for the scrappage

12 A3 has years left

unkel

heuston wrote: »

Thanks for your reply, we’d be willing to put in €20,000 plus A3 so probably, €25-28,000

Brand new Ioniq or Leaf so. Both great cars that will suit your needs perfectly. That said the Leaf is not really suitable for long distance driving as it fast charges slowly at the best times and sometimes extremely slowly. If you are only doing a couple of trips over 180km per year, that doesn't really matter though

heuston

So the Ioniq seems better as regards size as its required as a family car, but does anyone here drive one? just for the view on how functional and practical they are, also what about a hybrid car, would that be the best of both worlds? I've seen some on done deal some bmw 3 series hybrids or PHEVs. ECO cars in Westmeath have a 2016 for €22,900.

ELM327

Plenty of Ioniq (and leaf40) drivers here. There are large threads for both.
I'm an Ioniq driver.

heuston

ELM327 wrote: »

Plenty of Ioniq (and leaf40) drivers here. There are large threads for both.
I'm an Ioniq driver.

So what is you use of the vehicle like, are you a country or town dweller, is it used by you as a family car and your only car and how do you find it?

ELM327

heuston wrote: »

So what is you use of the vehicle like, are you a country or town dweller, is it used by you as a family car and your only car and how do you find it?

It's not our only car but it is 99% of our journeys. We have also an 08 prius which herself uses if I'm in the Ioniq.


We live in a small town and commute ~65km each way to work in Dublin. We also travel a lot at the weekend for personal reasons and total miles is ~65k km per year on average, of which 55-60k will be in the Ioniq.

I should also add, I have 32a home and work charging

The Ioniq is great, the fast DC charging with no rapidgate issues, the faster AC charging (4 hours from empty compared with ~6 for the new leaf), efficiency comfort and autonomy is great. I am a fanboy of the Ioniq, there are others that will be along I'm sure to do the same for the leaf. I had a Leaf 24 before the Ioniq and I tested both and picked Ioniq, mostly for the CCS speed, lack of rapidgate, and better motorway range/efficiency.

grudgehugger

Leaf40 owner since July. My first EV and love it. Quite spacious, fine with two kids in back etc.

Drive it about 80km most days on my commute (round trip).

Have driven it to/ from Athlone Greystones in one day with a 30 minute stop for a fast charge. No rapidgate that I can see, I assume as only one charge.

Trips to Galway and Cork sound fine although if you were going more than 325 km in a day then I’m not so sure.

From owners on here, Ioniq also sounds great.

Silent Running

heuston wrote: »

So what is you use of the vehicle like, are you a country or town dweller, is it used by you as a family car and your only car and how do you find it?

Ioniq driver, use the vehicle as a car, country dweller, family car, only car, I just come out in the morning and it's where I left it, not hard to find at all.

Seriously, my driving pattern is a bit out of the ordinary. I do a good few trips nipping around the place and a lot of crazy long "spins". 1000km round trips are a regular for me.

I've probably spent more money per Km than most Irish EV drivers as I spend a lot of time on UK motorways. Only really stressy when 3 rapid chargers in a row are out of service, as they were on the M4 on Saturday night. But there are options off the main drag to compensate for this.

zg3409

Heuston, are you looking to save money on fuel?, your short commute would probably mean low/no fuel savings.

The ioniq has very low depreciation and good reports on reliability. I would say it is slight bigger than a3 although I have never been in an A3.

For long trips to cork the main issue would be the 200km to a charge range ish. You would need to fast charge on way down and again on way back for 20 minutes. The problem is queues at fast chargers & broken fast chargers. Currently you would need to plan to try charge at one fast charger while planning it may be busy or broken and allowing enough spare range to a backup second fast charger. More chargers are due mid to end next year.

For single EV households and long journeys it might be better to hire a gocar or similar for a couple of days or swap cars with a friend, or keep your old car even declared off the road for tax, even for the first 6 months until you can plan properly and allow extra time for charging .

I am going Dublin to Cork in a weeks time, and my ioniq will be sitting parked up in Dublin while I take the smokey diesel. We are are a 3 car household although the electric does 100% of my work commutes and saves me thousands on fuel and tolls. I drive my petrol car so little I have to top up its battery, but it is quickest on my Dublin to Donegal monthly trips.

My advice would be a low tax petrol car as there would be no money savings on an EV and the charging infrastructure is not quite there yet for single car households. If you had a longer commute then my advice would be different.

heuston

zg3409 wrote: »

Heuston, are you looking to save money on fuel?, your short commute would probably mean low/no fuel savings.

The ioniq has very low depreciation and good reports on reliability. I would say it is slight bigger than a3 although I have never been in an A3.

For long trips to cork the main issue would be the 200km to a charge range ish. You would need to fast charge on way down and again on way back for 20 minutes. The problem is queues at fast chargers & broken fast chargers. Currently you would need to plan to try charge at one fast charger while planning it may be busy or broken and allowing enough spare range to a backup second fast charger. More chargers are due mid to end next year.

For single EV households and long journeys it might be better to hire a gocar or similar for a couple of days or swap cars with a friend, or keep your old car even declared off the road for tax, even for the first 6 months until you can plan properly and allow extra time for charging .

I am going Dublin to Cork in a weeks time, and my ioniq will be sitting parked up in Dublin while I take the smokey diesel. We are are a 3 car household although the electric does 100% of my work commutes and saves me thousands on fuel and tolls. I drive my petrol car so little I have to top up its battery, but it is quickest on my Dublin to Donegal monthly trips.

My advice would be a low tax petrol car as there would be no money savings on an EV and the charging infrastructure is not quite there yet for single car households. If you had a longer commute then my advice would be different.

Thanks so much for the detailed reply, my plans are not motivated by saving money on fuel as I don't expend a huge amount on fuel, but as we're considering changing I was intrigued by the electric vehicles as theres so much talk about the climate and they seem to be the way of the future.

I also see that there's grants if you purchase a certain ones from new and generally I'd never consider buying a brand new car.

So, ideally, my criteria is something a bit bigger, something nippier than the 1.6 audi (previously drove a 1.9 TDI Golf and loved it) also wipe clean seats! I don't know much about cars so your input was very insightful, whatever car we do choose would be our only car and while we rarely go anywhere that far with two kids, its always nice to have the option.

Lantus

heuston wrote: »

Hi,

I'm currently driving an Audi a3, 2012. Diesel. 160,000km on the clock. I want to change the car and as it is a smallish car I was considering something much bigger, such as the hyundai sante fe or kia sorrento. Since I bought the A3, we've two babies a 3 yr old and and 20 month old.

However, I would like to know your views on whether an electric car would be a realistic alternative, on an average day, I drive to and from the train 16km each way and on the odd day would drive to the Dublin and back 50km each way or wicklow and back 60km each way. We'd have to get a power point at home as there is no points at work. It would be out only car so, so ideally it could handle the random trip to galway or cork. (Finally, I'd like something easy on the eye).

I'd appreciate any advice, thanks in advance.

If it was just the 16km commute I'd say a cheap 2nd hand leaf but the linger journeys make that a non runner.

Given such low mileage any small petrol engined car will be cheap to buy and run. At your mileage the cost savings will be non existent. Seat arona or troc or octavia or karoq if your going new. World's your oyster if buying 2nd hand.