New to eCars...Not sure where to start!

Skinfull

I'm currently driving an 05 Ford Focus, which I bought new, and it treated me well, but its dying a death and I'm thinking of trading up for an eCar.

I generally drive 3 or 4 times a week. <30km range total per journey.
But about once a month I will trek down the country to the da's house, which would be about 150km return journey, and to the bros house which is about 290km return journey.

My price range is about 30k, and yes I have a driveway.
I'm looking for a 5-door car and was leaning to the opel e-corsa, but after reading this sub, it looks like it might be over priced. I like the specs of the Zoe, but do not find it aesthetically pleasing.

I test drove the Leaf, and really liked it, but worried about the range. Also wondering if I should hold out until the new year.

Any advice, is greatly appreciated!

unkel

There's nothing happening in the new year. Not at the start of it anyway. Apart from VW ID.3 but the first edition is likely well outside your budget. And a newer and better EV is always promised to be around the corner. Your car is dying, you might as well make the jump to EV now. Leaf should be fine with all your trips, but when you're going to your brothers house, you have an issue. You can charge with the "granny cable" that comes with the EV and plugs into any home socket, but if the Leaf is completely empty, it would take 20 hours to charge. If you're staying overnight that will probably be fine

Have you considered Hyundai Ioniq? It is far more efficient and has a similar or slightly higher motorway range than Leaf, even though it has a much smaller battery. It would need "only" 14 hours charging. Another alternative is the eGolf, but you won't get one new this side of €30k

Or up your budget to at least €36k and go for an EV that can do the return trip without charging no bother, like Hyundai Kona and its brother the Kia eSoul and its sister the Kia eNiro. BMW i3 also around that price.

Skinfull

I had a look at the Ioniq and I'm going for a test drive at the weekend.

Would it be also worth me looking into 2nd hard EVs?

unkel

Make sure you have that Ioniq in sport mode when you test drive it!

The problem with second hand EVs (substantially cheaper than a new Ioniq or Leaf) is that they wouldn't even make your 150km return trip without charging. And you would have to publicly charge on your way to your brother and again on the way back.

Some people on here bought a brand new 191 Ioniq for €26k on the road. Very hard to beat that value for money if you consider that a 2.5 year old 171 Ioniq is still worth about €22k in a private sale.