EV or Hybrid for my needs?

MightyMunster

Is a Toyota hybrid not just a petrol car, or does it have a plug?

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118025934#Comment_118025934

Toyotas , except for very very recent models are all "Mild-hybrids" also called "self-charging".

They have a battery , but it's very small (only a few kw/h capacity) and charges from the petrol engine and brake re-gen only - Only good for a few kms of Electric driving.

MightyMunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118026000#Comment_118026000

Thanks, that's what I thought. I'm sure they'll eventually bring out an EV to match the wind turbines in their ad's 🤔

Lantus

Obvious issue is EVs while great are still expensive. The 3 mentioned above are good but older and with the smaller batteries. Still suits your trips but nothing much longer. The current big family ev models like id4 and enyaq have 45k to 55k price tags. Big space and range but the cost isn't in the normal car spend bracket just yet for the average Joe.

As you have free motoring currently you should consider saving the cost of a new car loan every month for 2 or 3 years as a deposit. Car market is weird currently with prices and supply. EVs should be much cheaper than they are and the next 3 years should see a pivot towards that but no guarantee!

Solar pv installations are expensive and you will need a massive array with a battery to have any hope of charging your ev from it even partially. Have you researched this much yet?

Overall I would not really invest in hybrid as it's still a petrol engine with an expensive battery. Up coming regulations indicate that hybrids could be assessed very unfavourably as countries want to go to full electric. Only car manufacturers want hybrid as it's profitable. There will be a reckoning in 3 to 5 years and companies like skoda have already stopped any new phev car development. They know where the wind is blowing...

A spreadsheet is your friend so do lots of sums. Buts a balance of lifestyle and wants and costs.

the_amazing_raisin

I would not recommend trying to spec a solar battery for charging an EV. Even the smallest EV batteries are much larger than most home solar batteries, and the losses are pretty bad

A better strategy is to get a charger which can sense when you're exporting and divert the power to the EV if it's plugged in, so that you charge it off of the excess solar power

o1aa

Thanks all for your input a out servicing. I have no issues with my car at all but I do agree it's costly even when nothing is wrong with the car. I actually had to replace brake pads at around 40k mark, prob previous owners loved the break pedal 😂

From doing a lot of research on the current market prices I think I'll hold off and stick with my car. But...My two issues with it is that it's getting older plus I'd love to get an automatic car for the ease of use. But looking at the market ATM maybe it's not the wisest idea to buy now.

Regarding solar panels, I'm getting them done at a cost price plus not getting batteries as the payback on them is not great. So I'm getting solar panels regardless whether I own ev or not.

Thanks everyone for your comments. If anyone has anymore advice you are welcome to give me some pointers 🙂🙂

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118027129#Comment_118027129

Amazingly , Toyota in the US have been lobbying AGAINST the shift to electric and PHEV cars there.

They made a very big bet on Hydrogen as the future solution and so far that has just not taken off at all , so they are significantly behind the rest of the industry in terms of development of vehicles.

They are now rushing out PHEV and BEV cars to try and catch up , but they are quite a bit behind which is amazing since they were the leaders in the hybrid space 10 years ago.

Lantus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118035255#Comment_118035255

Toyota are resisting the change world wide. The Japanese car industry employees huge numbers of people and they do not want that to change. Ev cars will require substantially less workers.

AndyBoBandy

When they do eventually change over to BEV, I'm guessing CHAdeMO (of which Toyota is a founding member) plugs will be standard across the range.

It'll be funny to see Toyota's ads change from 'no need to waste time plugged in' to 'with Toyota, you'll be plugged in the longest'.....

JPup

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118026000#Comment_118026000

Toyota doesn't make mild hybrids. They are a different thing again. Toyota's hybrid's don't have a plug but they do let you drive for some of your journey purely on battery power which mild hybrids don't.

AndyBoBandy

there are some PHEV Toyota's knocking around...

My local Tesco has an eCars AC22 which was regularly ICE'd by a plug in Prius that I never saw plugged in!!!!

I ranted on the Irish EV Owners FB group, and then it stopped happening (so I'm guessing he saw my post).

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118037207#Comment_118037207

Only the newest models - Some 20/21 plate Rav4s are PHEV for example.

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118037240#Comment_118037240

This one is at least 6-7 years old… if not older.

Quin_Dub

To the best of my knowledge no Prius has a plug and certainly not one of that vintage.

** Just had a quick look on the Toyota website and the only PHEV from Toyota is a single version of the RAV4 , no other vehicle has a plug.

AndyBoBandy

This Prius is a PHEV… I can 100% confirm it is a PHEV. And it’s a 2012 car.

So even back in 2012, Toyota had the jump on most, yet failed to grasp it.....

kanuseeme

Toyota have made Prius phevs since 2010 around 20 km range, 4. something kWh battery, 2017 upgraded battery of 8 ish kWh with 40 km range and an option to fast charge on chademo in japan, rav4 is now a phev option.

Toyota have pole position in this country with little or no effort, when they start dropping to 2nd or 3rd place you can bet what ever you want that every single toyota will come with a plug much the same as when they dropped diesel and switched all their cars to hybrid without any great fuss.

I would think people are very happy with their Toyota hybrids probably suits a great majority better than a diesel.

Quin_Dub

I stand corrected - Having said that , I can't see any PHEV other than a RAV4 on the Toyota.ie website.

They only have one model of Prius showing and it's not a PHEV.

MightyMunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118038216#Comment_118038216

Could have been an import? Or discontinued

Lantus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118038216#Comment_118038216

Looks like UK offers a plug in and hybrid. Just the hybrid here. It's 8k sterling more though for phev. Eye watering price for a teeny weeny battery to take you to the shops and back.