Unhappy with owning an EV in Ireland

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118635247#Comment_118635247

"Just wow" Awesome!! Are you part of the silent minority that regrets buying an EV? (not your brother by the way, genuine ones only)

eddhorse

I think a poll would be a better idea for current drivers. easier than going down through all these posts

mrm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118635256#Comment_118635256

Nope, cannot offer opinion yet. Looking forward to EV collection by the end of this month and hopefully becoming a vocal majority (though this will take some time, especially going by this thread). We all understand they are not for everyone (at this moment at least) but I would like to hear from someone else other than somebodies brother to validate this thread title.

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118634199#Comment_118634199

The range on the diesel is only relevant if you need that range, if you dont then it shouldnt be a factor in your thinking. If you do need that range then an EV would never be right for you (on what is currently available)

Also the 10k extra for the Enyaq is that comparing the same specification?

I really think anyone buying a brand new diesel at the moment will regret it (unless they have no other choice due to unusual range requirements).

liamog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118635297#Comment_118635297

It's a very difficult topic to answer, reality is most peoples car choice will work for them, take OPs brother, an EV can absolutely be the right choice because he has access to borrow a petrol car from his brother for those circumstances when he doesn't feel safe bringing his EV. There is no black and white answer that will fulfil every scenario. It's a long time since the only option was a car with 100km of range and a charging network that was likely to be occupied by the local freeloader who avoided using their own home charger.

What I've found on this forum is that generally people give fair recommendations to specific requirements, but end up with a very entrenched position when talking about general scenarios.

PaulJoseph22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118635345#Comment_118635345

^Replied to you in error

@mrm @john rambo

If you check back on my posts you’ll see we share the car regularly but don’t let details like that bother you.

anyyways my opinions don’t count as I’m from the North.

PaulJoseph22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118635408#Comment_118635408

Thanks for that summation.

kanuseeme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118635197#Comment_118635197

Would it have been easier on you if it was a leaf?

So you contend that a Outlander driver should not stop at a service station to take a dump, eat or what ever, and if there is a free charger, he should have a dump in peace knowing that some poor guy will come along and might use the AC charger ? oh wait it was probably a DC charger so in order that no phev driver ever interferes with you, You now tell every phev to charge at home and not use any AC or DC charger out and about.

You honestly think that car manufacturers cannot stick CCS on phevs? Mercedes, landrover are doing it, wait till some of the ionity crowd start giving free credits with each CCS phev purchased

Tell me of what you experienced, who at that particular time was happiest, was not forced to stop (only to take a dump), not forced to wait, got everything they wanted?

What I claim is that I will charge everywhere and anywhere I want to when it suits me. What you want to see is some sort of fantasy with a charging network in its infancy and a fraction of cars on the road that can use it.

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118635297#Comment_118635297

Well, the best of luck with the purchase, looking forward to hear how you get on. I personally have a PHEV and have forgotten what a petrol station looks like.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118635430#Comment_118635430

Not interested in hearsay, anecdotes or stories from people that "share" an EV unless you shared the cost of buying it. Thanks anyway.

PaulJoseph22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118636055#Comment_118636055

We did, we own the company jointly.

our company bought my PHEV and his EV. Which we regularly share. Thanks anyway.

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118636065#Comment_118636065

Ah, I understand now. So the PHEV is used for the longer journeys and the EV is used for the smaller commutes.

A diesel & a EV may have been a better choice with that type of arrangement to be honest.

liamog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118635611#Comment_118635611

Yes, I don't think that a PHEV driver stopping and charging on motorway journeys makes sense. I think PHEVs have a place in the market which they are particularly well suited to, which is charging at home and covering daily commute distances, if that's not how you intend to use the car, then it probably wasn't right choice for you. Just like a BEV owner who needs to rapid charge on his daily commute has also purchased the wrong tool.

As far as I can tell your issue is that I'm saying a PHEV is suited to scenario A, and you are extrapolating that to be a personal attack on your choice of vehicle. I'm going to stick only recommending PHEVs as a sensible option for people who can charge at home, cover their daily usage, and tell them to skip public charging on journeys. I think they'll have a better time all round following that advice.

PaulJoseph22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118636082#Comment_118636082

We wanted to move away from diesel, we both drove diesels prior to the switch.

mrm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118635430#Comment_118635430

Ah don't be like that now! Its just a discussion about individuals who own an EV and are unhappy with it...

....but it's not. Apart from your brother and his dissatisfaction expressed only through you this thread has not received a flood of individuals who have an EV and are unhappy with it in Ireland. It does contain some individuals who do not own an EV but come across as unhappy that others are arguing for them, maybe favouring pony and trap.

Look, this is all about what places people in a comfort zone that they are....comfortable with. 6 months ago I was not in the frame of mind that an EV could cover my requirements, but thinking rationally about it since the right EV (i.e. I discounted the Leaf which was my initial target) will cover 95% of our journeys easily and the other 5% will be within the range of 'will just cover' to 'may need to stop for a charge'. Granted I have yet to fully test this when I start on my EV ownership. Also, I have a diesel second car that will cover me if I get queasy with the EV. Also, I never favoured stopping on a long journey in the diesel so that may have to change, but I don't believe that any changes required to transition to an EV will be that difficult.

zg3409

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118634967#Comment_118634967

Many drivers in NI have sold their EV and gone back to ICE. It's impossible to get some places due to lack of 50+kW chargers, or chargers that have been broken for 1+ years. Some chargers there have ChaDeMo but no ccs. Recently there was no working 50kW+ charger in Belfast. I recommend to family and friends to not buy EV if I think it won't make financial sense, and if the hassle factor was not worth the savings. I have often visited 50kW chargers that had one, or two cars queueing. Nearby chargers were also all in use. I had to head to an easygo site in North Dublin, and hope somebody did not get there first. I have arrived at an empty charger to find the car in front of me was heading to same charger, nearby charger was also in use with queue. It's public charger anxiety I have, not EV anxiety. Some sites are not even open 24/7, Belfast boucher road being a great example. There often tesla dealership demo cars hog the charger with no one in the car. Locals regularly ring the dealership to move their demo cars. It's fine when you don't need to public charge but on city to city round trips charging somewhere is nearly essential charging times in many big battery EVs can be 1+ hour.

There is no signs things are going to improve, only disimprove based on planned new chargers versus number of EVs sold.

liamog

Ahh now, the situation in NI is about to significantly improve, eCars have a fund to refurb and expand their network. Gridserve is entering the market with a hub in Lisburn. There is also the FASTER project (https://www.fasterevcharge.com/) which aims to deliver 73 rapid charging stations across the Eastern Border Region and the Scottish Highlands.

I complete agree with your assessment of charging in NI today, but its great to finally see some kind of investment.

kanuseeme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118636307#Comment_118636307

I still cannot understand why some one with a phev sees a charger and plugs in, as a problem, for others, yes, who want to use that charger, not the phev owners problem.

Recommend all you want, half the stuff spouted about phevs here is made up or lies.

I do take it with some emotion, but in all fairness to be told to charge at home despite a unused charger being right beside the car , ban phevs , compliance cars, cost more for electricity than petrol (thats one you said) inefficiency, tax dodge, whores, worst of both worlds, buyers regret, misers , personal favourite of mine "saving a euros worth of petrol", there is more I could list, but why bother this whole forum is just an echo chamber for EVs

I do try to defend phev's, but sometimes its at the expense of me coming across as anti EV which I am not, a EV is just not for me ATM.

If you consider them such a problem may I suggest you join the club, as of the middle of last year all subsidies, grants, vrt reductions etc were removed from phevs yet they are holding there own in registrations, only 600 cars behind the much heralded EV.

liamog

You seem to be the only coming up with the idea PHEVs should only charge at home. You are missing the point I'm trying to make because your too busy trying to find the anti-PHEV argument. PHEVs are suited to those who can charge at home and who's daily usage can be covered by the home charge, if a family member bought one tomorrow and told me they were going to drive to Galway at the weekend and asked me for advice on where to charge on their way, my answer would be simple, don't, you bought a car which has this feature that means you don't have to worry about mid journey charging, so just avoid it.

My Mum's looking to buy a new car at the moment, she lives in Sheffield most of the time she's buzzing around the local area, every couple of weeks she has to cross the Pennines to go to my Grandparents, she's exactly the right audience for a PHEV and I sure won't be telling her to stop anywhere mid journey to make it there and back.

Gumbo

Its funny that the people who are unhappy with EV's are people that don't own EV's.

I heard a saying before, People that don't own an EV stress more about range than people who actually own an EV do.

This thread proves that statement.

The tide is turning in the EV world. I was die hard petrol head, Straight 6, V8's etc

I went EV. I have friends collecting new EVs this year who are coming from Masaratti, BMW and Audi. I have one mate who point blankly said he didnt see the need for EV's and hydrogen was a better set up. He's getting an i3 in the next month or 2.

NIMAN

Anecdotal evidence suggests most EV owners buy another when they sell.

If they were a bad buy, awkward to own or not practical, then this wouldn't happen..

MightyMunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118634902#Comment_118634902

Not sure where you started from seeing as Mizen Head to Malin head is only around 600km 🙂 if it was over multiple days you would need maybe 2 charges over the whole holiday which even in the north west wouldn't be an inconvenience

mfceiling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118637290#Comment_118637290

Definitely. Looking at the pictures of the Ionic 5 N and I would love to swap to that some day.

MightyMunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118634782#Comment_118634782

Putting 100kwh batteries into cars isn't the environmentally friendly solution. Stopping for a break every 2-3 hours for a few mins a couple of times a year if much better. Some places, like France, are already including an additional tax on vehicles over 1800KG and this will probably spread across Europe.

MightyMunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118634199#Comment_118634199

Most people only put 20 euro into their cars anyway so doesn't really matter what the range is when full. Might be more than 20 since I last paid for petrol as that probably wouldn't get you off the forecourt at current prices 😁

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118636364#Comment_118636364

That's just unfortunate. I didn't know the situation was that bad in NI, thanks @zg3409

You know, you'd probably get a brand new diesel for the EV with no extra cost? The EV's have shot up in price, even the second hand ones.

PaulJoseph22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118637627#Comment_118637627

Yeah we might just have to do that, but as a company we were trying to be more environmentally friendly, I know that no car is but we were trying to be better as company.

Yeah I got a lot more for my diesel Audi when I sold it, than I thought I would. I know all car prices have gone through the roof.

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118637688#Comment_118637688

That's really commendable, but you have to do your research and posting that EV cars are useless is a misnomer. I mean the one instant where ICE vehicles are need is commercial operations that are doing high mileage. The PHEV must cost you a fortune on long trips.

Hope you get sorted with a new car. You and your brother are actually one of the few that really need one. Best of luck in future business.

harderthanf

We've 2 EVs in the house. I moved from BMW msport and herself from a Mazda 3 GT Sport. Neither of us would consider going back.

I've never met or talked to anyone who had an EV and got rid of it. That's not to say they don't exist but it seems people have opinions but no experience.

Unless you're doing big distances a day - Tralee to Belfast say, then in reality, with a home charger, there is little difference.

We'll have no choice in 8 years anyway!!

PaulJoseph22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118637755#Comment_118637755

The EV is the bigger issue for us, I think it’ll be the first to go, I really love the 330e but I do love German cars so that may colour my judgement.

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118637869#Comment_118637869

Weirdly, a relation of mine got a 330e and were thinking of swapping it for a diesel (which is what they had before) but for much different reasons. They inexplicably didn't plug in.

Ever.

They use the engine to charge it cause they thought plugging in would affect their electricity bill!!