EV for very low mileage

Gael23 · 23-01-2021 4:24pm #1

Is an EV an uneconomical idea for a very low mileage driver? My mums Micra is coming to end of life but she only does about 5000km a year even without Covid restrictions.
Would an EV pay off or are we better stricking with petrol? Would be a used car either way

Atlantic Dawn · 23-01-2021 4:28pm

Are you thinking brand new or used? Your estimate suggests a usage of just under 100km a week, she would get away with around 1.5 charges a week on the first generation LEAF for this level of use so she certainly would fall in to the criteria where it would be an option.

Gael23 · 23-01-2021 4:39pm

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Are you thinking brand new or used? Your estimate suggests a usage of just under 100km a week, she would get away with around 1.5 charges a week on the first generation LEAF for this level of use so she certainly would fall in to the criteria where it would be an option.

Very likely used. It’s a second car so hard to justify 25k on a new leaf.
My only thing about the 1st gen leaf is it’s a type 1 charger. But maybe that just means getting an unthethered socket

liamog · 23-01-2021 4:45pm

What type of budget is she looking at, 2016 Zoe's are around €1,000 more than a similar Clio. They have the advantage of access to 22kW AC chargers meaning she'd basically only ever need to charge for 1hr if she was ever away from home.

With low mileage she probably wouldn't break even on fuel alone, but if she was keeping the car for a while the engine maintenance would probably cover the difference.

Gael23 · 23-01-2021 4:57pm

liamog wrote: »

What type of budget is she looking at, 2016 Zoe's are around €1,000 more than a similar Clio. They have the advantage of access to 22kW AC chargers meaning she'd basically only ever need to charge for 1hr if she was ever away from home.

With low mileage she probably wouldn't break even on fuel alone, but if she was keeping the car for a while the engine maintenance would probably cover the difference.

Wouldn’t be new for sure. I’ve been sort of looking around 2015/2016. I think anything newer than that would financially be pushing it.

Sabre Man · 23-01-2021 5:20pm

Can she install a home charger? How far would she drive?

Another advantage with an EV is not having to deal with gear shifts, which may be an issue depending on her competency and age.

RandomViewer · 23-01-2021 5:25pm

For all the miles she's doing you are looking at a tenner a week in fuel and a service every 2 years, a newer model Micra or similar would probably make as much sense

RandomViewer · 23-01-2021 5:26pm

Sabre Man wrote: »

Can she install a home charger? How far would she drive?

Another advantage with an EV is not having to deal with gear shifts, which may be an issue depending on her competency and age.

If you are having trouble with gears surely a charging cable will pose similar problems

antoinolachtnai · 23-01-2021 6:00pm

RandomViewer wrote: »

If you are having trouble with gears surely a charging cable will pose similar problems

Toyota Prius or similar might be a good choice for these needs.

fricatus · 23-01-2021 6:01pm

RandomViewer wrote: »

If you are having trouble with gears surely a charging cable will pose similar problems

That’s a ridiculous thing to say. How hard do you think it is to plug a car in? Anyway, given the mileage quoted, she’d only have to plug it in one day and unplug it the next day, once a week.

Clutches and gears are a different thing entirely, since you change gears several times during every single journey. If you’ve a dodgy knee, that can add up, plus you’re doing it while steering, going around roundabouts, etc. That cognitive load can push at the limits for older drivers, and having a single “go” pedal can extend an older person’s driving life considerably.

punisher5112 · 23-01-2021 6:03pm

Honda jazz hybrid or Yaris hybrid....

Even an ordinary petrol would do her.

Gael23 · 23-01-2021 6:29pm

Sabre Man wrote: »

Can she install a home charger? How far would she drive?

Another advantage with an EV is not having to deal with gear shifts, which may be an issue depending on her competency and age.

Charge can be installed yes. She’s mid 50s so gears not yet an issue. Longest journey would be about 60km round trip. Looking at the financial side of it the extra cost of the car is becoming an issue. I know it pays off but the monthly loan payment is significantly more

punisher5112 · 23-01-2021 7:08pm

Gael23 wrote: »

Charge can be installed yes. She’s mid 50s so gears not yet an issue. Longest journey would be about 60km round trip. Looking at the financial side of it the extra cost of the car is becoming an issue. I know it pays off but the monthly loan payment is significantly more

Hybrid and ev are all auto now.
Some older hybrid were manual.

RandomViewer · 23-01-2021 7:09pm

fricatus wrote: »

That’s a ridiculous thing to say. How hard do you think it is to plug a car in? Anyway, given the mileage quoted, she’d only have to plug it in one day and unplug it the next day, once a week.

Clutches and gears are a different thing entirely, since you change gears several times during every single journey. If you’ve a dodgy knee, that can add up, plus you’re doing it while steering, going around roundabouts, etc. That cognitive load can push at the limits for older drivers, and having a single “go” pedal can extend an older person’s driving life considerably.

My point still stands, hooking up a charge cable for someone with likely arthritis is going to be an issue, an ordinary automatic car would get rid of both the gears and charge cable issue

punisher5112 · 23-01-2021 7:10pm

RandomViewer wrote: »

My point still stands, hooking up a charge cable for someone with likely arthritis is going to be an issue, an ordinary automatic car would get rid of both the gears and charge cable issue

If they can't plug something like a charge point then maybe driving a car wouldn't be safe.

fricatus · 23-01-2021 7:33pm

RandomViewer wrote: »

My point still stands, hooking up a charge cable for someone with likely arthritis is going to be an issue.

No seriously, have you ever plugged a charging cable into a car? I agree arthritis can be life-limiting, but if you have difficulty plugging in, then you’re going to have trouble opening the car door, or picking up a petrol pump. Everyday things like opening a carton of milk or filling the kettle for tea might be beyond you.

If things are that severe, then you would need a carer for everyday tasks and you wouldn’t be driving.

RandomViewer · 23-01-2021 9:27pm

fricatus wrote: »

No seriously, have you ever plugged a charging cable into a car? I agree arthritis can be life-limiting, but if you have difficulty plugging in, then you’re going to have trouble opening the car door, or picking up a petrol pump. Everyday things like opening a carton of milk or filling the kettle for tea might be beyond you.

If things are that severe, then you would need a carer for everyday tasks and you wouldn’t be driving.

Old people rarely fill their own fuel, they'll actually travel to a forecourt with a pump attendant, EVs dont suit everyone, pushing people into them because theres a sales target is no better than a pyramid scheme

loopymum · 23-01-2021 10:27pm

I would hardly call mid 50s old to be fair.

There was a program a few years ago about old age pensioners and one of them was driving a leaf and he was 100.
Might be this guy

Honestly the leaf is the easiet car to drive

Lantus · 23-01-2021 10:47pm

You need to specify a budget.

If the longest journey is short then first gen leaf could be a runner for 10k ish.

But as her fuel bill is 450 a year a small auto petrol could be a great idea. Yaris or micra.

Gael23 · 23-01-2021 11:10pm

Lantus wrote: »

You need to specify a budget.

If the longest journey is short then first gen leaf could be a runner for 10k ish.

But as her fuel bill is 450 a year a small auto petrol could be a great idea. Yaris or micra.

Automatic is not essential but I’m aware all EVs are automatic. Anything more than 10k plus scrappage would be stretching it

RandomViewer · 24-01-2021 12:08am

loopymum wrote: »

I would hardly call mid 50s old to be fair.

There was a program a few years ago about old age pensioners and one of them was driving a leaf and he was 100.
Might be this guy

Honestly the leaf is the easiet car to drive

It's old tech, will be as sellable as a Betamax VCR in 3 years

Leonard Hofstadter · 24-01-2021 12:29am

Why would you even bother, at 5000 km a year you'll be spending precious little in fuel anyway. You could have a big dirty 5.0 litre V8 and your fuel costs would still be minimal.

Gumbo · 24-01-2021 12:33am

RandomViewer wrote: »

Old people rarely fill their own fuel, they'll actually travel to a forecourt with a pump attendant, EVs dont suit everyone, pushing people into them because theres a sales target is no better than a pyramid scheme

I don’t know of any forecourts with attendants in Dublin at all.

Gumbo · 24-01-2021 12:34am

RandomViewer wrote: »

It's old tech, will be as sellable as a Betamax VCR in 3 years

People said the same about Gen 1 Leafs 3 years ago. Yet here we are, still selling them to people that they suit.

RandomViewer · 24-01-2021 12:43am

Gumbo wrote: »

People said the same about Gen 1 Leafs 3 years ago. Yet here we are, still selling them to people that they suit.

Worth less than equivalent Pulsar and that's a feat in itself,

liamog · 24-01-2021 1:17am

RandomViewer wrote: »

Worth less than equivalent Pulsar and that's a feat in itself,

Am I missing something, I look on Carzone and see 2013 Leafs with 100,000km listed for around €10k

RandomViewer · 24-01-2021 1:36am

liamog wrote: »

Am I missing something, I look on Carzone and see 2013 Leafs with 100,000km listed for around €10k

You'll get a 2016 for that, 8 years or 150k warranty on the battery which with a 2013 will probably have a very limited range, buying someone else's bother

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/nissan-leaf-ev-sv-cold-pk-4dr-auto/27044072

pwurple · 24-01-2021 1:42am

Pre owned leaf would be ideal for her.
Lads, the woman is her 50's, not her 90's.

Low tax, low maintenance, low cost of ownership. That's what is ideal about EVs. No oil changes etc. It's plug and play. With low mileage the largest cost of ownership factor is actually not the fuel, it's the insurance, tax, annual service. My leaf service was 90 euro per year. Tax was 120. What petrol car comes close to that?

Also it's a nippy car, easy to park. Get one with the cold pack if you can, the heated steering wheel and seats is a touch of luxury on cold mornings.

Gumbo · 24-01-2021 1:43am

RandomViewer wrote: »

buying someone else's bother

Which puts it in the same boat as buying any second hand car, whether it’s petrol, diesel, EV or hybrid. Common sense there.

RandomViewer · 24-01-2021 1:45am

Gumbo wrote: »

Which puts it in the same boat as buying any second hand car, whether it’s petrol, diesel, EV or hybrid. Common sense there.

Big difference in replacing an engine in a 1.2 petrol and having to buy a battery for an EV

Gumbo · 24-01-2021 1:48am

RandomViewer wrote: »

Big difference in replacing an engine in a 1.2 petrol and having to buy a battery for an EV

Very rare to do either.

EV for very low mileage

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