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Looking to swap 2 non-electric to 2 electric cars. advice?

  • 25-03-2022 9:45am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 990 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    We currently own a 11D Hyunday IX35 and a 141D BMW 5 series. I drive to work every day on the BMW (66km return trip), and we have the hyunday with the 3-year old chair to drive him to creche and as well for other trips that involve a large boot. My idea would be to swap both for a smaller electric car for my commute and for a SUV for family trips. We wouldn't mind at all second hand market.

    Any advice? I was thinking about a Leaf for my commute, but it's not set in stone. The SUV we would like it quite roomy


    Thanks!



Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 10,701 ✭✭✭✭the_amazing_raisin


    The Leaf is actually fairly spacious for the size of the car and is a great family second car, we've had a 2016 Leaf which handles all the local commuting easily

    For the other car, you'll want something with a bigger battery and good charging speed that will handle long journeys. You want to look kind of worst case rather than just looking at your daily commute

    You'll only be able to get one charger on the grant, but I'd recommend getting 2 chargers with load balancing so that you can charge both cars in parallel

    It might be best to swap out the Hyundai first for something shorter range to get used to living with an EV and then look into swapping the BMW later

    Also if you're buying new bear in mind that there's long waiting lists for most me EVs at the moment

    "The internet never fails to misremember" - Sebastian Ruiz, aka Frost



  • Registered Users Posts: 13,175 ✭✭✭✭fits


    skoda enyaq and either Tesla model 3/Cupra born/Id.3


    end of thread 😀.



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,502 ✭✭✭zg3409


    Do you have off street parking and own you own home, do can you get 2 home chargers and charge car at home?


    Are you aware on trips beyond the real world EV range you need to stop at public chargers for 30 minutes to one hour to refill and public chargers are often busy, blocked or broken. There is not half enough to cater for demand at peak times.


    I would start with one EV, see how it goes, try this for longer trips, public charging and then see what range you need for longer trips. Old secondhand EVs tend to be relatively expensive for older cars. New they tend to be very expensive but depreciation is very low on EVs these days.


    You could buy a 40kWh leaf or 28kWh ioniq for 14,000 to 20,000 euro and both are guaranteed 100km+ range in any weather at any speed. With older cars there may be the odd issues passing the NCT such as brakes, suspension etc. There is the risk of something expensive breaking that's hard to fix anywhere except the dealer, but typically for the age they tend to be more reliable than same age petrol or diesel.


    Ideally for family SUV sometime like a used Kia Niro with 64kWh battery for 34,000 euro is a good option, with a leaf for daily commute.

    It may make more financial sense to only have one EV if the other car is not driven much, and run it into the ground and switch in 2 or 3 years when used prices and options are better.

    I would warn that having to stop mid long trip for possibly an hour, is not ideal and having one petrol car in household makes EV life much easier. Public charging is main downside of EV ownership. Sometimes all decent chargers on north side of Dublin can all be in use at the same time.



  • Registered Users Posts: 990 ✭✭✭cubatahavana


    For charging, we already have a charger, as the house that we bought in 2020 came with one. We may look into getting a parallel one



  • Registered Users Posts: 500 ✭✭✭PaulJoseph22




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  • Registered Users Posts: 990 ✭✭✭cubatahavana


    Thanks for this, I thought that it wouldn't be difficult to find charger. I am aware that you'd need to stop for at least 30 minutes to charge, but didn't thnk that it would be difficult to find a spot



  • Registered Users Posts: 10,701 ✭✭✭✭the_amazing_raisin


    That's handy, do you know the make and model of charger? Some of them have the ability to share the available power built in, so getting another charger of the same brand might be a good idea if they support it

    "The internet never fails to misremember" - Sebastian Ruiz, aka Frost



  • Registered Users Posts: 10,701 ✭✭✭✭the_amazing_raisin


    There tend to be a single fast charger per location, so if it's being used, is blocked by another or is broken then you'll need to wait or look elsewhere

    I've a 77kWh ID.4 and it handles long journeys no problem. I can do Dublin to Waterford and back without recharging

    If I was going to Cork or somewhere I'd probably try to plug into an AC unit in Cork overnight to charge up the car. They tend to be more available and they have 2 sockets generally so less chance of being blocked

    "The internet never fails to misremember" - Sebastian Ruiz, aka Frost



  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    first one and then two Citroen e-C4s. 50kWh(net)41 to 46(gross) battery. Efficient enough on open road. Big enough. Between granny cable and 7kw charger you'll be able to keep both charged up on the driveway. If you want variety then 2nd car can be something with a small battery like 40kWh Zoe or Ioniq or Leaf 30kWh.



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,027 ✭✭✭Lantus


    You don't give any indication on budget. As you currently own 2 cars assuming no finance then any new car including ev will cost you not save you money. If you are buying anyway then 1 good ev could be a solution. 2 may be better subject to all driving undertaken and distance etc.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 990 ✭✭✭cubatahavana


    The way I see it is that I could trade the ix35 for maybe 6k and the bmw for close to 19k, reducing the price of the new cars. As well, I’m spending 350 in petrol every month, that’s why I think a small Ev for my commute as a first car, would be a good idea. That would save me 250 per month in petrol, which it would add up quickly. I know I’d need to pay for the ev, but in the long term, I think it would be beneficial. The ix is already 11 years old and would need replacement in the not so distant future



  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 18,559 Mod ✭✭✭✭slave1


    Don't worry too much about a second home charge point, we are 3 years as a two EV household and never had an issue, I installed a typical 3pin outside socket just in case but even then I think it may have been used twice in the 3 years. It's a lot of money to sink into for what may never be required



  • Registered Users Posts: 14,080 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    I agree with zg.

    Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

    Get one ev to replace the one doing most mileage and see how you get on.



  • Registered Users Posts: 607 ✭✭✭MakersMark




  • Registered Users Posts: 3,027 ✭✭✭Lantus


    So the BMW is the obvious target for replacement as the fuel cost is highest. But the most comfortable cruiser that no ev can really match so be prepared for that change to harder suspension to cope with heavy batteries. You can easily get a leaf 40 for an everyday commuter that can easily do 200km on a charge so 2 to 3 days per charge. I'd say 20 to 25k for a fairly newish one so minimal cost to change. Ioniq 38 would be another good option. After that you are into ever higher costs for better range size and features as much as you can spend.


    I would hold the ix35 and maintain and save towards a replacement in a few years time. The Dacia jogger has a huge storage solution and will return good economy. An elec SUV with good boot is going to be 45 to 55 new but could be less in a few years once they migrate into the 2nd hand market. Thinking enyaq or ioniq 5 type design



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,320 ✭✭✭Buddy Bubs


    Just on your valuation of your bmw, I have a 2014 Audi A6 S Line with only 70000 miles and the most I've got offered to trade is 15k. They tend to be priced the same as each other.

    Unless yours is a 530d I suspect you'll be offered something similar which is another 4k cost to change. If yours is an SE it's going to be more again. Since i believe this change is financially motivated for you just bear that in mind. Possibly do better on a private sale but who knows? I don't know what a 2011 ix35 would command they are not something I ever look at.

    I see 5 series and A6 asking north of 20k in some main dealers and huge amounts of them in the 18k or so price bracket, but you won't be offered that on a trade. Not a hope.



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,090 ✭✭✭fafy


    Totally agree, while we have one of the two EV’s currently being charged at work now, that was not the case for 5 months last year, it was never an issue, we tended to charge on different days. I already have a front of house external 3 pin socket, i have never had to use it for charging. Theres a little bit of understandable paranoia about charging, i get that, but unless you are doing 200 km to 300km daily commutes, there won’t be an issue with 2 EV’s, sharing one charger.and the OP has a 66km return commute, this will not be an issue



  • Registered Users Posts: 10,701 ✭✭✭✭the_amazing_raisin


    Just to chime in about making the switch with both cars, I'm in an all EV house for about a year now and we're both happy and no looking back.

    I think there's been one trip my wife couldn't manage in her Leaf and she has the option of the ID.4 (if she'd bother learning to drive it)

    There's many others here who have done the same and are happy with their decision


    So it's definitely feasible to go all electric if that's your desire


    I would echo the advice of doing it one car at a time, there's about a 3 month learning curve with EVs and you need to make a couple of longer trips to see the good and the bad of charging away from home

    "The internet never fails to misremember" - Sebastian Ruiz, aka Frost



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,208 ✭✭✭MightyMunster


    Have a look at abetterrouteplanner (website or app) you can toggle the car types and will give you an idea of longer range trips. The likes of a Tesla Model 3 LR would get you anywhere on the island with one stop, see Mizen Head to Belfast as a worst case example below. You'd be stopping anyway on a 5 or 6hr drive so I've found it doesn't add any time onto journeys. Car has always been ready before me and the kids.



    Obviously choosing a car that relies on the public network will be more challenging.

    Ionity also have a reasonable network but the units aren't very reliable in my experience and it's more than twice the price of the other chargers, ok for once a year trips etc but you wouldn't want to be paying it regularly



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,054 ✭✭✭innrain


    I share my EV journey hopping it helps.

    We got an EV back in 2019 to replace the main car, a petrol wagon which was apropaching 350k km. I'm driving at least 100km a day so we got a Kona which it is a small car but long range. I was disappointed with the Paddy spec vs the UK but still an improvement over the 2006 petrol. We thought of it acceptable as 90% of the time I would be alone in the car. It was designated that eventually will become the 2nd car of the family. If things wouldn't work we could use it from time to time and replace the other small petrol car with a family size petrol for family drives. I have to mention we don't have charging at home. Two years in we considered it actually works and replaced the remaining petrol car with a family sized EV. This week Kona would be 3 years and 57k km. Tesla is only 10 months and 20k km. Numbers would have been much higher if not for the pandemic. I drive whichever although my wife prefers Kona due to its raised position and size. I'll make "her" a birthday present and get EAP for the auto park.



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