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Buying a plug-in hybrid and an ev at same time advice?

  • 15-06-2025 03:56PM
    #1
    readysetgo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 80 ✭✭


    Long story short, have 2 cars at moment over 10 years old and looking to change both, and plan on getting solar panels and home charger with the outlay.

    We are mostly short trips. Wife has a city commute, 10km each way, 20mins. outside of that small drops of 3 kids to training etc.

    My commute is 20km each way, 20mins but all on windy country roads. once a month long journey about 400km motorway.

    Budget all in for solar/charger and 2 cars is 30k or approx 600per month repayments. (both cars we have currently prob get 3/4k each according to carzone price)

    Any suggestions as to perfect combination of cars? which one to get electric which hybrid and combination of age for each?!



Comments

  • #2
    joe1303l
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,952 ✭✭✭joe1303l


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058416547/buying-a-plug-in-hybrid-and-an-ev-at-same-time-advice

    Before any specifics on suitable cars, I’d suggest you separate your Solar PV and vehicle upgrade budgets assuming they add to €30K. It makes no sense to use Solar to charge an EV or Hybrid. Generally folks use cheap night time electricity rates to charge EV’s and export any excess electricity at a higher rate. Once a vehicle budget is established, you’ll get plenty advice here on what may suit your requirements.



  • #3
    KCross
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,298 ✭✭✭KCross


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058416547/buying-a-plug-in-hybrid-and-an-ev-at-same-time-advice

    I'd say +1 on the advice to separate the Solar decision from the car decision. Solar shouldnt influence anything in your car choice. It also makes it harder to recommend cars as your Solar could be €10-15k of that €30k.

    How much do you actually have to spend on the two cars?

    Any suggestions as to perfect combination of cars?

    I dont think there is a perfect answer here. You will get a big range of responses. In theory, with your short commutes and local trips any/every EV would suit you for that…. even cheap Gen 1 Leaf's.

    The regular 400km journey needs a "long range" car though, if thats to be a BEV. Having to do multiple stops for that journey will get old fast considering you are doing it 10+ times a year.

    I think you should probably just change one car to a BEV for now (as big a battery as you can get for your budget) and work that for 6 months and see how it is working out for you. Then make a more informed decision on the second car later.



  • #4
    readysetgo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 80 ✭✭readysetgo


    thanks. my solar etc setup is coming in at 8k so that leaves 22k and 2 old cars to sell or trade in.

    my own thoughts were an older leaf at 10-12k like this? https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/nissan-leaf-109-leaf-sv-premium-40-kwh/39859823

    and then a slightly newer phev such as this https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/renault-megane-sport-tourer-iconic-e-tech-phev-160/39774466

    I just dont know a whole lot about cars, and dont think i'd go 2 ev cars.

    with a budget of 30k say, what ratio would make most sense and which car to spend more or go newer with? or i could just go bangernomics on one and spend most of money one of either an ev or phev?! i know theres probably too many options but i suppose i'm just asking what would you do if you had solar, 5kw battery and home charger and had potentially up to 30k to spend on 2 cars…



  • #5
    BrianD3
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,830 ✭✭✭BrianD3


    The inclusion of the Solar PV in the budget makes this an interesting one. 30k for solar plus two cars is not a big budget. You are only doing 20k kms between you which isn't that much. The lower the mileage you do, the less you save on fuel with an EV. Looking at what has been posted and seeing as your wife has a short city commute, maybe you'd think about a cheap Leaf for her and a decent petrol for you. Or depending on what cars you have at the moment, keep one or both of them. In any case I think I'd be prioritising the house over the cars. How big a solar system were you planning on installing? Battery or no battery? Also, how well insulated is the house? If you want to save money on your housing and transport costs, there will be items which give a greater bang for your buck.

    edit: I see some of that was already answered while I was typing. Small solar system. Have you got the roofspace to go larger?



  • #6
    Buddy Bubs
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,672 ✭✭✭Buddy Bubs


    Just to critique you car choices, you've picked a tiny battery PHEV and an EV with the much less common charging standard, I wouldn't recommend either of those cars, maybe they just worked out at your 30k budget combined so kind of fit, but id look again.

    The thing with small PHEVs I found was you dont really enjoy driving them as you're always trying to eek out electric range but something that small even your short commute will be affected by this. And you're constantly plugging in after every journey.

    Id keep 1 of your current cars, whichever is best, buy a long range EV with a 60kwh battery or above for about 20k and use the rest for your home charger and solar, I dont have solar myself so can't really comment.

    2021/22 cars in this 20k ballpark include kia niro, hyundai kona, ioniq 5, id3, cupra born.

    Get a charger day 1, get the right EV and you'll be doing all your driving on electric without constantly looking at the range and on your long 400km drive a short charging stop will get you home.



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  • #7
    readysetgo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 80 ✭✭readysetgo


    Thanks a million Brian and Buddy!

    Cant go bigger with solar.

    My thinking was PHEV for second car as i'd be paying for the charger anyway so might as well get the use out of it more than one or 2 nights a week while. I think i'll take your advice and start with a decent ev and pray i get another year or 2 hassle free out of one of our current cars.

    The ones mentioned all seem good

    "kia niro, hyundai kona, ioniq 5, id3, cupra born" I presume they are all just a matter of personal preference?! The wife wont care, it'll just come down to colour!

    from a quick look, this seems to fit the bill? would i be going far wrong with it?!

    https://www.usedcarsni.com/2021-Volkswagen-ID-3-150kW-Family-Pro-Performance-58kWh-5dr-Auto-378437539



  • #8
    Buddy Bubs
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,672 ✭✭✭Buddy Bubs


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123547124#Comment_123547124

    I just picked those as they were around since 2020 or so, prices will have dropped down to a level that will fit your budget, Niro and Kona around a little bit longer so maybe available cheaper and were all more or less the best choices at the time in my opinion.

    So much more choice nowadays but they're all still for sale and still solid choices.

    Cupra I mentioned only since 2022 so might not find as cheap as the others, ioniq 5 might be a bit more expensive than others too.

    You've a lot going on in your post so we'll all think of different ways to spend your budget. Don't do all at once if its all new to you.

    Id go charger and decent ev straight away, get a night rate or EV specific tariff or whatever suits you. Keep 1 car that you currently have if they're reliable and then in time decide if you want another EV or a PHEV.



  • #9
    MojoMaker
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,644 ✭✭✭MojoMaker


    Of those choices, solar is a bit of a con. I'd hazard a guess that many people researching adoption of solar panels are doing so from the incorrect perspective of using it to charge their potential EV purchase, whereas this is anything but the use case for adopting solar technology.

    Echoing previous advice, I would go single BEV to start - something with a decent range, 300kms+ and run it for 6 months to iron out all the Fred questions you're going to have. Then once feeling comfy add the second vehicle, you may find it becomes an EV too.

    Lastly, having done extensive research into the financial export models for solar adoption start getting into that aspect of private energy production as an ongoing project. Btw 8k sounds very light for an install that's going to give you any (a) satisfaction or (b) income. If it was that cheap everyone would have a solar setup.



  • #10
    joe1303l
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,952 ✭✭✭joe1303l


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123547124#Comment_123547124

    Nothing too wrong with the ID3 you picked but be sure it has the range you need if it’s going to be your main car. (you’ll want to maximise your fuel savings by charging almost exclusively at home). Korean makes generally have longer warranties than the likes of VW if that matters to you. When comparing different EV’s, “EV Database” gives reliable real world range data.



  • #11
    pah
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,772 ✭✭✭pah


    I would second the advice on keeping the better of the 2 cars, maybe the more reliable one, with a view to purchasing a second EV in a few years ( which you will absolutely want to do once you get used to the first one)



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