Thinking of moving to EV

It’s interesting how quickly assumptions get thrown around when someone steps outside the narrative. My financial situation hasn’t changed, I work from home, and I made a conscious decision to step away from EVs after weighing the actual hassle, cost versus the hype.

I didn’t downgrade I opted out of wasting hours at public chargers, apps, queues, and unpredictable infrastructure. A simple, efficient petrol car gives me back time and independence no need to explain that to anyone who gets it.

If that choice disrupts the narrative here, maybe the issue isn’t the person making it , it’s the forum’s intolerance to any perspective that doesn’t align.

A home charge point would mean she wouldn't have to wait at charge points.

If you don't want to charge EV in the garage can you not install charge point on the driveway somewhere ?

Ok, ok, we get it. You made a colossal mistake with your car choice and following your disastrous switch due to your inability to correctly assess what your needs actually were you are back in a vehicle type that suits your inflexible approach and provides you with your definition of 'hassle free'.

We all hoped the switch back to ice would be the end of it, but no. You appear so bitter about it you clog up multiple EV threads with your misgivings on your misjudged switch.

Its not a case that this EV thread allows no negativity towards EVs, its simple full of experiences of individuals who own EVs without hassle because they were capable of deciding on the correct vehicle for them and acclimatising to the small changes required to accommodate an EV. We understand that’s obviously not you. We all well know!

The issue with your posts is your intolerance towards EV owners who simply and easily have overcome the issues you state you experienced. Its ironic you calling an EV thread intolerant because your singular personal experience is not being accepted as the norm by all here. I have stated it previously on this forum it is not a case that EVs aren’t for everyone, it is that not everyone is for EVs.

@weadick, as you can fit the home charger I would suggest go for it. Just dont be considering a quick switch as the second hand EV values are not great. I have a 58kW Ionic 5 (small battery), covering mostly local and medium length journeys with a fortnightly long journey beyond the battery capacity, including one single day journey of near 600km (range is 380). Would not switch back. Actually I have never visited the ice section of boards.ie since going to EV. The second car (diesel) will be replaced with an EV when the time comes (I wont push this on financial reasons). 2.5 years owned and have waited at chargers around the country for about 25mins max total. I have yet to find where all the scare storys are from.

@mrm

Appreciate the essay, but let’s clarify a few things before you strain anything patting yourself on the back.

I didn’t just try an EV, I drove 3 over a decade. That’s ten years of first hand experience, not a few months of ownership or the early honeymoon phase. I didn’t switch back to ICE because I couldn’t acclimatise or assess my needs. I did it because I know my needs and after years of living with an EV, I saw first hand the growing list of compromises that just weren’t worth it anymore.

I’ve also concluded that buying new cars, regardless of type, often isn’t a smart investment. It just doesn’t make sense from a practical standpoint.

Since the original poster came here considering an EV, I think it’s only fair to offer the most honest advice I can based on long term, real world experience. That includes both the good and the bad, not just what fits someone else’s narrative.

If my posts challenge your bubble where everyone loves EVs and no one ever has a hassle, that’s not bitterness, it’s just a perspective grounded in actual long term ownership. You don’t have to like it, but dismissing it as sour grapes or a colossal mistake just makes you look defensive.

And no, pointing out real-world limitations of EVs isn’t intolerance. What is intolerance is pretending those issues don’t exist because they haven’t hit you yet or you choose to ignore them.

If this thread is only for people who sing praises and ignore flaws, then maybe just be honest about that and request it be renamed to "Pro EV Only"

I see, I'd love to get rid of one of the cars too, until my motorbike's engine blew up while riding! I had rode 7,000 Miles, 11,200 Kms from January to Mid June and really appreciated the difference getting through town filtering in traffic and the ability to park almost anywhere I like for free. The missus doesn't like the idea even though it makes sense to keep the 2020 Kia Cee'd petrol with way lower kms, but she won't give up the Outlander diesel too easy.

Nah, pure arrogant response from you.

You posted this (intolerant) response to the diarrhea posted above by SupaCat95. This is not benefiting the thread nor the OP. Stop pretending it is just a balancing of the discussion. It is a constant bitching session by you (count your posts here alone compared to everyone else)…not about EVs but your inability to accommodate one. The OP mentioned 28km journeys twice daily. Your personal poor exerience simply doesnt relate to them. Interstingly it also doesn't relate to my 70000km so far in the EV in 2.5 years. Charging an EV is not 'hassle' as you stated, as nor is filling a petrol tank. You are just disappointed you haven't 'convinced' the EV owners.

Fine, No problem but I can see us handing back the EV in 3 months to the job/leasing agent with no regrets. But I am allowed my opinion. Its not constant bitching, I have highlighted to cost saving but I am just not convinced. Time is money, money is time. 45 minutes charging a car is waste of time, luckily she can offset that with paperwork in the coffee shop. Filling a diesel tank is once or twice a week for 10 minutes or less (pump and pay). Big difference.

This is the joy of a leased car ………. its not my problem, its someone elses but imagine if I had a 50k car that I couldnt trade in or sell 2nd hand because of maintenance/reputation issues. My thing is I always let someone else try new technology first.

There it is, another personal attack dressed up as moral high ground.

Let’s be clear, I responded to someone being outright condescending, and I pointed out accurately, that most people in this section are pro-EV. That’s not intolerance, that’s context. Pretending otherwise is just spin.

You keep insisting my posts aren’t relevant to the OP, but I’d argue the opposite. The OP mentioned short daily trips, yes but that’s only part of the ownership experience. What about the longer journeys, weekends away, or times when home charging isn’t an option? Those situations are exactly where EV ownership can start to feel more restrictive and that’s where a decade of real world use counts for more than just mileage.

I’m not here trying to convince anyone of anything. I’m offering honest input based on long term ownership, including the things that didn’t work. That’s valuable, especially in threads where the majority only highlight the positives. The OP deserves a full picture, not a curated one.

And if your definition of "bitching" is just me consistently sharing that experience, while you're free to post smug jabs and dismissals , well, I think we know who’s actually being intolerant here.

Since you’re a moderator here, I honestly expected better than personal attacks and name calling.

Let’s clear something up first my EV experience didn’t end a decade ago it spanned from 2015 right through to May 2024. That’s nearly ten years of real world, day to day ownership across multiple EVs, during a period when charging access, running costs, and overall practicality were all evolving rapidly. My perspective reflects that lived experience, not hearsay or guesswork.

If you disagree with what I’ve said, fine, that’s what forums are for, But dragging in off topic posts from unrelated threads, or throwing out personal insults doesn’t reflect well on the discussion, and frankly, not on the moderation either.

I’ve been clear throughout, I’m not here to bash EVs. I’ve said repeatedly that they can be great for the right person, in the right situation. I’m just sharing what I learned over many years of ownership, including the parts that were more complicated than the brochure promised. That’s not trolling it’s honest input that some prospective buyers, like the OP, might actually benefit from hearing.

We may not agree, but if the response to differing experiences is to silence or insult the people sharing them, then this stops being a discussion forum and starts looking like a curated echo chamber

This thread is depressing, you have someone who does 11k a year in mileage, can install their own charger and is interested in trying an EV, it has descended into a cesspit where the inability of a toyota verson to climb hills in cork, the one month experience of what sounds like the partner of a sales rep in a company car with no home charging, the rantings of a man that wants to go back 30 years, the plight of mechanics, stories of waiting at public chargers etc etc are somehow relevant,

For the OP an EV is a sensible purchase, the amount of times they will ever have to charge publicly can probably be counted on one hand, id imagine at this stage though they have been put off.

My Enyaq is 2 years old so the older model & maybe it's changed. I have a button that brings up the climate control on screen pretty easily.

Apologies - the Tesla I was in was a few years back & it didn't have anything like that. And the Ionic 5 when I test drove it, the guy selling it was showing me going through all the screens to get to the aircon. No easily accessible way. Wasn't the only thing that put me off but was one part.

I drive one for work & am up & down to Belfast in it no bother. I've also done a holiday down to west Cork in my EV without any bother. Charging was really straightforward & I was surprised at the number of chargers around. Never an issue. Even the Aldi near us had one! As for climbs - we drove around without any issue in it & I've never had a problem on steep roads etc. I get from your posts you don't seem to like it but again you can't lump all EV's in together as each brand & model will be different. The same was as ICE cars are all different. It's just lazy arguing.