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I’ve only heard good things about it, but my only concern is , like many other EV’s, everything runs off the single screen.
It really doesn't. The XE30 has the full compliment of steering column stalks and steering wheel switches. Sure you'll have to look slightly down and to the left to check your speed but that took me about 5 mins to get used to in my Tesla. Looking at the XE30 interior pics on Volvo's website I notice that it has shortcuts on the screen for the HVAC. It also probably has voice control.
3.6 seconds 0-60 in the dual motor version... Pheweeew....!
DrP
I would also think it's one of those things that it's worth getting used to, because it's a great car otherwise and surprisingly cheap.
^^
Agreed - looks nice too.
I think the top spec twin motor variant is something like £44k. That's a reasonable price for the tech and trim.
DrP
XC30 does look mint.
My lease is up in 5months so I'm in the marked now for a replacement.
There is so much more available now for not silly money so I seriously looking at buying 2nd hand, renault megane or a polestar are the current favorites.
I guess we're referring to the EX30 not the XE or XC whatever.
Seems to be a decent car by all accounts, but I think the "cheap" is a bit of a con. I know all manufacturers have an entry level model so they can say "priced from" and then charge more for anything you'd want to buy, but Volvo seem to be taking it to extremes with the EX30.
Efficiency doesn't seem to be all that impressive either. Not bad, but reports I've seen suggest 3 mi/kWh for the performance and 3.5 mi/kWh for the single motor, which is a fair chunk below the 4 mi/kWh that some manufacturers seem to manage.
There is also a fair bit of hype around it, which could mean pretty steep depreciation when the inevitable backlash hits.
The kicker for me is that it only comes in one colour (yellow). Plus a load of bland non-colours that you couldn't pay me to drive. But that's very much a personal opinion 🙂
There is so much more available now for not silly money so I seriously looking at buying 2nd hand, renault megane or a polestar are the current favorites.
I can't get over how much the Polestars depreciate!
I paid, roughly, 35% of the retail cost on a 3 year old, top spec model..
DrP
I have been watching how you are getting with your DrP 🙂
I think I'd be pretty happy with a Polestar
Yeah -really happy.
It's a lovely car to drive - feels v much like a GT car TBH! I've the dual motor PPilot plus, so has the glass roof/auto steer/decent stereo. Also got the performance upgrade so is 350kw now.
This means it's a big luxury car that's easy and lovely to drive, but can take off like a rocket if you need it!
Also, it's got a proper dash, and center info screen, AND actual buttons for other things, AND the HVAC is always visible on the centre screen, so useability is very good.
Main downside I guess is that the front can feel 'enclosed' due to the 'shifter tunnel', but once in the driving seat it's fine and never bothered me. Some people find it claustrophobic.
As always, the inner 17 year old lad in me can't leave cars be, so it's had the rear windows tinted to match the factory tint rear glass, i've put a lovely little carbon spoiler on the rear, and will lower it a tad soon too!!!
DrP
I can’t get over how much the Polestars depreciate!
I paid, roughly, 35% of the retail cost on a 3 year old, top spec model..
I thought the traditional rule of thumb was 50% in three years? 35% seems pretty good.
My lease is up in 5months so I’m in the marked now for a replacement.
Central still have a *very* good deal on the top-of-the-range Lexus Rz – less than £300 a month for a £70k car. It won't be for everyone as the range isn't great but, other than that issue, it's a lot of car for the money. I have ordered one for a September delivery – almost all of our driving means the range won't be an issue.
https://centralukvehicleleasing.co.uk/car-leasing/lexus/rz/101086/450e-230kw-takumi-714-kwh-5dr-auto
I suspect that depreciation on EVs is going to be pretty severe for a few more years yet. Mainly for two reasons:
First, they are probably over-priced and that price is being propped up by the tax breaks available for company cars, which aren't available to the next buyer. So, a £40K EV is probably only a £30K car and a price around £15K after 2-3 years is about normal and only looks low if you really thought it was a £40K car in the first place.
Second, technology is changing faster in EVs than ICE cars. What looks like cutting edge battery tech now, for example, might look almost obsolete in only a few years.
So, a £40K EV is probably only a £30K car
I used to think that, now I'm not so sure when you look at the kit and so on. The cheapest ICEs are cheaper than the cheapest EVs, for sure, but once you start speccing decent engines and gear it's not that different.
molgrips
I thought the traditional rule of thumb was 50% in three years? 35% seems pretty good.
I think he's saying he paid 35% of RRP, so 65% depreciation.
The main factor is most people who may be able to purchase an EV at 3 years old would also have access to a salary sacrifice scheme and are higher rate tax payers, so the second hand cost of a £60k new car has to appear significantly less than the £400pm post tax that the same car would cost as a company car. That's not the case for other cars, so the market is artificially compressed.
I'm glad, as I'd quite like a Honda e as a second car in a few years, but don't want to pay more than 10k for one..
Incidentally, looks like stoneachre are pumping out pre registered fiat 500s for half price.. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401306051062?sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&make=Fiat&model=500e&postcode=BN6%208FF&fromsra
less than £300 a month for a £70k car.
Except it's really not. That's with a £3600 deposit on a 24 month lease at 6000 miles, so it's really £450 a month on the minimum mileage. If you want 10k and to make it so that deposit is spread over 3 years its even worse ~£600.
GET IN!
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Noticed my MG (45k in 20months) has started to show a discrepancy between the displayed and actual battery usage per mile.
My last two journeys have been displayed as 3.7m/kW but looking at the % drop in capacity shows more like 3.2m/kW and the kW added at charge supports the % dropped.
Obviously the Chinese haven’t noticed the hoo-har surrounding VW lying about their figures (or being china, just don’t care!)
5lab
Full Member
The main factor is most people who may be able to purchase an EV at 3 years old would also have access to a salary sacrifice scheme and are higher rate tax payers, so the second hand cost of a £60k new car has to appear significantly less than the £400pm post tax that the same car would cost as a company car
I'm a bit of a luddite about this...
I just paid "money" for the car, then owned it and drove it away!
DrP
I've test driven an EX30 for an hour... my impressions...
It drove really well. Better than a lot of reputedly good ICE cars as well
Colours are fine for me,
Backseats are small. Adults over 175 won't want to do a long journey in them
Single screen is annoying, but not a total showstopper. I thought the screen and software layout OK,
I know some people don't like the buttons on the steering wheel , but I thought OK
Range isn't great in the smallest model. The top model is too pricey for what it is, so I think the midpoint is the sweetspot.
Very marmite overall, you'll like it or find it intolerable I think.
Serial EV charging tariff gamer here… $0.08 per kWh midnight to 6am, $0.00 from 11am to 2pm.
powerwall is set to 100% time based control and the heat pump (air source) runs 24/7. Come midnight, eveything flips over to grid and the EV and powerwall guzzle flat out. This stops at 6am and we revert to battery power. Same thing happens at 11am (if there is insufficient solar) which takes us all,the way through to midnight. Any excess solar is mopped up by the EV using a smart app (charge hq) and dumb Tesla charger. They work in conjunction with the powerwall to divert any excess from grid to the ev.
‘They do get me however on the electric hot water, but I have heat pump plans for that which should see a 4.2 year ROI.
Except it’s really not. That’s with a £3600 deposit on a 24 month lease at 6000 miles, so it’s really £450 a month on the minimum mileage. If you want 10k and to make it so that deposit is spread over 3 years its even worse ~£600.
Except it really is. If you get a similar deal through a salary sacrifice scheme, your £600 per month pre tax could cost you as little as £234 after tax (marginal tax rate of 61%), with no company car tax bringing the amount back up. Now salary sacrifice deals aren't quite as good as pure leasing, but they're often not far off, so £300/month after tax for the car above isn't unthinkable.
^exactly right. If you live in Scotland where the marginal rate between £100-£125k is 63%and manage to salary sacrifice your car between those figures you can get an absolute steal of a lease. Having SS scheme in my workplace, the lack of deposit alone makes it significantly better deal.
Before I finally pull the trigger on an EV, can someone explain the difference between a sal sacrifice EV scheme and a company car scheme EV. As far as I can see it makes no difference?
The work company car scheme currently gives me money each month as I've taken that cash alternative. If I choose to take the car I'll still get some cash as I've chosen a fairly cheap ev (mg). I'll then also pay an bik tax of 1% which rises 1% a year. Despite the name I'm effectively sacrificing some salary for a car so my tax bill is reduced.
If I choose the sal sacrifice scheme it seems to work identically accept the millehe allowed is less. I'm not clear if I still pay the bik tax, but I assume I will.
Have I got that right? Or is there some implicit advantage of the sal sacrifice schemes I'm missing?
Except it really is.
but it’s not, as the deal ISN’T on salary sacrifice and likely isn’t for someone paying 61%+ tax. Most people will be 40%.
The same car through Zenith is ~£700 after deductions.
I think the difference between company car and salary sacrifice is whose car it is. Company cars are leased by the company and they let you use it, no? That might have implications for mileage not sure, or if you leave the company etc.
Anyway here's a good article on winter range. Note the difference in left hand graph scale. Also note the extent of Tesla's porkie pies with the range meter on the dash. That's a very cynical thing to do.
https://www.recurrentauto.com/research/winter-ev-range-loss
Just home from a week in Northumberland in a cottage, there and back was 125 miles each way and we probably did around 200 miles of running around. Car is a BMW i4 40. We left home with 80% charge, and today arrived home with 20%. Topped up a few times on Tesla superchargers at cost of £48 total. The car averaged 3.7 mi/kWh over the week. It’s now plugged in and, yippee, Intelligent Octopus has it charging, and all household energy on 7.5p till 430 this afternoon, and again from 830 till 0700, so the washing machine, dryer and dishwasher will all be flat out 🙂
Octopus agile tarif is currently negative until 4pm today. Who’s charging right now and getting paid for it?
Are there any tarrifs that would be worth it for a granny charger user? I can charge in work for 22p, and will be moving at some point soon so no point is spending money for a proper charger.
As my home and work rates are now close to identical I charge at work when I’m there and just use the granny charger for top ups over the weekend, but if there’s a cheaper rate for long enough overnight it might be worth switching. Needs to be quite a long reduced tariff period as I can only charge at 2kW max.
Octopus have an EV rate that is about 6p overnight.
Octopus agile tarif is currently negative until 4pm today. Who’s charging right now and getting paid for it?
I was up to 50kWh at 4pm today.
Heaters going back on later and for a fair chunk of tomorrow prior to 4pm.
I might earn enough to halve my usual weekly cost. Which is around £2.50 plus standing charge.
Re the company car scheme Vs sal sacrifice (quoting seems broken) - company owns the car for sure, and if I leave they take it back. That's seems a bonus tho - no lingering financial commitments, if my circumstances change. Obviously id not have a car, but it's a second car anyway so no biggie.
Yes, the liability if I were to lose my job is one of the reasons I don't want to lease.
60kWh on Saturday and a shiny £1 heading my way. None went in the Corsa e.
I could do with digging out the Agile tariff thread.
Having made the jump to EV's with the MG4, now considering a 2nd EV when my Skoda ends PCP deal in Sept. I'll probably buy it as it is about 1.5k above the buyback (got an ace deal and it's under milage). Might keep it, might trade/sell it for an EV.
In the next couple of weeks going to test the new Hyundai Kona and the Volvo EX30. These feel about the right size as no kids at home, and they both can be fitted with pretty standard tow bars as I do not want give up my towball mounted bike trailer. Fair to say both Volvo and Hyundai dealers were very keen to get me to test something! I would have happily had another Skoda but the current EV is too big and apparently the smaller EVs (Koraq size like mine and maybe octavia) won't be available until 2025 at least.
Be interesting to see how the test drives compare to the MG4.
Good mate just put this on our WA group:
Well this was disappointing.... VERY basic inside, drive was ok but the dashboard is a mess....cost cutting everywhere. No electronics on the seats. A huge gap between driver and passenger seats... very few trays / storage etc. The Polestar is way better..... new controller being fitted today so let's hope that fixes the glitches!!
He's also got a Tesla that he's had for a few years so is not ignorant on matter EV.
[He bought a SH Polestar just after Xmas to replace an i-Pace but it's broken down 5 times since getting it.
I think the Volvo was a potential replacement. Sounds like that's not going to happen!]
That's what the reviews say. Some hate the spartan interior, some love the quality and drive. It's a question of taste. The fact that some people love it, and it's very cheap, would put it on my shortlist if I were shopping. You may as well try, you're only going to lose an hour of your life.
I looked at the EX30 and quickly discounted it. It's very much smaller than the XC/EX40 (based on a smart Four4 platform) and is nowhere near in terms of quality to the bigger car.
Now the 40 is available with single motor/long range I thought it would be up there with the Polestar around 400 miles range, but no.
Dropping the extra motor gives 10 miles extra range. Not good enough.
You may as well try, you’re only going to lose an hour of your life.
This is true. I will need to interact with a car salesperson tho. This rarely goes well.
Which reminded me I wrote this when faced with a similar car buying dilemma
https://www.pickled-hedgehog.com/new-is-the-new-used/
(note naughty words from the start)
Jeez- 12 years ago. I'm sure I bought that car last Thursday 😉