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No, I tried it but didn't like it as much as Google Maps. Still use it for route planning though.
Thanks @teaandbiscuits Yes I find it pretty good for route planning. Tell it what car you have, what state of charge you will leave with, what state you want at the end and it will plan a route. It's then easy to look at the chargers along the route, add any as a stop and recalculate the route. All of which can be done using the free version.
Just wondering if it would be worth paying for the premium version so I could use in with CarPlay. Apparently it can now connect to your car app to pull the battery state of charge too. But integration will never be as good as with the in-built system I guess, so I should probably just learn how to use the in-built system really.
Apparently it can now connect to your car app to pull the battery state of charge too
Yes, it does that and it works OK. Its mainly the OpenStreetMap I didn't like.
I think I read somewhere that it is basically using Apple Maps, which is what allows it to send the driving directions through to the driver instrument cluster or HUD if you car allows that (on CarPlay but not on AA).
While I'm asking daft questions; I typically use around 20% of my battery on a "normal" day. So, if I start at 80% it will be around 60% at the end of the day. So far I've tended to stick it back on charge so that it's on 80% again next morning. But is there any downside to this? Would it be better for the battery to let it get down a bit further before charging again?
I assume it's the same as the EV3. In which case, it will precondition the battery if you have a charger set as a stop (and you have enough battery left to do the preconditioning and still reach the charger) or you can just turn it on manually when you are around 30 minutes from where you intend to stop. In that case it just brings the battery up to the optimal temperature for charging and then turns itself off. Û
Done some research and sadly on the Niro manually turning it on is not a thing. Niro only get the option to toggle on battery preconditioning which once activated it will do automatically IF you are navigating to a charger on the baked in software that it knows is a charger and not a point on a map and IF it thinks it needs it.
The Niro only has a toggle to activate the automated system
The The EV6 screen on the other hand has an actual manual button to turn it on.
While I'm asking daft questions; I typically use around 20% of my battery on a "normal" day. So, if I start at 80% it will be around 60% at the end of the day. So far I've tended to stick it back on charge so that it's on 80% again next morning. But is there any downside to this? Would it be better for the battery to let it get down a bit further before charging again?
5 hrs on Octopus Go at home gives me a shade over 40% of battery capacity, so my rule of thumb is to plug it in when down to between 50 and 60 % if I can, with the car set to stop at 80% for normal use. Currently on holiday for a week in Northumberland and I charged to 100% before leaving home on Friday. It’s currently at 38% so will likely pop onto a fast charger in Alnwick tomorrow while we do a food shopping top up, so probably bringing it up to 80% or so. Likely another similar top up before heading back north end of the week.
if I start at 80% it will be around 60% at the end of the day. So far I've tended to stick it back on charge so that it's on 80% again next morning. But is there any downside to this?
No, in fact this is ideal. Batteries are pretty robust but keeping it between 40-80% all the time is ideal. That said, it will probably outlast the car no matter what you do anyway.
However charging a small amount every night gives the energy company more leeway to adjust charging when power is cheap; and it's cheap when renewable generation is high so it's probably better for the environment.
Just because you have the facility every night doesn't mean you have to use it.
Always plug in when you get home so that the supplier can charge when it's greenest. It becomes habit after a while.
I guess the snag might come if doing the same journey at Christmas at -10 and your range has fallen off a cliff and you need to alter plans and everything gets out of sync.
Nah, you'll know where all the stops are so you'll just choose an earlier one. But you'll have the satnav on anyway (on mute), because you want traffic updates, so the car will alert you if there's a problem.
Always plug in when you get home so that the supplier can charge when it's greenest. It becomes habit after a while.
If you have a smart tariff. If you're on a fixed period one you have to charge in the hours given to get the cheap rate, so makes sense to do a couple of times a week
While I'm asking daft questions; I typically use around 20% of my battery on a "normal" day. So, if I start at 80% it will be around 60% at the end of the day. So far I've tended to stick it back on charge so that it's on 80% again next morning. But is there any downside to this? Would it be better for the battery to let it get down a bit further before charging again?
thats pretty much how I charge mine with the odd long journey added in to use up more of the battery.
someone mentioned earlier the price of public charging, when I have along trip planned (usually our hols) I buy a 1 month subscription for IONITY that reduces the charging price and pays for itself after about 50kwh. Worth considering/doing the maths.
Edit, I just checked and £5.49 subscription saves 22p per kWh (75p down to 53p) so it’s actually only about 25kwh to be quids in, just remember to cancel.
Thanks folks. A bit of a difference of opinion, but nobody seems to think it will do any harm, which is good news. I think I'm still stuck in the "what if I suddenly need to drive 250 miles in a hurry tomorrow" mindset, even though that has never happened in my life.
@convert It seems quite common for EVs to only precondition the battery if you have set a charger as a destination (or stop) in the build-in satnav. I think all the modern Renaults are like this, for example. The EV3 is like the EV6 in that you can also turn it on manually (from the car or the app) but whether that is really that much use in practice I don't know. Most times you will be navigating to it anyway I guess.
I just checked and £5.49 subscription saves 22p per kWh (75p down to 53p) so it’s actually only about 25kwh to be quids in, just remember to cancel.
That last bit is the killer for me 😀
what if I suddenly need to drive 250 miles in a hurry tomorrow
Then you'll get in your car and go, but you'll have to stop for a 10 minute top-up.
I know, it's an irrational far. There is no chance that I will suddenly have to do a long journey, quickly tomorrow and anyway, if I really had to I could just nick my wife's ICE car 😀
Quite liking the look Eon's new tariff with 12-7am every day at around 6.6p ish.
Just on a smart meter that I've got.
Gives me time in the morning to do some domestic stuff too.
Or they've have a convoluted one with 3 tiers of price.
It’s good to see new tariffs like this coming online. It gives options for people who don’t have a charger/car that is compatible with the “smart” tariffs and shows that there must be increasing demand from customers, which must annoy those guys who make their living on YouTube by claiming that nobody wants an EV 😀
Smart tariffs are better in theory as they allow the electricity company to load balance and schedule charging for when there is excess capacity, but it’s not an option for everyone.
That 6.6p rate sounds great, but presumably there is an increase in your standard rate too?
I like the simplicity of the OVO anytime tariff as it gives me 7p/kWh at any time of the day or night with no change to my standard rate and so far it’s worked perfectly. That 7p is only for the car though but as I say I like the simplicity of that as I don’t have to try to schedule other things to happen at the same time to make the most of the tariff.
like the simplicity of the OVO anytime tariff as it gives me 7p/kWh at any time of the day or night with no change to my standard rate and so far it’s worked perfectly
did you happen to compare to Octopus Go ? As you know my EV3 doesn’t have the compatibility with IOG that my i4 did and I find the 5 hr timeslot on OG a bit limiting sometimes.
did you happen to compare to Octopus Go ?
No, I was with OVO already and I’m basically too lazy to change or to try to estimate the true cost for all the different tariffs. In your position I’d probably stick with OG. In theory you should be able to make the OVO tariff work with the EV but the fact that it’s still in beta would put me off. It seems that most smart tariffs can either talk to a compatible charger or directly to the car but most of what I’ve read suggests that talking to the charger tends to be more reliable in practice.
Personally I’m not really expecting the 7p rate to last much longer and wouldn’t bother changing tariff just to get the lowest possible rate or base my decision to buy an EV on getting that rate. But YMMV of course.
Just took delivery of an EV- Very excited
Come on then you tease; give us some details 😀
Cheap rate until 7am would save a chunk of money for heat pump users, as you could schedule the morning boost during cheap rate.
How important is SH on an EV?
Found a keenly priced EV that has done 84k, so only 16k of the battery warranty remaining. Car has a battery health check (Generational) which show SoH as 96%.
Given that the SH would only have been inspectations with only replacement air filters and brake fluid changes, does it really matter that it's not documented?
I'm inclined to think not.
Depends whether the warranty has any value to you I guess as they are often dependent on having the services carried out at the correct points. I think there is a bit of an element of traditional manufacturers trying to protect service income by demanding that you have services done that aren't really required and the warranty is the carrot/stick.
But if you ignore the warranty, any car with 84K on the clock is a bit of a lottery and there are expensive repairs that could be required in the near future whether it is ICE or EV. Maybe a few less expensive parts to fail on an EV but you've still got battery, motor, gearbox and on-board charger plus all the usual brake and suspension stuff. Of those, batteries seem to attract the most media attention but are probably the least likely to actually cause an issue.
As always, if the price is right then it's a good deal.
In your position I’d probably stick with OG. In theory you should be able to make the OVO tariff work with the EV but the fact that it’s still in beta would put me off. It seems that most smart tariffs can either talk to a compatible charger or directly to the car but most of what I’ve read suggests that talking to the charger tends to be more reliable in practice.
yeah, that’s my current thinking too, seems that some folks are having issues on IOG with EV3 and various chargers. I know mine works fine as a dumb charger and the car set for 5 hrs overnight cheap charging on OG. OVO could give me a bit more flexibility but as its beta for that car it might not work at all !
Indeed and there is no guarantee that they won't just remove the option altogether next week. That's just the way it is with EVs I reckon. We're not exactly pioneers. Hats off to the people who made the switch ten years ago. But there are still lots of things (with the cars, charging and the infrastructure) that are changing all the time. I'm sure it will all get sorted out and everything will just work by the time most people make the switch. But for now, we are guinea pigs 😀
How important is SH on an EV?
Depends. In general there's naff all to service on an EV, but for example if you have some (or any?) Kia/Hyundai they had a problem with the coolant crystallising in the system, so every four years you need a flush and 13l of expensive special coolant, that only the dealer can do. Costs about £500, which seems steep but it's offset by the fact the other "services" are £75.
There may be other things to consider for other cars - you might need a reduction gear oil change, you might not.
As for other expensive failures - I think brakes and shocks etc are not likely to be particularly big bills as they're basic items. The biggest risk is probably some important control module or other, but there's no evidence that these are any more fragile than in ICEs and probably less, because there aren't heat/vibration issues.
Indeed and there is no guarantee that they won't just remove the option altogether next week.
I agree. The reason that there are cheap EV tariffs at the moment is because they are being used to soak up spare capacity [overnight] - as more heat pumps and EVs are adopted then the spare capacity will diminish and prices will eventually rise.
That 6.6p rate sounds great, but presumably there is an increase in your standard rate too?
Yes but not bad at 27.5.
Reality is for me my cars (will have two EVs shortly) are only a modest proportion of my leccy bill. So it's a saving on tumble dryer use, dishwasher and hot tub through the night benefit too.
These things are very difficult to calculate before you implement them.
Approx 7000 miles a year each:
At 4.89 a fill per approx 280 (full) miles over 7000 miles is £120 a year at 6.6ppkWh
That's only a small part of a 1700 a year electric bill.
I was using double the night units over the day.
The reason that there are cheap EV tariffs at the moment is because they are being used to soak up spare capacity [overnight] - as more heat pumps and EVs are adopted then the spare capacity will diminish and prices will eventually rise.
I am not so sure. There will always be windy nights, and most businesses will be shut down overnight. Even commercial premises will need less air conditioning at night.
As we get better with EV charging they will be used to even out demand via smart charging, and suppliers will want to incentivise this. I signed up for an Ohme trial where they are asking me to keep the car plugged in all the time. They are doing a trial on smart grid balancing.
there's no evidence that these are any more fragile than in ICEs and probably less, because there aren't heat/vibration issues.
No particular reason why they should be more fragile, although maybe added vehicle weight might affect the suspension - but you'd hope that would have been accounted for in the design.
Heat and vibration? The vibration caused by moving over the road surface would have more affect on the suspension than anything from an engine.
The reason that there are cheap EV tariffs at the moment is because they are being used to soak up spare capacity [overnight] - as more heat pumps and EVs are adopted then the spare capacity will diminish and prices will eventually rise.
I am not so sure. There will always be windy nights, and most businesses will be shut down overnight. Even commercial premises will need less air conditioning at night.
Both good points 😀
I'm working on the assumption that these cheap (~7p/kWh) rates are just a temporary thing, but I'll be pleasantly surprised if they are not.
I guess it's a bit like the anti-EV people who claim that we can't all buy EVs as the grid couldn't cope. You need to work out what the actual demand might be and how that compares with the capacity. Having lots of batteries plugged into the grid should make things more efficient. Who benefits from that extra efficiency is a bit less clear though.
I meant the control modules and stuff that's in the engine bay on ICEs that gets a lot of heat and vibration.
Re spare capacity overnight, yesterday demand went from roughly 32GW ish during the day to 22GW overnight. That's 10GW spare capacity and about 33m cars in the UK. Overnight for say 5hrs that'd be about 1.5kWh per car or about 5-6 miles. So yeah, not enough purely on that basis. Worth noting that renewable generation also dropped by 15GW overnight.
I guess it's a bit like the anti-EV people who claim that we can't all buy EVs as the grid couldn't cope.
In a way it can't - especially at peak periods - which is why there's an incentive to charge during low demand periods.
Another factor that may change things is when the infrastructure between the [higher generating] north and the [higher consuming] south is improved ... and it's going to be. Prices maybe affected.
I meant the control modules and stuff that's in the engine bay on ICEs that gets a lot of heat and vibration.
Maybe but in our cars they're under the passenger seat.
Who has got the cheapest used EV on here and what is it's range?
Maybe but in our cars they're under the passenger seat.
There are dozens of ECUs in the car, some will be under the bonnet along with a truckload of electronic sensors and wires and whatnot.
Who has got the cheapest used EV on here and what is it's range?
If you want a cheap used EV your best bet by far is an Ioniq 38kWh IMO, which is what I have. It's sort of 2nd generation tech along with the Hyundai Kona/e-Niro pre 2023 models, but it's a huge step up from the Leaf/Zoe. We leased one in 2021, when it went back we bought a Leaf 40kWh and we then sold the Leaf for another Ioniq because it was so much better, and I've never sold a car before because I didn't like it.
They are good for 200 miles in summer and they only drop to about 175 in winter, the dash readout is accurate and reliable (unlike many) which really helps, you get satnav routing via charging stops with live information, you get loads of equipment, it's a decent drive, big enough for adults in the back, and you can get them for £7k private*. The only downside is slow charging, but they are the most efficient thing on the road by a fair margin so it's not as bad as it seems.
* this is nearly half what I paid 18 months ago, albeit from a dealer
Well, after owning the same BMW 3 series Touring for the last 20y, I’ve finally arranged its replacement. I looked at the Polestar 2, Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 GT line and the BMW i4. Of those, only the I4 felt good, but left me feeling cold about its looks, so in theory end, I bought this 🙂
Not by any means the best electric car, but a lovely car nonetheless. I only do around 2000 miles a year and only rarely long trips. This will get to London and back on a single charge or upto Leeds on one, so good enough for me. Air suspension is AMAZING!
Well, after owning the same BMW 3 series Touring for the last 20y, I’ve finally arranged its replacement. I looked at the Polestar 2, Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 GT line and the BMW i4. Of those, only the I4 felt good, but left me feeling cold about its looks, so in theory end, I bought this
How is that possible without spending months agonising about it on this thread?
I think they look great.
Currently having my charger installed as I type this. Turns out I didn't have any gas bonding, despite it being marked on the electrical cert. Thankfully the installer has sorted it for me.
Was looking at one on the road the other day thinking the i-pace are still a lovely looking car that hasn't aged - never knew it had air suspension though? Fast charge rate is a bit low but for your mileage and journeys I bet it is a great buy given depreciation.
Who has got the cheapest used EV on here and what is it's range?
I paid £10350 for my 4 year old ioniq my20 38kw premium se 1 year ago and it is performing well.
188 miles at 89% charge is the current guess on the range. I'll report back after this weekends driving in warm weather.
Those I paces do get good reviews for how they drive and they look like a bargain, but the various tales of awful dealers,various unreliability issues and battery faults along with huge delays in getting them repaired put me off them.
Was looking at one on the road the other day thinking the i-pace are still a lovely looking car that hasn't aged - never knew it had air suspension though? Fast charge rate is a bit low but for your mileage and journeys I bet it is a great buy given depreciation.
It's a rare optional extra - same with the silly wheels, but with the air suspension - they work!
Those I paces do get good reviews for how they drive and they look like a bargain, but the various tales of awful dealers,various unreliability issues and battery faults along with huge delays in getting them repaired put me off them.
Totally agree. Mine is an approved used with a 3 year JLR fully comprehensive warranty included and a battery health report stating that the pack was at 95.5%. Even so, it's still a bit heart over head. Lovely place to be worrying, though 🙂
I'm about 1.5k miles and 6 weeks in to a Model Y, and I'm pretty impressed with it - I wasn't really expecting to like it as much as I do.
As a drivers car, it's horrible - really horrible (LR AWD). Big, really, really heavy and soft - and it's as ugly as. The performance is irrelevant, you stick your foot down and it goes - zero pleasure from that to be honest. As a place to travel around in though it's really, really nice. Big front boot where I can stick all my dirty riding gear after a ride, and little touches like being able to go into the back seats use the screen to move the front seat forward to give me more space to get changed - plus it's massive in the back, more legroom than any car I've ever been in. Build quality is decent. The only criticism really is in stop/go traffic it accelerates and brakes far harder than any other car I've had with adaptive cruise and feels crude.
The big test will be driving to Les Gets in the summer with a couple of DH bikes on the towbar. I reckon I'm getting about 250 miles per charge with the rack, so if there are no queues it'll be fine, if there are queues I'll be setting it alight when I get back.
The OS is genuinely brilliant, and I impressed how well thought out getting to everything is - zero learning curve.
What Julian's said!
I'd put a deposit on one and was sweet to buy it last weekend. Went on the ipace forum and the amount of owners who said don't unless you want to throw thousands at it made me back out of the purchase.
The HSE spec has the air suspension, the S and SE don't.
Hope you got a good one 🤞
I wouldn’t bet on Jaguar being around long enough to honour a 3 yr warranty.