Which EV would you get?

[cougie uk]

Thanks for all that.

I have a driveway but can’t fit a charging box yet. There’s some element of the consumer unit in my house that’s too old and won’t support it. The part is scheduled for a free upgrade but it’s been two years now since they said they’d do it.

It seems to cost around £1000 to install a home charger, which I’d probably have to do again in the next one or two years as we’re looking to move house.

That said, your estimate of running costs is about a third of mine in my very frugal Fabia Greenline.

I’ll do some sums, factoring in the possibility of fitting a charger twice.

How many miles do you do a day ? You might be OK with a granny charger.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

It’s not run off your consumer unit, it’s wired directly to the meter with its own box.

Yes, I realise that.

The guy who came said we couldn’t install a separate EV charge box with the consumer unit in its current state. I can’t remember the specific part that needs swapped, and there’s cabling from the house to the street that has to be upgraded too. All of the houses in my area date from around 1935 and are getting this upgrade. Lord knows when though!

 

[glasgowcyclist]

How many miles do you do a day ? You might be OK with a granny charger.

My annual average over the life of the car is 7,380 miles, with the highest between MOTs at 8,500 miles.

 

[icowden]

The guy who came said we couldn’t install a separate EV charge box with the consumer unit in its current state. I can’t remember the specific part that needs swapped, and there’s cabling from the house to the street that has to be upgraded too. All of the houses in my area date from around 1935 and are getting this upgrade. Lord knows when though!

Sounds like you might be on looped circuits where houses share the same supply cable. They have to be unlooped to allow EV charging.

 

[CXRAndy]

Thanks for all that.

I have a driveway but can’t fit a charging box yet. There’s some element of the consumer unit in my house that’s too old and won’t support it. The part is scheduled for a free upgrade but it’s been two years now since they said they’d do it.

It seems to cost around £1000 to install a home charger, which I’d probably have to do again in the next one or two years as we’re looking to move house.

That said, your estimate of running costs is about a third of mine in my very frugal Fabia Greenline.

I’ll do some sums, factoring in the possibility of fitting a charger twice.

If your outside meter box is convenient, you can have a spur taken from that, via an RCD switched contactor. It could be cheaper than replacing the indoor consumer unit.

Something like this. The smaller box was acquired from Screwfix, complete with RCD built-in

 

[CXRAndy]

My annual average over the life of the car is 7,380 miles, with the highest between MOTs at 8,500 miles.

Easily charge a car with 3 pin supply. You just need to remember to always plug-in and start the charging as soon as possible. Downside you may not be on cheap rate electric. This is the where owning an EV becomes super cheap

 

[Gunk]

If your outside meter box is convenient, you can have a spur taken from that, via an RCD switched contactor. It could be cheaper than replacing the indoor consumer unit.

Something like this. The smaller box was acquired from Screwfix, complete with RCD built-in

View attachment 763473

That’s what we did

 

[lazybloke]

The Speed limit ones are great on my dirty diesel. The HUD is ace for sticking to the limit, and no-one is going to bully a big van.

Yeah, drove a minibus this morning, and even when going a sedate 30, cars would dive into potholes, laybys and hedges to make more room for me than i could possibly need ; very obliging.

Then i jumped in a car to drive to my other job, and other drivers were suddenly @@@@holes again.

I need to invent a holographic projector that makes my car (and more importantly my bike) look like a massive Ford Transit.

 

[lazybloke]

Sounds like you might be on looped circuits where houses share the same supply cable. They have to be unlooped to allow EV charging.

Really? Next door's supply is a branch off mine. They've got an extra bedroom a swimming pool , a leccy car and lots of chavvy lights at xmas. The joint must be glowing at full load.

Although that joint is under my drive. Their supply isn't loooed through my house (i'm guessing at the meaning of 'loop')


The joint has melted once. The neighbours had to rely on a massive diesel generator for days whilst the elec company mobilised and negotiated access under my drive.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

you can hook up to Intelligent Octopus and get 7p per kwh charging.

I’ve just checked and while that tariff is available in my area, they don’t currently support any of the electric Kia models.

I’d be limited to public charging points so, according to the Kia EV cost savings calculator, I’d save only £200 annually on fuel. I realise £200 is a still decent amount but it’s still way below the potential of using a home charger.

 

[icowden]

Although that joint is under my drive. Their supply isn't loooed through my house (i'm guessing at the meaning of 'loop')

Usually there is a single mains cable which runs to house 1, then a cable runs from house 1's connection to house 2 (and sometimes house 3).
When you apply for an EV charger the installer has to check with the DNO who will usually require the houses to be unlooped. It's usually done in terraced or semi-detached houses, and it usually involves digging up someone's drive :-)

 

[icowden]

I’ve just checked and while that tariff is available in my area, they don’t currently support any of the electric Kia models.

There is an issue with the Kia 12v battery apparently. Because the charger talks to the car constantly it activates the 12v battery which then goes flat and stops the car working. They are working on a fix. I belive you could get Octopus Go which is 12p instead of 7p. The alternative might be EON Next which doesn't require as much intelligence :-)

 

[glasgowcyclist]

It appears I am indeed on a looped supply. I have the leaflet they left a while back, entitled ‘Unlooping your supply’. From the info therein this will involve upgrading my existing service termination (or cut-out), and digging up my drive/garden.

I’ll contact them on Monday to see when they might do it.

I’ve also been comparing insurance quotes and the Niro EV is much dearer than a petrol Proceed of the same age and value, about 33% higher premium. Is this the same for all electric cars?

 

[icowden]

I’ll contact them on Monday to see when they might do it.

Good luck. It took them 6 months to do my neighbour :-(

I’ve also been comparing insurance quotes and the Niro EV is much dearer than a petrol Proceed of the same age and value, about 33% higher premium. Is this the same for all electric cars?

Pretty much, yep. The insurance companies are making hay while the sun shines. They will be arguing that repairs are more costly and complex and parts are more expensive and quietly forgetting that EVs tend to be involved in far fewer accidents as they all tend to have the latest driving aids and safety devices, and there is very little that can break down on them.

 

[CXRAndy]

I’ve also been comparing insurance quotes and the Niro EV is much dearer than a petrol Proceed of the same age and value, about 33% higher premium. Is this the same for all electric cars?

My wife's Model 3 is more to insure than my Model S

It's odd how certain models are more expensive when you would not expect it