Electric car anyone?
5 lurkers |
72 watchers
9 Sep
3:40pm, 9 Sep 2024
17,774 posts
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jda
I think we’re about 4.3 or 4.4mi/kWh over the past year, occasional chunks of motorway but mostly open NSL roads of varying quality and moderate speeds. I used to get comfortably over 40 mpg in my van too. So not surprising I’m at the high end of most people’s observations. The EV is a lot more fun to drive though 
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9 Sep
4:55pm, 9 Sep 2024
6,462 posts
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Windsor Wool
@HappyG(rrr) China no good for you but India OK? I'm not biased by the way, I could never afford to buy a Volvo, but I have driven every model over the last couple of years. The XC40 twin motor was by far the best. Currently on an EX30 (and an XC90 hybrid, sorry!) and like that too but it's just tooooo glitchy to recommend! Avoid C40s IMHO. |
9 Sep
5:14pm, 9 Sep 2024
6,233 posts
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K5 Gus
If anyone is a bit confused by Volvo's naming convention, then they've tried to simplify it with some changes :- All EVs now start with E, ie ESxx for saloons (they're planning a ES90), ECxx for coupes (only EC40 at the moment) and EXxx for crossovers (ie EX30, EX40 and the soon to launch EX90, and no doubt a EX60 at some point.) No change to Hybrid naming, ie XCxx for crossovers and Vxx for estates So the XC40 that WW mentions used to be available as a hybrid or a pure EV, the pure EV version has now been re-named EX40, so if you're looking for a 2nd hand one, depending how old then could be either a XC40 or a EX40 you need to search for Simples ! |
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9 Sep
6:05pm, 9 Sep 2024
6,463 posts
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Windsor Wool
now, that had completely passed me by, LOL! EX40s are good then
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9 Sep
6:11pm, 9 Sep 2024
6,464 posts
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Windsor Wool
I had a quick look on the Volvo used car website. The confusion is nicely cemented there, LOL. Will give feedback to the wife!
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9 Sep
7:05pm, 9 Sep 2024
6,686 posts
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quimby
Did my first reasonable length journey this weekend - from Stoke to York and back. Didn't really plan stops to charge (and in theory I could have got there on one charge, but I decided to charge once each way to get used to how it works). Stopped at Alfreton services on the way up. Found a charger outside the hotel. There might have been a better charging point but it wasn't obvious to me where it might be. There was a car already plugged into the fast charger, so I got my own cable out for the first time and used the standard AC charger. Came back 15 mins later and that car was going, so swapped to the fast charger. Let it charge to about 90% and tootled along. Used a credit card on my phone for this one - just straight swipe, no app. This cost me £1.74 for the brief AC charge, then £7.57 for the fast charge. The charger told me how much it cost when I completed the charge. On the way back I stopped at Leeds Skelton Lake services (reasonable place for a walk) and there was a large, visible set of Ionity chargers. After some faffing, I found I couldn't use a just a card, it didn't appear to take the Zapmap payment, and I forgot I had the Electroverse app so didn't try that. I was grumpy about having to download another app, so I used the web site on my phone. It took an immediate £40 charge. Left it charging and came back, I let it get to 91% I think. When I stopped charging there didn't appear to be any indication of how much it actually cost. Looking at my credit card, it has charged me £18.52 for the charge (good lord, that's more than I expected, it was only about half a battery full!) but it hasn't refunded my £40. I suppose I'll give it a day to see if that gets refunded before I moan at anyone. Overall, I guess it wasn't difficult, but the payment options and the cost/charging methods seem quite chaotic. I guess maybe I need to do some homework on what apps I need and the different charging point companies, but I am a little resentful that I have to do that. It would also be great if there was proper signage to where the EV points are at the services. |
9 Sep
7:27pm, 9 Sep 2024
7,688 posts
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ThorntonRunner
Having got to about 8 apps on my phone I'd had enough and decided to only use elctroverse supported chargers. Fortunately there are enough to ensure I can always find one when needed, but I do plan ahead. I like the fact that electroverse charges to my Octopus account and gives me a single place to see a record of non-home charging.
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9 Sep
9:57pm, 9 Sep 2024
50,868 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Totally agree quimby. They need to sort out charger visibility, simple payment, clear and preferably more even or equitable pricing, and not all this app nonsense. Fortunately, I very rarely charge anywhere but home or work. When I was asked about Indian car manufacturers, which company was the person thinking of and what is the objection to India? Not aware of human rights violations in India to the same extent as China. Or am I being naive? All input gratefully received. G
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9 Sep
10:15pm, 9 Sep 2024
6,465 posts
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Windsor Wool
I believe that Jaguar is owned by Tata hence the India link. The person was genuinely interested in why you’d have a stand against China and not India and was thinking it must be very hard to avoid Chinese goods. Understand now. Thanks for explaining. |
10 Sep
8:46am, 10 Sep 2024
22,962 posts
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DeeGee
ThorntonRunner wrote: Having got to about 8 apps on my phone I'd had enough and decided to only use elctroverse supported chargers. Fortunately there are enough to ensure I can always find one when needed, but I do plan ahead. I like the fact that electroverse charges to my Octopus account and gives me a single place to see a record of non-home charging. I predominantly use Electroverse when I'm out and about, but I've decided I also need PodPoint for Tesco, and they also operate the free chargers in Grimsby and the paid chargers in Maidstone (at which, if I'm charging, I don't pay to park!) I'm taking a trip to that Manchestah in a couple of Saturdays time, I'm overnighting in a swanky hotel with the wife, and I've found a nearby multi-storey Car Park which has parking discounts for hotel guests and also a significant bank of 7kw chargers (albeit at an eyewatering price!). Having read the reviews on ZapMap, they can be app operated, but the signal in the car park is so poor that many people can't get them to work. However, they also work with an Electroverse RFID card, so that's the way I'm planning on working it. Worked well in France, too. I think Octopus have really worked hard to be a significant player on the EV scene, both with their domestic products (tariffs, chargers and car lease schemes) and Electroverse for out and about. I think the only major rapid networks not on it are Tesla and Gridserve, plus PodPoint for the fasts, and BP which tend to take a contactless card anyway. |
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