Haven't read the whole thread yet but just to add my thoughts (and yes, this is only imho), I have been interested in going EV at least for my daily commute based on the following positives:
- Zero Emissions - with no/less car tax as a result
- Easier and cheaper to service (theoretically)
- Free to park at work and many other places
- seemingly "perfect" for my yearly low mileage of ~4000mi/yr
- good low end torque so plenty nippy around town
However, after going to look at a BMW i3 which they were trying to charge closer to 40k for I opted for a used approved 330D at much reduced cost instead - about 1 month before the government decided that diesel was the work of the devil
Going back to the i3 - based on it's specs it's equivalent to a 1.4l town car and build quality/performance would suggest that....but they want 3x more for it. The new Honda EV looks good too, but again, looking at the specs it's a whisker over a kei car for the city yet Honda want £30k+ for it
. I mean, these prices are ridiculous, especially when you consider they have no ICE engine and cooling systems etc etc and should be
considerably cheaper to manufacture. It's things like this that make me think I'll hang onto my oil burner for a few more years yet until I no longer feel I'm being fleeced buy buying into EV (or they ban diesel pumps altogether).
Plus there's this issue -->
What I experience filling up my diesel (similar for petrol):
- park up and use a STANDARDISED nozzle to brim up to rim
- 3min later I'm paying at the pump and driving off
- I now have ~400mile range
What I currently expect if I went EV:
- park up and hope to find 1 empty space (last time at a service station I noticed of the 3 EV "pumps", 1 dysfunctional, 1 being used, 1 blocked by a petrol car ) - why can't we have more charging stations? At least close to petrol/diesel numbers?
- If I am in the lucky 10% to have something available, find out it's not the right nozzle - WHY isn't it standardised? EVERYONE should be using the same nozzle, or maybe 2, for instance 1=normal charge, 2=fast charge - that's it - industry standard?
- If it fits, great - does the payment system work, does it even recognise my account? (common enough issue reported in the media)
- now (assuming everything IS working) wait 30min to get half charge
- I therefore have ?100mile range after ½ hour if lucky enough to find an empty charger that has my plug and actually works (i know the figures aren't precise but I'm just making a point)
- Still have the range anxiety with everything I think of using - should I use the aircon? what about the heated seats? should I simply turn the radio off? ...every time I decide to go on a longer journey.
- when I go to work (NHS - about 600 parking spaces at a guess) - 1 (yes 1) EV charging point. Yep, REALLY feels like society is passionately committed to this doesn't it?
Again, I know most of these points will either improve over time (e.g. available charging points, reduced charging times, standardising equipment etc) or may simply be my lack of understanding about electric cars but as of right now, EV appears to be a half baked proposal which despite the government's protestations, are simply NOT being adequately provisioned for in the UK yet.
If I do go EV, my plan would be to use it for daily commute
only (15mi there and back) which means I'll simply charge at home which will be adequate for that plus the odd shopping trip/further trip out and so never have to rely on public charging points (so bypassing the first five points above) but the points about continual range anxiety (which I think would drive me mad) and ridiculous cost for what you're buying (not taking into account battery replacement costs when the car gets older) stay my hand.
Talking to colleagues at work, many of them have the same concerns (misapprehensions?) I do - because these points come up again and again and it seems like manufacturers and govt depts are taking an ice age to clearly and adequately sort it out (you can't have it both ways - either our reliance on fossil fuels/production of CO2 is a serious threat to humanity (which both are) in which case I feel things should be moving faster or Trump is right (playing devil's advocate), it's all a myth/conspiracy and we shall continue to very very slowly but surely drip through tiny improvements at a very very glacial state as we are currently doing).....
...... I really want 4min fill ups and closer to 8,422 EV stations in the UK with 10 charging points each to match petrol/diesel please
but anything better than "new model with 10miles more range, woohoo" every 2 years would be good too. To reiterate I'm not against EV (I watch the
Driving Electric channel on YouTube hoping to find an excuse to jump ship) but I simply haven't found it tempting enough (or provisioned enough yet) to do so....