Electric cars - anyone any thoughts on that!?

[Nirish guy]

OK, so whilst I know it's not "gay" per se I'm guessing a chunk of us still drive cars so I thought I'd ask ( and post it in everything else in case anyone objects too much).

So, I'm currently trying to decide about buying an electric car......sorry to be clearer I've fairly much already decided to buy electric ( mainly for tax reasons I have to say) so now I'm trying to decide WHICH electric car. So far my two clear runners are the Tesla S or 3 series or the Jaguar I Pace ( I'm leaning more towards Tesla I think though) - so just wondering as it is all still quite a new area of development in the car industry as anyone perhaps bought either of the three about models ( or any of the other few options there are out there now) and if so what their own thoughts and experiences are ??

A bit of a long shot I know but I thought worth a try ?

[frequent]

OK, so whilst I know it's not "gay" per se I'm guessing a chunk of us still drive cars so I thought I'd ask ( and post it in everything else in case anyone objects too much).

So, I'm currently trying to decide about buying an electric car......sorry to be clearer I've fairly much already decided to buy electric ( mainly for tax reasons I have to say) so now I'm trying to decide WHICH electric car. So far my two clear runners are the Tesla S or 3 series or the Jaguar I Pace ( I'm leaning more towards Tesla I think though) - so just wondering as it is all still quite a new area of development in the car industry as anyone perhaps bought either of the three about models ( or any of the other few options there are out there now) and if so what their own thoughts and experiences are ??

A bit of a long shot I know but I thought worth a try ?

I’ve done a lot of work for someone involved in the electric vehicle world so here’s my tuppence-worth:

• If your motivation is environmental then have a look (Google is your friend) at the issues around battery recycling
• I’m assuming it’s a “town car” so distance between charges should not be an issue but there’s anecdotal evidence that the “distance between charges” as suggested by the manufacturers is often very optimistic; some owners report charging itself is not always as reliable as it should be
• While Musk is a visionary there’s speculation about how long his loss-making car manufacturing can last - but then they said that about Jeff Bezos and Amazon
• I’d be going for the more “local” manufacturer - which means Jaguar - rather than a distant manufacturer like Tesla
• If it were me I’d rather go for a hybrid; I don’t believe that electric vehicle technology is quite there yet

Don’t think that many of those thought bubbles really help if you’ve already set your heart on “going electric” however, but it kicks the topic along. And if you’re really adventurous there’s an electric vehicle charging station in CP Tower on Silom* although I haven’t inspected closely to see what manufacturers it supports. Unfortunately charging stations are like mobile phone chargers a few years ago - every manufacturer has their own ideas and there is no interchangeability, unlike petrol pumps

* You’ll appreciate that as I’m still teaching Latin in sglad’s former classroom in Houston that information is pure speculation. Speaking of learning Latin and sglad, we spent the morning on the second declension which, as any fule kno, includes “catamitus”

[cdnmatt]

My only commend on electric cars is they should put regulations on them forcing them to make a noise of some kind.

I can't count the number of times an electric car went whizzing past me, and I didn't notice until it would have been too late if I was in its path. Some type of noise coming from the engine so I can hear a car coming would be great.

[Nirish guy]

As Frekky says and to keep the conversation moving along for those / anyone who may be interested after doing a bit of digging into the whole thing this week to try and make some sense of it I'll just add the following to some of the above :

If your motivation is environmental...." being honest It really isn't / wasn't, I guess if it helps in some way then fine but it's not something i gave much thought too, as I'd have to be honest and say my first and main consideration were the very favourable tax benefits that the British Government have implemented for businesses re electric cars re first year allowance claims and a temporary zero rate personal "benefit in kind" tax rate, all to encourage electric car use here.

"I don’t believe that electric vehicle technology is quite there yet" A week ago I would have agreed with you and looking at some of the smaller older options yeah perhaps, but some of this years models I'm actually not sure that applies anymore and I know in terms of straight 0-60 "speed" in the Tesla In was test driving on Saturday not blew my away, I can honestly say I've never felt torque or an instant burst of speed like it - 0-60 in something like 4 seconds, instantly, every time - absolutely mind blowing !


"I’m assuming it’s a “town car” ,,,," Yes, fairly much, with the odd road trip thrown in occasionally, but saying that the likes of the Telsa "long range" model suggests a range of over 350 miles now and even allowing for manufacturers bullshit and other driving factors apparently around the 300 mile IS now possible, so that I'm guessing should suffice for most people, especially when installing putting a low cost ( and grant funded here in the UK at least) wall charger at home or at your office, which is the way they seem to be pushing things now.

"there is no interchangeability, unlike petrol pumps......" I believe in general that has been fairly much addressed now and whilst Tesla do keep their own connector for their own "pumps" thats more as they can pump out 150kws of power, which is about 3 times what most other brands are even capable of taking, meaning they charge much faster - BUT they also then give an adaptor too so that you can charge their car on all other main pumps as well and all other cars seem to operate off the one fitting there after now then it seems.

"Some type of noise coming from the engine ..... would be great" Whilst I know what you mean the trouble there of course is that there IS no engine to make a noise from ! Although I see that Jaguar have actually added a totally false and weird fake semi (jet!) engine noise to their car both for that reason and also I think to impress the driver too. Telsa have a noise mode if you wish when driving at slow speeds ( in car parks and the like) so people can hear you coming. But yes i dont dispute driving towards someone at 60mph would certainly pose more of a challenge to be heard than in a petrol engined car - mind you being selfish it also makes for one hell of a quieter ride for the driver and passenger though !

[frequent]

"Some type of noise coming from the engine ..... would be great" Whilst I know what you mean the trouble there of course is that there IS no engine to make a noise from ! Although I see that Jaguar have actually added a totally false and weird fake semi (jet!) engine noise to their car both for that reason and also I think to impress the driver too. Telsa have a noise mode if you wish when driving at slow speeds ( in car parks and the like) so people can hear you coming. But yes i dont dispute driving towards someone at 60mph would certainly pose more of a challenge to be heard than in a petrol engined car - mind you being selfish it also makes for one hell of a quieter ride for the driver and passenger though !

I generally encourage objectionable children to go and play in the traffic

[goji]

1 Drive the cars and sit in them.
The Tesla looks super from the outside, but inside it has a crazy touch screen display with menus to control everything. You even need to navigate menus to open the glovebox.
I have no idea about the Jag, but if both fail to meet your expectations, loads of other manufacturers are launching electric cars.

2 Tesla have issues with reliability and service.

3 Remember the battery range in 5 years time will probably be lower than when new. I believe manufacturers have now got a grip on this, so you will probably retain over 90% of original capacity. Incidentally, it's not good for battery life to continually run from fully charged to empty (Li Ion batteries are very different to the old NiCd or NiMnH batteries)

4 Hopefully you have off road or garaged parking where you can charge the damn thing ?

5 Depreciation on a brand new car will vastly exceed any tax saving. However, I suspect you know this and it's a way of justifying a new toy. Fine as you can probably afford to treat yourself .

[a447]

I looked into buying a Tesla last year, but decided against it because the build quality was appalling compared to a German car, for example.

There were large panel gaps and the boot (trunk) area was particularly badly assembled. The rear lights did not match up perfectly either.

I can see it falling to pieces very quickly.

[dinagam]

If you're not particularly against supporting the Chinese economy you might find a better alternative to American /European cars in a year or two for their technologies are improving by leaps and bounds. I find their current products are value for money.

[Nirish guy]

Ha i dont want to sound like a tesla groupie as I had the same thoughts as most of you above BUT again on really checking it out this last two weeks I've noted the following online and on user groups etc.....( and not to disagree with anyone, but just to keep us all update with things as it is a very quickly evolving industry of course)......ha and I'm also realising that in my own "defending" of tesla here it seems that I may well have answered my own question as to which brand I subconsciously prefer ! I've a test drive of the jag tonight and the Tesla S at the weekend so D day approaches re decision day !

"Tesla have issues with reliability and service" - I guess all cars do at some level but interesting I see Tesla rate way up there in the service league tables - cant remember the exact number now but is was like 23 out of 50 or something whereas amazing the jar was a poor 37 !! Go figure eh !

"Hopefully you have off road..... where you can charge the damn thing ?" Yep. that the plan and is what Tesla actively encourage now and in fact theres a £500 STG grant to enable you to install a home charging point in your garage or wherever you choose ( it seems it actually only costs about £250-300 tops too so thats nice. If I proceed I'm also going to pop one it at the office at work and charge up there ( so the firm pays for the juice at least lol) and that should be covered no matter where I go ( locally) and then just plan to charge 'on the road" where after after that - but with the range of roughly 300 miles it wont be every day I'm doing trips like that anyway between charges anyway so should all work out ok.

"Depreciation on a brand new car will vastly exceed any tax saving" - Actually in my case I'm probably going to PCP ( personal contract hire) that car so there is no depreciation ( accounts wise) but there IS 100% allowance of the purchase against Company tax, this will save me around £13.000 instantly off this years company tax bill and thats before any savings re using electric over petrol etc. This is very roughly a cost of say £10 -£15 to "fill up" compared to say £80 for a petrol fill for that same 300 miles range ! Also in the UK theres a £3500 government grant on purchase just to encourage to go electric AND for a limited period it has a ZERO rate for personal benefit tax which saves a further 16% personal tax too, so not so shabby tax benefit just now it seems - this by the way is only in the UK and is for a year or two only, so dont read these figures and take then as fact "later"

"I looked into buying a Tesla last year, but decided against it because the build quality was appalling" - Yep, I would have agreed with you there ( and still might !) but it seems the new model 3 is a whole new beast and the build quality is the best they've ever had, so if it's been a while maybe worth another look."

"you might find a better alternative to American /European cars in a year or two for their technologies are improving by leaps and bounds" Thats very true also and both the Jag Ipace and the Audi e tron are definitely up there as worth a look now and as you say there are others catching up on a monthly basis, I think for sure electric ( and automated driving it seems !) are definitely the way things are going. That whole auto park feature and "call your car" to come to you in a car park are fairly sharp - oh and for anyone who hasn't driven one yet - the acceleration of an electric car - OH MY GOD ! it's eye watering !! press the pedal and you're pushed into the back of the seat as if you're in an F1 car almost - something crazy like 0=60 in about 3 something seconds - it's just mental ( and great fun ! :-)

[a447]

the acceleration of an electric car - OH MY GOD ! it's eye watering !! press the pedal and you're pushed into the back of the seat as if you're in an F1 car almost - something crazy like 0=60 in about 3 something seconds - it's just mental ( and great fun ! :-)

Yep. That's precisely why I checked it out in the first place. It's insane.

Mmmm....time for another look perhaps.