|
|
Post by Humph on Oct 1, 2020 10:54:55 GMT
It had better not bugger off with my bike on the roof or my wallet in the glovebox !
😉
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2020 10:57:24 GMT
I'm sure it will be overcome/solved at some point, but that same thought has occurred to me. When I had my flat in central Bath, it was a rare occasion indeed when I could park directly outside it. On many occasions I'd be up to three streets away in some random spot, and even when the car was outside my flat, it was on the second floor and across a wide pavement from the car, so running a cable from my bedroom window wouldn't have been an option. Quite a bit of work/cost/faff to put charging pads outside every property without off street parking, on every street, in every town, city and village in the next ten years you'd think. 🤔 The "I live in a flat" problem goes away as soon as there's a national 150kw+ charging network with contactless payment, and you can recharge in the time it takes to fill with petrol (OK, plus maybe 15 minutes, during which you pick up your bread, milk, Pringles, copy of Caravan Monthly, whatever). That network is starting now. It'll be everywhere soon enough. |
|
|
|
Post by Humph on Oct 1, 2020 11:23:31 GMT
Aye, but what if you're not hungry, don't have a caravan and you're in a hurry? Eh eh ? See, flawed, intrinsically flawed. Who actually buys petrol station pasties anyway? Preposterous. Harumph !
|
|
Rob
Full Member
Posts: 2,778 
|
Post by Rob on Oct 1, 2020 17:52:40 GMT
When there is a national 150kw+ charging network and cars that support it.... will there be a national grid that supports all of this too?
|
|
WDB
Full Member
Posts: 7,425
|
Post by WDB on Oct 1, 2020 19:29:50 GMT
Yes
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2020 7:19:59 GMT
There already is.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2020 18:03:58 GMT
It might be worth you keeping your car for another couple of years Avant.
The mainstream manufacturers are getting to grips with battery tech and I reckon there will be some range improvements in the next few years. We are taking the plunge now as my wife's car lease is up end of Feb. The Government and manufacturer incentives plus reduced VAT rate until end of December this year, where I live, are the reasons we are taking the plunge now.
250 mile range I think will be a stretch for the car we have ordered in the winter. It will be used like any other car we have. The range will be what the range is. We will not be driving in winter looking like we are going on a polar expedition inside the car to avoid using the heater. Having a garage and preconditioning will help. The garage will also help prevent the batteries freezing in winter and cooking in summer.
The last few winters here have been similar to southern England. We have seen -16C though only three, I think, winters in the last 15 years have been sub -10. That will be an interesting test for the car.
Of course, if you want a new car then what harm in having a look ? Shiny stuff makes things better !
|
|
Avant
Full Member
Posts: 691
|
Post by Avant on Oct 2, 2020 22:50:50 GMT
Many thanks for all the comments.
I'm sure you've told us already, BPG, what Frau BPG is getting next: it might be something that is / should be on my shortlist.
I'll certainly keep the Audi for a bit longer, but it's on a four-year PCP ending in April 2022, so I don't want to be in the position of paying a hefty balloon payment for a car that's out of warranty. I think 3 to 3.5 years will probably be the time to change, although I need to monitor the market value of the car against the settlement figure.
I have to admit that I do enjoy new cars, and I'm lucky that being semi-retired I'm quite well paid for the work that I do. We don't have extravagant tastes otherwise, so we can be thankful - however incompetent successive politicians may be - that we live in a society where we're free to make that sort of choice.
I agree with others - it's hopefully unlikely that the current Q2 will become unreliable any time soon, although parts are likely to be expensive. But if as I get older I can't or don't want to work, having a car (and then keeping it long-term) with lower fuel and maintenance expenses is attractive. It does seem to me more and more that a pure EV is likely to deliver those economies better than a PHEV, but my mind is still open. If I can get one in due course for about the same amount per month as for the Q2, it will be tempting.
And above all, it's got to be good to drive, while I'm still of an age to enjoy driving.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2020 23:07:04 GMT
And above all, it's got to be good to drive, while I'm still of an age to enjoy driving. With that in mind, there is life after VAG,,, |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2020 9:16:10 GMT
The last few winters here have been similar to southern England. We have seen -16C though only three, I think, winters in the last 15 years have been sub -10. That will be an interesting test for the car. There are bazillions of EVs in Norway, so they must cope with harsh winters just fine. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2020 11:24:39 GMT
You'll all be delighted to know that the guessometer in the Leaf is now reporting around 120 miles maximum range usually, probably as a result of its use almost exclusively in stop/start traffic and a drop in outdoor temperatures. Still, this is a significant improvement on the 85-95 I routinely got in the 24kwh Leaf. I have taken to charging the car only 2 or 3 times a week, rather than every day or night as I did with the old one, in order to give the batteries some "exercise". I have no idea if this is necessary or not.
I remain delighted with the car's capabilities, and, of course, running costs.
|
|
|
|
Post by EspadaIII on Oct 7, 2020 11:59:12 GMT
So a 33% increase in range. What is the increase in battery capacity?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2020 12:02:40 GMT
24 - 30kwh is the increase in capacity. I refuse to do the maths to work that out as a percentage. Because I hate maths. And I can't remember how to work that one out.
I think there were other marginal improvements which helped improve the range in the 30kwh model as well, not just the uplift in battery capacity.
|
|
|
|
Post by Humph on Oct 7, 2020 12:19:39 GMT
I think it's marvellous. Has to be good for, well, everything really. But I don't want one, as often recorded, all I want is a Duster, a portable barbecue, a straw hat, a map, a hammock, a passport and a mountain bike. The dog and the wife are invited of course, but they can decide for themselves. Oh and some trousers I suppose, and a shirt or two...some boots I guess, but not much more. Don't want to be anywhere near a plug.
|
|
|
|
Post by EspadaIII on Oct 7, 2020 13:19:57 GMT
24 - 30kwh is the increase in capacity. I refuse to do the maths to work that out as a percentage. Because I hate maths. And I can't remember how to work that one out. I think there were other marginal improvements which helped improve the range in the 30kwh model as well, not just the uplift in battery capacity. Oh Bloody Hell Al! It's only maths! 24kWh to 30kWh is a 25% increase so actually a 30% increase in range for only a 25% increase in capacity is pretty good...Those little tweaks have worked their magic. |
|
