Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2020 1:14:50 GMT
As I created the original 'Electric cars' thread and have now committed to one, maybe a review is due.
KIA e-Soul 64kWh usable battery 67.1kWh total max, 77kW inverter
After a month what would I change (avoiding negatives): - The charger is an absolute last resort. It charges 10% every 3.5 hours up to 80% beyond that life is too short.
- No case or anything provided with the charger, it's just "dumped" in the boot.
- The switch gear is pure Japanese, switch on the fog lights and they are still on next time the ignition is on. Please Eastern manufacturers switch this config. for European cars it's rubbish !!!
- The carpet is cheaper than cheap. I went to swap the carpets for winter rubber mats and the "floor covering", formerly know as carpet, was shiny where no vac or cleaner had previously been. After 2 weeks since pickup from the dealership, from new, I would not expect to see shiny carpet. This car has a list price of €45,000 FFS !!!
- Menu both on screen and the dash needs work it's a bit of a hotchpotch at the moment. The basic information is there but you, as a user, need to learn and seek, it's not intuitive and I work in IT.
- Cruise control. On a car with a list price of 45,000€ I want intelligent cruise control not 100kms in a 30 zone !!! adaptive cruise? Yes please.
- If you are going to fit electric seats both sides and have a list price of 45,0000€ then there should be a memory function.
Switch the car in to Eco mode and my daily commute is c. 2.90€ where it costs 13.00+€ in my petrol car, OK a 280PS automatic estate Ford Focus ST, Not bad for a 204PS electric car though current € diesel prices in Germany mean diesel is not so expensive at 4.50€ for the same journey in a 10 year old Volvo S60 D3. Hard to justify getting rid of an old diesel but if you are planning for a new car electric is worth consideration depending on your budget.
What's to like ? - The range: at 90% charge it shows 405kms. Not to be sniffed at for a city car though drops to 355kms at 80% charge, nevertheless, very impressive for "Urban car of the year 2020"
- Paint and general build quality is very good other than aforementioned carpet which is woeful
- Self regen when coming up behind traffic regardless of speed is brilliant.
- Range will get better when the weather warms up and hopefully KIA (totally brilliant customer service so far with an issue I had with online car app) see this and retro-fit seat adjustment for the drivers seat or I will have severe concussion by the time the car is due to go back (or I will set the car on fire in a field somewhere)
Driving the car, it hides its 1,757kgs mass very well. For town driving Eco+ mode is to be recommended. One foot driving and very little energy consumed. One word: Brilliant. Out of town we use Normal mode which covers most scenarios and a quick prod of the accelerator gives max acceleration. It's not a Sports car, I've used Sport mode but after a 400PS Focus RS and my current Focus ST it is not worth the effort. Stick it in normal mode and waft is what it does best.
We opted for a NewMotion(Shell) RFID card as a backup to charge away from home if we can't make it home. Yes, it's expensive compared to home charging but the network accessibility and peace of mind across Europe is worth it.
In summary: If you have a car and own it outright then the race to electric is very difficult to justify. However, if you are planning to replace your car in the near future then electric must be a consideration. Where we live (Germany) Government and manufacturer contributions make electric very difficult to ignore if you are looking to buy over the next 10 years, assuming there is a major take-up of EVs then leasing should be very cheap.
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Post by EspadaIII on Nov 29, 2020 7:47:50 GMT
Useful info.
Can you explain your comments about the charger? Do you mean the cable? If so what other options are available for home charging?
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Avant
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Post by Avant on Nov 30, 2020 11:26:50 GMT
I think he's talking about a standard domestic plug - our 3-in in the UK.
If that's right, BPG, are you intending to get a wall charger? I believe a 7 kw wall charger can charge a battery your car's size to 100% in about 9 hours.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Nov 30, 2020 12:38:55 GMT
It can. Ours can charge the i3’s 33kWh battery in three or four.
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Post by dixinormus on Dec 1, 2020 23:15:54 GMT
Won’t that Kia have a European charger plug that won’t fit a UK 3-pin socket anyway?! Can you use a travel adaptor?! 🌩
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Dec 1, 2020 23:54:02 GMT
If we're referring to a fairly generic mains piug to type 2 charger then that's limited to 2 and a bit kW I think. But I don't think I'd want that going into an adapter. I've had adapters for EU to UK plugs with 'issues' with a hairdryer. I'd not try an EV or PHEV  But from a standard UK/EU supply it will take a very long time to charge a 64kWh battery. I expect it to take at least 5 to charge my BMW and usable battery is only about 10kWh. But i've not tried to charge from home. I know some councils seem to let you use a cable protector and some people nearby have used with full EVs. My car though only has 3.7kW charging which means it's not speedy anywhere but it is a PHEV. Some cars I considered came with 7kW charging as standard or as an option. Back to charging... at this house for a full EV I'd have to consider getting electric to the garage and then drive part in to get off the road. The side gates would be a pain to unlock/lock etc. Seems a nice car though. |
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Post by dixinormus on Dec 4, 2020 23:42:55 GMT
Kia have just launched the 1.4 petrol-powered Stonic (mini-SUV?) here in NZ with a sticker price of GB£11 grand. I think a brand new Rio hatchback is around 10 grand. At those kind of prices I just couldn’t entertain the idea of buying an EV. Apologies to the planet, but that’s just the way it is for many people I suspect.
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Dec 5, 2020 1:04:50 GMT
And on top of that if you cannot charge an EV at home then that means it is not an option.
On our street we are probably the only one with a bigger issue because we are number 1 and the garage (and very short drive) is on the side of the house on the road perpendicular. But a lot of houses do not have drives to park a decent size car. Some just adjacent never had a drive when built 90 years ago and some have got drop kerbs and use the front garden. But one started this process and made the space after getting permission, redid the front wall and then when they asked for a drop kerb.... Council refused that part! So why let them do the rest under planning permission?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2020 19:45:30 GMT
Sorry all for the delay in response, had problems getting in this week.
In terms of charger, the car comes with a standard 230/240v 8/10/12A charger gives you around 2.6kW charge which takes FOREVER to fill a 64kWh battery even between 20% and 80%.
Yes, Avant I plan to get a charger though I am not putting a wallbox in, going for a 5 pole 22kW variable adapter which I can use out and about giving between 3 and 22kW charge.
Amazon have badly let us down in that area. They delivered a 240v Single Phase 16A unit when I ordered a 380V 3 phase 32A unit. Still waiting for a refund after two weeks and much p155ing about on their part even though DHL have confirmed Amazon have had the unit back for two weeks.
We've been advised not to use a converter between UK and EU plugs. We have a standard EU two pin 'Schuko' plug. I have a three pin 13A converter I might try as an experiment when in the UK for our 12A charger or run it at 10A or 8A to be on the safe side.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2020 18:39:06 GMT
So, refund received replacement charger ordered which arrived today and very good it is. Tested it at 16A 404V 11kW. 2 hours to put 33% charge back in.
...and the windscreen is cracked. A stone chip about 0,5cm in from the drivers A pillar half way up/down the screen has cracked across in front of the driver, about 6" (I like to mix my imperial and metric). KIA dealer reckons they'll need the car for 3 days if/when they get a replacement screen. KIA dealers do not appear to carry many parts.
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Post by dixinormus on Dec 10, 2020 22:24:18 GMT
Hope the replacement screen isn’t on a ship from Korea. Logistics issues seem to be compounding globally at present 🙁. Covid, Christmas, and fewer planes in the air are starting to take their toll.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2020 22:43:09 GMT
My wife took the car to the dealership, I was stuck in meetings all afternoon.
The dealer wants to see the car again on Monday afternoon, I'm off on Monday will tag along.
She said they'd said about the glass having to come from South Korea which is possible I suppose but surprised Saint Gobain or one of the other OEM glass manufacturers do not supply European markets at least with replacements.
I'd try Carglass (funny how it's Autoglass in the UK and Carglass in Europe) though with the car only being a month old, cameras and sensors probably need recalibrating after a new screen is fitted, safest option is to go with the dealer.
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Post by tyrednexited on Dec 10, 2020 22:50:49 GMT
..... safest option is to go with the dealer. ...in the UK, the cheapest option might well be to go with an insurer's favoured supplier (otherwise cover limits might apply). The German insurance market may well be different. I think all Souls are built in Korea, aren't they (but not on Nov. 2nd) so the supply of OE glass in Europe might be limited. You'd think that, with the ubiquity of cameras, sensors, etc. that the aftermarket repairers would now have is sussed, or they'd soon be out of business. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2020 23:14:42 GMT
I suspect Monday is to prepare a quote for insurance and Carglass may still be on the cards if the insurer thinks the dealer is having a laugh.
We'll see...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2020 18:51:41 GMT
I tagged along to the dealership today to see what was going on. The chap on service reception asked for the keys, the car will be ready tomorrow or Wednesday due to disinfection process and the country going back to complete lockdown from Wednesday. The replacement windscreen was already at the dealership.
Looks like KIA dealers may not carry a lot of stock but they have a centralised European warehouse somewhere that gets the parts out quickly. I ordered some floor mats and a boot liner last month late afternoon, they were in the next morning.
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