Electric cars-got to be a viable option now?

[reggie747]

People who say electric cars have no soul is a mostly pointless opinion. The only people who can really say that and actually justify it are people who are driving high end sports cars on a daily basis.

Your average Joe who has read in a magazine that electric cars have no soul and then just likes to regurgitate it during discussions surrounding electric cars, FFS, they are probably driving an BMW X3 or a Ford Focus. Your average combustion engine car stopped having a sound around 1990!

You don't have to drive a high end sportscar to experience sound for heavens sake.
After driving a Polestar for half a day and being moved around in the past in other electric cars, there isn't really a comparison to a car with a sound of induction and exhaust note.

The title of this thread are electric cars a viable option - To me they are not but to others they may be.

https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxpWJDzQG...RsjF0188hN8zzn

Now, show me an electric car that can make a sound like that and I might be sold......(not)

[Tooks]

To be fair to Reggie, he has a point re engine sounds, you’re either moved by them or you’re not.

I had an old Audi S2, 5 cylinder in-line, and I loved the off beat warble sound it made. Same with my wife’s old Z3 with a BMW straight six in it, a howling symphony at full chat.

Her Tesla makes some interesting whining sounds when head-butting the horizon, and it’s an event in itself of sorts, but it’s hard to compete with the soulful sound of a good internal combustion engine.

You can keep a four pit econobox though, they mostly sound thrashy to my ears.

[RickChard]

I do miss a nice engine note, or the pop and bang of unburnt fuel in the exhaust.

I miss a manual gearbox too, I’ve not had one for 6-7 years.

One must accept progress though (eventually).

[noTAGlove]

The title of this thread are electric cars a viable option - To me they are not but to others they may be

If it wasn't for salary sacrifice there is no chance I'd own an EV. I have been bribed by HMRC to own one, not that I am complaining. It is no brainer for high or higher rate tax payers on salary sacrifice with or without home charging. Most on this thread will have been HMRC bribed too.

The title really should be 'are electric cars a viable option for private buyers'. Different story when you can't salary sacrifice that £800 pcm EV car lease at 2% BIK.

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[jaytip]

If it wasn't for salary sacrifice there is no chance I'd own an EV. I have been bribed by HMRC to own one, not that I am complaining. It is no brainer for high or higher rate tax payers on salary sacrifice with or without home charging. Most on this thread will have been HMRC bribed too.

The title really should be 'are electric cars a viable option for private buyers'. Different story when you can't salary sacrifice that £800 pcm EV car lease at 2% BIK.

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This is simply not the case and I’m proof of that. All it takes to make an EV viable and cheaper is average or above mileage and the right EV tariff.

[Longblackcoat]

If it wasn't for salary sacrifice there is no chance I'd own an EV. I have been bribed by HMRC to own one, not that I am complaining. It is no brainer for high or higher rate tax payers on salary sacrifice with or without home charging. Most on this thread will have been HMRC bribed too.

The title really should be 'are electric cars a viable option for private buyers'. Different story when you can't salary sacrifice that £800 pcm EV car lease at 2% BIK.

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Mine's a private purchase and it's entirely viable. For my purposes, and driving around the same roads as you do (I think we're in the same constituency?) it makes absolute, stone-cold economic sense. Plus it's nicer to drive.

[noTAGlove]

Mine's a private purchase and it's entirely viable. For my purposes, and driving around the same roads as you do (I think we're in the same constituency?) it makes absolute, stone-cold economic sense. Plus it's nicer to drive.

I don't doubt it is viable as a private purchase, but definitely not as attractive as salary sacrifice. I believe the vast majority commenting are taking advantage of salary sacrifice(?), which is a no brainer. It would be interesting if those who comment could identify if it was private purchase or salary sacrifice.

Yes, we are in the same area I believe. I don't have off street parking, but can charge at work. I thought I'd use the chargers at Esher civic centre as it is not far from me. Only 30p/kWh which is not bad for 22 kW public charging, but the barstewards make you pay a parking tax on top of this, and outside of parking hours the chargers are rammed.

[noTAGlove]

Fully electrickeried up today.

Wife drove the EV to work, and I cycled my electric Brompton to work.

Now at the vanguard of the transition! Well, as long as HMRC keep attractive salary sacrifice for electric cars and electric bikes.

[redmonaco]

If I thought that Evs were a cleaner option and offered longevity then I would be all for them, But I don't. Manufacturing and materials used make them anything but clean. The batteries are an unknown quantity regards lifetime and recycling, the infrastructure for charging and charge times are a problem. I am doubtful regarding the country being able to produce enough electricity for them and the methods needed to do so.

Apart from that they are brilliant...!

[Dave+63]

If I thought that Evs were a cleaner option and offered longevity then I would be all for them, But I don't. Manufacturing and materials used make the manything but clean. The batteries are an unknown quantity regards lifetime and recycling, the infrastructure for charging and charge times are a problem. I am doubtful regrading the country being able to produce enough electricity for them and the methods needed to do so.

Apart from that they are brilliant...!

Have you been asleep for the last ten years?

EVs are not perfect, nothing is, but they are a cleaner option than ICE.

Batteries are not an unknown quantity, twelve year old EVs are still on the road and running well.

Yes, the infrastructure still needs improving but always will but charging times are no longer an issue, 350kw chargers are already in use which are plenty quick enough for anyone. And I am aware that not all (or many currently) cars can charge at that speed but that’s not a charger problem.

And finally, I’ll not worry about whether we can produce enough electricity until the electric companies start to mention that they may have trouble supplying enough to meet demand.

[Longblackcoat]

I don't doubt it is viable as a private purchase, but definitely not as attractive as salary sacrifice. I believe the vast majority commenting are taking advantage of salary sacrifice(?), which is a no brainer. It would be interesting if those who comment could identify if it was private purchase or salary sacrifice.

Yes, we are in the same area I believe. I don't have off street parking, but can charge at work. I thought I'd use the chargers at Esher civic centre as it is not far from me. Only 30p/kWh which is not bad for 22 kW public charging, but the barstewards make you pay a parking tax on top of this, and outside of parking hours the chargers are rammed.

The lack of chargers is a total pain if you've not got driveway charging and would absolutely change the equation for me. I tried the very chargers you mention (I was going to Everyman anyway) and was pleasantly impressed, but there are way too few of them.

BTW - I tried the electric Brompton and couldn't stand it. Without the battery I found it an unpleasant thing to pedal - my leg-powered one is far more me.

[Dave+63]

The title really should be 'are electric cars a viable option for private buyers'. Different story when you can't salary sacrifice that £800 pcm EV car lease at 2% BIK.

Not necessarily, you don’t need to be paying £800 pcm for an EV.

Granted, a lot of EV sales have been due to the tax incentives but a lot of private buyers have also bought without the BIK benefits.

[noTAGlove]

Not necessarily, you don’t need to be paying £800 pcm for an EV.

Granted, a lot of EV sales have been due to the tax incentives but a lot of private buyers have also bought without the BIK benefits.

The higher payments are because it comes fully inclusive of everything from maintenance to insurance, roadside assistance to free tyres. And it is all salary sacrificed not just the car. That is the beauty of salary sacrifice.

Saying that my Volvo C40 is gross £609 per month for 3 years and 8,000 miles per year. But for that price the only extra I pay is for electrons (and I get to salary sacrifice the whole £609 pcm, of course).

[Dave+63]

The higher payments are because it comes fully inclusive of everything from maintenance to insurance, roadside assistance to free tyres. And it is all salary sacrificed not just the car. That is the beauty of salary sacrifice.

Saying that my Volvo C40 is gross £609 per month for 3 years and 8,000 miles per year. But for that price the only extra I pay is for electrons (and I get to salary sacrifice the £609 pcm, of course).

You have a great deal there then and anyone in your position would be mad not to take advantage of tge incentives still currently available.

I still believe it’s viable without the incentives though, I’ve been driving the same EV since 2015 with the only real benefit being zero RFL, but that will change in 2025. I’ll still keep driving it though, I’ve no plans to go back to ICE.

[gunner]

You don't have to drive a high end sportscar to experience sound for heavens sake.
After driving a Polestar for half a day and being moved around in the past in other electric cars, there isn't really a comparison to a car with a sound of induction and exhaust note.

The title of this thread are electric cars a viable option - To me they are not but to others they may be.

Quite. No noise needed for electric cars to be viable as a pure transport option but I still choose to jump in the Caterham when I have a chance.


(...and yes, the C40 falls into the 'HMRC bribe' category suggested earlier...)