For help, advice and discussion about stuff not related to aviation. Play nice: no religion, no politics and no axe grinding please.
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By JonathanB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1555872
I'm seriously thinking of replacing Mrs B's 2010 Vauxhall Corsa with something economical that I can commute to work in (35-miles each way) leaving her with my Nissan Qashqai which she feels much safer driving our 6-month year old around in.

I'd quite like something slightly premium feeling and definitely nice and comfortable. It would be useful to get the car seat in the back but this isn't primarily for family trips.

I've kind of ruled out going completely electric as I think the range is probably a bit far (even with charging at work) and I don't think I'm quite ready to make that leap yet. However I am wondering about a hybrid.

Any suggestions on cars that might fit the bill?
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1555876
My daughter just settled for a four door Smart car. It will take kiddie seat when required but is mostly just a commute to work machine and so far very satisfactory.
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By JonathanB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1555881
I don't want a tiny small car - we're not replacing the Corsa with something similar. Mrs B gets the Qashqai and I want something niceish to drive to work. Plug-in Hybrid certainly seems to make most sense and I agree the BMW i3 is fugly! BMW 3 Series Hybrid is maybe more along the right lines although I always said I never wanted a BMW (mind you I said that about an automatic and love it!)
#1555884
Can't quite understand the Hybrid route; whilst you do get a longer range for the (few?) trips that need it, you also end up lugging around two "power units & storage tanks" on EVERY trip. This can't be particularly efficient or green.

I could be tempted to get an e-Golf for the Memsahib next time; a tad expensive, but the Leaf is almost as fugly as the i3 and the Tesla far too expensive.
#1555889
Colonel Panic wrote:Can't quite understand the Hybrid route; whilst you do get a longer range for the (few?) trips that need it, you also end up lugging around two "power units & storage tanks" on EVERY trip. This can't be particularly efficient or green.


The plug-in hybrid has the benefit of refuelling at home. Most of JB's morning trip would be done on pure electricity from his domestic supply at about 1/3 to a 1/4 the cost of petrol.

Those conscious of polluted cities use the electric motor in town to benefit the local environment.

Merecedes have number of their top-end vehicles where the intention of the extra motor is to arrive and depart silently - that's what limo are supposed to do.

Others use both powertrains ganged together to provide top-end performance https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new- ... power-2019

I'd suggest they are a transitional phase. As pure EVs become more advanced and more accepted we will see fewer hybrids marketed.

For JB's seventy mile round trip commute I think pure EV is the better option. That is comfortably within the ability of even first generation Leaf (also ugly)

Rob P
#1555891
Automatic is the only logical conclusion for hybrid. The EMS needs to decide when the ICE makes sense over the battery.

I "got" that when I had a Prius.

What was fun was all windows and sunroof open, being stuck in stop/start traffic in the forest.

The go-cart simplicity and silence was chalk and cheese compared to the pain of clutch/gear constant changing with an ICE car and manual gears.

I admit I paid a premium for the Prius. If it had been plugged and especially if I had solar panels then I'd have been laughing. we are talking about maybe a grand or 1500 over a 3 year period- and for that I was happy to support the move away from our ICE.
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By MikeB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1555892
If you have off-road parking (for easy at home charging) then no reason not to go all electric for the daily commute IMHO. A 70 mile round trip will be well within the range. My (admitted fugly) I3 has an electric range of about 125 miles and charges at about 10mph via a normal electric socket. A twice weekly overnight charge is currently sufficient, and if my Conservation Officer ever allows the installation of a wallbox a couple of hours charging twice weekly will do.
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By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1555894
One of our group members is on his third Prius and very nice it is too: Prius # 1 only recharged via petrol motor, Prius # 2 was a plug-in and Prius # 3 has gone back to petrol motor recharge only.

Not unpleasant looking apart from the back.

He also has an Auris and is very pleased with that too....

Peter
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By TheKentishFledgling
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1555896
MikeB wrote:If you have off-road parking (for easy at home charging)


This is my big thing with EVs. We, like many others who live in towns, rely on on-street parking, and will have no option but to do so all the while we choose to stay living where we do. A real shame, as in all other aspects we'd fit into the EV (PHEV) profile perfectly, and I think some of them are quite cool.
#1555900
We can but hope that fast charging (via super capacitors or ambient temp hydrogen etc) gets to market in the short to medium term.

It's clear that a large number of upper to middle bracket townies would gladly move to all electric if the on street charging problem gets solved.

I'm moderately optimistic it's when not if, and the likes of Elon Musk will be instrumental.

The technologies as proof of concept exist today, some are closer than others from making it from lab to fab.

Let's revisit this thread in a year??
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