Joining the electric car club

[Doohickey]

Test drove a Polestar 2 yesterday - never driven an EV before. It's as quick to 60 as the Strad but the lack of noise is weird and you spend a lot of time looking at the speedo as there's no engine note to give you a clue. Regen braking takes some getting used to as well.

But it was comfortable and had lots of toys and seems to have the range I need for regular 200 mile round trips to the north east. It's massively cheaper on a salary sacrifice than running a car myself so I'm going to take the plunge especially since I've got solar and a battery.

Any thoughts on the charger for the house? I think Polestar have a deal with Ohme.

 

[Ewan]

Any thoughts on the charger for the house? I think Polestar have a deal with Ohme.

As a company car, using salary sacrifice, for most people it’s a no-brainier to have an EV. (Unless you very regularly do 300 miles or more in a day.)

As for the charger, I have a Pod Point, which is fine. But they all do the same, so pick one which you like the design of and which has a decent control App.

You might need to change your energy supplier at home. For example, Octopus have a special rate for EV drivers, with the rate charged at night being only about a fifth of what it is in the day. Currently I pay about 7p per KWh (at night) with Octopus.

 

[Doohickey]

You might need to change your energy supplier at home. For example, Octopus have a special rate for EV drivers, with the rate charged at night being only about a fifth of what it is in the day. Currently I pay about 7p per KWh (at night) with Octopus.

Thanks Ewan - I'm already with Octopus so should be fine.

 

[mjheathcote]

Thanks Ewan - I'm already with Octopus so should be fine.

Check that either the Polestar, or the charger you choose if the Polestar isn't, is compatable with Intelegent Octopus for the 7.5p deal.
When you are on Intelegent for the 6 hours you can also charge your batteries at this low rate, and still get paid 15p for solar excess export.

 

[Wack61]

I am planning on swapping from my E class estate diesel soon and I was tempted by the EQC as they look pretty good. The range is really bad though and they are so much smaller than the E. I am probably going model S as they are 400 miles compared to 180 quoted miles.

The reviews I've read are 230 miles and real world 190 miles, in real terms that's 3-4 hours driving on UK roads

I think I'd definitely need a break if I'd driven for that long

 

[Gazcw]

The reviews I've read are 230 miles and real world 190 miles, in real terms that's 3-4 hours driving on UK roads

I think I'd definitely need a break if I'd driven for that long

Yeah your are right. Published range is 250. Neighbour only gets 180 when I was speaking to him and he has the regen on high. That's a and b road driving.

 

[Wack61]

Yeah your are right. Published range is 250. Neighbour only gets 180 when I was speaking to him and he has the regen on high. That's a and b road driving.

They just seem like a lot of car for 25k, Mercedes build quality V tesla build quality.....

I struggle to buy a 3-4 year old tesla knowing I could have a 75k Mercedes for the same money.

 

[Gazcw]

They just seem like a lot of car for 25k, Mercedes build quality V tesla build quality.....

I struggle to buy a 3-4 year old tesla knowing I could have a 75k Mercedes for the same money.

They are. The Premium Plus is what I was looking at.

A 2020 Model S long range is about the same price at present. The Tesla 3 has a terrible ride. Mate has one for a Company car. Harsh and choppy ride and that is with 19" wheels. Would not touch one of those.

 

[rockits]

Test drove a Polestar 2 yesterday - never driven an EV before. It's as quick to 60 as the Strad but the lack of noise is weird and you spend a lot of time looking at the speedo as there's no engine note to give you a clue. Regen braking takes some getting used to as well.

But it was comfortable and had lots of toys and seems to have the range I need for regular 200 mile round trips to the north east. It's massively cheaper on a salary sacrifice than running a car myself so I'm going to take the plunge especially since I've got solar and a battery.

Any thoughts on the charger for the house? I think Polestar have a deal with Ohme.

I'm sure I saw the Ohme was fully native on Octopus so if that is the case it would work really well.

On the Pod Point we have with the iPace it needs the Jaguar system to connect/login to the Octopus system but works fine once connected/syncd the first time.

 

[Gazcw]

I'm sure I saw the Ohme was fully native on Octopus so if that is the case it would work really well.

On the Pod Point we have with the iPace it needs the Jaguar system to connect/login to the Octopus system but works fine once connected/syncd the first time.

I read on Octopus Intelligent you have to turn off any car schedules and they take over charging based on what time you need the car charged by the next day and percentage set.

 

[rockits]

I read on Octopus Intelligent you have to turn off any car schedules and they take over charging based on what time you need the car charged by the next day and percentage set.

Not sure. I just got it all connected day one and plug the car in at any time then it just starts charging late at night when the Octopus cheap tariff kicks in. Then is all done and charged the next morning ready to go.

We still seem able to set precondition schedules to pre warm the car but I suspect it has charged by the time it starts those anyway.

 

[Gazcw]

Not sure. I just got it all connected day one and plug the car in at any time then it just starts charging late at night when the Octopus cheap tariff kicks in. Then is all done and charged the next morning ready to go.

We still seem able to set precondition schedules to pre warm the car but I suspect it has charged by the time it starts those anyway.

I think it depends on whether it is Octopus intelligent or go. It's all a mystery to me at the moment..

 

[RodTungsten]

Intelligent Octopus Go (IOG) instructs your charger to add a % of your battery kWh at their discretion by a time you specify. There are charger-dependent specifics - our Zappi has to be in eco+ mode. We can still precondition by programming in the car and setting short scheduled charges coincident with this.

The service is still in beta so it occasionally fails and is therefore not 100% dependable. If we need a specific charge we knock off the function and do a standard cheap timed charge for certainty

 

[urquattrogus]

I've ordered an OHM charger in the hope that it's the most compatible smart charger for an Octopus or similar tarriff...

Still scanning the classifieds for our ideal spec ipace.

Those Mercedes look like a lot of car for the money, although some of them look like a melted bar of soap styling wise, to me anyway!

Is it possible that in the Spring budget the chancellor will do something to incentivise the private EV buyer? Lower VAT? Maybe not?

They are pretty desperate now so will have to try and pull something out of the hat in terms of tax reductions?

 

[mjheathcote]

I read on Octopus Intelligent you have to turn off any car schedules and they take over charging based on what time you need the car charged by the next day and percentage set.

With the Mrs Audi, Octopus take control of the cars charging, they have direct access to the car using the audi app login details.
It's pretty reliable most of the time, but has failed to connect on occasions. This would have been a problem if a full EV and not a hybrid, and you needed a full charge in the morning.
The financial benefit however is still worth the odd glitch though.

 

[philw696]

 

[urquattrogus]

Hi, would anyone be able to do one of those Octopus referral code thingys?

 

[drellis]

Hi, would anyone be able to do one of those Octopus referral code thingys?

Use this link to sign up to Octopus - https://share.octopus.energy/denim-wind-679

 

[drellis]

I'm on intelligent octopus and via the bmw app it did control the charging. If the system isn't always working you can disable the system and use timed charging

 

[urquattrogus]

Use this link to sign up to Octopus - https://share.octopus.energy/denim-wind-679

Thank You , sorry I got a PM just before your and used another link