Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
- KungFooBob
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
I've got a proper home charger fitted now, just in case I need it.
I've done some calcs between my current leccy tariff and the cheap overnight one.
If I didn't charge my car at home at all, then the car tariff works out £140 a year more expensive. The day rate on the EV tariff is a couple of pence more a unit than my current fixed deal.
I reckon I'd have to charge enough for 2,000 miles at home before it breaks even.
Obviously if I wasn't charging at work the EV tariff would save me a fortune.
I've done some calcs between my current leccy tariff and the cheap overnight one.
If I didn't charge my car at home at all, then the car tariff works out £140 a year more expensive. The day rate on the EV tariff is a couple of pence more a unit than my current fixed deal.
I reckon I'd have to charge enough for 2,000 miles at home before it breaks even.
Obviously if I wasn't charging at work the EV tariff would save me a fortune.
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Mussels
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Apart from not wanting to change my car right now the biggest sticking point for me may be as minor as where the charger plugs in, any car with the socket at the front is probably off the list.
- wheelnut
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
I charge at home on an EV tariff. My fuel spend has dropped from £400 per month to around £30 (not inc any public charging which I do infrequently). I'm a petrolhead through and through but I don't think I would go back to an ICE car. Not just because of the fuel cost, the driveability and instant power on tap is great.KungFooBob wrote: Mon Nov 03, 2025 2:27 pm I've got a proper home charger fitted now, just in case I need it.
I've done some calcs between my current leccy tariff and the cheap overnight one.
If I didn't charge my car at home at all, then the car tariff works out £140 a year more expensive. The day rate on the EV tariff is a couple of pence more a unit than my current fixed deal.
I reckon I'd have to charge enough for 2,000 miles at home before it breaks even.
Obviously if I wasn't charging at work the EV tariff would save me a fortune.
Being able to charge at home and not doing crazy daily mileages would be a prerequiste though.
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Seems to be totally unstandardised currently. Some at the front, some the back left, some back right, some both back left AND right.Mussels wrote: Mon Nov 03, 2025 3:35 pm Apart from not wanting to change my car right now the biggest sticking point for me may be as minor as where the charger plugs in, any car with the socket at the front is probably off the list.
You get a long cable though, ours came with one that's maybe 6m or so. Long enough to drive in forwards and charge at the back.
- KungFooBob
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
My EV shares a bodyshell with ICE models, so my charge plug is exactly where the filler cap would be on the petrol version 
- Taipan
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
It's rumoured Labour will be bringing in a pay-per-mile tax for EVs at the next budget. I guess they've got fill the predictied lost revenues from ICE vehciles fuel duties etc. This wont go down well with EV owners and likely put off prospective EV buyers, including fleet buyers. On top of removing the 0% VEL, I wonder how this will effect the future of EVs?
- KungFooBob
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Pay upfront for the year and then top up if you go over.Taipan wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 9:59 am It's rumoured Labour will be bringing in a pay-per-mile tax for EVs at the next budget. I guess they've got fill the predictied lost revenues from ICE vehciles fuel duties etc. This wont go down well with EV owners and likely put off prospective EV buyers, including fleet buyers. On top of removing the 0% VEL, I wonder how this will effect the future of EVs?
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mxgzpj1dvo
Grasping at straws!
- MrLongbeard
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
At only 3ppm I doubt it'll even be noticed.
Although I do like the proposed system of guessing your annual milage for the upcoming year and paying for that, and then squaring things up at the end of the year
if only there was a system that could reliably record your mileage on an annual basis
Although I do like the proposed system of guessing your annual milage for the upcoming year and paying for that, and then squaring things up at the end of the year
- gremlin
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
And as a hybrid driver, looks like I'll get hit with the pay-per-mile and the fuel duty.KungFooBob wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 10:06 amPay upfront for the year and then top up if you go over.Taipan wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 9:59 am It's rumoured Labour will be bringing in a pay-per-mile tax for EVs at the next budget. I guess they've got fill the predictied lost revenues from ICE vehciles fuel duties etc. This wont go down well with EV owners and likely put off prospective EV buyers, including fleet buyers. On top of removing the 0% VEL, I wonder how this will effect the future of EVs?
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mxgzpj1dvo
Grasping at straws!
Cheers, Rach.
Remember Anne Diamond!
- KungFooBob
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
No MOT for the first three years on new cars.MrLongbeard wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 10:08 am At only 3ppm I doubt it'll even be noticed.
Although I do like the proposed system of guessing your annual milage for the upcoming year and paying for that, and then squaring things up at the end of the year![]()
if only there was a system that could reliably record your mileage on an annual basis
- MrLongbeard
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Obvs, but no reason why a trusted MOT garage network can't be employed to just record the mileage during those first 3 years.KungFooBob wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 10:34 amNo MOT for the first three years on new cars.MrLongbeard wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 10:08 am At only 3ppm I doubt it'll even be noticed.
Although I do like the proposed system of guessing your annual milage for the upcoming year and paying for that, and then squaring things up at the end of the year![]()
if only there was a system that could reliably record your mileage on an annual basis
Or HM.Gov just piggy back in on the always connected car and look at your mileage that way
- Horse
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
One of the 'by products' of E-call systems (mandatory since 2018) is that cars are constantly broadcasting their location.MrLongbeard wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 10:50 amObvs, but no reason why a trusted MOT garage network can't be employed to just record the mileage during those first 3 years.KungFooBob wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 10:34 amNo MOT for the first three years on new cars.MrLongbeard wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 10:08 am At only 3ppm I doubt it'll even be noticed.
Although I do like the proposed system of guessing your annual milage for the upcoming year and paying for that, and then squaring things up at the end of the year![]()
if only there was a system that could reliably record your mileage on an annual basis
Or HM.Gov just piggy back in on the always connected car and look at your mileage that way
Even bland can be a type of character 
- KungFooBob
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
BMW offer API access to their online services, easy enough to write something to query the database your car sends it's info too.
But it would be different for every manufacturer.
Then what happens if you trade the car in half way though the year/month and the Gov only polls the data once a month, etc...
I'm sure they'll put something in place, but it's going to take years.
But it would be different for every manufacturer.
Then what happens if you trade the car in half way though the year/month and the Gov only polls the data once a month, etc...
I'm sure they'll put something in place, but it's going to take years.
- KungFooBob
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Probably easier to use ANPR and some AI to do some gestimates.
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Mussels
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
When a car is sold the mileage will be sent in as VED is cancelled or started, just hope they both line up.
Last edited by Mussels on Thu Nov 06, 2025 6:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Horse
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
https://www.roadtrace.eu/mobility
What
By combining geolocalised information from all types of road users, we deliver an overall measurement of relative traffic flow and speed profiles on the whole network, at any time, in all conditions, for each type of vehicles (HGV, LCV, cars).
It's anonymous vehicle-only data
Currently ...
NB bikes are beginning to be fitted with E-call too.
What
By combining geolocalised information from all types of road users, we deliver an overall measurement of relative traffic flow and speed profiles on the whole network, at any time, in all conditions, for each type of vehicles (HGV, LCV, cars).
It's anonymous vehicle-only data
Currently ...
NB bikes are beginning to be fitted with E-call too.
Even bland can be a type of character 
- Sunny
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Call it once a day and ditch the data on the transfer day. Day+1 has been the basic standard for ever, right, right?KungFooBob wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 2:40 pm BMW offer API access to their online services, easy enough to write something to query the database your car sends it's info too.
But it would be different for every manufacturer.
Then what happens if you trade the car in half way though the year/month and the Gov only polls the data once a month, etc...
I'm sure they'll put something in place, but it's going to take years.
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Nordboy
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
So, currently I have a F56 Mini cooper s hatch. And I really enjoy driving it, BUT, it's small and not that practical. All my thoughts were, after buying the wife an electric Explorer, that I replace my mini with another EV.
Then the wife went away and took my mini to park in the airport car park for a week. And I really missed driving it, hers was fine, but I decided that I'm not quite ready for the two EV family yet.
So, I've gone against the grain and bought myself a Mini Countryman JCW
2.0 litre petrol with 306bhp. It was a load of fun on the test drive and very practical.
Maybe I'll revisit the second EV in a couple of years.
Then the wife went away and took my mini to park in the airport car park for a week. And I really missed driving it, hers was fine, but I decided that I'm not quite ready for the two EV family yet.
So, I've gone against the grain and bought myself a Mini Countryman JCW
Maybe I'll revisit the second EV in a couple of years.
- KungFooBob
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
The wife has an X2 M Sport X, which uses the same platform as the countryman, it's a very sporty ride for something SUV styled.
I've been brave and used my i4 for the airport, I've left it parked up for a week before and its not lost any juice. It was the first longer run on the motorway, slightly disappointed that with the cruise on 72mph it only managed 2.9m/kWh. Still got 70% left to get me home tho.
I've been brave and used my i4 for the airport, I've left it parked up for a week before and its not lost any juice. It was the first longer run on the motorway, slightly disappointed that with the cruise on 72mph it only managed 2.9m/kWh. Still got 70% left to get me home tho.
- Taipan
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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
My wife has a Mini Cooper SD which is a cracking little car, with a very grunty 2.0 turbo diesel lump in there. When I get fed up with the milk float I jump in that for an ICE fix! 
