cajal Posted August 11 Share Posted August 11 I thought I would make this the first place of research, as it is generally French flavoured, and it would be purchased and used here in France. Does anybody here have any experience or knowledge, good or bad, on the ownership and running of an EV. Mrs c is considering the purchase of one, and I apparently seem to know diddly squat about them. I believe first-hand experience is a far greater barometer of things than a more than likely paid for review on a manufacturer's website. Any pointers or opinions will be gratefully received and much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted August 12 Share Posted August 12 (edited) Well I fail at your imposed hurdles for advice, because I don't have an EV and I no longer have a house in France. However.... If you - or rather Mrs c - are just going to potter around in the local area, with a limit say of about 30 miles (60 miles round trip), then an EV might be of interest, as you'd be able to charge it at home, both convenient and economic if you're on a suitable electricity tariff. That said, why would you want to pay over the odds in the initital outlay for a vehicle that does the same job as a thermique, and - if you're worried about that sort of thing - isn't really going to be any Greener, because EVs only really score on the Green front if they do a lot of miles. For anything requiring greater range, I wouldn't dream of an EV. Greater planning needed for journeys, longer stop times, risk of chargers en panne, etc etc. And in fact TF1 JT this weekend took a look at undertaking a journey in an EV from Lyon to Marseille in the chassée croisée, and, with the need for charging required, it took an awfully long time, AND cost more than it would have done to do it in a conventional vehicle (although if you left the A7 and charged up on the route nationale it was a lot cheaper). We have friends with a Tesla, in fairness they do seem the best of the bunch, but theirs is now three years old and has suddenly started needing attention, it broke down near Truro, and then more recently had a puncture, don't ask me why but Tesla had to come out themselves and fit the new wheel from their Exeter base, 30 miles away. It will have cost a fortune. And the horror stories one reads about some other manufacturers' EVs are the stuff of nightmares. There are cheaper and more effective ways to signal one's virtue. Before anyone ups and ats me, I should say that we have a Tesla Home Battery, in the right circumstances electricity is perfectly useful, but in an EV? Not in my view, at least not yet, unless you're just pottering in a town. Is Mrs c going to finance the vehicle? In which case let her have what she likes! And if she gets one, I for one would be genuinely interested to hear about it, even if it totally contradicts what I've written! Edited August 12 by Martin963 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssomon Posted August 12 Share Posted August 12 Irrelevant perhaps, but I wouldn't buy anything that adds to Mr Musk's fortune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted August 12 Share Posted August 12 Is it the fortune per se that you resent ssomon, or Mr Musk as an individual? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssomon Posted August 12 Share Posted August 12 I don't resent anything. I dislike him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cajal Posted August 12 Author Share Posted August 12 Martin, thanks for the comprehensive response. This all evolved after I had taken a cab ride, which didn't initially register as a Tesla The driver was very pleased with his acquisition, and I was equally impressed by the style and comfort. I relayed this experience to Mrs c. Your thoughts are similar to ours in most of the scenarios. It would be a vehicle for 'pottering around' as the downsized apartment we will be moving into is city centre. There are plenty of 'bornes de recharge' available around, and some are even free for the first hour! The length of the garage, 5 metres, will be a factor in the choice of vehicle. The previous owner had to dump his Mercedes owing to this issue. The ground clearance could be an issue all so as there are some speed prevention horror humps around on some roads. She considered an Audi TT until I pointed this hazard out. Doing some research I came across an Alpine 290 β which caught my eye which I believe would fill all her criteria. Mrs c will be financing the purchase, but not via one of those buy/rent/lease deals, which we'd never touch. Once again, thanks for the response. It's very much appreciated. I'll tell Mrs c of your thoughts and ultimately the final decision will rest with her. She does love to mull things over. I will keep you up to speed on her progress. 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted August 13 Share Posted August 13 (edited) Goodness, I hadn't heard of Alpine but that model seems to be described as a "hot hatch". Mrs c will be the talk of the town. Seriously, if you really aren't covering great distances and have good access to chargers I can see that an EV would suit you. TF1 ran another test last night - journey from Villeneuve d'Ascq to Etretat, three vehicles, diesel, hybrid petrol and EV. The EV took an extra hour and a half because the first borne de recharge turned out to be broken. You can watch the battle of the vehicles on the TF1 website https://www.tf1.fr/tf1/jt-20h/videos/le-20-heures-du-lundi-12-aout-2024-22940483.html starts at 20 mins 55 secs, although I suspect you need a TF1 account. (Difficult to tell, this link might not need you to log in) https://www.tf1.fr/tf1/jt-20h/videos/electrique-thermique-ou-hybride-on-a-teste-pour-vous-97912649.html Edited August 13 by Martin963 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted August 13 Share Posted August 13 19 hours ago, ssomon said: I don't resent anything. I dislike him. Fair enough..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted August 13 Share Posted August 13 Although I can't get a "real" price for the Alpine 290, the rough guess seems to be about £36,000. It's Mrs c's money of course, but that seems to me an AWFUL lot of money for a town runabout. Which may of course reveal me as someone not really "into" vehicles, but I could find a similar thermique car for about £15,000, and have spare change for a lot of visits to the pub or whatever. In terms of Greenery, as I said earlier the thinking seems to be that an EV is actually no Greener than an ordinary car UNLESS you do at lesat 80,000 kms in it, at which point the reduced CO2 in its emissions balance the huge CO2 emissions in its manufacture and eventual disposal..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lehaut Posted August 14 Share Posted August 14 Would in my book appear to be the ideal solution. Not too expensive, and as a town runaround (given the speed restrictions) fits the bill. No new charging requirements either. See lots of them here and they bring a smile to most faces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted August 14 Share Posted August 14 I’ve seen a few here in London too; they do always make me smile! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anotherbanana Posted August 14 Share Posted August 14 Apparently they roam the streets in packs at night and gobbl up little old ladies, spitting out their handbags as they go.😜 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted August 14 Share Posted August 14 Instead of "Ami" they should have called it "Roller" And 14 year olds can legally drive these in France? Can you remember what you were like at 14 years old? You didn't care and drove/rode everything you could get hold of, flat out everywhere when nobody was looking. Just like these youngsters:- https://www.thedrive.com/news/watch-this-tiny-citroen-ami-topple-over-at-monacos-famous-hairpin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menthe Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 On 14/08/2024 at 08:51, Lehaut said: Would in my book appear to be the ideal solution. Not too expensive, and as a town runaround (given the speed restrictions) fits the bill. No new charging requirements either. See lots of them here and they bring a smile to most faces. Yes, mon amie bought one of these amis. She swore it came in a large box and that they fitted the wheels and put the kit together in their hall! See that round yellow thing on the door in your picture? That where you plug it into a 3-PIN domestic point! She took my OH and me for a spin (separately, of course!) and it is actually OK. So much so that, after we got back in one piece, OH said, that is the future of motoring!!! Meanwhile, I saw a dinky Dacia Spring in Aldi's carpark but I have read that, for the same dosh, you could buy a Hyundai Ioniq. NOT that I know anything about these other offerings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 I'm seeing more and more of these tiny (new looking) vehicles on the roads around here. It is one thing to find them on city/village streets where the maximum speed limit is either 30 or 50. However, being stuck behind one on a 90 km road is extremely annoying. It also seems incredibly dangerous to drive 40 or 45 on a 90 km road. I can't quite figure out what would possess a person to want a vehicle like these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anotherbanana Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 Lori, there will be big reductions in speed limits soon so 80 kph will be the norm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 Well these vehicles don't seem to go beyond 50 km and often stay at 45 km. Even on 80 km roads, that is really annoying, especially when there is too much traffic to pass them, or the road is a no pass zone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssomon Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 14 hours ago, Lori said: Well these vehicles don't seem to go beyond 50 km and often stay at 45 km. Even on 80 km roads, that is really annoying, especially when there is too much traffic to pass them, or the road is a no pass zone. Especially as many are driven by people with no permis and no idea of how to behave on the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 Doesn't it come from a long French tradition of tiny slow unlicensed-category cars, often aimed at precisely the people who have lost their permis de conduire. In our twenty years in Perigord we followed a good number of them.... Years ago I was trying to describe this type of vehicle to French friends, but unable to find the precise word I came up with "vouz savez, une voiture des imbeciles". Ever after in our circle of friends it was fondly referred to as that. For town only driving I think this model - and similar - will become widespread. Perhaps for anything bigger it'll be a case of hiring it only when one needs it, particularly if the "library" of cars becomes self-driving and an available vehicle will drive itself to your door, you then use it, and dump it at the far end to go on to the next user. Maybe it's a few years off, but I can see that scenario eventually..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anotherbanana Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 Wel, well, Norman, now we know your real name and what you look like. Scooter looks very smart. Is the child a result of your union with the lady in the foto? Where does she sit or does she run alongside or, North African style walk behind? Still, handy for shopping. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menthe Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 3 hours ago, ssomon said: Especially as many are driven by people with no permis and no idea of how to behave on the road. "no idea how to behave on the road".....YES, that's the worst of it. They WOULD stick to their max 50kph, driving in the MIDDLE of the road as though on purpose! Same with some car drivers mind who have never ridden a bicycle or a motorbike. They are guilty of overtaking a cyslist and then immediately turning left, leaving you to spill yourself on the road. Of course read RIGHT if you are in France! Nowadays motorbikes do have side lights for signalling and I have no issue with large bikes where the riders do know how to ride them safely for themselves and others on the road. But, the little bloody things with 2-stroke engines that make a noise fit to pop your ear-drums and ride right on the middle of the roads, with pillion riders wobbling dangerously so that you are nervous about overtaking in case one or both of them fall over right in front of you. Stick with a mid-range EV if you do want one, not worth having the small tiddly ones as they may not be powerful enought to drive safely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anotherbanana Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 Dacia have just brought out a small EV which seems cheap enough; maybe worth looking at? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 Great video Norman. That is a fancy looking ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menthe Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 4 hours ago, anotherbanana said: Dacia have just brought out a small EV which seems cheap enough; maybe worth looking at? Wooly, I wrote about this, the Dacia Spring, a couple of days ago on this thread. Also that the Hyundai Ioniq (5 or 6) is said by the experts to be a MUCH better option for roughly the same sort of price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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