Top tip for winter: winter tyres, or at least all-seasons. If you haven't tried them back to back with summers in the cold, you wouldn't believe the difference in grip, and therefore safety.
Great show, I'm definitely a car extrovert and went with the Renault Mégane because it always makes me look back at it and with so many extras included as standard like 22kW AC charging and a heat pump it just does what I need it to and makes me smile every single time I use it, a car needs to make you smile in my opinion. I will definitely try out the Amigo app over the next week so thanks for the suggestion. I do think that public charging on average needs to be below 50p per kW to be on par with a 45mpg petrol ICE vehicle. We're unfortunately at 70p or more just now and I whole heartedly agree the VAT on public electric charging needs to be reduced to give some incentive especially as the ZEV targets grow
Lots to digest in the last kilowatt half hour, definitely for me Elon Musk‘s antics steered me away from buying a secondhand Tesla and getting a Renault Megane on the back of your reviews which I am absolutely delighted with it. I agree that the government should be doing more for EV and new car ownership in general although I do feel that some car manufacturers grizzling has been self inflicted where they have been slow to move to EV’s and haven’t changed the manufacturing process and the way they sell new cars. Love the ID Buzz so I’m jealous of Mike, I rarely see them on the road but smile when I do.
Great episode and starts the New Year with a giggle! Tom, accepting public interest in unusual EVs is the price you must pay if you are an evangelist for the transition. As the owner of a Citroen Ami as our 2nd car, wherever we go it provokes a reaction - mostly favourable - and I'm happy to answer questions, a la Ginny. Keep up the good work. Regards Brendan McHale.
Happy New Year Gang! Yes 2025 should be the year for reliable dependable and ubiquitous charging infrastructure. As for a rebrand well as many have said in the past why not the Kilowatt Hour?? - fits perfectly then. 😄
I have used that charger.. It is only 50kW and the positioning in the corner is awkward and there is usually a queue. Nice town, shame about the charger.
I have an early Ioniq5 love it, had it for nearly 4yrs, The range in winter etc is easy 260miles. The only thing is that due to no engine, it takes so long to defrost the the screen wash and pipes. Even though I have concentrated screen wash for below -10, in Scotland it's been rather chilly so still froze. You can be driving pretty much all day before it heats up enough under the bonnet to defrost it 😅
Great KWH, thank you. I think the different experience people get in the cost of charging is something you really need to hammer away at. If you drive an ICE the most difference in price you will get is 10-15p at the pumps. With an EV you may be able to charge at home for 10p overnight or at a rapid charger for 70-80p. Then there are those who are fortunate enough to be able to charge at work for nothing; or those who have renewables at home and can charge for nothing. These price disparities really and rightly put off people from EVs if they can not take advantage of the cheaper options. And that is before you get into the availability of public charging in your own area - mine is in the Welsh Marches and is pretty patchy.
That 15p difference at the pump is only 10% too so EV's go from 5x cheaper to 2x more than fuel. Though the unfortunate trend being for the cheapest public chargers being at best the price of fuel.
@@sIightIybored Exactly. The real problem is for people who can not charge at home or at work because they have to rely on expensive public charging. If you are paying more for an EV than the equivalent ICE and are not saving or even paying more for the E, the proposition just does not stack up. The temptation after the 2030 deadline would be to buy a really nice classic ICE and run it forever.
Good chat. I only took delivery of my EV in November and have been slow charging it at home, I have really felt the difference in charging speed and range this last week with the temperatures down around 0°c, glad to reach the weekend when I am able to charge it for longer, nearly had to emergency-charge it at a public charger, loving the super cheap home rate, my engery bill has actually gone down by £40/month!!
I suspect that the manufacturers have included any discount from list to get to that figure, rather than any discount above what might be considered normal business levels. If they had done more to pull business in during the previous 5 years running up to the mandate they wouldn't be in the mess they are today. Ford particularly have ignored the issue & rather than provide options for their primary customers instead chose to try to sell only one model aimed at a niche.
One simple step to marginally increase range is to park facing the windshield and driver's side windows towards the sun, which will remarkably help to warm the interior; the converse on hot days to reduce cabin heating.
Musk definitely putting me off a Tesla. Its a bright green Renault 5 for me of I do go from my lovely Mk7 Golf GT! Owned from new , in my mind it must be greener than my daughters Buzz's.
I have some similar circumstances to Hilary, living in a terraced house with on street parking. I live around 16 miles North West of Cardiff, in one of the South Wales Valleys. I made the move to electric around 6 months ago, There are AC chargers installed in council car parks ~100m away from my house. In practice, I more often charge at the supermarket, in a council car park near to my work or at the train station so far. AC chargers cost is comparable to petrol costs, although I do have the benefit of a salary sacrifice scheme and make savings in tax there. It can still work without access to charging at home, but will depend on what's available near you. Over time it is getting better. Previously when visiting family it has been challenging as their town had no chargers, and I had to plan a charging stop en route as I couldn't charge at the destination. A few weeks ago four AC chargers were installed 200m from their house, giving me more options!
Listening to manufacturers like Ford bleating on that they are struggling to meet government targets because people aren't buying EVs made me laugh. Ford have been sooo slow to produce EVs, other than the Mach-E what has actually been available to buy? Buyers have turned to Chinese and Korean brands not only because they've been cheaper and better but also because they've been available! Also, re the charging network, things have improved massively in the 5 years I've been driving EVs and long journeys are never a problem nowadays. I used to always plan ahead and check charger locations with alternatives in case of broken/busy chargers. Now I just look for a convenient hub, safe in the knowledge that there won't be a problem. One of your competitors recently did a video/podcast with the CEO of Osprey Charging in which he explained that the grid connection isn't as big a problem as all the paperwork required. Very interesting and worth a watch/listen th-cam.com/video/Fq8VNNZSagk/w-d-xo.html
With regard to street charging, I’m one of the EV drivers who can not charge at home but I get free charging in work 👍. I have spoken to Liverpool City Council and their response was people who live in houses without a driveway aren’t wealthy enough to afford an electric car 😡. I find it amazing we can drill for oil a couple of miles under the North Sea, pipe it ashore, process it, tanker it to a petrol station so ICE drivers can purchase it, but it’s beyond us to get electricity the 2 metres across a pavement.
I got myself a 3 year old id4 1st edition that had 15000 miles on the clock in May 24, on a 4 year pcp on 0%, no issues so far and I am doing about 25000 miles per year, drives really nice, would recommend.
The ID Buzz is difficult to climb into with the floor obviously high to accommodate the battery. Rules it out for me. I still like old school sun roofs which open.
There was mention of running channels under pavements to allow terraced home users to charge from home; Councils cannot grant permission for that because the pavement and road outside your house is public, and not a part of the property. Giving permission to run a channel in effect gives that householder permission to "own" that part of the public highway, and will probably be the cause of daily strife between neighbours jostling for somewhere to park their car on crowded streets. Anyone who doesn't see a problem with channels allowing cables to your car parked outside, has never suffered the trauma of living in a terraced house where the cars are frequently longer than the house is wide.
Enjoyable video. Is Tom preparing for a ghost hunt with his lighting or is there an energy shortage? Anywhoo, the cold weather and battery range is an interesting topic. I took advantage of the net zero incentives and took the plunge changing my Volvo XC40 Recharge for a new Mini Countryman SE All4 Exclusive thinking WLTP is similar but efficiency would be better than the XC40. How wrong I was, I know the temperatures have been freezing but with a WLTP range supposed to be 255 to 262 miles, I've been seeing 180 miles on 100% charge. I'll admit our journeys have been short so not idea but that drop is a real shocker. My daughter also decided to buy her 1st EV and also took advantage of the Mini / BMW incentives and purchased a Mini Cooper E Classic and has seen 100% charge providing 120miles range compared to WLTP of 182-189 miles.. It's a perfect storm for her as she should have been having a wallbox fitted tomorrow 13/01 but the installer hasn't received the grid approval so she's resorted to charging at my house on my wallbox. Not a great start to life with an EV.
I think you have missed a key thing with battery pre conditioning, it will impact you range. My GV60 battery started draining a quite a rate as the reconditioning kicked in for planned charge at IONITY. Even then I still only around 150-170 charging rate. Just be careful battery conditioning is not free!
On the smallest violin for the car industry. Mike’s new bargain: That Buzz is mechanically identical to my Skoda Enyaq, but £20k more list price. VW hope people will pay the premium for the nostalgic (inefficient) shape. Turns out not enough people will. That discount Mike got brings the price down to what the Buzz is actually worth.
We have a wonderful charging map where I live on the iow , 95% of the charge points shown are at people’s homes and the rest 5% public charging, the locals aren’t happy with the queues outside their houses 😂😂😂🤣
I got myself a 3 year old id4 1st edition that had 15000 miles on the clock in May 24, on a 4 year pcp on 0%, no issues so far and I am doing about 25000 miles per year, drives really nice, would recommend. I would not buy a Tesla just because of how I feel about Elon Musk.
The biggest problem with the whole 'unable to charge at home debate' is actual not the cost, its the complete lack of desire to address it. The prevailing attitude appears to be 'yes it'll cost more, yes it'll be more expensive, but you"ll just have to put up with it'. True. Also true is the fact I can choose to simply continue to run my ICE car till it falls apart around me, which will continue to work out cheaper unless fuel duty junps by about 30% and electricity prices stay static (which of course they wont).
Mike, your ID-Buzz attracts higher fees on toll motorways - a quirk of the rules is that the charges are based on the height over the front axle! So it is seen as a van not a car. Still worth it though! Mine's like yours so see you round town. 🙂
While people have all sorts of reasons for buying/not buying a car - it is pretty obvious that Musk is damaging the demand for Tesla cars. The board don't seem to be prepared to do anything about it - most boards would pull a rogue CEO into line. Love the upgrade to 1080p and better microphones - noticed, and much appreciated!
Your "pretty obvious" statement assumes that everyone of the buying public supports left-leaning government. It ignores the fact that 1) more people on the left are realising that their parties have moved too far to the left and are removing basic rights; and 2) opening up to more right-leaning voters brings a lot of extra buyers that in most cases makes up for the Kærens who have Elon Man Bad disease perpetuated by left-leaning press.
I know I’m ahead of the conversation but the WWW says “Cold weather can significantly reduce a petrol car's fuel economy, with estimates ranging from 10% to 33%: Fuel economy loss The Department of Energy estimates that a traditional gas-powered car's fuel economy can drop by an average of 15% in cold weather (20 degrees). For trips of less than 4 miles, the loss can be as much as 24%. “. How come nobody talks about this?
I was just about to ask a similar question, in that I wonder how much of a hit an EV takes compared to an ICE - mileage-wise - when using climate controls (hot or cold).
Our Ioniq 5 drops from 280 miles in summer to about 225 in winter. However we live in a hilly area, and most of our journeys are under 4 miles. We also precondition the EV every weekday morning, which we couldn't do with the diesel the EV replaced. So our range would probably be closer to 240 miles in winter, so I guess there's a similar drop on the EV over winter as an equivalent ICE vehicle. The main difference is the EV is much cheaper to fuel, and in winter the car is hot before the journey starts, rather than the heater just beginning to warm up as the journey ends. Would I go back to ICE, the answer is a definite no.
Totally, I have a 12 year old petrol car until I've saved enough for an EV. In summer I get around 36 MPG. Now in winter out of curiosity I did average MPG reset in November, winter MPG is 32 i.e. an 11% difference.
I've logged my petrol car's mpg since I got it 7 years ago and there is a 5 mpg drop (approx 10%) in the average mpg across the winter months. But at the extremes, a 5 minute drive to the shops in summer returns about 40 mpg while the same journey on an icy winter morning would be more like 25 mpg.
I think you have missed a key thing with battery pre conditioning, it will impact you range. My GV60 battery started draining at quite a rate as the preconditioning kicked in for planned charge at IONITY. Even then I still only around 150-170 charging rate. Just be careful battery conditioning is not free!
Seen my first EV3 in the wild today in black and GT line -S trim and I have to agree it's a good looking car, bigger than what it looks on screen, but really nice.
I would be here for a Kilowatt hour! It's very soothing listening to you chat in a lovely friendly manner about cars old and new, so make the show an hour instead! I'm currently in the Renault Zoe ZE50, and I'd like to get the new R5 as I think it's the best looking small car released in the last decade, but my one reservation would be that it's not a big enough improvement over the Zoe. The batteries are nearly identical, and the R5 only seems to have a couple of extra bells and whistles over its processor (though the 100kW Charging in a massive improvement). Would you recommend the R5 over the Zoe, or should I consider other smaller cars like the BYD dolphin or hold out for the ID2?
The first big surprise for me of 2025 was Mazda 6e, it looks just soo good and didn't expect it at all to see it in Europe 😍🌍 Also Honda 0 Series for me is big win love it, and there are some rumors that Honda is bringing back it's awesome hatch Honda E 😍? Great POD keep it up 🤟
As primarily a biker, I LOVE standing by the vehicle, chatting to enthusiasts and interested folk; it's a friendly, supportive community. I don't have the money to be able to have the kind of car people like to stop and stare at, but if I did, I'd be happy to chat about it.
Not sure when this was recorded. But at Consumer Electrics Show 2025 (CES In Las Vegas), Honda demonstrated a prototype. The Saloon and SUV look like bigger Honda E. What are your views on the Honda 0?
I suspect many charging sites yet to be commissioned because of insufficient grid cabling, could be opened quickly if a bank of batteries were installed to act as a buffer to the grid, and charge up 24/7 from an existing 3 phase supply. The batteries would also then be available to balance peaks and troughs the grid experiences every day. Gridserve have already done this at some sites, so let's have some of the government money available to get those power-less charging sites active.
In terms of badgering councils for a cable groove, look on their website for the process for getting a drop kerb installed as it's likely to be the same team who would have to do the work.
I had a question about the best EV for motorway driving in terms of efficiency and comfort. I have a 70 mile round trip commute (35 each way), the vast majority of which is at motorway and A-road speeds with a few roundabouts where I can use regen braking. I'm lookIng at a used EV around 3 years old and the main contender for me is the Tesla Model 3 Long Range (Musk's recent antics, although deplorable, don't put me off) but are there any other alternatives that are good for motorway cruising?
List prices are a crazy fiction. It's bad that the tax we pay is linked to list prices. Dealers don't pay the list price, lease companies don't pay the list price and a private buyer who shops around and haggles won't pay the list price but the company car, VED and the luxury car tax are all based on an over inflated number that is used to make the actual save price feel like value, even after we have spent more than we should.
Bloomberg NEF reckon the fiat 500e has £3000 worth of batteries in and the cheeky so and so's charge £12000 more than the Petrol version. Unsustainable discounting my backside
Planning to replace my 14 year old passat estate with a new EV before it falls apart(!). Used to be keen on a model Y but definitely won't be getting one now as i don't fund hate. My options have shifted towards an Ioniq 5 or an Xpeng G6 if it arrives before the end of March.
Tom... about the Buzz... who hurt you? Kidding aside, not all cars appeal to all people. Sometimes the ones that don't make sense are the ones that bring us the most joy. I miss my Saab's terribly despite their quirky ways... and perhaps because of their quirky ways.
Tell rich ipace we had a id4 52kw.. vw wanted 20k to buy it out, so we got an 2 year older ipace and it amazing.. apart from the buzz (Mike nice one ) get the ipace over id4/5
I ordered a IONIQ 5 Through MOBILITY Lease in December 2024 NEW IMPROVED VERSION i Love the Look of IT and the RANGE as its the BIGGER 84 KW BATTERY? The Dealer said i might have to Wait up till 6 Months for Delivery as they are Now on Backorder I live in Hertfordshire and also live in a terraced House and was Told by the Council that they are NOT going to have ON STREET CHARGERS i use SUPERCHARGERS ONLY and Tesla superchargers are the Cheapest ?
We got one in May 24, the older model. I'm not so keen on the redesign of the bumpers, and a lot of kit seems to have been made optional, presumably to help pay for those extra 7kWh of battery. So I'd not call it an improved version, just one with less standard equipment, and a slightly longer range. If we're careful, we can exceed the WLTP range, on a favourable road, in summer. For us, we don't drive long distances regularly, so the extra capacity wouldn't be of benefit to us, especially as we only need to home charge once a week now. I'd rather have the 360° camera and other options as standard, over a few extra miles of range.
Maybe the electrifying team could do followup articles/videos to see if any problems EVs have when launched have been resolved? As a Volvo EX30 owner I'm a bit fed up when someone on the team mentions the EX30 & others (Mike) start grumbling about software issues/carplay. Mayby do a series of TH-cam shorts to run through any updates or improvements after say 6 months of any reviewed EVs?
Best tip for Winter, get a Tesla. Had mine for a while now and no issues with pre conditioning, car warm and defrosted when I get in it and the range is still class leading 👌
A car over 40k is a luxury priced car, which is why it gets luxury car tax. Electric cars that look like they should cost 20 something thousand should cost sub 29k... not 38-48? I think they will in a few years (plus inflation?). My last "new" car was pre-registered, 16.5k for a delivery mileage car that was list priced 23.5k.
At least a 12 times variance in EV 'fuel' cost is ridiculous. Don't care about charging speed/investment recoup etc. It is simply ridiculous. Can you imagine 5 mins to fill with petrol costing £16 a litre but £1.33 a litre when taking well over an hour to refuel?
Heated seats, heated steering wheel, and pre conditions while / after charging, only driver zone at 19,5 °C and a good warm jacket. I do like Tesla in general, but I cannot stand out Elon M! So never want to buy one if Elon M is still the Boss! 😂
Sliding doors may help you get out in tight spaces but it won't help the person parked next to you. I'm a car extrovert but think the Buzz mildly hideous, sorry
How about calling your channel the 'Kilowatt Timelords' as half hour is merely an ambition and time is just a concept, when talking about EVs... And I am glad too, an hour or even two would be fine by me.
With regards to public charging you just can’t get around the cost, it is astronomical!! I am pleased you are going to continue to campaign for reduced tax, but let’s be honest there is no sight of this improving any time soon. I’m lucky that I can charge at work for reasonable cost (35p) but when I am not at work the best I can is around 60p for fast charging!
I wanted to replace my 15 yr old car with an electric car but bought a Hybrid instead because I live in an apartment and there is no hope of getting a charger installed in the near future. I would have bought a Tesla but the nearest Tesla charger is 20 minutes drive away , I don't care about E. Musk politics.
What Elon does in his spare time is his business and wouldn't stop me buying a Tesla, TBH i couldn't name another car company CEO its only because the new media always mention he's the CEO of Tesla every time his name is mentioned that draws attention to the brand. he's not stupid backing Trump as it will only help issues he's coming up against with the current administration. funny no one has mentioned that he diverted some customers new Cyber trucks to the fires in San Francisco to use as battery power packs to aid the emergency services, good for him.
I just don't get the hate towards Tesla's. Yes, Elon Musk says and does some questionable things at times, but one man is not a company. Do people decide not to buy a Ford based on what the CEO does, or a Porsche because their CEO is a knob? Most people couldnt even name the CEOs of other companies. I just figure that a Tesla has the best tech and is one of the safest cars out there. If it meets your needs then why not get one. For the record i don't have a Tesla as they are still too expensive for me. I have an electric motorbike and campervan. If the rumoured model 2 comes out and its under £30k, I'll probably order one.
For the latest used electric car deals visit www.electrifying.com/used-cars/
Top tip for winter: winter tyres, or at least all-seasons. If you haven't tried them back to back with summers in the cold, you wouldn't believe the difference in grip, and therefore safety.
Great show, I'm definitely a car extrovert and went with the Renault Mégane because it always makes me look back at it and with so many extras included as standard like 22kW AC charging and a heat pump it just does what I need it to and makes me smile every single time I use it, a car needs to make you smile in my opinion.
I will definitely try out the Amigo app over the next week so thanks for the suggestion.
I do think that public charging on average needs to be below 50p per kW to be on par with a 45mpg petrol ICE vehicle. We're unfortunately at 70p or more just now and I whole heartedly agree the VAT on public electric charging needs to be reduced to give some incentive especially as the ZEV targets grow
Lots to digest in the last kilowatt half hour, definitely for me Elon Musk‘s antics steered me away from buying a secondhand Tesla and getting a Renault Megane on the back of your reviews which I am absolutely delighted with it. I agree that the government should be doing more for EV and new car ownership in general although I do feel that some car manufacturers grizzling has been self inflicted where they have been slow to move to EV’s and haven’t changed the manufacturing process and the way they sell new cars. Love the ID Buzz so I’m jealous of Mike, I rarely see them on the road but smile when I do.
The manufacturers most affected by the discounted EVs are those that were late to the EV market and remained fixated on ICE
Great episode and starts the New Year with a giggle! Tom, accepting public interest in unusual EVs is the price you must pay if you are an evangelist for the transition. As the owner of a Citroen Ami as our 2nd car, wherever we go it provokes a reaction - mostly favourable - and I'm happy to answer questions, a la Ginny. Keep up the good work. Regards Brendan McHale.
Happy New Year Gang! Yes 2025 should be the year for reliable dependable and ubiquitous charging infrastructure. As for a rebrand well as many have said in the past why not the Kilowatt Hour?? - fits perfectly then. 😄
I'm defiantly a car extrovert. Just taken delivery of the New 25my Ioniq 5 and can talk about it 'till the Cows come home.
I live in whitby a major tourist area and there is ONE 50KW charger in the town ONE!
I have used that charger.. It is only 50kW and the positioning in the corner is awkward and there is usually a queue. Nice town, shame about the charger.
Good to hear the Enyaq swear box concept is gaining traction !!
I have an early Ioniq5 love it, had it for nearly 4yrs, The range in winter etc is easy 260miles. The only thing is that due to no engine, it takes so long to defrost the the screen wash and pipes. Even though I have concentrated screen wash for below -10, in Scotland it's been rather chilly so still froze. You can be driving pretty much all day before it heats up enough under the bonnet to defrost it 😅
Great KWH, thank you.
I think the different experience people get in the cost of charging is something you really need to hammer away at. If you drive an ICE the most difference in price you will get is 10-15p at the pumps. With an EV you may be able to charge at home for 10p overnight or at a rapid charger for 70-80p. Then there are those who are fortunate enough to be able to charge at work for nothing; or those who have renewables at home and can charge for nothing. These price disparities really and rightly put off people from EVs if they can not take advantage of the cheaper options. And that is before you get into the availability of public charging in your own area - mine is in the Welsh Marches and is pretty patchy.
That 15p difference at the pump is only 10% too so EV's go from 5x cheaper to 2x more than fuel. Though the unfortunate trend being for the cheapest public chargers being at best the price of fuel.
@@sIightIybored
Exactly. The real problem is for people who can not charge at home or at work because they have to rely on expensive public charging. If you are paying more for an EV than the equivalent ICE and are not saving or even paying more for the E, the proposition just does not stack up. The temptation after the 2030 deadline would be to buy a really nice classic ICE and run it forever.
Google Maps now has charger details which you can activate in the settings
Good shout, just amended my Google maps settings! 👍
@James-BB70 Glad to help. I only found it recently, Electroverse is very good too, but it doesn't show all chargers.
If the only option was a Tesla, I’d rather catch the bus.
Or a Old skool Honda Civic!
Good chat. I only took delivery of my EV in November and have been slow charging it at home, I have really felt the difference in charging speed and range this last week with the temperatures down around 0°c, glad to reach the weekend when I am able to charge it for longer, nearly had to emergency-charge it at a public charger, loving the super cheap home rate, my engery bill has actually gone down by £40/month!!
I suspect that the manufacturers have included any discount from list to get to that figure, rather than any discount above what might be considered normal business levels. If they had done more to pull business in during the previous 5 years running up to the mandate they wouldn't be in the mess they are today. Ford particularly have ignored the issue & rather than provide options for their primary customers instead chose to try to sell only one model aimed at a niche.
One simple step to marginally increase range is to park facing the windshield and driver's side windows towards the sun, which will remarkably help to warm the interior; the converse on hot days to reduce cabin heating.
Musk definitely putting me off a Tesla. Its a bright green Renault 5 for me of I do go from my lovely Mk7 Golf GT! Owned from new , in my mind it must be greener than my daughters Buzz's.
I have some similar circumstances to Hilary, living in a terraced house with on street parking. I live around 16 miles North West of Cardiff, in one of the South Wales Valleys. I made the move to electric around 6 months ago, There are AC chargers installed in council car parks ~100m away from my house. In practice, I more often charge at the supermarket, in a council car park near to my work or at the train station so far. AC chargers cost is comparable to petrol costs, although I do have the benefit of a salary sacrifice scheme and make savings in tax there. It can still work without access to charging at home, but will depend on what's available near you. Over time it is getting better. Previously when visiting family it has been challenging as their town had no chargers, and I had to plan a charging stop en route as I couldn't charge at the destination. A few weeks ago four AC chargers were installed 200m from their house, giving me more options!
Jinny - keep the printer in the boot. The extra weight will be a benefit for rear axis traction on snow. 😎
Had an novel EV winter issue this week. Charging flap was iced up and needed thawing before I could plug in!
I have been given an id buzz van by my company I've had it 3 days and I love it
The Electric Viking talks a lot about legacy automakers financial woes but we don’t hear much on this from you guys
Sam talks an awful lot of rubbish. He'd sell his graany. Take him with a large pinch of salt.
@@sandyfordd1843 I dunno he’s fairly on the money - was talking about Nissan’s troubles way before the Honda tie up got announced.
Listening to manufacturers like Ford bleating on that they are struggling to meet government targets because people aren't buying EVs made me laugh. Ford have been sooo slow to produce EVs, other than the Mach-E what has actually been available to buy? Buyers have turned to Chinese and Korean brands not only because they've been cheaper and better but also because they've been available!
Also, re the charging network, things have improved massively in the 5 years I've been driving EVs and long journeys are never a problem nowadays. I used to always plan ahead and check charger locations with alternatives in case of broken/busy chargers. Now I just look for a convenient hub, safe in the knowledge that there won't be a problem. One of your competitors recently did a video/podcast with the CEO of Osprey Charging in which he explained that the grid connection isn't as big a problem as all the paperwork required. Very interesting and worth a watch/listen th-cam.com/video/Fq8VNNZSagk/w-d-xo.html
Is Mike broadcasting from a cross Channel ferry and worried it might sink.
With regard to street charging, I’m one of the EV drivers who can not charge at home but I get free charging in work 👍.
I have spoken to Liverpool City Council and their response was people who live in houses without a driveway aren’t wealthy enough to afford an electric car 😡.
I find it amazing we can drill for oil a couple of miles under the North Sea, pipe it ashore, process it, tanker it to a petrol station so ICE drivers can purchase it, but it’s beyond us to get electricity the 2 metres across a pavement.
I got myself a 3 year old id4 1st edition that had 15000 miles on the clock in May 24, on a 4 year pcp on 0%, no issues so far and I am doing about 25000 miles per year, drives really nice, would recommend.
How much was it?
The ID Buzz is difficult to climb into with the floor obviously high to accommodate the battery. Rules it out for me. I still like old school sun roofs which open.
Skoda Enyaq for you then!
There was mention of running channels under pavements to allow terraced home users to charge from home; Councils cannot grant permission for that because the pavement and road outside your house is public, and not a part of the property. Giving permission to run a channel in effect gives that householder permission to "own" that part of the public highway, and will probably be the cause of daily strife between neighbours jostling for somewhere to park their car on crowded streets. Anyone who doesn't see a problem with channels allowing cables to your car parked outside, has never suffered the trauma of living in a terraced house where the cars are frequently longer than the house is wide.
Enjoyable video. Is Tom preparing for a ghost hunt with his lighting or is there an energy shortage?
Anywhoo, the cold weather and battery range is an interesting topic.
I took advantage of the net zero incentives and took the plunge changing my Volvo XC40 Recharge for a new Mini Countryman SE All4 Exclusive thinking WLTP is similar but efficiency would be better than the XC40. How wrong I was, I know the temperatures have been freezing but with a WLTP range supposed to be 255 to 262 miles, I've been seeing 180 miles on 100% charge. I'll admit our journeys have been short so not idea but that drop is a real shocker.
My daughter also decided to buy her 1st EV and also took advantage of the Mini / BMW incentives and purchased a Mini Cooper E Classic and has seen 100% charge providing 120miles range compared to WLTP of 182-189 miles.. It's a perfect storm for her as she should have been having a wallbox fitted tomorrow 13/01 but the installer hasn't received the grid approval so she's resorted to charging at my house on my wallbox. Not a great start to life with an EV.
I think you have missed a key thing with battery pre conditioning, it will impact you range. My GV60 battery started draining a quite a rate as the reconditioning kicked in for planned charge at IONITY. Even then I still only around 150-170 charging rate.
Just be careful battery conditioning is not free!
On the smallest violin for the car industry. Mike’s new bargain: That Buzz is mechanically identical to my Skoda Enyaq, but £20k more list price. VW hope people will pay the premium for the nostalgic (inefficient) shape. Turns out not enough people will. That discount Mike got brings the price down to what the Buzz is actually worth.
Buzz looks better inside and out than the generic skoda
@@SaK-w4c Maybe but pretty shallow to want to pay £20k more just for looks.
@ matter of opinion. We thought the buzz looked cheap and plasticy on the inside. Obviously the outside is the selling point
We have a wonderful charging map where I live on the iow , 95% of the charge points shown are at people’s homes and the rest 5% public charging, the locals aren’t happy with the queues outside their houses 😂😂😂🤣
I got myself a 3 year old id4 1st edition that had 15000 miles on the clock in May 24, on a 4 year pcp on 0%, no issues so far and I am doing about 25000 miles per year, drives really nice, would recommend. I would not buy a Tesla just because of how I feel about Elon Musk.
The biggest problem with the whole 'unable to charge at home debate' is actual not the cost, its the complete lack of desire to address it. The prevailing attitude appears to be 'yes it'll cost more, yes it'll be more expensive, but you"ll just have to put up with it'.
True. Also true is the fact I can choose to simply continue to run my ICE car till it falls apart around me, which will continue to work out cheaper unless fuel duty junps by about 30% and electricity prices stay static (which of course they wont).
Great show as always, but I've noticed that the half hour is now approaching 50mins. Perhaps it time for a rebrand may be.... KW hour? ☝
Mike, your ID-Buzz attracts higher fees on toll motorways - a quirk of the rules is that the charges are based on the height over the front axle! So it is seen as a van not a car. Still worth it though! Mine's like yours so see you round town. 🙂
On Thursday evening, it was -5 and my Corsa was charging at 13kw and eventually reached 25!
While people have all sorts of reasons for buying/not buying a car - it is pretty obvious that Musk is damaging the demand for Tesla cars. The board don't seem to be prepared to do anything about it - most boards would pull a rogue CEO into line.
Love the upgrade to 1080p and better microphones - noticed, and much appreciated!
Now they need to learn about colour grading and zebras.
Your "pretty obvious" statement assumes that everyone of the buying public supports left-leaning government. It ignores the fact that 1) more people on the left are realising that their parties have moved too far to the left and are removing basic rights; and 2) opening up to more right-leaning voters brings a lot of extra buyers that in most cases makes up for the Kærens who have Elon Man Bad disease perpetuated by left-leaning press.
Worth checking but I think the Winchester hub is off grid, using solar and wind for its power.
I know I’m ahead of the conversation but the WWW says “Cold weather can significantly reduce a petrol car's fuel economy, with estimates ranging from 10% to 33%:
Fuel economy loss
The Department of Energy estimates that a traditional gas-powered car's fuel economy can drop by an average of 15% in cold weather (20 degrees). For trips of less than 4 miles, the loss can be as much as 24%. “. How come nobody talks about this?
I was just about to ask a similar question, in that I wonder how much of a hit an EV takes compared to an ICE - mileage-wise - when using climate controls (hot or cold).
Our Ioniq 5 drops from 280 miles in summer to about 225 in winter. However we live in a hilly area, and most of our journeys are under 4 miles. We also precondition the EV every weekday morning, which we couldn't do with the diesel the EV replaced. So our range would probably be closer to 240 miles in winter, so I guess there's a similar drop on the EV over winter as an equivalent ICE vehicle.
The main difference is the EV is much cheaper to fuel, and in winter the car is hot before the journey starts, rather than the heater just beginning to warm up as the journey ends.
Would I go back to ICE, the answer is a definite no.
Totally, I have a 12 year old petrol car until I've saved enough for an EV. In summer I get around 36 MPG. Now in winter out of curiosity I did average MPG reset in November, winter MPG is 32 i.e. an 11% difference.
I've logged my petrol car's mpg since I got it 7 years ago and there is a 5 mpg drop (approx 10%) in the average mpg across the winter months.
But at the extremes, a 5 minute drive to the shops in summer returns about 40 mpg while the same journey on an icy winter morning would be more like 25 mpg.
I grabbed a used iOniq 5 bargain rather than new, even with the new discounts, it is not worth taking the hit later.
I think you have missed a key thing with battery pre conditioning, it will impact you range. My GV60 battery started draining at quite a rate as the preconditioning kicked in for planned charge at IONITY. Even then I still only around 150-170 charging rate.
Just be careful battery conditioning is not free!
Yep. I got a R5 in December 🎉
Seen my first EV3 in the wild today in black and GT line -S trim and I have to agree it's a good looking car, bigger than what it looks on screen, but really nice.
I would be here for a Kilowatt hour! It's very soothing listening to you chat in a lovely friendly manner about cars old and new, so make the show an hour instead!
I'm currently in the Renault Zoe ZE50, and I'd like to get the new R5 as I think it's the best looking small car released in the last decade, but my one reservation would be that it's not a big enough improvement over the Zoe.
The batteries are nearly identical, and the R5 only seems to have a couple of extra bells and whistles over its processor (though the 100kW Charging in a massive improvement). Would you recommend the R5 over the Zoe, or should I consider other smaller cars like the BYD dolphin or hold out for the ID2?
The first big surprise for me of 2025 was Mazda 6e, it looks just soo good and didn't expect it at all to see it in Europe 😍🌍
Also Honda 0 Series for me is big win love it, and there are some rumors that Honda is bringing back it's awesome hatch Honda E 😍?
Great POD keep it up 🤟
As primarily a biker, I LOVE standing by the vehicle, chatting to enthusiasts and interested folk; it's a friendly, supportive community. I don't have the money to be able to have the kind of car people like to stop and stare at, but if I did, I'd be happy to chat about it.
To hear the indicator sound people need to use them.
Electroverse Map also very handy :) And Petrol and Diesel are never cheaper to run over all....
Not sure when this was recorded. But at Consumer Electrics Show 2025 (CES In Las Vegas), Honda demonstrated a prototype. The Saloon and SUV look like bigger Honda E. What are your views on the Honda 0?
I suspect many charging sites yet to be commissioned because of insufficient grid cabling, could be opened quickly if a bank of batteries were installed to act as a buffer to the grid, and charge up 24/7 from an existing 3 phase supply. The batteries would also then be available to balance peaks and troughs the grid experiences every day. Gridserve have already done this at some sites, so let's have some of the government money available to get those power-less charging sites active.
The Village Centre in Chinnor South Oxfordshire has two 22kwh chargers!
Best used car ever. I bought a Tesla model y
I'm like Mike and Ginny, love talking cars 😄
In terms of badgering councils for a cable groove, look on their website for the process for getting a drop kerb installed as it's likely to be the same team who would have to do the work.
I have an home charger and I am on co charger but no hits yet but is this not the way ?
Love the channel, but could we have more content on the used market exclusively please 😊
I had a question about the best EV for motorway driving in terms of efficiency and comfort. I have a 70 mile round trip commute (35 each way), the vast majority of which is at motorway and A-road speeds with a few roundabouts where I can use regen braking. I'm lookIng at a used EV around 3 years old and the main contender for me is the Tesla Model 3 Long Range (Musk's recent antics, although deplorable, don't put me off) but are there any other alternatives that are good for motorway cruising?
You want the lowest regen setting in the snow
List prices are a crazy fiction. It's bad that the tax we pay is linked to list prices. Dealers don't pay the list price, lease companies don't pay the list price and a private buyer who shops around and haggles won't pay the list price but the company car, VED and the luxury car tax are all based on an over inflated number that is used to make the actual save price feel like value, even after we have spent more than we should.
Reference Tom the introvert, he can now hide his loan white car in a snow drift 😂😂❄️❄️⛄️⛄️⛄️
The councils were originally saying they were waiting for the guidance. Now they are ignoring requests for information.
I’m in Toms camp, except when in my 1955 series Landrover,
Camp car introvert, but I’d have the Buzz over the EV9!
The price for fast charging should be set at a maximum price
The luxury car tax does not apply to a car that he already owns
Car extrovert but personal introvert.
Perhaps you should drop the time part of the podcast time, and replace with The Kilowatt Rapid Charge, or Kilowatt Coffee Break
Bloomberg NEF reckon the fiat 500e has £3000 worth of batteries in and the cheeky so and so's charge £12000 more than the Petrol version.
Unsustainable discounting my backside
Questions for Mike,
1) who does your nails?
2) what made you REALLY switch to a buzz?
Planning to replace my 14 year old passat estate with a new EV before it falls apart(!). Used to be keen on a model Y but definitely won't be getting one now as i don't fund hate. My options have shifted towards an Ioniq 5 or an Xpeng G6 if it arrives before the end of March.
Take the old printer to Curry's, and they will give you a £5 voucher.
My KIA NiroEV 4 has a ‘Snow’ mode.
Tom... about the Buzz... who hurt you? Kidding aside, not all cars appeal to all people. Sometimes the ones that don't make sense are the ones that bring us the most joy. I miss my Saab's terribly despite their quirky ways... and perhaps because of their quirky ways.
Car Introvert - Hence buying the VW ID7 !
Tell rich ipace we had a id4 52kw.. vw wanted 20k to buy it out, so we got an 2 year older ipace and it amazing.. apart from the buzz (Mike nice one ) get the ipace over id4/5
I was very tempted by an MG5 on sale at £20,000 reduced from £31,000. In the end I decided not to, but was very tempted.
I ordered a IONIQ 5 Through MOBILITY Lease in December 2024 NEW IMPROVED VERSION i Love the Look of IT and the RANGE as its the BIGGER 84 KW BATTERY?
The Dealer said i might have to Wait up till 6 Months for Delivery as they are Now on Backorder
I live in Hertfordshire and also live in a terraced House and was Told by the Council that they are NOT going to have ON STREET CHARGERS i use SUPERCHARGERS ONLY and Tesla superchargers are the Cheapest ?
We got one in May 24, the older model. I'm not so keen on the redesign of the bumpers, and a lot of kit seems to have been made optional, presumably to help pay for those extra 7kWh of battery. So I'd not call it an improved version, just one with less standard equipment, and a slightly longer range.
If we're careful, we can exceed the WLTP range, on a favourable road, in summer.
For us, we don't drive long distances regularly, so the extra capacity wouldn't be of benefit to us, especially as we only need to home charge once a week now.
I'd rather have the 360° camera and other options as standard, over a few extra miles of range.
Maybe the electrifying team could do followup articles/videos to see if any problems EVs have when launched have been resolved? As a Volvo EX30 owner I'm a bit fed up when someone on the team mentions the EX30 & others (Mike) start grumbling about software issues/carplay. Mayby do a series of TH-cam shorts to run through any updates or improvements after say 6 months of any reviewed EVs?
Has Jinny had a room upgrade for Christmas?
I was caught in a 40 minute diversion I have no driveway cannot charge at home I like EVs but not for me yet
“Court” or caught?
@helipeek2736 sorry I meant caught
Best tip for Winter, get a Tesla. Had mine for a while now and no issues with pre conditioning, car warm and defrosted when I get in it and the range is still class leading 👌
LOL, complete head in the clouds post. There are far better cars than the cheap Teslas.
Elon musk,no chance!
A car over 40k is a luxury priced car, which is why it gets luxury car tax. Electric cars that look like they should cost 20 something thousand should cost sub 29k... not 38-48? I think they will in a few years (plus inflation?). My last "new" car was pre-registered, 16.5k for a delivery mileage car that was list priced 23.5k.
Well done Ginny,great performance 👌
I'm a Tom, always black cars😂🎉
At least a 12 times variance in EV 'fuel' cost is ridiculous. Don't care about charging speed/investment recoup etc. It is simply ridiculous.
Can you imagine 5 mins to fill with petrol costing £16 a litre but £1.33 a litre when taking well over an hour to refuel?
About Elon Musk and buying a Tesla. A better question might be would it stop you using a Tesla supercharger?
Wouldn't buy a Tesla, but would use their charging network.
I’m a Q-car devotee and loathe everything Lexus (except the LFA) as I’m not; a golfist, a Freemason or an Alan Partridge wannabe.
Heated seats, heated steering wheel, and pre conditions while / after charging, only driver zone at 19,5 °C and a good warm jacket.
I do like Tesla in general, but I cannot stand out Elon M! So never want to buy one if Elon M is still the Boss! 😂
Sliding doors may help you get out in tight spaces but it won't help the person parked next to you. I'm a car extrovert but think the Buzz mildly hideous, sorry
How about calling your channel the 'Kilowatt Timelords' as half hour is merely an ambition and time is just a concept, when talking about EVs... And I am glad too, an hour or even two would be fine by me.
With regards to public charging you just can’t get around the cost, it is astronomical!!
I am pleased you are going to continue to campaign for reduced tax, but let’s be honest there is no sight of this improving any time soon. I’m lucky that I can charge at work for reasonable cost (35p) but when I am not at work the best I can is around 60p for fast charging!
I’ve recently found my gas fireplace has been sucking the hot air out of the house when not lit. I plugged it up. Now I have amazing efficiency
And lots of CO?
I wanted to replace my 15 yr old car with an electric car but bought a Hybrid instead because I live in an apartment and there is no hope of getting a charger installed in the near future.
I would have bought a Tesla but the nearest Tesla charger is 20 minutes drive away , I don't care about E. Musk politics.
ID Buzz is lovely but way overpriced. Ford, Stellantis brands EV also overpriced for what they offer.
Opened the gates of hell talking about what we should think of Elon Musk !!!!!!!!!?????
What Elon does in his spare time is his business and wouldn't stop me buying a Tesla, TBH i couldn't name another car company CEO its only because the new media always mention he's the CEO of Tesla every time his name is mentioned that draws attention to the brand. he's not stupid backing Trump as it will only help issues he's coming up against with the current administration. funny no one has mentioned that he diverted some customers new Cyber trucks to the fires in San Francisco to use as battery power packs to aid the emergency services, good for him.
That's it I'm leaving. You are not comedians and generally very bias regarding the EV manufacturer's that you love so much and feed you with cars.
I just don't get the hate towards Tesla's. Yes, Elon Musk says and does some questionable things at times, but one man is not a company. Do people decide not to buy a Ford based on what the CEO does, or a Porsche because their CEO is a knob? Most people couldnt even name the CEOs of other companies. I just figure that a Tesla has the best tech and is one of the safest cars out there. If it meets your needs then why not get one. For the record i don't have a Tesla as they are still too expensive for me. I have an electric motorbike and campervan. If the rumoured model 2 comes out and its under £30k, I'll probably order one.