http://www.car4play.com/forum Car4play forum en-gb Sat, 08 Aug 2026 17:00:05 +0100 Copyright: Car4play webmaster@car4play.com (Technical) 5 car4play691031 Sat, 08 Aug 2026 17:00:05 +0100 Mcb that’s very interesting. I am thinking of going PHEV or EV for next car, I work from home and maybe only do 8000 miles at the most. Some weeks it literally might not move for 3 or 4 days. I have often wondered if an EV tariff would cost me overall for total electricity use. Yes I could move washing machine and dishwasher to during the night but they at most get 2 uses a week each. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=691031&v=e car4play691030 Sat, 08 Aug 2026 15:12:13 +0100 I did this calculation a few weeks ago, based on then diesel prices, my diesel fuel consumption versus 7p per kW/h and 4 miles per kW/h efficiency. I input our current electricity consumption and tariff, and below c5000 miles pa it was cheaper to stay on a regular tariff. More than that over the course of a year and a dedicated EV tariff paid off. There is a variable in that if you’re on an EV tariff you could load shift heavy consumption items to the reduced cost of overnight electricity. Add in solar and a battery, and someone else can do the sums. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=691030&v=e car4play691029 Sat, 08 Aug 2026 13:31:15 +0100 Going back to SLO's original post. "We pay 4.99p pkwh to charge overnight". Our neighbour has just got a new ID3. I doubt it will do high miles as he WFH and they have an old diesel Mercedes as well. At present he charges it via a 13A plug socket as on his calculation, he won't save anything on an EV tariff as the "normal" leccy will be more expensive. Obviously that calculation will vary from user to user, but it's a factor that seems to get overlooked by EV owners when quoting costs. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=691029&v=e car4play691028 Sat, 08 Aug 2026 13:30:16 +0100 >>What about the cost of a home charger, around £1500 I understand? I'd gofer: (+ fitting of course) https://ohme-ev.com/ http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=691028&v=e car4play691027 Sat, 08 Aug 2026 12:58:09 +0100 ‘ What about the cost of a home charger, around £1500 I understand?’ More like £1000 for a standard install, but it’s there for all subsequent EV’s. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=691027&v=e car4play691026 Sat, 08 Aug 2026 12:54:39 +0100 £1500 is about the most you'd spend on a home charger, nearer £1k installed I think for a smart one. Which seems a lot but I saw it as a long term investment - np plans to move, so for me was just part of the cost of going electric. The 1st EV was discounted by about £8k IIRC and so man maths helps :-) Bet you'd easily spend that on a new kitchen, or a decent holiday, and not think about it :-) http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=691026&v=e car4play691025 Sat, 08 Aug 2026 12:47:21 +0100 >>cheaper to buy than an equivalent petrol or diesel car. If you have a driveway, and can charge at home, then >>they’ll save you money. What about the cost of a home charger, around £1500 I understand? I had a visitor with a BEV who expected me to charge it. Extension lead out of a bedroom window for three days on a granny charger! Bungalow, you don't leave windows open at night! http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=691025&v=e car4play691024 Sat, 08 Aug 2026 11:15:00 +0100 I'm worried about SLO. That trip south of the border has affected him. He'll soon be recommending German EVs instead of Japanese n/a petrol ;) But still good to see him back. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=691024&v=e car4play691022 Sat, 08 Aug 2026 09:50:53 +0100 Slo bought it used. And welcome back SLO. Nice to find you are still doing your thing... http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=691022&v=e car4play691021 Sat, 08 Aug 2026 08:27:35 +0100 what range do you get, and is there much difference between dimmer and winter ? Your annual mileage is very low, only 20k in 4 years, so presumably most of your charging is done at home, rather than at public charging stations. That must make a big difference to running costs ? Do EVs become less reliable with age, presumably very little to ho wrong apart from the fancy electronics on touch screens, or are they super reliable ? http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=691021&v=e car4play691018 Fri, 07 Aug 2026 23:32:00 +0100 Just back from a wee week down in Somerset from Ayrshire, in our 4yr old VW ID3 58kwh. Trip down was no hassle at all, two stops required for charging both car and passengers. One for 30 mins 15%-100% and another top up for 15mins. VW EV’s have excellent battery management systems, so fast charging is pretty painless, plus every charger we went to was a simple case of contactless payment - a big improvement on the last long journey we took in an EV. Car was smooth, powerful and very relaxing. The space inside is much better than an equivalent petrol or diesel hatchback too, thanks to it being on a bespoke EV platform, which makes full use of the space left with no engine, gearbox or fuel tank. Flat battery pack gives it a low centre of gravity, rear wheel drive offers strong traction and 200 plus brake horsepower makes easy work of hills and twisty b road overtakes. Cheap charging at home and at the destination made it cheaper than petrol or diesel despite the costly public charging on the way. Only issue and costs to report in 20,000 miles so far, is a knackered charging cable - replaced with a used Audi cable for forty quid on eBay. Car has been brilliant so far. I love combustion engines, but I am sold on EV’s. They’re genuinely good things, without having to resort to any environmental arguments. Go try one, particularly a used one - which will almost certainly be cheaper to buy than an equivalent petrol or diesel car. If you have a driveway, and can charge at home, then they’ll save you money. We pay 4.99p pkwh to charge overnight, which works out at around £2.50 for 200 miles. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=691018&v=e