Can someone explain the basics of the Honda E?
The misses actually took an interest in electric cars last year and a friend from work recommended she get the Honda E as it is supposedly a great introduction to electric vehicles. I honestly don't know much about them, even after doing some light reading. Is this a good starter to do with?
The new Zoe is about £30k for a decent spec, and includes a home charger installation. The Tesla M3 is more like £40k.
The Honda e “Advance” I’ve ordered with be about £29k.
There are plenty of others becoming available too. As with any car, it all depends on what features are important to you and how much you can afford. Personally I’d have an e and a Tesla if I could afford them. Both high-tech and desirable but different size/range/price.
And of course, the Nissan LEAF, which is the best selling electric car that's been around since 2011, so there are cheaper secondhand LEAFs available. They're great cars, nice to drive. The second generation, from March/April 2018 on, are better with a bigger battery pack and therefore longer range. I have a 2018 40kWh Nissan LEAF and I think it's a fantastic car. It's around a Ford Focus sized car, but I've always prefered smaller cars, which is why I'm interested in the Honda e. To have the Nissan LEAF's level of refinement and specification, but in a smaller and more manoeuvrable car sounds good to me, plus the Honda e has a few more features too (like the mirror camera systems, heated front windscreen, 230v outlet). For me, the only downsides to the Honda e compared to the LEAF are a much smaller boot, the rear seats don't split, and a shorter range (but adequate for me).
My wife has a Mini Countryman PHEV. She’s done about 7000 miles in a year. Of which 6000 have been electric miles. This got me thinking about my next car being an EV. 90% of my journeys are less than 50 miles. The pcp on my Mini JCW comes up end March. I had deposits on the Honda e, VW ID3 and Peugeot e208. And to me the Honda looks amazing. I’ve had the opportunity to sit in and have a play. It meets my needs as I like a small car. And the range will be fine. I will get a second EV charger at home. Charge overnight on the Octopus Go tariff. And save loads.
If you aren’t with Octopus Energy, please check them out and use this link and we both get £50
https://share.octopus.energy/sunny-elk-398
If you aren’t with Octopus Energy, please check them out and use this link and we both get £50
https://share.octopus.energy/sunny-elk-398
The Honda e has the best tech and comfort but the range is on the low side and the boot is small. If it suits your needs then it looks great.
The Leaf is available in two versions, 40kWh and 62kWh. The 40 is popular because you can get it for around £20k now and like the Honda it covers most uses. The 62 is about £30k now and gives you over 200 miles range. Both are larger than the Honda so if you need a decent boot are a good choice. The interior is dated but they drive well enough and are comfortable.
There is also the Zoe, personally I didn't like it when I tried it but that was a few years back. Tesla are still very expensive, MG make a nice CUV that has a similar battery to the Honda but for the money I'd probably get a Leaf 40.
Generally speaking cars like the MG and VWs that are petrol cars converted to electric aren't usually as good as dedicated electric models. For that reason the new Mini Electric is probably going to be compromised too.
If you are looking to dabble with a second car or daily commuter then a used Leaf is a good option. There isn't much to go wrong with them. If you want a really nice car though the Honda e looks unbeatable!
The Leaf is available in two versions, 40kWh and 62kWh. The 40 is popular because you can get it for around £20k now and like the Honda it covers most uses. The 62 is about £30k now and gives you over 200 miles range. Both are larger than the Honda so if you need a decent boot are a good choice. The interior is dated but they drive well enough and are comfortable.
There is also the Zoe, personally I didn't like it when I tried it but that was a few years back. Tesla are still very expensive, MG make a nice CUV that has a similar battery to the Honda but for the money I'd probably get a Leaf 40.
Generally speaking cars like the MG and VWs that are petrol cars converted to electric aren't usually as good as dedicated electric models. For that reason the new Mini Electric is probably going to be compromised too.
If you are looking to dabble with a second car or daily commuter then a used Leaf is a good option. There isn't much to go wrong with them. If you want a really nice car though the Honda e looks unbeatable!
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I really like the look of the Honda E, i wish more EV's had that cool futuristic look. For a city/urban car it's perfect but it's quite expensive for the size and range you get.
It depends on what you want, if you want something for the city then the Honda E is a great pick, also the turning circle on it is ridiculous. If you're wanting a decent sized hatchback the new VW ID.3 looks great and it comes in a range of 3 different battery sizes to suit your range/budget.
I'd recommend getting a Tesla model 3 or Y if you're wanting space and range, though they are expensive. I'm lucky my mrs works for the NHS and they have a lease deal on and the Tesla model 3 is working out the same price as the T-roc we were looking at because it's 0% company car tax etc. Tesla's (and EV's/Hyrids) tend to have quite low depreciation values too so worth thinking about.
If you do decide to go for an EV though I recommend using Octopus Energy's "Octopus Go" Tariff, currently it's 5p/kWh to charge your car from 00:30 to 04:30, we're saving over 250% per kWh by switching to them. Most of our daily usage will be topped up between these hours, here's my referral link and we both get £50 off our bill when you sign up https://www.octopusenergyreferral.co/50-credit.
I would also recommend Pod Point if you're looking for a charging point installer, they were amazing. Installed in around 2 hours and the guy put it where we wanted and the installation is very neat. Their app is pretty cool too. Here's a pic of our Pod Point install.
Good luck finding an EV!
It depends on what you want, if you want something for the city then the Honda E is a great pick, also the turning circle on it is ridiculous. If you're wanting a decent sized hatchback the new VW ID.3 looks great and it comes in a range of 3 different battery sizes to suit your range/budget.
I'd recommend getting a Tesla model 3 or Y if you're wanting space and range, though they are expensive. I'm lucky my mrs works for the NHS and they have a lease deal on and the Tesla model 3 is working out the same price as the T-roc we were looking at because it's 0% company car tax etc. Tesla's (and EV's/Hyrids) tend to have quite low depreciation values too so worth thinking about.
If you do decide to go for an EV though I recommend using Octopus Energy's "Octopus Go" Tariff, currently it's 5p/kWh to charge your car from 00:30 to 04:30, we're saving over 250% per kWh by switching to them. Most of our daily usage will be topped up between these hours, here's my referral link and we both get £50 off our bill when you sign up https://www.octopusenergyreferral.co/50-credit.
I would also recommend Pod Point if you're looking for a charging point installer, they were amazing. Installed in around 2 hours and the guy put it where we wanted and the installation is very neat. Their app is pretty cool too. Here's a pic of our Pod Point install.
Good luck finding an EV!
I hate seeing Tesla cars in the UK, not because I don't like the cars but because it's like they literally took a US car an plopped it in Europe (S,X for sure) I've seen them parked in bays at a few places. The car is near enough center in the bay but because of how dummy thicc they all are they just overhang the bays. I've also seen them on some of the somewhat narrow roads, fine for my Focus but the X/S looks like a duck out of the water, especially when they zoom at you at speed around a blind bend overstepping the middle line. I have friends with the S and they say it's an actual nightmare to get much help in the UK for them like someone mentioned above. I know someone that had there Tesla wrote off because Tesla had such a huge huge bill to repair it, you can even find it on eBay now.
Wrote off as Cat S, not really any "structure" damage that I can see. I've worked with salvage cars for a long time, seems like a lazy Tesla move. Not to mention Tesla basically abandon you with a salvage/damaged car fears it may be unsafe and not to mention you can't really fix it yourself like you could with any other car. Tesla won't supply spare parts easily.
M3 is good because it's smaller but o my god, imagine having to control your entire car through a touchscreen, glovebox? touchscreen, turn your lights/adjust car functions? touchscreen. I get the "minimal" approach but I want actual functionality - removing all physical buttons isn't hip/cool it's just plain annoying.
Honda E gives me MK1 Civic and a classic mini approach and that's what made me interested and the presence of buttons. I don't typically trust Renault from experience they've all been lumps of shit (talking old Renault 13 reg and below) new Renaults might be better. I think the Japs always made the most reliable cars which is a good sign to me for the Honda E. I'm still a bit let down by range (I really want something closer to 200) but I understand small and compact. Speaking from past experience OP I don't think you can go too wrong when it comes to Jap cars. EV is something I haven't any experience with myself first hand.
Wrote off as Cat S, not really any "structure" damage that I can see. I've worked with salvage cars for a long time, seems like a lazy Tesla move. Not to mention Tesla basically abandon you with a salvage/damaged car fears it may be unsafe and not to mention you can't really fix it yourself like you could with any other car. Tesla won't supply spare parts easily.
M3 is good because it's smaller but o my god, imagine having to control your entire car through a touchscreen, glovebox? touchscreen, turn your lights/adjust car functions? touchscreen. I get the "minimal" approach but I want actual functionality - removing all physical buttons isn't hip/cool it's just plain annoying.
Honda E gives me MK1 Civic and a classic mini approach and that's what made me interested and the presence of buttons. I don't typically trust Renault from experience they've all been lumps of shit (talking old Renault 13 reg and below) new Renaults might be better. I think the Japs always made the most reliable cars which is a good sign to me for the Honda E. I'm still a bit let down by range (I really want something closer to 200) but I understand small and compact. Speaking from past experience OP I don't think you can go too wrong when it comes to Jap cars. EV is something I haven't any experience with myself first hand.
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