EV Battery Range

Shocks.43

Evening all , have posted here a few times and have always got some good advice . I have a commute 2 days a week of 370 km . Connemara to Limerick) I was going to buy another diesel car-but thinking now maybe an electric car may suit my needs . Started to have a look at the Kia Ev6 . Just wondering if any owners or anyone here could tell me will this car do that mileage on a full charge in winter . This is really the dealbreaker. I do not want to be having to stop on a winters night charging as I am on the road long enough . Kia Ev6 new is 49000 euros with 0% pcp , a free charger and 3 years servicing. Maybe now is the time to take the plunge . Thanks .

Buddy Bubs

If you keep your speed and heat down you might make it but not guaranteed in every condition I would imagine. Milder weather no problem.

If you absolutely won't entertain a charge stop I'd say don't buy it. But you'll only have to do a quick top up to get the range enough to get home then back on your home charger. Like 10 minutes on a fast charger could give you 20kwh which will be 100kms if there is one on your route.

Lovely car though and you'll save well on fuel

I can't think of a nicer diesel for 49k to be honest.

Shocks.43

Thanks for that Buddy . It would be just nice to know you could do it with a full charge leaving the house in the morning without having to decide where to stop in winter weather for a too up . Yeah lovely car and a good price .

Buddy Bubs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122515082#Comment_122515082

Go over to the ev6 thread and have a read with plenty of current owners

I have a 58kwh efficient car and a 90 kWh inefficient car and I couldn't do that journey in winter in either of them, but it depends on the roads which I don't know at all. They'd struggle to hit 300 at a decent speed on a freezing day and might just about do the 370 at height of summer if speed was 100kmph or below but it would be tight.

Kia battery is in the middle 77kwh and would be be over 20kwh per 100kms in winter so can't see it doing it.

Shocks.43

Thanks, I will look at that thread , Roads are 85 km country and 100 km motorway .

fits

I’d say a long range model 3 would be your best bet. Nothing else comes close for efficiency really.

Buddy Bubs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122515166#Comment_122515166

Check out the chargers on your route too

But 370kms in a diesel giving 5/6/7 litres per 100kms will use somewhere between 18 and 26 litres of diesel costing around 35 to 50 euro per trip or 70 to 100 a week

A full charge at home will cost about 14 euro at day rates or about a fiver at cheap night rate.

So you could save somewhere between 40 and 90 euro a week depending on how efficient your diesel is and how cheap you can buy electricity at home.

It's only going to be cold temperatures you'll have to public charge, at 80 to 100kmph the ev6 should do 370 KMs. Budget about 10 euro per trip if you do have to public charge.

User1998

Conamara to Limerick is 2.5 hours each way. Do you usually do that without stopping? Can you not stop at the Plaza just outside Galway for 10 mins or so

loyatemu

You describe it as a commute, can you charge it at your workplace in Limerick?

tommythecat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058364889/ev-battery-range

I have an ev6. In general it'll do around 350-400km in winter. But on a windy freezing rainy winters day there's no way it'll make that trip. But on the other hand if you have an Ionity or similar fast charger en route then 10mins charging will have you ready for home if you pre condition the battery.

It'll easily do the commute the rest of the year.

Shocks.43

Buddy Its the inconvenience of stopping on a miserable winters night on a long commute and User 1998 it would probably be a stop somewhere around Galway city , the plaza is not on my route , At the moment If I drive up and down to limerick twice plus driving on my days off i will easily put 500 euros of diesel plus a month . Will look more at where are the fast chargers around Galway city . At the moment you are going off the motorway to a town to charge , there are no service stations on that motorway. Yeah I always do it without stopping , well used to it now .

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122516017#Comment_122516017

Thats fair enough. If you want to do a 5 hour 400km+ return trip without stopping then an EV might not be for you just yet. Can you not destination charge in Limerick?

NinjaTruncs

Make sure you work out how much charging at home will cost, I don't think you'll get the costs Buddy Buds is quoting. I've an ev6, and can fill it for €4.2 on pinergys EV rate, but, it takes three+ nights to fill the car as I can only put in ~21kwh a night during their three hour window. I think you'd be paying closer to €12 per fill, if you needed to fill it every night on the cheapest available night rate that would suit you.

Buddy Bubs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122516054#Comment_122516054

It's not a 5 hour trip in one go though it's 2.5 hours, a work day I presume and then another 2.5 hours. I wouldn't be specifically looking to stop

tommythecat

I do think this is pushing the boundaries of most EVs and you don't want to be rocking home every night at 4% charge. That's bad for the battery anyway. I think you should wait for the next round of EVs with better range. I would stick with an ICE if you don't fancy charging.

Buddy Bubs

Merc EQE would do this journey I'd say. Can buy them in the high 50s now for a 2023 model.

Only problem would be finding a real life owner to ask about them

Shocks.43

Thanks ninja and tommy, I will have a good look at what it will cost to charge . Even at 12 euros a fill and could do the trip that’s good compared to 40 euros for a trip each day with diesel . Maybe it’s not doable without a stop .

drunkmonkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122516436#Comment_122516436

I bought one new the end of March, 16,000km on it now, it'll do that journey in its stride and some more in winter without compromising on heating etc.

Buddy Bubs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122516441#Comment_122516441

Yeah it's a seriously good EV.

Shocks.43

Thanks folks. 50k is the budget and Kia at the moment seems to have the best value with pcp , free charger etc .

BrianD3

What percentage of your route is motorway, from looking at a map it looks to be about 50%. Edit: Just saw that you already posted that.

What's your average speed for the journey - assuming you don't get caught up in near stationary traffic.

The EV6 has just had a facelift and gotten a bigger 84 kWh battery. Is this the car or the pre facelift

Even if it is, the EV6 is around since 2021 which is a long time in EV terms. I'd be lookin at the newly launched Renault Scenic (87 kWh) or the Hyundai Ioniq 6 (77 kWh) The Ioniq might be a bit over budget though and has a very poor boot. Both of these cars were tested by youtuber it's Only Electric @ 20 degrees C @ average speed 93 km/h and range for both was estimated as about 580 kms. The Ioniq 6 is getting a facelift next year and will likely be getting the 84 kWh battery from the EV6 in a more efficient shape car.

Both it's Only Electric and Bjorn Nyland have spreadsheets with range estimations and with weather temperature included. Nyland tests at 120 km/h and 90 km/h.

Shocks.43

Thanks for all that information Brian . It is a 242 I have priced at the moment . Sales man said it had a few differences to a 231 they also had for sale , so I would like to think its the facelift but will confirm that Monday after a phone call .

tommythecat

Yeah it's be the 2025 model that has the increased battery size.

djan

How about the BYD Seal RWD or a Tesla M3 Long Range. Both would be able to do 370km in winter at the conditions described and come within budget.

Personally, I'd go for the Seal as its cheaper and better specced as standard without additional costs for paint options etc. It would be annoying getting an EV in which you'll worrying about a charge on a frequent journey. BYD starts at 46.3k new but there are demo models available for around 3k less with very low mileage.

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/byd-seal-82-5kwh-design-rwd/37671182

tommythecat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122518614#Comment_122518614

I think both of those cars would similarly be very borderline making that journey in the cold winter while still leaving some reserves.

djan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122518797#Comment_122518797

No problem for either of them as tests show that at -10°C outside temp and cabin heated with a constant speed of 110km/h, both will do 350km. Given that we don't get this temperature in Ireland and the average speed of the commute being much lower than 110km/h, there won't be any issue.

The Seal with the LFP battery is perfectly fine to charge to 100% and will suffer lower degradation so the commute will be doable for many years to come.

ELM327

The new model 3 LR would do that no problem in winter. My non new 3 RWD with the LFP battery would probably need 5-10 minutes charge in summer and 10-20 minutes in winter of charging, it's not far off to see that the newer more efficient LR would do it.

Also worth considering, used EQS or EQE, they will be at or near 50k shortly. Especially the EQE. The EQS is still high 60's.

Red Silurian

I get about 320km on my M3 RWD every week before the battery is on less than 10% and I need to charge

I did EP last weekend from Limerick on the motorway at 120km/h so 260km, got back with 15% battery

The speed difference is huge but either way 370km would likely need a short stop no matter the EV you get. I'd still consider an EV though as there's loads of chargers in around Galway and some due to open soon at a new service station in Ennis

sligopaul

This looks a nice place to be for 50k

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/audi-q4-e-tron-sb-40-204hp-s-line-black-edition/35156788

tommythecat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122518911#Comment_122518911

Yes but as I said earlier it might make it but coming home with 4% every night is not good for the battery nor your head. There is no leeway for anything out of the ordinary.

fits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122519402#Comment_122519402

I still think a model 3 long range would be fine. Efficiency is important and this is your best bet.

tommythecat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122519439#Comment_122519439

Perhaps but if it was me (an EV owner) I wouldn't risk it. I'd stick with the ICE for now.

drunkmonkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122519402#Comment_122519402

I'd agree 200% with this, do not buy and EV that your going to be cutting it fine with or dependent on public charging, have enough left in the battery to get you to a good hospital in an emergency when you get home after a long day on the road.

fits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122519451#Comment_122519451

but op would save an absolute fortune on fuel. And it’s 2 days a week.

tommythecat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122519670#Comment_122519670

Sure. But they would still need to charge on a night rate rather than super cheap ev rate. So less savings there. You just gotta weigh up the pros and cons. I just think it's too on the edge for comfort.

fits

I bought an id.3 tour in 2021 for a 260 km return journey 3 times a week. I wanted car to be able to do it in depths of winter without public charging.

Car did the journey easily usually with at least 30% left from full battery. After a while I didn’t even bother to charge to 100% anymore. And I saved a fortune in fuel.

I’d do it again. Even if you had to charge on very cold days( very rare ) it’s worth it.

djan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122519402#Comment_122519402

He'd have well over 10% battery and it's no harm to the battery. The only thing (especially non LFP) batteries don't like is high speed charging.

AndyBoBandy

@Shocks.43 get yourself the ABRP (A Better Route Planner) app, and plug your route in there, and also the car you are looking at.

Set the weather to the worst that winter can offer and see what the app says.. it will tell you if you need a charge or not, but given your route mostly consists of 85km/h & 100km/h driving, I'd say you are easily within range of a Model 3 Long Range.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122519762#Comment_122519762

They may only have to charge on a very cold day but it means that on a standard cold day they will be worrying/thinking/debating about charging so thats not ideal considering how long and miserable our winters can be

fits

There were hardly any frosty days last winter and even fewer in the west. Rain and wind would be a bigger concern.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122520182#Comment_122520182

My point being you shouldn’t have to even think about the weather forecast and weather or not you’ll make it home without charging. If your having to do that for half of the year then you have bought the wrong car.

tommythecat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122519764#Comment_122519764

Constantly running to 10% or less is objectively bad for the battery.

65535

You could ask in the EV section -

https://www.boards.ie/categories/electric-vehicles-hybrids

I use an app 'Shell Recharge' on Android to calculate routes with start charge and end charge.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122520494#Comment_122520494

Come on, cars are made to be driven. So what if you regularly go below 10%. Its a brand new car with 8 years battery warranty.

tommythecat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122520855#Comment_122520855

There is no problem running it down occasionally but purchasing a car that you know you will run down to 10% or below every day on your commute doesn't seem like a wise decision to me.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122520902#Comment_122520902

I was under the impression that its only a problem if you let it sit at a low state of charge. The same way letting it sit above 90% is bad. Nothing wrong with driving from 100% all the way to 0% as long as you charge it back up again and don’t let it sit at 100% overnight etc

tommythecat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122520988#Comment_122520988

Not something I would want to be doing every day for a commute with no contingency.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122521032#Comment_122521032

I agree, I said it myself also. But you mentioned it initially in relation to battery health, whereas now you mention it in relation to trip planning, which is a different discussion entirely

tommythecat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122521167#Comment_122521167

I mentioned both previously. And I'm still of the opinion that's it's not ideal for battery life.

Nigzcurran

What about the polestar 2 long range? Would that make the journey?

Shocks.43

Hi folks , thanks very much for all the replies : opinions and advice . Apologies I am just in from work so just getting around to replying. Its a lot of food for thought . I am thinking if I am buying a new car and with the commute am i missing a trick ( financially) by not going electric. Maybe I will have to bite the bullet and factor in a small stop ( maybe somewhere in Limerick before I leave . I can plan out my trip the days I am commuting .