HEV to EV?

[Roy124]

I am not asking about range and refuelling issues as that is hugely dependent on location  and usage.

Assuming you had decided to switch from HEV, would you go to PHEV or straight to EV?

Now the $64,000 question, would that car be a BZ4X?

The base model is £42,650 but 0% interest and £2,000 contribution.  Using typical salesman's maths I could massage the figures to bring the monthly repayments to 50% more than a top spec Yaris Cross.

Assuming you could afford it, and were willing to pay it, would you buy the BZ4X or look elsewhere, a second hand Mercedes GLQ for instance?

[Haliotis]

For the last twenty-plus years I always had diesel cars to provide torque/economy when towing our caravan.  Now having given up caravanning, I bought my C-HR hybrid (HEV) last year.  This is my first EV car, but already I have satisfied myself that HEV is the only way to go.  This is because, whatever happens (or doesn’t happen) in the EV charging world, the HEV still gives total independence from government failures - lack of charging points, grid capacity limitations, etc.

Regarding which make/model to choose, this comes down to facilities offered in the vehicle, depending on a prospective owner’s needs, and not directly related to method of fuelling.

[MC1216]

As above HEV is the only solution to me (apart from staying with petrol) as although retired i do long journeys in this country and around Europe...imagine trying to get from Preston to Malaga in an electric vehicle that the stress of working out charging points in France Spain etc.

I am glad i am 61 as EV's will never work for me apart from when the time comes i need an electric mobility scooter.🤣

[Haliotis]

Mark, I’m nearly 89.  We used tyo regularly take our caravan to France until Covid struck.  Have since given up caravanning, but still hope to take the C-HR to France next year, but this time renting holiday accommodation.  Happy with a HEV - would not consider anything else, other than changing back to ICE powered vehicle.

[Roy124]

To simplify the question, if you were buying an EV, would you buy a BZ4X?

[MC1216]

NO my friend has worked for a large Nissan dealer in the North West for 20 years.

His advice is NEVER buy an electric car new with your own money...lease one if you must...they are not buying any second hand ones in at the moment.

Coming back to the question a big fat NO.

An example again from Motorfinity who many people can buy from,if they are knocking off £8000 then how much is it going to lose in value over the next few years.

They cannot give them away...

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[AJones]

9 hours ago, Roy124 said:

I am not asking about range and refuelling issues as that is hugely dependent on location  and usage.

Assuming you had decided to switch from HEV, would you go to PHEV or straight to EV?

But the decision depends largely on the charging and range issue. If you can't charge at home then stick with the HEV. If you can, then you can't really go wrong with a PHEV, you can shift your short trips entirely to electric but after a while the limited electric range does start to annoy a bit. The HEV mode does mean you never have to worry wherever you go and the Toyotas still give impressive efficiency operating as pure HEVs. Whereas many manufacturer's PHEVs generally deliver pretty poor to mediocre efficiency when running in HEV modes.

The EV infrastructure is improving, there's a lot more rapid charge points going in everywhere, so for driving around the UK, if buying a car today I'd jump for an EV rather than a PHEV. 

9 hours ago, Roy124 said:

Now the $64,000 question, would that car be a BZ4X?

No, not at new car prices because they lose so much money in the first few years. Plus I'm not a fan of these over-sized SUV type models built like a small tank. The Toyota bZ3 looks good, but they're not selling it in Europe.

[Haliotis]

Mark, is your friend referring to ALL types of electric cars, including hybrids (HEVs)?  After owning my 2021 C-HR for just over a year now, I have not yet found any downsides to suggest I have made a mistake in my purchase.  Any personal criticisms that I might have would apply if the car was solely ICE powered.

Unless your friend can provide genuine technical reasons for his opinion, then I’m afraid it is just that - an opinion.

[Roy124]

We have decided that good as the BZ4X is as a car (in the showroom) we don't want to pay a 50% premium (or more) when we find our YC meets our needs and look forward to the updated model.

What, in a way,  disappoints is the limited offering from Toyota with just 2 PHEV and one EV almost dipping their toe in the water.

 

[Roy124]

I suppose the question now is that Toyota HEV is acknowledged  (in the forum) as the best CVT, how do we rate the BZ4X?

[CassUK]

EV - No

HEV - Yes

Way too many negatives with an EV, primarily cost/depreciation, real world range, lack of charging infrastructure, range anxiety, media hype over so called green cars and the government clamour to change to them (we heard this over a decade ago with diesel cars) and now we are being subject to the anti-ICE propaganda on almost a daily basis.

If you can charge at home and only drive short local journeys, maybe the argument will sway towards an EV, but the ridiculous purchase cost and potential Battery replacement cost far outweighs the cost of an ICE/HEV option. 

Buy what you need for your budget and lifestyle and don’t be afraid to say no because they aren’t for everyone, despite what the pro-EV marketing says 🤷‍♂️

[MC1216]

12 hours ago, Haliotis said:

Mark, is your friend referring to ALL types of electric cars, including hybrids (HEVs)?  After owning my 2021 C-HR for just over a year now, I have not yet found any downsides to suggest I have made a mistake in my purchase.  Any personal criticisms that I might have would apply if the car was solely ICE powered.

Unless your friend can provide genuine technical reasons for his opinion, then I’m afraid it is just that - an opinion.

No just EV's...they have been stung buying in expensive EV's like Tesla's Audi and Merc and have basically lost money on them all and a few that they just can't sell.

No issues with HEV's and he says the market is very strong for HEV's.

 

 

[Haliotis]

ICE cars have come a long way in terms of emissions cleanliness, the only real issue being particles in the atmosphere.  DPF is supposed to cure this, but the DPF is cleaned and vented into the atmosphere during long drives at speeds in excess of 40 mph.  It has puzzled me why the DPF hasn’t been further developed to capture the particles in a storage vessel, for controlled disposal during the annual servicing.  With the government axing the sale of new ICE vehicles by 2030, and a requirement for a minimum percentage of new cars to be EVs (failure subject to punitive action), has the possible technological improvement of the internal combustion engine been thwarted by this strategy?

[Cyker]

The bz4x isn't really a serious EV - Toyota only make it to shut up the people who keep complaining they don't make an EV.

They don't think the technology is ready and I think they're right.

I reckon when they get their solid state Battery tech into mass production that's when we'll start seeing EVs worth considering, but this is still many years away...

 

[Big_D]

We also don’t have the infrastructure in place for everyone to have an EV. 

[AJones]

On 4/26/2024 at 10:08 PM, Roy124 said:

What, in a way,  disappoints is the limited offering from Toyota with just 2 PHEV and one EV almost dipping their toe in the water.

There's 3 PHEV models in the UK now - RAV4, C-HR and the new Prius.

[Roy124]

@AJones to mention  2 out of 3 that my wife doesn't like.  Mind you, she doesn't like the ugly duckling, BZ4X,  or some Tesla. 

[Haliotis]

It seems that a few makes of cars are being designed with no front grille and, to me, they remind me of a shark.  Many of today’s models seem to have a “Noddy-car” appearance and I think that they may have a short life appeal that might result in quick depreciation in value.

In my own case, I like the Toyota quality, the smoothness and the frugality of my C-HR hybrid automatic, but with hindsight I would not buy this particular model again.  I would be looking for (initially) a Toyota with similar looks to the VW Touran - one of my previous cars - with a Touran as my second choice if Toyota cannot deliver.

[Trewithy]

On 4/26/2024 at 5:14 PM, Roy124 said:

To simplify the question, if you were buying an EV, would you buy a BZ4X?

 I wouldn't buy a BZ4X - it hasn't even got a glove box.  Where is my wife going to put all her stuff.

[Cyker]

That's bonkers - How can something that big have no storage!?