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Non-Tesla recommendations for 2nd cheaper EV
- Thread starter HenryT
- Start date
mk677
Member
Full electric, but only 100 miles range :-(. Otherwise looks like a great solution. Apply 10/90% charge rule and you are at 80 miles and you realise that you can't really take it out your city :-(.
For me, although a smaller car doesn't need the range of the Tesla, it has to be only inconvenient to go intercity, not almost impossible.
mk677
Member
A car like that is a good station or in town car for a spouse who doesn't need to travel long distances.
my first EV was a leaf I believe it only had about a 85 mile range, a good in town car.
people actually tried to road trip in it.
Unfortunately for us, the Model 3 didn't arrive in the UK until June 2019 so it fails the "cheaper alternative" test.
Insurance write-offs aside, you are looking at around £35,000 and up to get into a M3.
RedMod3
Member
Thought I'd write an update on our Smart EQ ForTwo EV that we have had for a week and compare and contracts with my Tesla:
Build Quality: Smart: very nice Carmine-Red metallic, with good spray-painting and ALL panels in plastic and consistent panel gaps. Tesla: colour equally good but varying panel gaps. Smart wins.
Noise: Smart, rather noisy with a continuous drone even at low speeds. Tesla, considerably quieter. Tesla wins.
Size suitability: Smart: (it's < 2.7m long), perfect for our local towns and villages and small parking spaces, no good for long distance. Tesla: the converse. Equal.
Comfort and interior cabin. Smart: the ride is very hard and bumpy, too many controls and instruments pods, front seats spacious, good storage at front, minute boot. Tesla: relatively smooth ride, love the touch screen, good storage front and back. Tesla wins.
Technology: Smart: no built in SatNav, need to use Apple Car Play with wired connection and can use Waze, regenerative braking not as good as Tesla, sound quality very good with 10 presents each AM/FM/DAB, overall a good setup, mileage in App not equal to mileage in car, cannot set charge start time in car or App. Tesla, far superior, but no Waze option, App far better. Tesla wins.
Range and efficiency: Smart: range seems to be about 90miles, so fine for local travel and no use for long distance. Car has 22kW charger built in. Tesla range is about 300 miles so no range anxiety. Both consume around 240Whr/mile. Draw, as we use Smart for local and Tesla for longer distance.
Purchase Process: Smart, ordered from Manchester, was going to drive it back, but decided too risky, so paid £420 for flatbed delivery, Merc dealer was very helpful and put cherished plates on. Tesla: picked up from Southampton, easy process, Tesla would not put cherished plates on. Smart wins by a short head.
Charging: Smart: using a granny charger as I have Economy 7 power sockets that come live during cheap period, cannot set charge start time in car or app, so my Tesla charger is no good for E7 charging, I think the free BP charger may be ok. Tesla, can set charge start time in car or app, so no problem starting it during E7 period on the Tesla charger that is wired to the 24 hour supply. Tesla wins
Price and suitability: The Tesla cost nearly 4x the cost of the Smart, and is fantastic for long distances as it is quiet, has power and plenty of range, but it is no good for when searching for parking spaces where only small gaps are available. Smart: fantastic for town, city and village parking and it has a 7m turning circle. A draw, both fit for purpose.
Overall: Very pleased with both the Smart and Tesla each will be used where they are most suited. We have and need two EVs.
I hope helpful, any questions on the Smart, please ask.
Build Quality: Smart: very nice Carmine-Red metallic, with good spray-painting and ALL panels in plastic and consistent panel gaps. Tesla: colour equally good but varying panel gaps. Smart wins.
Noise: Smart, rather noisy with a continuous drone even at low speeds. Tesla, considerably quieter. Tesla wins.
Size suitability: Smart: (it's < 2.7m long), perfect for our local towns and villages and small parking spaces, no good for long distance. Tesla: the converse. Equal.
Comfort and interior cabin. Smart: the ride is very hard and bumpy, too many controls and instruments pods, front seats spacious, good storage at front, minute boot. Tesla: relatively smooth ride, love the touch screen, good storage front and back. Tesla wins.
Technology: Smart: no built in SatNav, need to use Apple Car Play with wired connection and can use Waze, regenerative braking not as good as Tesla, sound quality very good with 10 presents each AM/FM/DAB, overall a good setup, mileage in App not equal to mileage in car, cannot set charge start time in car or App. Tesla, far superior, but no Waze option, App far better. Tesla wins.
Range and efficiency: Smart: range seems to be about 90miles, so fine for local travel and no use for long distance. Car has 22kW charger built in. Tesla range is about 300 miles so no range anxiety. Both consume around 240Whr/mile. Draw, as we use Smart for local and Tesla for longer distance.
Purchase Process: Smart, ordered from Manchester, was going to drive it back, but decided too risky, so paid £420 for flatbed delivery, Merc dealer was very helpful and put cherished plates on. Tesla: picked up from Southampton, easy process, Tesla would not put cherished plates on. Smart wins by a short head.
Charging: Smart: using a granny charger as I have Economy 7 power sockets that come live during cheap period, cannot set charge start time in car or app, so my Tesla charger is no good for E7 charging, I think the free BP charger may be ok. Tesla, can set charge start time in car or app, so no problem starting it during E7 period on the Tesla charger that is wired to the 24 hour supply. Tesla wins
Price and suitability: The Tesla cost nearly 4x the cost of the Smart, and is fantastic for long distances as it is quiet, has power and plenty of range, but it is no good for when searching for parking spaces where only small gaps are available. Smart: fantastic for town, city and village parking and it has a 7m turning circle. A draw, both fit for purpose.
Overall: Very pleased with both the Smart and Tesla each will be used where they are most suited. We have and need two EVs.
I hope helpful, any questions on the Smart, please ask.
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mk677
Member
while it is a cute little car well suited for those who don't venture far from their home it isn't a car that has enough versatility for many people
I was very pleasantly surprised when I drove a Citroen E-C4 the other week.
It was on my list of possible 2nd cars, near the bottom, and I'll admit that I fully expected that following the test drive I would be able to cross it off the list but now it is a real contender.
It's a very comfortable drive and I'm pretty sure you can haggle a good deal on one too.
I've always considered Citroens to be a bit too quirky but this one seems pretty mainstream.
It was on my list of possible 2nd cars, near the bottom, and I'll admit that I fully expected that following the test drive I would be able to cross it off the list but now it is a real contender.
It's a very comfortable drive and I'm pretty sure you can haggle a good deal on one too.
I've always considered Citroens to be a bit too quirky but this one seems pretty mainstream.
RedMod3
Member
I agree with you, and I note that you are in fl, where no doubt the roads are much wide and car parking is much easier. Here, our roads are narrower, and we have found the Tesla and Smart caters perfectly for our circumstances. If we had to have just one car, it would be neither of these but a mid-sized one in-between.
pdk42
Active Member
I bought a French car once and swore I’d never buy another. Then I bought another and quickly remembered why I said I’d never do it again! Thankfully, my memory’s still holding up so the third is yet to appear!
I once had a business Renault provided. Fortunately I remembered to never buy a French car after that althoigh I will admit to being impressed with the 2CV a girlfriend had in the '60's - rumour was you'ld get a prize if you could roll it (car not the GF)
fancealot
Member
Having a 24 hour test drive of the Mazda MX-30 this weekend, if I can do the daily commute without having to charge then I think Mrs F will want to get it ordered, she does love her Mazdas (i'm quite keen on them too!)
We‘ve bitten the bullet and purchased not one, but two, extra EV’s to compliment our Tesla and maintain our greenish credentials!
no one laugh…
his and hers Raleigh Motus eBikes. 0-15mph in… well, er, shortly.
it was a toss up between those and a Smart car but it wouldn’t fit in the boot and they would
At least it pays lip service to a fitness regime.
no one laugh…
his and hers Raleigh Motus eBikes. 0-15mph in… well, er, shortly.
it was a toss up between those and a Smart car but it wouldn’t fit in the boot and they would
At least it pays lip service to a fitness regime.
MrBadger
Badger out
Enjoy your eBike - should bring a smile to your face but do remember, you do not have to turn the motor on! It then becomes a very heavy bike. I can still ride mine up our (very steep) road with motor off (and battery still attached), but its so much fun doing the same in turbo mode.
Oddly, without the battery, they’re not hard work. They aren’t light but nor are they too heavy.
definitely easier than my 30 year old mountain bike!
we struck lucky. stocks of bikes are at an all time low and lead times are on a par with the NHS.
a local shop had our sizes and types in stock
I've been having similar thoughts. I've been looking at all the 150-200 mile range second EVs new for around £30K but then they all seem like really bad value compared with spending 5-10K extra for a used Model 3. A used Model 3 will probably hold its value better, has much better performance and range and access to the Tesla supercharger network. I'm personally not bothered about high mileage used cars as I'll be putting low mileage on a second EV. Used model S is too big and too close to the end of the battery warranty at this budget for my taste. I may just stay put on an ICE second car and see what happens to used Tesla prices or until the fabled low cost Tesla 'model 2' is available (I'm not holding my breath).
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