Will it work for us?

[Wobblydeb]

Hello there, and thank you for reading

We are looking to replace our two cars with one, and the PHEV comes quite high on the list of possibles. Do you think it would work for us, and if so, what spec?

- Most journeys are <20 miles with the occasional weekend trip up to 60 miles, then a few times a year a few hundred in the UK
- We're in the North East so lots of local charging
- I'm not sure we can sort out a charge point at home, thanks to the tiny 1930s garage and no driveway we've got. We've never stored a car in there, never mind one this big! I think I can charge at municipal parking for free, at least for the time being (if I can get a space!). Does anyone else run one of these without home charging?
- Winter commuting is <5 miles and I need heat, but don't want to use the engine, as that seems to defeat the point. If we haven't got home charging, can I still set the car to heat up without being plugged in?

Thanks so much for your help

 

[jaapv]

If you order one that is specified for remote control, you can use the preheating facility.
For the rest, the car should fit well. As for the charging point at home: need makes inventive You only need an outdoor domestic point, rated 13 Amp.

 

[Wobblydeb]

Thanks jaapv!

Can the lower spec car GX3? be spec'd with preheating facility?

We don't struggle for power supply - got an electric garage door, so can use a power supply from inside the garage easy peasy. But...... there is about half a car's length from there to pavement, then the road where we normally park.

So if we continued parking on the road, the cable would have to run across the public pavement.

If we try to drive up to garage, the car would cross the pavement. I guess I need to do some careful measuring to see if I can get the nose into the garage, so the rear end is off the pavement. Or a decent length test drive and hope not to scratch it!!

 

[jaapv]

I don't know the specifications for the UK- they differ by country.

 

[DazzyB]

The GX3h does not have the remote electric heater.

The newly introduced GX3h+ does include it but if you are looking at used cars (you didn't say in your original post) then you would need the GX4h or 4hs.

Width at the front is 1.8m (not including the door mirrors).

 

[Regulo]

It will work for you certainly - IF you can arrange home charging somehow. I wouldn't like to rely on public charging points, round here they're few and far between, and usually occupied. I've never actually used one, (personal preference) but the ones I come across are usually occupied. It means you might have to run for long periods as a petrol/EV hybrid, and the car is a two tonner. Not desperately bad, consumption is good for a largish SUV, even under those conditions, but it rather obviates the reason to have a Plug-in EV if you can't plug it in anywhere!

 

[gobiman]

As others have commented, I think it all hinges on being able to charge at home.
I would look very very closely at getting it up to the garage somehow and off the pavement - even if means moving things or minor structural alterations.
If you can manage this, I'd say it is well suited and with the ability to pre-heat.
Public charging is a pain and fast chargers reduce battery life. I don't bother.

 

[gobiman]

And if you can squeeze one end of it into the garage get one with a reversing camera - will make it much easier

 

[Neverfuel]

Thanks jaapv!

Can the lower spec car GX3? be spec'd with preheating facility?

We don't struggle for power supply - got an electric garage door, so can use a power supply from inside the garage easy peasy. But...... there is about half a car's length from there to pavement, then the road where we normally park.

So if we continued parking on the road, the cable would have to run across the public pavement.

If we try to drive up to garage, the car would cross the pavement. I guess I need to do some careful measuring to see if I can get the nose into the garage, so the rear end is off the pavement. Or a decent length test drive and hope not to scratch it!!

How about running an extension and using a cable protector over the pavement, then locking the cable to the car. Bit messy but it is another solution. Any chance of charging at work?

 

[Wobblydeb]

Thanks everyone - its lovely to meet such a helpful group of folks

Is it possible to switch the heater on the GX4's without the car being plugged in? Even if I can pull the car off the road I would charge in the evening or weekend and put it back onto the road overnight so that I could shut the garage door.

We are spoilt for charging in the North East. I park in a public car park next to work, and have just walked through it to see what is available. Currently 6 charging spaces available (5 occupied) with at least another 4 ready to be used - they just have to remove the covers from the charging points which are already installed.

Parking and charging is free, which is a big draw. Alternatively my local supermarket has 2 spaces which I rarely see occupied.

 

[jaapv]

No, the car does not need to be plugged in. It will reduce electric range, of course, but not too badly.

 

[TC1978]

As others have commented, I think it all hinges on being able to charge at home.
I would look very very closely at getting it up to the garage somehow and off the pavement - even if means moving things or minor structural alterations.
If you can manage this, I'd say it is well suited and with the ability to pre-heat.
Public charging is a pain and fast chargers reduce battery life. I don't bother.

Re your last point (reducing battery life): I think this is grossly over-stated and is a possible remaining 'spook story' which the motoring press will continue to peddle. There are studies being conducted around this, and anecdotally I know of a guy who ONLY charges his (old!) Leaf via fast charger, has done for many years and has a couple of hundred thousand miles on the ODO, yet his battery is ~ 75% efficient still. Much more of the 25% lost is down to the mileage, rather than fast charging, I suspect.

See report below for more details about another test.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1090954_does-quick-charging-hurt-battery-life-total-miles-are-more-important

 

[anko]

Is it possible to switch the heater on the GX4's without the car being plugged in?

Yes.

 

[jaapv]

As others have commented, I think it all hinges on being able to charge at home.
I would look very very closely at getting it up to the garage somehow and off the pavement - even if means moving things or minor structural alterations.
If you can manage this, I'd say it is well suited and with the ability to pre-heat.
Public charging is a pain and fast chargers reduce battery life. I don't bother.

Re your last point (reducing battery life): I think this is grossly over-stated and is a possible remaining 'spook story' which the motoring press will continue to peddle. There are studies being conducted around this, and anecdotally I know of a guy who ONLY charges his (old!) Leaf via fast charger, has done for many years and has a couple of hundred thousand miles on the ODO, yet his battery is ~ 75% efficient still. Much more of the 25% lost is down to the mileage, rather than fast charging, I suspect.

See report below for more details about another test.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1090954_does-quick-charging-hurt-battery-life-total-miles-are-more-important

Case histories are fine, but won't help you when Mitsubishi declines a guaranty claim on a battery based on regular fast charging - that is what the disclaimer in the manual is for.
Anyway, I won't use a fast charger as it is more expensive than using petrol, something that will likely be the case in the (not too far?)future in the UK as well.

 

[greendwarf]

jaapv makes a good point about whether charging will remain free in UK. In London charge points are falling into disrepair and only being brought back into use when converted to Pod Point (who do charge ) Therefore, if you intend keeping the car for some time and/or stay in the same house then you should work out how to arrange home charging as you can't rely on public charging continuing to be free, even up North

 

[lg1726]

Hi there - we went from having two cars, a 'city car' Peugeot 107 and a family workhorse - SAAB estate, both over 9 years old and now have the PHEV GX4h which is the perfect blend of the two previous ones as almost all our regular, day-to-day trips are about 20 miles in total, with only occasional long hauls. We got rid of the 107 last year and ran just the SAAB for a year, so we knew we did not need two cars, but the fuel consumption with it was brutal, particularly after the 107. 200/210 miles to a table of fuel and the tank was 60 litres!

The PHEV has definitely worked out well for our requirements. However, we do have a charger and that I think is crucial to the benefits we are seeing from it. So far over 75% of our 1700 miles since delivery has been EV and at c£1 per day to charge, we have seen a huge economical advantage over the old SAAB. Have done one 400 mile round trip and a couple of short 30-40 mile round trips using approx 60 litres of petrol to date. So for 1700 miles it has required 60 litres of petrol and around £55 in charging costs!

You say that you might be able to just about nose the PHEV into the garage to charge - have you thought about taking one for a day or so to see if it will fit? I did that with ours - we have a drive, but the entrance to it is very tight due to the narrow road and a narrow gateway and our decision to buy hinged on being able to get it in and out of the drive easily. The drive opens up wider once through the narrow portal, so a charge point was not a problem, but we needed to know we could actually get it up to that point. The dealers sorted out insurance and let me have it for a couple of days and once I knew it fitted, it was ordered!