Cheapest/best Electric./Hybrid

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Cheapest/best Electric./Hybrid

Dreal

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#185383 20-Nov-2015 14:51

I thought this could be a fun geekzone topic. I'm little awhile off buying my next car, but I'd like a really good grasp of my options.

Plug in hybrid seems the best, but doesn't come cheap. Electric has shorter range (although fast charging station network is going up), and hybrid - well its neither as cheap to run, or as good for the environment.

I'd love to find the absolute cheapest way to get a decent electric or hybrid - perhaps personally importing, but I just want to open this topic up to general discussion -

Have you owned or driven any electric/hybrid cars? What are your thoughts and experiences on the topic? Any of you eyeing up any models? Mods?

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Hammered
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#1431766 20-Nov-2015 14:52

Moved to the correct forum.

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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Talkiet

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#1431771 20-Nov-2015 15:02

It really depends if you want the best and most efficient car, or if you want the best and most efficient plug-in or hybrid electric vehicle.

If I was after an efficient car right now I'd buy a Fiat 500 Abarth because it's GREAT fun and very very economical if you don't thrash it.

That said I also want a Tesla, but mostly because it's fast and shiny.

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

gzt

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#1431797 20-Nov-2015 15:39

Curious to hear any experience of the camry hybrid. I have seen them around but few.

ghettomaster

387 posts

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#1431801 20-Nov-2015 15:46

gzt: Curious to hear any experience of the camry hybrid. I have seen them around but few.

I took one for a spin the other day and loved it. It was a 2011. Great pickup being a 2.5 litre and a thrash around some hills showed fuel consumption of 6.6l/100km which I thought was good.

The only drawback I can see to getting one is that I want more storage space. I have done a little bit of research on the Kluger hybrid imports but they are typically 8.5l/100km. For that sort of consumption it'd be just as easy to get an Avensis wagon or even a Subaru Legacy as they have similar consumption rates. Not bad if you want an SUV though.

I like the principle behind the Holden Volt, namely doing most daily drives on the household mains but having the fuel tank for trips, but they are horrendously expensive. There is one at a yard in Lower Hutt and I'm keen to get it out for a spin.

WyleECoyoteNZ

1049 posts

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#1431813 20-Nov-2015 16:07

A little bit off topic, But I'd like to try a Fiat TwinAir powered car, ideally a 500 Twinair.

Although, looking at the Fiat NZ site, the 500 TwinAir's aren't available here, but the Panda TwinAir is

Dreal

417 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1431841 20-Nov-2015 16:48

The outlander is the same principle, and prius have a plug in hybrid (but I don't think anyone imports them here).

All cheaper than the volt, but still not cheap. The only cheap options really are camry, leaf and prius (second hand, imported).

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Dreal

417 posts

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#1431842 20-Nov-2015 16:51

Talkiet: It really depends if you want the best and most efficient car, or if you want the best and most efficient plug-in or hybrid electric vehicle.

If I was after an efficient car right now I'd buy a Fiat 500 Abarth because it's GREAT fun and very very economical if you don't thrash it.

That said I also want a Tesla, but mostly because it's fast and shiny.

Cheers - N

I understand really efficient petrol/diesel cars are close to the same efficiency. But part of the motivation is a) environment b) the rising cost of petrol. So efficiency I think is important, even better would be electric if it had the range, because the cost there is dirt low to run, and its zero emissions.

Also its a fun toy/idea :)

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turnin

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#1432403 21-Nov-2015 20:29

Right now I'd say , since you said cheap, that the leaf would be a good bet. Its very fast but its really a mechsnical car fitted with an electric motor( it even has a gearbox of sorts) compared to say a Tesla which is designed from the ground up. The leaf needs the supercharger network to give it legs. I see most are really cheap now and the range anxiety can be confirmed with most having 10 -20 thousand kms on the clock.

I sort of see hybrids as the worst of both worlds , all the maintenance and moving parts of a mechanical car plus the weight of batteries and electric motors.

I'm keen to see how cheap they can make the new Tesla , hopefully we will see some low price points from other manufacturers.

Dreal

417 posts

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#1432420 21-Nov-2015 20:54

turnin: Right now I'd say , since you said cheap, that the leaf would be a good bet. Its very fast but its really a mechsnical car fitted with an electric motor( it even has a gearbox of sorts) compared to say a Tesla which is designed from the ground up. The leaf needs the supercharger network to give it legs. I see most are really cheap now and the range anxiety can be confirmed with most having 10 -20 thousand kms on the clock.

I sort of see hybrids as the worst of both worlds , all the maintenance and moving parts of a mechanical car plus the weight of batteries and electric motors.

I'm keen to see how cheap they can make the new Tesla , hopefully we will see some low price points from other manufacturers.

For travelling down to see my mum, I am sure the network would cover it. However, what about IDK, travelling to the coromandal, or wellington - seems like at that point charging so often would be a pian. Not that this is the sort of trip I would make often, but packs a bit of a limit.

If there was a way to drive up the range to 150-160kms, I'd be sold at 100-120kms, I am unsure. Price wise, it seems good. And all electric is my preference, as you say, less moving parts, and also better for the environment/petrol prices.

Sadly plug in hybrids with longer ranges are pricer - and something like the prius, not that much more efficient than an efficient petrol car, and no electric only mode (battery is too small).

Which is why it feels like a conundrum. I'd really prefer the leaf, as far as cheap goes. Just range is slightly too short.

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mdav056

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#1432442 21-Nov-2015 22:26

I recently bought a 2006 Gen 3 Prius with 45k on the clock for 12.5k$ (I'd never, ever, but a new car). Jap import. Great luggage space, and can put a pod on top. I got 22.5 km/l with 3.5 pax and pod on top going Auckland-Taupo and return. Given Toyota's reliability, I think the total cost of ownership will be really good.

gml

Aredwood

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#1432448 21-Nov-2015 22:42

First of all what is your main objective? Saving money on running costs, Saving money on purchase / resale costs, Lowest environmental impact, But you need to consider how many kilometres you drive each year. And if it is mostly open road, around town, rush hour ect as well.

And for most people if they don't cover many kilometres each year. Often the cheapest car is the one they already own. Assuming it doesn't have problems that force it's replacement. And buying a brand new car is unlikely to stack up on an environmental perspective.

Geektastic

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#1432454 21-Nov-2015 23:00

Dreal: I thought this could be a fun geekzone topic. I'm little awhile off buying my next car, but I'd like a really good grasp of my options.

Plug in hybrid seems the best, but doesn't come cheap. Electric has shorter range (although fast charging station network is going up), and hybrid - well its neither as cheap to run, or as good for the environment.

I'd love to find the absolute cheapest way to get a decent electric or hybrid - perhaps personally importing, but I just want to open this topic up to general discussion -

Have you owned or driven any electric/hybrid cars? What are your thoughts and experiences on the topic? Any of you eyeing up any models? Mods?

I have a Toyota Alphard hybrid - in fact I think it is the only one every officially imported into NZ by Toyota. It's 10 years old or so and I bought it 5 years ago with a 4 year warranty Signature Class (which I then got Toyota to extend for another 3 years for about $1200).

I've done 75,000 kms in it or thereabouts and it has been pretty reliable. Fuel wise it gets around 7.1l/100 km on a long run which for a 7 seat minivan is pretty good. It has front and rear cameras, electric sliding doors, CD, Minidisc, cruise, electric windows, climate air, ABS, EBD, BAS, VSC and so on. It even has 4WD by virtue of having a second electric motor drive the rear wheels on demand - so no transfer gearbox etc required!

It's worth about $12,000 now I guess: it's new Yen price converted into NZD was not far short of $80,000! I paid $40,000 for it.

It's not 'cool' or flash but it is superbly engineered, very well built, comfortable and nice to drive.

Dreal

417 posts

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#1432559 22-Nov-2015 11:42

Aredwood: First of all what is your main objective? Saving money on running costs, Saving money on purchase / resale costs, Lowest environmental impact, But you need to consider how many kilometres you drive each year. And if it is mostly open road, around town, rush hour ect as well.

And for most people if they don't cover many kilometres each year. Often the cheapest car is the one they already own. Assuming it doesn't have problems that force it's replacement. And buying a brand new car is unlikely to stack up on an environmental perspective.

I don't have a car.

As for the rest - objective number one - 1) not screw the oceans with combustion 2) cheaper running costs 3) affordable purchase price. I'd mostly drive around auckland, but sometime a fair range within that, sometimes further like 120kms, and occasionally down to wellington or similar.

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timmmay

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#1432562 22-Nov-2015 11:51

May be more practical to get an electric car for your everyday needs and figure you'll rent a big petrol guzzler for the long distance trips.

tdgeek

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#1432564 22-Nov-2015 12:03

Payback period? Hybrids are expensive and the fuel savings are there but over what payback period. Battery replacement costs? As to the environment, there is a carbon cost to build any car, I'd look only at a full electric car one day. That has solar assistance, this world needs to start thinking about the future, and it isn't, except the likes of Tesla

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