Electric VW so cheap.....why

[Elsa TLC]

It isn't. Even when new, those VW efforts were overpriced junk.
Bought only by those who mistakenly believe that VW vehicles are somehow superior to others, and would probably buy a dog turd if it had a VW badge stuck on it.

Random example of what's available for a lot less: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/van-details/202507254836793
which has a bigger battery and significantly larger range. It's also fully fitted out with racking inside, whereas that VW thing has nothing.

If you don't like that one, there are plenty of others, also see Citroen e-dispatch and Vauxhall Vivaro Electric which are basically the same van with a few minor variations.
Plenty of those available used now, as many fleets bought them in 2020/2021 and are now replacing with newer versions.

This even had the same racking that I have in my van. Thank you. Im not set on anything but that's giving me something to munch on.

 

[Odds]

The Milkman Cometh
​

 

[Elsa TLC]

The Milkman Cometh
​

Looks like a horror!

 

[Odds]

Looks like a horror!

It is horrifying...especially when he gets the bill!

 

[robinbanks]

Im thinking this. If a new modern battery was a quick swap then easy.

It's only five years old; what do you think will be "old fashioned" about the battery/what leaps and bounds advances do you think have been made in battery tech in the last 5 years that will make changing it worthwhile?

Also, EV batteries aren't like the old lead acid batteries that start your diesel van; they're enormous, and usually make up the majority of the vehicle's weight. They may also be shaped around chassis parts, and are typically an integral part of the vehicle; they aren't something you just undo a few nuts on and lift out ..

 

[Elsa TLC]

It's only five years old; what do you think will be "old fashioned" about the battery/what leaps and bounds advances do you think have been made in battery tech in the last 5 years that will make changing it worthwhile?

Also, EV batteries aren't like the old lead acid batteries that start your diesel van; they're enormous, and usually make up the majority of the vehicle's weight. They may also be shaped around chassis parts, and are typically an integral part of the vehicle; they aren't something you just undo a few nuts on and lift out ..

This is it Robin; Im asking for advice. I really dont know.

What do you think?

 

[robinbanks]

Oh, er.. yeah I don't think I would ever buy an EV on the premise that changing the battery would be a worthwhile operation

In terms of whether an EV would suit you, what research have you done?
How far do you need to drive daily? Can you park your car near your house such that you don't trail a charging cable across any place a member of the public might walk? How many Amps rating is the service head fuse(s) on your supply? How long does your vehicle spend motionless at your house in a 24 hour period? How often do you need to make journeys several hundred miles long? How much load do you need to lug? Do you have/need to tow a trailer etc? Do you have another vehicle for domestic use? Do you have solar panels, battery etc?

 

[flameport]

Im asking for advice. I really dont know.

In the vast majority of vehicles the battery in an EV will outlast the vehicle.
A 4 year old EV will not require a replacement battery, as every manufacturer includes at minimum 8 year warranty on the battery.

Even in the rare instances that an EV battery does have a problem, you don't replace the entire thing - you have the defective module replaced.

 

[Elsa TLC]

In the vast majority of vehicles the battery in an EV will outlast the vehicle.
A 4 year old EV will not require a replacement battery, as every manufacturer includes at minimum 8 year warranty on the battery.

Even in the rare instances that an EV battery does have a problem, you don't replace the entire thing - you have the defective module replaced.

So to my personal circumstances buying one seems a good deal.

I just can't work out why so cheap, if what you say is correct.

 

[robinbanks]

Er.. But flameport said it wasn't cheap, and if you say what they said is correct, then its a contradiction: its either "not cheap and FP is correct" or "cheap and FP is not correct". Pick a side; I'm on the side of "there are newer, cheaper, longer ranged, more usably large vans"..

Oh, and don't forget answer my questions about the other aspects of EV ownership you'll need to consider..

 

[Elsa TLC]

Er.. But flameport said it wasn't cheap, and if you say what they said is correct, then its a contradiction: its either "not cheap and FP is correct" or "cheap and FP is not correct". Pick a side; I'm on the side of "there are newer, cheaper, longer ranged, more usably large vans"..

Oh, and don't forget answer my questions about the other aspects of EV ownership you'll need to consider..

Make you mind up. One minute your having a go then you giving out good advice.

Advise and education about the subject is what I want. Your doing thst but in a funny twisted sort of way.

 

[Elsa TLC]

I live end terrace im approaching the council to buy the land for a drive and a charging point.

However Sainsbury's is just down the road. Is it viable to charge away from home and it will still be cheaper than running a diesel ️ van.

No Er's I just want advice.

 

[Koolpc]

For me, its too pricy. Why?
Age and lack of distance it can go...

 

[catlad]

I was in a customer's house not too long ago, he told me his son-in-law has a newish 4yrs old BMW and it needs a new battery pack costing over 14k BMW are not coughing up!

 

[robinbanks]

One minute your having a go

Where was I having a go? I think that might be a your-perception thing ..

Advise and education about the subject is what I want.

But we need to refine what we teach. It's not really reasonable to say "write me 57 pages of everything you know about EVs so I can away what I want from it" because its a huge time commit on the part of the poster. Feel free to ask it to ChatGPT in that way tho; that thing loves talking

Your doing thst but in a funny twisted sort of way.

Again, I think that's a your-perception thing. I've asked you maybe 10 questions over the course of the thread and I've only just had some answers I can work with now..

In a popular forum where there are many questions, if someone expresses an interest in your query it's generally better to keep them engaged than to start complaining at them.. If there are potentially two ways to perceive their responses and one of them will keep the convo going whereas the other will shut it down, choose to interpret it whichever way suits your end goal better..

Is it viable to charge away from home and it will still be cheaper than running a diesel ️ van.

No Er's I just want advice.

It depends I'm afraid. When people look at public charging, they tend to only look at the per kWh price of electricity and of course then public charging looks expensive..

..but you're gonna have to do the sums and really be honest about costs in order to work it out. You're on about buying land form the council which is perhaps a really big cost, buying a charger which is a big cost, swapping electricity tariff which might put your daily use of your cooker up even though your EV is cheap to charge. You're paying tax on a diesel van that you might not on an eVan..

We don't know the numbers to plug into these equations so that "don't BS me just tell me yes or no" mandate isn't a reasonable ask, but while public charging can seem expensive at first, when you consider how much quicker you can keep your van charged (can your chosen van charge at 22kW or more on a bigger-than-you-can-get-domestically charger?) while doing shopping at a shop you visit anyway, versus the cost of buying everything you need to charge at home (including the cost of buying a driveway or a new home with one, and everything else, and maintaining it being on-you) public charging isn't actually as expensive as it first appears