A third of a century behind the wheel of scores of electric vehicles, driven on three continents, has taught me this much: they’re typically a lot more fun and effective than conventional cars. assuming their battery packs haven’t expunged, they’re incredibly reputable and strangely satisfying to live with. bearing in mind that, whatever a maker says in terms of mileage capabilities on a single charge, halve it.
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Money no object, the EV I’d select in 2017 is the REx (range extender) version of the BMW i3, which has a charming get out of jail – or a lot more commonly, get me home – petrol engine paired with its plug-in battery pack.
• BMW i3 REx review
But there are EV downsides, too. For starters, they’re not low-cost – although Nissan’s “from £16,680” offer (or £189 a month lease) for the leaf indicates prices are heading in the ideal direction.
Car makers can’t cheat on diesel emission and other borderline-criminal claims, so how come the porkies about the alleged range of their EVs continue? The Go Ultra low pressure group embarrasses itself when declaring UK motorists “flocked” to get electric automobiles last year. They didn’t.
The same organisation can’t be allowed to keep banging on about EV “cost savings”, unless it plays fair and acknowledges that, with all costs considered, petrol or diesel cars and trucks still remain more affordable to buy/insure/run.