Renault 5 - Test drive

[DeskJockey]

I think plugging and unplugging when you get home would take less time than filling up once a week, and over time the petrol station fill ups would become annoying if you had to do them again.

That's exactly how I feel. It takes less than a minute to plug in/unplug (sidenote: why is the act of connecting two words, but the disconnection is one? And shouldn't it logically be "plug out" to be consistent?).

The only minor annoyance is if we can't remember whether we unlocked the charger or not. That requires checking by going outside.

[scotta]

I think plugging and unplugging when you get home would take less time than filling up once a week, and over time the petrol station fill ups would become annoying if you had to do them again.

That's exactly how I feel. It takes less than a minute to plug in/unplug (sidenote: why is the act of connecting two words, but the disconnection is one? And shouldn't it logically be "plug out" to be consistent?).

The only minor annoyance is if we can't remember whether we unlocked the charger or not. That requires checking by going outside.

Have you not got a phone app that tells you if the car is connected? Or does it only say when it’s actually charging?

[IanF]

Yeah, plugging it in is simple and takes barely any time if you’ve located the charger correctly. Having to divert/delay on your journey and then possibly queue to fill up and then to pay are both considerably longer than the 5/10 secs it takes to grab the charger lead and plug it into the car. And more expensive if charging over night.

Still, I wouldn’t buy one as your only car, not Harry’s issue obviously!, but as a daily for school runs/work/shopping (ie as a white good) they make sense.

[mik]

As per Alex - attaching/detaching the EV to/from your home charger becomes a natural routine like locking the car. It really isn't a hassle at all* . Mrs mik doesn't need to charge every day, even with target charge set to 80% as standard, but she almost always does as... why not?

Our charger is inside the garage where the car gets parked overnight, so we don't need to worry about having a lock on it etc, but the cable is long enough that you can charge a car outside instead (and we have done a few times - with her car and those of guests).


*our original (faulty) charger did on a couple of occasions cause the car to get itself in a fankle and refuse to let go of the charging cable. This required that I come out in order to pop the bonnet, remove a cover and pull a little manual-release cord to get the car untethered. Absolutely a PITA, but it's never happened since the charger was replaced.

[DeskJockey]

I think plugging and unplugging when you get home would take less time than filling up once a week, and over time the petrol station fill ups would become annoying if you had to do them again.

That's exactly how I feel. It takes less than a minute to plug in/unplug (sidenote: why is the act of connecting two words, but the disconnection is one? And shouldn't it logically be "plug out" to be consistent?).

The only minor annoyance is if we can't remember whether we unlocked the charger or not. That requires checking by going outside.

Have you not got a phone app that tells you if the car is connected? Or does it only say when it’s actually charging?

Not anymore. With the demise of 3G the car is offline. Renault are happy to do nothing and offer nothing. Hopefully someone will come up with a fix.

[Jobbo]

The only minor annoyance is if we can't remember whether we unlocked the charger or not. That requires checking by going outside.

Unlocked the charger? I wasn't aware this was a thing, but I guess if your charger is accessible and you don't want any random person to come and plug in, it's probably quite important.

[DeskJockey]

The only minor annoyance is if we can't remember whether we unlocked the charger or not. That requires checking by going outside.

Unlocked the charger? I wasn't aware this was a thing, but I guess if your charger is accessible and you don't want any random person to come and plug in, it's probably quite important.

Just a simple pin code. Our charger is fully accessible from the street, so in theory someone could steal leccy if the car isn't there. The pin solves the problem.

[Mito Man]

Can you imagine the fucking cheek of someone just pulling into your driveway to charge their car

[integrale_evo]

I am ridiculously lazy. I’ll drive a car with no screenwash for days because as soon as I pull up at home I instantly forget it needs topping up, then realise it’s empty the next time I go to work.

At least if I forget or am too lazy to get fuel I usually have enough in reserve for the next commute or can nip into one of the stations I pass on the way.

I realise these are me problems, not ev ones

[mik]

Not anymore. With the demise of 3G the car is offline.

If it is just for home, can you still get local 3G signal generators? I looked at this years ago when we considered moving to a remote-ish house that had almost zero phone signal - I could get a box from Vodafone that would create a local 3G phone signal.....

[240PP]

I take it EVs won’t engage ‘drive’ while it’s plugged in to prevent people (me) driving off mindlessly while it’s charging?

[mik]

Unlocked the charger? I wasn't aware this was a thing, but I guess if your charger is accessible and you don't want any random person to come and plug in, it's probably quite important.

Probably not real, but I've seen a few like this

[Jobbo]

I am ridiculously lazy. I’ll drive a car with no screenwash for days because as soon as I pull up at home I instantly forget it needs topping up, then realise it’s empty the next time I go to work.

At least if I forget or am too lazy to get fuel I usually have enough in reserve for the next commute or can nip into one of the stations I pass on the way.

I realise these are me problems, not ev ones

Plugging in a charger is a bit different to opening the bonnet, finding a funnel and the screenwash etc. Does your mobile ever run out?

[DeskJockey]

I take it EVs won’t engage ‘drive’ while it’s plugged in to prevent people (me) driving off mindlessly while it’s charging?

Yes. Ours will be very vocal and won't even start.

[DeskJockey]

Not anymore. With the demise of 3G the car is offline.

If it is just for home, can you still get local 3G signal generators? I looked at this years ago when we considered moving to a remote-ish house that had almost zero phone signal - I could get a box from Vodafone that would create a local 3G phone signal.....

Yes, I'd forgotten about those. Whether Renault are removing services from the portal is uncertain.

[Rich B]

I plug my car in after driving already - it is a bit of a hassle because the bonnet release is pretty stiff and way down in the footwell (Elise into CTEK!). I’d not have any issue with plugging a proper EV in each time!

[Mito Man]

Plugging in an EV at home is satisfying. The charger makes a nice click as it latches and then the thunk as the contractors open. The satisfying feeling is the F U to the government as you fill up your car at only 5% VAT
Won’t last forever I tell you.

[DeskJockey]

Plugging in an EV at home is satisfying. The charger makes a nice click as it latches and then the thunk as the contractors open. The satisfying feeling is the F U to the government as you fill up your car at only 5% VAT
Won’t last forever I tell you.

Surely you'll have enough roof space to run a decent set of panels and some batteries? Free (initial cost excluded) charging!

[Matty]

Part of my consideration, when you compare it against something like my VW Up - is that based on 5000m/year - pretty much the mileage most small city cars will do (especially with a small battery like the R5) is that'll it'll take 2 years just to recoup the cost of the charger install.

That's based on 12p per mile in the Up, compared to 2p per mile in a car like the R5 - and that's assuming you can always charge cheap overnight. Charge when you're out, and suddently the R5 will cost more per mile than the Up. For me there are a couple of benefits to electric - perks like preheating/cooling are awesome, as are never having to bother with fuelling - but my main reason would be cheaper fuel, and that's pretty borderline really.

Longer range cars, and more miles really offset this, obviously, especially if you replaced a 35mpg car with a Tesla, for example, as the savings would be greater, and therefore the payoff a lot shorter. But in the R5 class, it's be my concern.

[Matty]

Oh, also, my sister had her Ohme charger die just before Christmas - it was *just* in warranty, otherwise it would have been £600+Labour to get it replaced