This might seem a bit obtuse, comparing cars from opposite ends of the spectrum. One, potentially the highest-tech car manufacturer we've yet seen, the other best known, in the UK at least, as a manufacturer of value-for-money, Skoda-competition. However as soon as I drove an Ioniq, I realised that Hyundai made a much better car … Continue reading “Why didn’t you get a Model 3?”
Goodyear All-Season tyres on the most efficient electric car
The Ioniq 28kWh is/was the most efficient car you could buy. A small part of this is down to the Michelin Energy tyres. I have been using these and other eco-tyres for many years in previous ICE (fuel) cars, with good results. I could get up to 95mpg out of a Skoda Fabia for example. … Continue reading Goodyear All-Season tyres on the most efficient electric car
I’m on a budget, what electric car should I buy?
In short- a used one that suits most of your needs. It will always be more economical to hire a car for the long trips; or make an adventure of it and take a short range EV across the country, its up to you. You pay a lot for extra range that you may not … Continue reading I’m on a budget, what electric car should I buy?
Holidaying with a short-range pure EV
Instead of a week jetting off to the Canary Islands, this October we took our Hyundai Ioniq electric to South Wales. Partly because of concerns over booking travel close to an impending Brexit deadline, and partly concerns over my carbon footprint - I've already had 2 long flights this year, partly down to holidays. Wales … Continue reading Holidaying with a short-range pure EV
The Ioniq electric battery cooling fan!
Under the false floor in the trunk/boot lives this black duct, taking hot air from the battery... ...to this centrifugal fan. Air then passes out of the car... ...via this flap into the right rear wheel well. I have no idea what this box of tricks does though. Hope it's not too bothered by the … Continue reading The Ioniq electric battery cooling fan!
Smart EV charging using Agile Octopus and Ohme- and occasionally earning money
One way to minimise the cost of running an EV is to use an off-peak electricity tariff. Mind you, there's not much to save. Even at the average domestic price of 15p per unit (kWh); 10,000 miles would cost you approximately £300. Not per month, that's per year. There is a gadget that can cut … Continue reading Smart EV charging using Agile Octopus and Ohme- and occasionally earning money
Tesla Model 3 test drive compared to an Ioniq electric
Model 3 Standard Range + So, finally the Model 3 has arrived on UK shores. Driving an Ioniq electric, I sometimes get asked "when will you get a Tesla?", as if its the goal of every EV driver. Funny how nobody ever asked "when are you getting a BMW M3" when I drove a Skoda! … Continue reading Tesla Model 3 test drive compared to an Ioniq electric
How long does it take to charge up 100 miles with an Ioniq Electric?
Update August 2019: this original post was written based on a Polar 50kW charger. I have since used a 62kW Instavolt which just opened at Frilford near Abingdon, UK. Even though I started with more charge, this saved over 5 minutes on the Polar- 101 miles added in 20 minutes, with an average rate of … Continue reading How long does it take to charge up 100 miles with an Ioniq Electric?
New 2020 Ioniq Electric announced – but it’s not all good news…
Hyundai have launched the next Ioniq Electric model for 2020, with a bigger battery- up to 38.3kWh useable. Hardly a surprise there. A modest increase, within the existing platform, sounds like a sensible but incremental step. Think of it as Ioniq V1.5 rather than V2. 38kWh compared to the existing 28kWh means up to around … Continue reading New 2020 Ioniq Electric announced – but it’s not all good news…
Why am I not getting a 50kW charge from a “50kW” rapid charger?
Simple - it's not really a 50kW charger. Eh? Today's chargers such as Polar's Ultracharger, and most other rapid chargers, in the UK at least, will deliver, at most, 125 Amps*. Whether that translates to 50kW, depends on the voltage of your car's battery. (Power = Current x Voltage). Take into account some loss along … Continue reading Why am I not getting a 50kW charge from a “50kW” rapid charger?