ᐅ BEV – Battery Electric Vehicle Experiences and Recommendations
Created on: 23 Jan 2025 15:14
T
Tolentino
Dear forum members,
I know this is a homebuilding forum, but relevant car forums tend to be either very brand-loyal or strongly critical of battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Since I assume there is a significant overlap between homeowners and BEV owners, I’m posting my question here. I chose this subforum because it seemed somewhat related—discussing household technology felt off topic.
I’ll soon be returning my ZOE and am currently exploring options for a replacement. It should again be a small to compact car, with 80-90% urban driving and average daily distances of about 25 km (15.5 miles). Occasionally, I drive 40-50 km (25-31 miles) in the city (about once a month) and very rarely 180 km (112 miles) on highways and country roads.
Absolute exclusions:
Tesla, for ethical reasons
Vehicles with a new price over 50,000 EUR (approx. $53,000), because the financing rate would be too high
Less preferred:
VW Group cars
Obvious SUVs
Another ZOE
Models I am interested in:
Renault 5 (possibly too new and expensive)
Hyundai Kona Electric (this is my upper limit for SUV styling)
MG4
Opel Corsa-e (though it didn’t perform well in ADAC tests)
Mainly looking for personal experience reports.
So, please share your thoughts—thanks in advance!
I know this is a homebuilding forum, but relevant car forums tend to be either very brand-loyal or strongly critical of battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Since I assume there is a significant overlap between homeowners and BEV owners, I’m posting my question here. I chose this subforum because it seemed somewhat related—discussing household technology felt off topic.
I’ll soon be returning my ZOE and am currently exploring options for a replacement. It should again be a small to compact car, with 80-90% urban driving and average daily distances of about 25 km (15.5 miles). Occasionally, I drive 40-50 km (25-31 miles) in the city (about once a month) and very rarely 180 km (112 miles) on highways and country roads.
Absolute exclusions:
Tesla, for ethical reasons
Vehicles with a new price over 50,000 EUR (approx. $53,000), because the financing rate would be too high
Less preferred:
VW Group cars
Obvious SUVs
Another ZOE
Models I am interested in:
Renault 5 (possibly too new and expensive)
Hyundai Kona Electric (this is my upper limit for SUV styling)
MG4
Opel Corsa-e (though it didn’t perform well in ADAC tests)
Mainly looking for personal experience reports.
So, please share your thoughts—thanks in advance!
J
Jesse Custer27 Feb 2026 19:17nordanney schrieb:
P.S. BEV is really cool. I’ve driven 25,000 km (15,500 miles) in the last 9 months with my ID7 GTX. It’s fun and so far zero issues. The consumption is also great. But you do realize this is a completely different story than some kind of Vietnamese surprise egg, right?
When my Tiguan Hybrid lease ends, we’ll also get an ID.7.
N
nordanney27 Feb 2026 22:30Jesse Custer schrieb:
But you do realize that this is a completely different story than some Vietnamese surprise egg, right? That’s why I wished Tolentino a lot of luck for the coming years.
But an electric vehicle (EV), no matter its origin, is fun. I now know enough of them (my second car is a Born) – at my company, sales are now over 90% EVs (but none from Asia).
And with the update, the Vinfast has really become usable.
Yes, the lack of commercial success is still a dark cloud on the horizon. However, I wish the company all the best. From my perspective, they have the right approach by focusing on the customer experience. It would be a shame if they fail nonetheless.
Let’s see how things develop.
Yes, the lack of commercial success is still a dark cloud on the horizon. However, I wish the company all the best. From my perspective, they have the right approach by focusing on the customer experience. It would be a shame if they fail nonetheless.
Let’s see how things develop.
M
MachsSelbst28 Feb 2026 19:26This is also related to companies moving away from electric cars again. Three years ago, I needed a special permit to order a combustion engine vehicle, which I found annoying, so I chose an ID.4 instead.
Now things are shifting back, and electric cars can only be ordered if they are expected to be more economical than a combustion engine vehicle. And they are not, at least not with our company leasing... the fuel costs for an electric car charged almost 100% publicly are enormous—I’m always surprised by that.
I drive 80% on highways, averaging 23 kWh/100 km (14.3 miles/100 miles). You can do the math: I charge with my company charging card at 0.67–0.77 EUR/kWh (about $0.67–$0.77), which means just under 18 EUR (about $18). Seven liters of diesel cost 13 EUR (about $13). And with 7 liters consumption, I’m still 30% faster at the customer with the diesel. Travel times with the electric car are also longer, and hourly rates are not low...
Electric cars for long distances? I’m no longer a fan. Tomorrow I’m going on a trip across Europe, 1,800 km (1,118 miles) in 6 days. I already feel uneasy just thinking about it... I’ll have to charge 7 or 8 times, whereas with a diesel I would only need to refuel twice.
Now things are shifting back, and electric cars can only be ordered if they are expected to be more economical than a combustion engine vehicle. And they are not, at least not with our company leasing... the fuel costs for an electric car charged almost 100% publicly are enormous—I’m always surprised by that.
I drive 80% on highways, averaging 23 kWh/100 km (14.3 miles/100 miles). You can do the math: I charge with my company charging card at 0.67–0.77 EUR/kWh (about $0.67–$0.77), which means just under 18 EUR (about $18). Seven liters of diesel cost 13 EUR (about $13). And with 7 liters consumption, I’m still 30% faster at the customer with the diesel. Travel times with the electric car are also longer, and hourly rates are not low...
Electric cars for long distances? I’m no longer a fan. Tomorrow I’m going on a trip across Europe, 1,800 km (1,118 miles) in 6 days. I already feel uneasy just thinking about it... I’ll have to charge 7 or 8 times, whereas with a diesel I would only need to refuel twice.
N
nordanney28 Feb 2026 21:11@machsselbst
Then you are an exception. Our corporation with about 35,000 employees is also fully committed to electric vehicles, including in sales. I don’t understand why a BEV would be considered unsuitable for that purpose? We all drive between 35,000 and 50,000 km (22,000 and 31,000 miles) per year without any problems using electric cars. Sure, you don’t go 500 km (310 miles) in one go at 200 km/h (125 mph) anymore, which is unhealthy anyway. But you don’t lose much time driving electric.
Fuel operating costs are not the main factor. They represent only a small part, which is balanced out by other savings. Overall, electric is not more expensive. But even more important today is the sustainability report.
P.S. 1,800 km (1,120 miles) in SIX (!!!) days? That’s 300 km (185 miles) each day. So you can just comfortably charge the car every evening after work. Where is the real problem? If you had said 5,000 km (3,100 miles) in six days, then I would agree that you spend a lot of time at charging stations.
Then you are an exception. Our corporation with about 35,000 employees is also fully committed to electric vehicles, including in sales. I don’t understand why a BEV would be considered unsuitable for that purpose? We all drive between 35,000 and 50,000 km (22,000 and 31,000 miles) per year without any problems using electric cars. Sure, you don’t go 500 km (310 miles) in one go at 200 km/h (125 mph) anymore, which is unhealthy anyway. But you don’t lose much time driving electric.
Fuel operating costs are not the main factor. They represent only a small part, which is balanced out by other savings. Overall, electric is not more expensive. But even more important today is the sustainability report.
P.S. 1,800 km (1,120 miles) in SIX (!!!) days? That’s 300 km (185 miles) each day. So you can just comfortably charge the car every evening after work. Where is the real problem? If you had said 5,000 km (3,100 miles) in six days, then I would agree that you spend a lot of time at charging stations.
M
MachsSelbst28 Feb 2026 22:19Unhealthy? 500km? That’s about 4 hours in a diesel vehicle...
There’s no need to debate this. For us, it works for those who can charge daily at their home wallbox or at their workplace.
My profile looks like this... 2x600km and the rest of the week on site. So I only charge with DC. Charging at hotels? Wishful thinking. In recent years, I had two hotels with charging stations right on site, and they were ridiculously expensive.
So especially in winter, you end up standing every 2 or 3 evenings at a 400kW fast charger, trickling in 50kW with a cold battery... after work, for 30 to 35 minutes. Great.
And next week I’ll be in Eastern Czechia. According to the DKV+ card, there are two 50kW chargers within a 25km (15.5 miles) radius at my location.
You know, nordanney... the world of field service is larger than that of a bank, where you operate within your 50km (31 miles) bubble doing day-to-day business...
I’ve also driven that car in Sweden... in winter, one way 900km (560 miles). NEVER again with an ID.4... never again 😉
There’s no need to debate this. For us, it works for those who can charge daily at their home wallbox or at their workplace.
My profile looks like this... 2x600km and the rest of the week on site. So I only charge with DC. Charging at hotels? Wishful thinking. In recent years, I had two hotels with charging stations right on site, and they were ridiculously expensive.
So especially in winter, you end up standing every 2 or 3 evenings at a 400kW fast charger, trickling in 50kW with a cold battery... after work, for 30 to 35 minutes. Great.
And next week I’ll be in Eastern Czechia. According to the DKV+ card, there are two 50kW chargers within a 25km (15.5 miles) radius at my location.
You know, nordanney... the world of field service is larger than that of a bank, where you operate within your 50km (31 miles) bubble doing day-to-day business...
I’ve also driven that car in Sweden... in winter, one way 900km (560 miles). NEVER again with an ID.4... never again 😉
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