PHEV or HEV?

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fatgit
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2019 1:21 pm

Post by fatgit »

So, I'm testing a Niro HEV in 2 days time, but I'm also considering the PHEV.
As a Motability customer there's a price difference of £699 between the HEV and PHEV.

I don't have off-street parking, so charging would be via granny cable running in a protected cable cover across the pavement or out on the back street (I have a 16a rated extension already) or via 16a hookup at weekends, and my general usage would be under 10 miles per day urban plus a weekly 56 mile round trip (about 8 miles urban and 48 motorway or country A Road - can charge before the return trip), with the odd 160 mile each way trip every few months, with a 10-12k average mileage.

My back-of-a-virtual-cig-packet calculations tell me the combined cost of electric and petrol on a typical week would save me around £7-8 (assuming average 18 miles per charge) compared to my Kia Venga Diesel (43.8mpg average over 21k miles), so theoretically it would more than pay for the difference over the HEV over 3 year period.

I'm aware of the legislation around running cables across pavements, and it wouldn't be that often (wouldn't need charging daily, and can use the back more often than not).


So, am I delusional in believing I'd save so much on fuel, and would my usage better suit the HEV or PHEV?

Very interested to see people's opinions, especially if anyone has a similar usage scenario.

It's not all about the savings though, I genuinely want to reduce my emissions.

Thanks!

ron in new mexico
Posts: 19
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2019 6:42 pm

Post by ron in new mexico »

I would say the PHEV. My experience may not be typical, but I do get far more than the 26 miles listed electric, for vehicles sold in the states. I do drive conservatively.
Keep in mind they do advise against any use of a extension cord to charge it. They sell extension cords that are designed for heavy use, so it may not be so much a problem, but they do advise against. I would not admit to that if I did as likely there could be warrenty problems, though I think it is in the main as cords tend to overheat. The cord locks with a click on the pod, so there is not problem with that, and you can set when to charge it if you want, with a app and the software. By phone then, though I have not used the feature.
Do they not offer any sort of income tax break on the PHEV? IN the states, we receive a credit which is based on the size of the battery. the credit on the Niro, is midrange, at around 4,000 USD. Which makes the two almost equal.
I fill up once a month now, with my old vehicle, a HEV, but not a Niro, it was three. Electricity here is dirt cheap, but that has only added 10-15 USD per month to the electric bill. I drive about 800 or so a month, with most drives probably being around forty miles on one charge, Each fill up was about 25 or so, in my prior vehicle...
The worst mileage I have ever gotten on a 150 mile trip to the mountains with dirt road travel was 58 MPG. Other trips one charge and 125 miles or so around 70 MPG. Here road use by the book, is 48, 52 city, no charge, I think.
I now average about 90 or so MPG, but again I may not be typical.
My first seven miles out the door is all downhill, so I use nothing in electric in that. More than seven on the return up part though.
And it is neat to use only electric. It feels like stealth mode in parking lots, small streets, just coasting along no sound.
I really like that. You notice engine noise then more when it comes on, you get used to the no sound.
ron in new mexico
Posts: 19
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2019 6:42 pm

Post by ron in new mexico »

My dealer did not even mention the tax break, as I assume he simply did not sell a lot of PHEV's. But I checked the federal sites and it is certainly offered with the PHEV, but not the HEV. So I would check on that in the UK government sites..
fatgit
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2019 1:21 pm

Post by fatgit »

Thanks for the replies.
Motability is a UK scheme for disabled drivers, it's basically a lease but with lower prices and everything except fuel included.

We get about £260 a month towards getting around, which we can use to pay for the car. Some only cost the monthly payment, others have what's called an Advance Payment, which is a one off payment at the beginning of your 3 year lease.
The HEV is 0 advance and the PHEV is £699.
As for tax breaks, there are subsidies for BEV's but the government removed them from PHEVs.

There's also no provision available for on-street charging, except in the town centre, and I can't have a charger fitted as we don't have a driveway or off-street parking, but as I understand it, it's possible to choose a lower current charge (over a longer period), so could charge it at 10a over about 4 hours.
HaxbyPete
Posts: 55
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2019 10:18 am

Post by HaxbyPete »

Hey fatgit - if you don't have charging facilities at home, except to drag a charging lead across a public footpath which is illegal, isn't it a no-brainer that you should buy the self-charging HEV version and relax ? I have had one for three years now, about to receive a new one a week today, and I never have to charge it ! They are excellent cars and I get average 55mpg over a tankful and up to 65mpg on a country run. Yes, you may get a few more mpg with a PHEV but only with the recharging hassles - which you don;t seem to have the facilities for ? I never have to think of recharging or have 'range anxiety'. So happy Niro motoring !
John pell
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:06 pm

Post by John pell »

As just said you will get better MPG but dont forget a PHEV is over £5000 more in the first place how long will it take you to recoup that amount of money. I also have an HEV and get the same milage as the post above.
My19 Niro 3 Ocean Blue HEV
fatgit
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2019 1:21 pm

Post by fatgit »

On Motability, it's only £699 more rather than £5k :)

Also, it isn't illegal to have a cable over the pavement but you are liable for any accidents etc. There are cable protectors designed to go over pavements for cables, so it's quite safe to do so.

As it happens, we have decided to go with the Ioniq HEV purely on boot space, but appreciate the replies :)
Dave1978
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2019 4:39 pm

Post by Dave1978 »

Go HEV!

I have a 2018 Niro 4, and using it locally I am getting 61mpg (UK gallons, by the way....) with my average daily journeys being of the order of 10-12 miles. At several pence per litre saving over diesel you will be quids in. Also, its a lovely car for journeys of any length.
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