I ‘followed’ a kona owners kinda travel blog on a kona owners fb page. This guy , on his own, Travelled, toured the alps , blogged the whole trip. Switzerland very expensive for everything but super cheap to charge up. iirc over 2000 miles for £180 , included 20mins at a ton on the German autobahn! He did have aircon issues but in a 2020 model I think he done alright. He did mention something about paying £45k (!) for his kona ultimate. Currently £38k . It’s still an option for me on motability so I’m taking in as much info as possible. 

If the kona is physically too small the e-Niro is the same motor just a bit bigger. 

51 minutes ago, iantt said:

Kona is one of the few cars that has decent mileage (64kwh) between charges. Even the 39kwh isn't too bad depending on your daily drive to work and back. I'm fortunate I do round trip of 29mls a day so electric car would suit my needs day to day. Probably only need to charge one evening a week. Even a plug in  hybrid would work for me but would need to connect every evening to get full advantage of cheaper fuel costs. Then petrol used any time I need to go further afield than 35 miles. 

What is stopping me is the cost to buy new or used. Still to expensive even thou I would save over £1000 a year in fuel costs at current fuel costs/electric rates. 

I saw some interesting real world stats for the Kona on another forum I use recently.  The battery had charged around 50% from regen over 1000 miles or so.  (Effectively 330 free miles).  Those figures were taken from the app so may not be totally accurate, but I am surprised that it managed to recoup so much charge.

1 minute ago, TomsFocus said:

I saw some interesting real world stats for the Kona on another forum I use recently.  The battery had charged around 50% from regen over 1000 miles or so.  (Effectively 330 free miles).  Those figures were taken from the app so may not be totally accurate, but I am surprised that it managed to recoup so much charge.

My understanding is they have a paddle to adjust the regen. I’m not sure how that works. 

*paddles 

 

3 minutes ago, Alex.S said:

If the kona is physically too small the e-Niro is the same motor just a bit bigger. 

One of our neighbours has an e niro. I quite like it too. 

Just now, Alex.S said:

My understanding is they have a paddle to adjust the regen. I’m not sure how that works. 

Useful if you end up in a creek!

1 minute ago, iantt said:

One of our neighbours has an e niro. I quite like it too. 

Described as small suv but still fairly big …

1 minute ago, Alex.S said:

My understanding is they have a paddle to adjust the regen. I’m not sure how that works. 

3 levels of regen braking. Basically take your foot off the throttle and depending on  level it brakes to a stop if required. I've tried it on the mache-e. It's a weired feeling . First time without realising it was on , I thought the brakes were stuck on or the electric hand brake. 

Just now, iantt said:

3 levels of regen braking. Basically take your foot off the throttle and depending on  level it brakes to a stop if required. I've tried it on the mache-e. It's a weired feeling . First time without realising it was on , I thought the brakes were stuck on or the electric hand brake. 

I’ve heard it’s a bit unnerving! 

As far as I'm aware there's only one level on the mache- e. It's just a case of switching it on in sync 4 screen. 

I don't even like the regen on the manual MHEV...I'd hate full-stop regen on a proper EV! 

Just now, TomsFocus said:

I don't even like the regen on the manual MHEV...I'd hate full-stop regen on a proper EV! 

At least you can switch it off on most electric cars. Then your in the realms of coasting long distances without any drag via engine braking. 

Just now, iantt said:

At least you can switch it off on most electric cars. Then your in the realms of coasting long distances without any drag via engine braking. 

Can you fully turn it off?  It is something I've genuinely worried about with an electric car.  That would make it a more viable option for me though, I'd rather pay for the extra electricity than have my vertigo triggered at every junction.

1 minute ago, TomsFocus said:

Can you fully turn it off?  It is something I've genuinely worried about with an electric car.  That would make it a more viable option for me though, I'd rather pay for the extra electricity than have my vertigo triggered at every junction.

The Hyundai u can turn it off with the paddles 

Is this what I’ve heard of as one pedal driving? 

1 hour ago, Alex.S said:

Is this what I’ve heard of as one pedal driving? 

Yep. 

Thought @StephenFord would have jumped on this "I told them so" opportunity!😀 Not sure whether to laugh or cry when I see the Government have been begging generators to keep the last few coal fired power stations going a little longer to help avert the possibility of power cuts this winter.

They also asked EDF it they could delay the shutdown of the old Hinkley B nuclear plant, but apparently it's already too late now, the decommissioning is already in hand, so the answer is "non"!

 

Don't worry due to all the tree huggers we have a huge reserve of trees we can burn/import if other fuel sources start running low.

I knew those guys would come in useful one day

49 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Thought @StephenFord would have jumped on this "I told them so" opportunity!😀

 

One of the primary issues, and always has been, is that the people at the top making these strategic decisions do not live real lives. They enjoy chauffeur driven cars, all expenses paid, wouldn't even know how to full up a car with petrol/diesel, have a fully expenses home where all bills are paid (courtesy of the public purse) including energy. They have never had to decide if they can afford to buy a basket of food at the supermarket, or, should they treat themselves to turn the heating on when they get home.

The seat of power for the country is London, somewhere I have lived/worked, so know (in the whole) how great public transport can be, so they make decisions on banning cars, laying miles of cycle lanes, without once giving a thought to rural areas where like me, there are 4 buses/day, and the bus stop is a mile away! Most of the 37Million cars in the UK are owned/driven by people who need them, not having them for a bit of fun!

Right, feel better now after that little rant LOL

3 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

Right, feel better now after that little rant LOL

Yes, it's very therapeutic, I find!

 

35 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

there are 4 buses/day

Four a day, a luxury! At my previous address the bus went in one direction on a Tuesday and returned in the other direction on a Thursday. Eventually they scrapped the "service" because no-one was using it, I wonder why. 🙄

Spot on Stephen!

On 5/28/2022 at 7:54 PM, TomsFocus said:

Can you fully turn it off?  It is something I've genuinely worried about with an electric car.  That would make it a more viable option for me though, I'd rather pay for the extra electricity than have my vertigo triggered at every junction.

I think you'd soon get used to it... and the thrill of completing a journey by using your anticipation of road conditions , the adjustable regen paddles, without touching the brake pedal (but knowing that it's there if you need it to come to a complete stop) knowing that you're saving fuel and not wearing out your brakes is very satisfying (if you're a sad male, like I am!).

10 hours ago, alanfp said:

I think you'd soon get used to it... and the thrill of completing a journey by using your anticipation of road conditions , the adjustable regen paddles, without touching the brake pedal (but knowing that it's there if you need it to come to a complete stop) knowing that you're saving fuel and not wearing out your brakes is very satisfying (if you're a sad male, like I am!).

I've been unable to drive at all for the last 9 months due to vertigo.  Pretty sure it's not something I'd get used to unfortunately.  

Hadn't been able passenger since 2016 due to that, could only drive my own car in 'full' control.  Was then triggered badly by trying to change to an auto in late 2020 (which would be helpful due to physical issues).  So sent that back and bought a Mk4 Focus manual early 2021...not realising how intrusive the regen braking would be, and having been told I wouldn't notice it by the salesman!  Barely managed a month (100 miles) in that before it became completely unmanageable due to vertigo & the poor ride (both jittery & bouncy somehow!).  Managed another 6 months in my old Golf (manual, not MHEV, ride not too bouncy or too jittery) but that only lasted until September, where any amount of driving became completely impossible.  Now I'm stuck, effectively housebound, and just told that I can't access health service until I can travel to them...they don't seem to see the irony in that.