opinions please

[newbie]

Hi all,

We have never had an EV but we are finally looking to replace our Galaxy and would like to get an EV. We have 3 children (only one remains in a booster seat) and our buggy days are behind us, but we want decent boot space for suitcases when we go away. The Enyaq appeals but I know nothing about Skoda or the Enyaq model. Are there any inherent issues to be aware of? Are there any models to avoid? (I'm saying this because I'm aware that Ford have the eco boost issues, and leaking coolant issues, but I don't know if Skoda has any similar issues to be aware of??)

Having only got as far as an online search, I think we would be looking at an iv60 model, perhaps 2021-2023 age wise.

I've done a quick browse on here and can see people have had issues integrating with Octopus Intelligent in the past - is that all resolved? We don't have a charger so would be using a 3 pin plug initially - we only do short local journeys, we both work from home so it wouldn't be an issue using this method of charging.

If anyone can help bring me up to speed on whether this is a good idea or not that would be appreciated. It would be a big spend for us, that we would want to last for a number of years, but I don't know how long to expect it to last - are EV batteries better at lasting for longer now, do they just stop, or do they just degrade a bit over time?

thanks

[Aragorn]

We also have three kids, 7,5, and 2 so all still in seats. Its a bit awkward but they go in. The boot is pretty large, i would say very similar to something like a Passat. For family holidays we tend to stick a roof box on, but ofcourse we often are carrying a buggy and potentially a carry cot and things too.

Main issue i would say you need to look out for is the battery recall on the 2021 cars. There has been lots of delays on parts etc to get these cars fixed.

Intelligent Octopus is generally fine at this point. I would recommend getting a proper charger sooner rather than later. There are many issues charging with a granny, not least the risk of the socket melting down isnt insignificant. Its also extremely slow, and wont make best use of a tariff with off-peak hours. They also dont have all the proper safety systems that a properly installed charger will have. Its a useful thing to have as a backup, but not really advised as a primary charging method.

EV batteries degrade over time, but at a rate which is significantly less of a problem than some parts of the mainstream media would suggest. For instance i have a 9 year old LEAF, which is one of the worst cars for degredation as the battery is small and has no thermal management at all, and after 9 years of use the battery has 80% of its original capacity. Modern EV's will tend to degrade less quickly than those old LEAF's do. The Enyaq also comes with an 8 year 100k mile battery warranty.

[metalmadhammer]

I would question weather an EV is the right answer for you if you both work from home and wonder why you specifically want one.

I have one as a company car and it was a no brainer due to the free / very cheap electric, free insurance and maintenance including tyres. If I had to pay for all these myself, I couldn't justify the additional cost of EV's.

There's a lot of considerations but finance may not be your priority, it maybe some of the other benefits such as some of the green credentials (very debatable) or you like the EV's perform or you may like driving off of your drive in virtual silence etc.

As for the Skoda Enyaq, yes it has its issues, but all cars have. In particular most people have broken puddle lamps, regular interior switch / screen issues and lots of confusion around software updates. Skoda have not been very good at comms around all of this. But I would argue for the car against many other EV's as it is very well built, great to drive and very very comfortable. As with all Skoda's, mechanical reliability likely to be excellent.

If you have already made up your mind that its going to be an EV and its a keeper then I would seriously consider the Skoda. Good luck either way.

[Aragorn]

I mean, why WOULDNT you want one? EV's are much nicer to drive than an ICE. Obvious benefits to the local environment/pollution etc. Much lower running costs.

Theres not really additional costs for an EV, especially the current used market. A 2021 Enyaq costs much the same as a 2021 Kodiaq. And actually the kodiaq has less power and the Enyaq is a much better drive. So if your actually shopping like for like, theres not a massive premium.

We just recently bought the wife a old LEAF as a runabout. It was cheaper than an equivalent Golf and specced to the moon with heated everything, LED headlights etc.

[KBEE]

There are some very good deals on used EVs and the Enyaq is a great choice. If you find one that works for your budget, I’d fully recommend it.

I have three kids and a dog, and the Enyaq has been great space-wise. One big benefit
Is that there’s no transmission tunnel “hump” in the middle of the floor in the back - it’s nice and flat - so while no one ever really likes to go in the middle seat, it’s much less of an issue.

I’m on Octopus Intelligent and it works really well with the Enyaq - occasional glitches, but nothing serious. I think you would need to get a proper charger though - I don’t think you can sign up to the EV tariff if you’re relying on 3-pin plugs, so bear that in mind.

One thing to check if you’re buying used - 2021-23 models will likely vary quite a lot in terms of features, because they were sold with around 20 different “packs” buyers could pick from. If there are any must-haves on your list, say an electric tailgate, then you’ll have to look for cars that have that specific pack. The standard 60 otherwise is pretty much just covering the essentials.

But otherwise, I’d say the EV experience has been really good for us - it’s fitted into normal family life easily and I am pleased I chose the Enyaq.

[newbie]

I would question weather an EV is the right answer for you if you both work from home and wonder why you specifically want one.

I have one as a company car and it was a no brainer due to the free / very cheap electric, free insurance and maintenance including tyres. If I had to pay for all these myself, I couldn't justify the additional cost of EV's.

There's a lot of considerations but finance may not be your priority, it maybe some of the other benefits such as some of the green credentials (very debatable) or you like the EV's perform or you may like driving off of your drive in virtual silence etc.

As for the Skoda Enyaq, yes it has its issues, but all cars have. In particular most people have broken puddle lamps, regular interior switch / screen issues and lots of confusion around software updates. Skoda have not been very good at comms around all of this. But I would argue for the car against many other EV's as it is very well built, great to drive and very very comfortable. As with all Skoda's, mechanical reliability likely to be excellent.

If you have already made up your mind that its going to be an EV and its a keeper then I would seriously consider the Skoda. Good luck either way.

Our reasons for wanting an EV is that we've basically run our current car into the ground. If we get a loan to buy an EV, the repayments over 5 years are not much different to what we are spending on petrol at the moment. (we have to go up a steep hill twice a day which I suspect doesn't help with fuel economy on our current car). So if we replaced it with another ICE, we would have loan repayments plus still paying for petrol. Another advantage is that by getting an EV we can get the Intelligent Go tariff which gives us 6 hours of electricity for the house at 7.5p rather than the 28p at the moment. Plus the scope for additional cheap daytime charging slots.

Dare I ask what is a puddle lamp?

[AdamA86]

Dare I ask what is a puddle lamp?

A puddle lamp is the light on the wing mirrors that is supposed to light up the ground around the door so you can avoid puddles. It's supposed to project the light in such a way that there is a 'Skoda' logo on the ground, but a common issue is that the disc that creates the shape warps due to... well reasons, depending on who you ask.

If you're mainly just pottering around town, then the 60 would probably do you nicely. Just means when you go on a longer journey, you'll have to stop sooner/more often for a charge. The main reason I went for an 80 was that we fairly regularly do a 180-round trip from Cheshire to Sheffield to visit family & I figured that over the colder months, 100% charge would just miss out on getting me home without charging publicly, with no means of topping up at our destination either.

The issues with Octopus IO etc, seem to stem mostly from Skoda's sometimes flakey servers. This is quite easily bypassed with a smart charger, which I would recommend getting a charge point rather than relying on a granny charger. That way you've got a dedicated and rated 32amp supply rather than potentially overloading a 13amp ring main.

In regards to the longevity of EV batteries; there is only just over a decade of data to go on, but the consensus is that the battery should outlast the normal use case of the car. It will degrade in terms of capacity & range will suffer with age. The largest chunk of degradation seems to happen within the first 2 years, and then it kind of levels off, dropping at a slower rate. There are outliers to the trend, which is why its a good idea to ask the seller/dealer for a battery degradation report. I'd expect to see a 3-year-old car with circa 90-94% capacity remaining.

[RichR]

Octopus Intelligent is far more reliable if you connect it to your charger rather than the car. Of course that relies on you having a supported charger (eg OHME, Zappi etc).

Agree on the point above - granny chargers aren't really meant to be used as your main method of charging (which is why Skoda don't supply one with the Enyaq). People do, but you need to make sure the socket you use is up to the job - pulling 10-13A for many hours can lead to the pins overheating if there's any oxide or dirt present. If you have a driveway then it really is worth investing in a proper 7.4kW wallbox, rather than relying on a 2.3kW granny charger. If you need to charge an Enyaq (even a 60) from almost empty it'll take several nights (assuming you're doing it during off-peak) to get to 80%. Alternatively, I have friends with no driveway who just charge at public chargers whilst doing their weekly shopping

[Steve666]

With regards to "Granny Chargers", I have been using mine with my KIA E-Niro for over 3 years, no problems at all, I do have a new build property with garage so the wiring is very good, the Granny Charger has worked perfectly for me, but I am retired so rapid charging is not required.
I do have a Enyaq on order, really looking forward to having a car with a decent boot space.

[CrowSysE243]

I would definitely go for an EV. I bought the to replace a Tiguan Technoline company car and find that the Enyaq is more comfortable, more fun and relaxing to drive and has more luggage and passenger space. It easily takes 2 of us plus 2 adults and a baby in a car seat plus push chair and luggage. The passenger space is better than the Passat estate before the Tiguan, and the luggage space is between the two. During the last year I had the Tiguan we only used it when we needed the space or when I was going in to work as my wife's EV was more fun and relaxing, even when driving around 460 miles in a day. After 3 years we have not seen any battery deterioration so I am very hopeful about the lifetime of the Enyaq and currently do not plan to replace it in the foreseeable future. We have the larger battery in both cars as there is a 180 mile stretch at the end of a frequent long journey where it is not convenient to recharge so a 60 could be problematic during the winter.

I find tbat on short journeys in winter I have often been getting below 3 miles per kWh and at temperatures below 0 it has sometimes dropped to 2, however on journeys above 10 miles the economy has recovered. Driving up steep hills is not efficient either but it is nice seeing the estimated range and consumption recovering on the way down. Driving in stop/start traffic has been very efficient. Overall over more than 10k miles in 7.5 months since July the average has been 4.2 miles per kW hour and over a full year my modelling suggests that it will be over 4.5.

When we are staying away from home we use a "Granny Charger". As has been previously mentioned it is necessary to ensure that the plug and socket are in good condition and fully compliant with BS1363. One person I know did use one almost exclusively for several years, with a high spec, good quality, extension lead and the repeated insertion and removal of the plug caused deterioration and eventual overheating.

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With a plug and socket in good condition it will get warm but should not be uncomfortably hot to touch.

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It is possible to sign up for Intelligent Octopus Go with an Enyaq/13A socket "Granny" charger combination but I prefer to use a 7kW charger at home. As well as being quicker, which is important in our case running 2 EVs I find it a bit more economical. Using our PodPoint charger the charging efficiency (added charge in battery reported by BMS divided by energy consumed at the input to the charger) is approximately 95%, which corresponds to the specification of the charger module fitted in the car. Using the "Granny Charger" the average efficiency we have recorded is 86% . On Intelligent Octopus each kWh in the battery costs us approximately 7.9p using the 7kW charger. Using the "Granny" charger would cost approximately 8.7p.

I have experienced very few problems with using "Intelligent" Octopus charging. Sometimes it has been due to the Skoda servers being down but there have been some where the (12V) battery protection limit has been invoked after the car has not been driven for several days. In these cases I have successfully charged during the standard 6 off peak hours using the scheduled charging facility in the car.

After driving my wife's car I was convinced that I wanted to get an EV and investigated a wide range. The Enqaq was the most practical and best match for our requirements and has definitely exceded my expectations.