22 replies to this topic

[TheRealVXed]

I have been thinking about electric cars as I want to get a full electric once I am done with the RS4, but looking around I just can't find the type of car I want...

 

I am looking for an estate as I need the load lugging capacity and have a dog and a range of 320mi plus, and I don't want a 4x4 style car.  All I can find is these Coupe 4x4s (Polestar, GQC, iPace etc etc) or full on 4x4 or saloons

 

Why does no-one (other than MG and Porsche (expensive)) make an estate?!  Surely the massive floor plan of an estate lends itself perfectly to placement of the batteries etc?!

 

Anyone in the industry know why car manufacturers aren't making these?  Or if there are any I have overlooked...?

[techieboy]

Because the 'mercans don't really buy estate cars (they've only just got the RS6 Avant for the first time ever ) any more and the only cars capable of getting anywhere near 320 miles range in the real world are Tesla's.

 

SUV's just make more sense from a manufacturers point of view. Not only have you got the floorpan, you can also lose the height of the batteries without impacting headroom (and therefore looks) of the car. Plus the SUV market share is ever increasing whatever it's powertrain.

 

 

[Baron Von Scubadaddy]

Techcy 

Whats are mercrans ???

 

[Ivor]

Wait out for the pure electric fad to pass and we get hydrogen fuelled cars....fuel cell or otherwise

[Jocke_D]

afaik the only true classic estate BEV right now is the MG. There are lots of PHEVs though if that will do.

Closest right now, besides the MG, I would say is the Polestar 2. Not quite the roofline of a classic estate but at least a hatch back so you can get a dog in there. And it's not a proper SUV, it's somewhere in between.

 

If an even more practical car would be of interest there is always the new Opel Zafira-e (and siblings) and the Nissan e200 (?) and also the VW e-Caddy. Merc has its e-Vito etc.

[techieboy]

Techcy 

Whats are mercrans ???

 

 

Uncle Sam's children.

[TheRealVXed]

Yes was looking at the Polestar, wasn't sure about the looks until I saw one in the flesh last week and it looks a lot better than in pictures.  Does look a bit like a jacked up Volvo S90 though..  

 

I agree on the hydrogen front, not sure why manufacturers aren't exploring this (other than Honda & Toyota) given that the technology exists already.  I guess it's an infrastructure problem, but then the only electric car manufacturer tackling that is Tesla too.

 

Tesla just make sense for electric cars, especially the charging network etc.  The Model X will be a hatch but got it's ugly...  The 3 performance has me interested but the dog would have to go in the cabin and I just don't like that.

 

 

[siztenboots]

fullycharged really liked the MG estate

[hairy]

so do James and Kate, except for the weedy headlights - but you'll be used to that after owning a VX.

 

 

 

Edited by hairy, 13 February 2021 - 03:33 PM.

[Foxy]

so do James and Kate, except for the weedy headlights - but you'll be used to that after owning a VX.

[]

That. Is. Fucking. Hideous.

Wow.

[turbo boy]

Similar boat here...

Skoda Octavia offers the best value for money as an hybrid estate? But not full electric....

[Ivor]

Similar boat here...

Skoda Octavia offers the best value for money as an hybrid estate? But not full electric....

Have they got a hybrid out now?

[Ivor]

Have an Octavia VRS estate currently..

[Ivor]

There's a 245bhp plug in hybrid vrs...first electric car I've seen that I'd buy. 37 mile electric range

[Madmitch]

 

I agree on the hydrogen front, not sure why manufacturers aren't exploring this (other than Honda & Toyota) given that the technology exists already.  I guess it's an infrastructure problem, but then the only electric car manufacturer tackling that is Tesla too.

 

 

 

It is an infrastructure problem.  Hydrogen is so terrifyingly dangerous that it is only sold where the vendor has the space for a Hydrogen generator.  The stuff is generated on site and piped straight into the car's tank thus avoiding the storage problem.  The generator is usually behind very high walls or spikey fencing adjacent to the forecourt so it doesn't have far to travel and can be separated from the petrol pumps. 

[Baron Von Scubadaddy]

Whats with all the (dons flame suit) tech that I think I have seen working where the hydrogen generator is on the vehicle.

I dont understand the science of it

but it looked like some sort electrolyse where hydrogen was produced and that gas was burnt in the engine.

It looked like a good idea but I wasn't there and didn't see it with my own eyes 

 

 

 

[Ivor]

Whats with all the (dons flame suit) tech that I think I have seen working where the hydrogen generator is on the vehicle.
I dont understand the science of it
but it looked like some sort electrolyse where hydrogen was produced and that gas was burnt in the engine.
It looked like a good idea but I wasn't there and didn't see it with my own eyes

Guy I knew was selling kits, using the 'excess' energy from the alternator to power the electrolysis, create hydrogen and inject it into the fuel system, claimed 30% improvement in fuel economy, sounded too good to be true so I avoided it, this was 10 years ago,

Edited by Ivor, 14 February 2021 - 08:00 PM.

[turbo boy]

Ivor,

That Octavia is actually a pretty sound buy and based on the Golf GTE.

I’m Considering it when I have to change company cars next year...

Jon

[Ivor]

Ivor,

That Octavia is actually a pretty sound buy and based on the Golf GTE.

I’m Considering it when I have to change company cars next year...

Jon

Cheers, thanks for the tip, it's the only one that's caught my eye

[FLD]

 

Whats with all the (dons flame suit) tech that I think I have seen working where the hydrogen generator is on the vehicle.
I dont understand the science of it
but it looked like some sort electrolyse where hydrogen was produced and that gas was burnt in the engine.
It looked like a good idea but I wasn't there and didn't see it with my own eyes

Guy I knew was selling kits, using the 'excess' energy from the alternator to power the electrolysis, create hydrogen and inject it into the fuel system, claimed 30% improvement in fuel economy, sounded too good to be true so I avoided it, this was 10 years ago,

 

 

What would be ideal would be an engine that could use the excess energy from running to hydrolyse water generating hydrogen which powers that same engine and drives the car.  The waste product would be water which can be reclaimed for the hydrolysis.

 

Unfortunately I think this is against the laws of physics.