When are you going fully electric?

Soldato
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The problem is that everyone just goes ‘but Tesla have done it for years’ (over 8 years at this point).

The real issue is that the incumbents were stuck in the Stone Age when it comes to control systems and infotainment and it’s really starting to show.
 
Soldato
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Indeed - if you read the interviews with VAG Management they were forced to set very aggressive targets for the introduction of their full electric platform and when they went out to hire programmers they just weren’t there. I have a former colleague who worked on the Zwickau factory rebuild and he reckoned that some programmers were on €2000/day and it subsequently turned out the code they wrote wasn’t even good and didn’t work with other aspects of the project. Hence the delays and bugginess.
 
Soldato
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I suppose tesla don't have the dealerships to host upgrades , so OTA is kinda more important.
-from earlier discussion, I wonder if the norwich tesla 'service station', is complete yet
 
Soldato
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Great vid. Personally I'm sold on electrification but don't need it yet, as soon as I need a car to do any real mileage in I will be straight on it.

As for VAG and software, it's pretty simple for me. I ask myself this question when interviewing / talking to other companies (I'm a Principal Software Eng by day) - Are they a software company who has a product, or are they a product company that has software. VAG are the latter, and thus will be terrible at software.
I honestly think we're close to make or break time with EVs and legacy manufacturers, BMW do not look well placed to me.
 
Soldato
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BMW do not look well placed to me.
They will have something well advanced. Some manufacturers are launching their EV’s early, when they are not ready and giving customers a beta test product, I.e. VW.
Others prefer to iron out the bugs and launch a finished product.
 
Soldato
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software - BMW did cut their teeth on the i3 / i8 ...so some prior ev experience, not that outside of autopilot related AI, the car systems are so different to predecessors ?

Are there evaluations of comparative software complexity (lines of code, man hours ) ?
do the newer cars have fewer local sub-system mcu's with much more centralized (multi) processing
 
Soldato
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BMW don't have a great track record with the X5 45e they have been having software issues with some being disabled after an over the air update which needs BMW assist out with the software to boot the car back up and get it on a low loader back to the dealer.
 
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Soldato
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Slightly put off by the ID3 issues above...

What are peoples thoughts about the hyundai kona or the MG Zs electric?

Can get top spec of both for around £230 so not much in it price wise.

This is the NHS scheme so this price includes all maintenance and insurance.
 
Soldato
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Slightly put off by the ID3 issues above...

What are peoples thoughts about the hyundai kona or the MG Zs electric?

Can get top spec of both for around £230 so not much in it price wise.

This is the NHS scheme so this price includes all maintenance and insurance.

I may be wrong but MG have only had some minor software issues like the 12V battery going flat when left standing. The Kona has had a recall but new cars should be OK. Other brands have faired worse.

The ID3 just needs time to sort hopefully as otherwise it's a decent EV like the eGolf.
 
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Soldato
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software - BMW did cut their teeth on the i3 / i8 ...so some prior ev experience, not that outside of autopilot related AI, the car systems are so different to predecessors ?

Are there evaluations of comparative software complexity (lines of code, man hours ) ?
do the newer cars have fewer local sub-system mcu's with much more centralized (multi) processing

They definitely got the powertrain right and is still one of the most efficient EVs. The in car software was mostly the same as other BMWs from that period so useable but nothing special.
 
Soldato
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Slightly put off by the ID3 issues above...

What are peoples thoughts about the hyundai kona or the MG Zs electric?

Can get top spec of both for around £230 so not much in it price wise.

This is the NHS scheme so this price includes all maintenance and insurance.

The Kona by all accounts is a very good car, extremely efficient, huge range (assuming big battery version). It’s interior is ‘fine’ (better than the mg but not premium), and well built. They did recall them recently for a firmware update but what car hasn’t had a recall now these days. Have a look at some videos online, they review extremely well, main negatives are it has a small boot and few bits of the interior are a little cheap buts it’s a great car.

Most people seem to like the ZS EV too but it isn’t as capable as the Kona. It’s also not as nice as the Kona but I think it’s a bigger car.

The id3 is a good car but it’s just let down by rubbish software and it depends if you can put up with that or not. As with anything that ships with rubbish software, there is a chance it will not be fully fixed. I’m sure VW will not want another PR disaster and get their act together soon. Main negatives are the software issues, a few cheap plastics in the interior and things most people would consider essential bing on the options list which is typical for a German brand.
 
Soldato
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Slightly put off by the ID3 issues above...

What are peoples thoughts about the hyundai kona or the MG Zs electric?

Can get top spec of both for around £230 so not much in it price wise.

This is the NHS scheme so this price includes all maintenance and insurance.

Don't forget to factor in the pension hit! Just looking into the same scheme for the wife, and it's a toss up between the e-niro and peugeot e2008
 
Soldato
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Don't forget to factor in the pension hit! Just looking into the same scheme for the wife, and it's a toss up between the e-niro and peugeot e2008

I think its around £35 a month on the pension scheme.

The electric cars I think make it worth while.
 
Soldato
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Don't forget to factor in the pension hit! Just looking into the same scheme for the wife, and it's a toss up between the e-niro and peugeot e2008

I've just had a look at the e2008... Gt line is coming in at a decent price and to be honest looks great.
 
Soldato
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I've just had a look at the e2008... Gt line is coming in at a decent price and to be honest looks great.

Yeah our thoughts exactly; all objective of course but think it's the best looking out of the bunch esp the interior. For us though the E-niro would be the more sensible option with the boot space and range
 
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