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Here’s the starting point for me deciding what my next car will be. I’ve some set criteria:
Electric – if you don’t like them, good for you but this will be my 4th, I’m not going back now.
Comfortable seats – Both myself and my wife have spinal issues, sitting on the wrong chairs can be incredibly painful and rather quickly too. I’d hate to have a car that I can only drive locally because after half an hour I can’t actually get out of the damn thing. Heating and Cooling seats would be good, heated is essential though, it’s amazing how that can help the back.
Electric tailgate – again with the back issues, stretching up to pull a boot door down, especially if the gas struts put up some resistance, is a problem.
HUD – I’ve gotten used to it now, I can’t remember the last time I looked at the dash to see how fast I’m going.
Wireless Apple Carplay – Pretty much all I listen to is on the phone, it’s either music or audio books but I rarely listen to the radio as it’s usually crap down here.
As you can imagine the current selection is rather lengthy. I’ve barely began whittling them down so here we go, in no particular order:
Ioniq 5
Enyaq
Elroq
Capri (I know but it’s not a bad car)
Grandland
Scenic
Mach E
Ariya
Budget depends on just how much I can save, which means it won’t be excessive, so that will drop a lot off the list. Currently to replace what I have, thanks to the model changes, would cost something around £6.5k, which isn’t happening. If I could save that in 3 years, I’d be much richer than I am in reality.
Front runners based on budget and equipment are either of the Skodas and the Scenic at the moment. I don’t care about the Elroq dropping off the scheme next quarter, it’ll be back before it matters to me. I’m still hoping the EV3 comes onto scheme and sticks around, that’d be a nice option, although I expect KIA pricing will put it higher than the Fords.
I’ve learnt some lessons from my last search, so the infamous spreadsheet is being updated each quarter, with a new tab holding the new quarter’s pricing and leaving previous quarters for reference. I’m hoping this may provide some interesting insights once the car is chosen, looking at where prices and models have come/gone.
I’ll update as I start to whittle out some options and as new quarters add a new perspective on the search. If there’s anything anyone wishes to add, I’m always open to opinions.
I'm Autistic, if I say something you find offensive, please let me know, I can guarantee it was unintentional.
I'll try to give my honest opinion but am always open to learning.Mark
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Seems an awful chore. If I haven’t had my benefits taken off me and given to an illegal by the time I’m next due a car then I’ll have a look when it’s time to get one.
No doubt everything will be electric and the APs will be ludicrous but I live in hope…
Out of the list and what’s available at the moment I’d definitely go for the Enyaq 85X Sportline Estate. The Scenic was okay but the boot is very deep to put things in and out of, and not on the scheme at the moment. The new 85X has massage seat as well which may help.
The top of the range Ioniq 5 made my short list, good AP for what you get. The only thing that put me off was that the ICCU still seems unreliable (and somewhat unsafe). Also, wife didn’t want rear wheel drive which also ruled out quite a few EVs.
3l V6 diesel 😂 Definately not the Grandland!
Just a 3l V6?
I’ve sat in a Grandland and the seats need a lot of adjustment to get close to bearable. I doubt it’ll get to the shortlist unless there’s chaos within the Scheme.
Out of the list and what’s available at the moment I’d definitely go for the Enyaq 85X Sportline Estate. The Scenic was okay but the boot is very deep to put things in and out of, and not on the scheme at the moment. The new 85X has massage seat as well which may help.
Ive similar concerns with Renault’s boot designs, the Megane was similar and thinking about potential future ailments I’m not convinced I want a boot I have to physically lift heavy things up to get them out.
I’m going to have to have a lengthy conversation with my contact at my local dealership about what will work best for us, in terms of the choices between both Elroq and Enyaq and Sportline and Editions. I like the Elroq Sportline with the Maxx pack at its current price but I haven’t looked at whether the smaller boot is too small or whether I should be looking at the Enyaq. I do like the idea of massage seats, especially if that’s both front seats and they’re both electric.
I'm Autistic, if I say something you find offensive, please let me know, I can guarantee it was unintentional.
I'll try to give my honest opinion but am always open to learning.Mark
The top of the range Ioniq 5 made my short list, good AP for what you get. The only thing that put me off was that the ICCU still seems unreliable (and somewhat unsafe). Also, wife didn’t want rear wheel drive which also ruled out quite a few EVs.
Im half way through the lease and have had no ICCU issues. To replace the Namsan like for like means a couple of packs adding, which pushes the cost very high. Anything else feels like taking a compromise and I’m not sure the car is enough to warrant that. It could be that the N-line or whatever is topping the range now, with the right pack for the relaxation seats ends up a good choice but it’s still significantly more than the Skodas come in at. Although Skoda doesn’t yet offer true one pedal driving and I’ve gotten very used to that.
I'm Autistic, if I say something you find offensive, please let me know, I can guarantee it was unintentional.
I'll try to give my honest opinion but am always open to learning.Mark
If you regularly make use of 800v system, Hyundai/Kia would be the way to go. I like the Scenic for it Android Automotive with Google up front, which puts it ahead of most onboard nav and entertainment systems. I’m not a fan of Skoda’s tiny drivers display and entertainment layout and would prefer Kia’s EV3 design, as it’s more traditional, though they are all 400v systems. Vauxhall sits at the botom of the Stellantis lineup sadly, as a far cry from its GM days good or bad.
I don’t charge enough in public to really make the most of the architecture but I regularly wash the car without using an extension lead for the pressure washer 😁. I think I’ll miss V2L.
in terms of what we’ve actually seen in person, the Skodas are nice but confusing me right now, the hI5 new version is nice, the EV3 is a lovely car and BYD’s options were disappointing, seeing as there’s bigger and better cars not on the scheme. With no budget in mind I like the Mach E and now the longer range Ariya has been added it’s a real option, there again, money no object is still really have to think hard about another 5 with the packs.
In the real world, the spec list in both the Enyaq and Elroq with Maxx packs added are hard to beat. In fact it’d have to drive like a 1980s Skoda to not be top of the list. I also would have to think about lower spec models like the Ariya or even the v1 Tavascan.
I'm Autistic, if I say something you find offensive, please let me know, I can guarantee it was unintentional.
I'll try to give my honest opinion but am always open to learning.Mark
The Scenic now has V2L, as do MG, BYD etc and of course Kia. It makes you wonder why it hasn’t court on more with european EV’s.
Agree BYD’s offering on the scheme is poor. I still say to this day, if the Seal had come on, I would be driving an EV!
The Scenic now has V2L, as do MG, BYD etc and of course Kia. It makes you wonder why it hasn’t court on more with european EV’s. Agree BYD’s offering on the scheme is poor. I still say to this day, if the Seal had come on, I would be driving an EV!
The Seal is nice but too low for me, the Sealion, however, would be nice to see.
I'm Autistic, if I say something you find offensive, please let me know, I can guarantee it was unintentional.
I'll try to give my honest opinion but am always open to learning.Mark
Hi Keso,
as our electrical expert, does V2L require an inverter to convert battery DC to AC? Is it true that inverts are not generally suited to electric power tools etc due to initial high demand from motors etc? My theory exams for aircraft electrics were 50 years ago and are becoming a little hazy, but electric drives were always from the AC supplies and DC used for instruments etc. “DC dies and AC lies” sticks in the memory.
The tragic 787 crash looks like both engines lost thrust and the gear did not retract for whatever reason. The FDRs will reveal all. I flew Boeings that used hydraulic and pneumatic actuators with only back up electric motors where suitable. The Dreamliner allegedly replaced some with electrical power for weight saving. That is an anathema to luddites like me! Initial grounding when they came into service was due to the adoption of Li batteries and fires in their battery chargers. Heavy duty titanium containment was required.There is a new Nissan Leaf out, might be on the scheme soon.
I would add the Ford Explorer, a most comfortable car, more so than the Enyaq. If they were the same price I would have taken the Ford.
Skoda Enyaq Race Blue
The Ioniq 5 spaffs all over the Mach-E, the Scenic, the Grandland, the “capri” and the Ariya.
The only cars you’ve listed that come close are the Enyaq and Elroq, but the HI5 yet again trumps them IMO so the choice seems easy here
RWD in electric cars is a completely different ball game to ICE vehicles, they’re nothing alike so that’s a shame @gilders
Hi Keso, as our electrical expert, does V2L require an inverter to convert battery DC to AC? Is it true that inverts are not generally suited to electric power tools etc due to initial high demand from motors etc? My theory exams for aircraft electrics were 50 years ago and are becoming a little hazy, but electric drives were always from the AC supplies and DC used for instruments etc. “DC dies and AC lies” sticks in the memory. The tragic 787 crash looks like both engines lost thrust and the gear did not retract for whatever reason. The FDRs will reveal all. I flew Boeings that used hydraulic and pneumatic actuators with only back up electric motors where suitable. The Dreamliner allegedly replaced some with electrical power for weight saving. That is an anathema to luddites like me! Initial grounding when they came into service was due to the adoption of Li batteries and fires in their battery chargers. Heavy duty titanium containment was required.
In theory yes! The cars onboard charger is bidirectional, rather than unidirectional, which converts AC to DC, bidirectional chargers allow for DC to AC, with the use of software that manages the conversion. Similar principles to an inverter or rectifier, with a built in charger.
There is a new Nissan Leaf out, might be on the scheme soon. I would add the Ford Explorer, a most comfortable car, more so than the Enyaq. If they were the same price I would have taken the Ford.
I found the Explorer too much of a squeeze to be comfortable and I preferred its shape over the Capri.
The Ioniq 5 spaffs all over the Mach-E, the Scenic, the Grandland, the “capri” and the Ariya. The only cars you’ve listed that come close are the Enyaq and Elroq, but the HI5 yet again trumps them IMO so the choice seems easy here
Last time I made a choice the Ariya missed out because it was only available at the top level with the smaller battery, which is no longer a problem. I found the Mach E seats nearly as comfortable as the Relaxation Seats in the Hyundai but drive and range again favoured the Ioniq. The Enyaq was a nice car but the lack of true one pedal driving made it a runner up to the Ioniq 5, I’d guess that may still be something I’d have to think about.
I’ve not been in the Scenic, so I still need to make a decision on that but the Grandland is out as the “comfortable” seats aren’t that good, I was happy to be out after a few minutes.
There’s still time and the budget may change but the Ioniq is beyond where we’re expecting to be, plus there’s a few niggles from this one I’d rather see if I could solve.
I'm Autistic, if I say something you find offensive, please let me know, I can guarantee it was unintentional.
I'll try to give my honest opinion but am always open to learning.Mark
The Ioniq 5 spaffs all over the Mach-E, the Scenic, the Grandland, the “capri” and the Ariya. The only cars you’ve listed that come close are the Enyaq and Elroq, but the HI5 yet again trumps them IMO so the choice seems easy here
Last time I made a choice the Ariya missed out because it was only available at the top level with the smaller battery, which is no longer a problem. I found the Mach E seats nearly as comfortable as the Relaxation Seats in the Hyundai but drive and range again favoured the Ioniq. The Enyaq was a nice car but the lack of true one pedal driving made it a runner up to the Ioniq 5, I’d guess that may still be something I’d have to think about. I’ve not been in the Scenic, so I still need to make a decision on that but the Grandland is out as the “comfortable” seats aren’t that good, I was happy to be out after a few minutes. There’s still time and the budget may change but the Ioniq is beyond where we’re expecting to be, plus there’s a few niggles from this one I’d rather see if I could solve.
Please don’t take this the wrong way, however, having read your post on the Elroq thread, that with a ‘can order’ date of November 2026 and a lease end of February 2027, aren’t you being a tad ‘early’ in trying to decide (or even narrow down) on a vehicle?
At the rate vehicles come and go on the scheme, together with facelifts and even new models, any searching now is pretty pointless – unless you have too much time on your hands?
Also, you posted you are compiling a spreadsheet of quarterly AP’s of your current selection – you will drive yourself potty with the ups and downs and comings/goings of those over such an extended period.
As your ‘can order’ period will straddle two quarters (Q4/26 and Q1/27) those are the two to follow availability and AP’s to such an in-depth degree. Then the only AP which matters is the one in which quarter in which you order the vehicle.
By all means keep a general or ‘weather eye’ on the car market and Motability. Maybe formulate an idea or two for vehicles at the back of your mind. But you are way too early to be doing all this to such an in-depth degree.
Aah @BigDave, yes, more than a tad early but its part of my autism. I need to be absolutely sure I’ve looked at all possibilities and have excluded the right things for the right reasons, often including a note as to why it’s excluded. Then I can be as sure as possible I’ve done everything possible to justify the big spend. Partially due to DWP issues and partially due to the above, I started taking an interest in the cars on the scheme 2 years prior to finally putting the order in on this one, 18 months is almost last minute.
By the time I’ve watched reviews for hours on end, listed out an compared key specs on each car, had a chat with dealers to clear up questions, sat in cars to be sure the seats are suitable (which takes longer than you’d think when you’re looking at optional seats) I’ve pretty much got a short list 6 months before lease ends. Then there’s test drives and keeping a really close eye on what industry experts are predicting Motability will be doing and what may be joining the scheme before I order. That keeps things like the EV3 in the reckoning despite it not being on scheme now, as it’s perfectly priced and suited to the scheme, depending on what direction KIA chose to take.
I also have an idea of which manufacturers will add new cars and which may take some time, which ones require a dip in sales to join the scheme and which will have changes to their line up but we’ve no chance of seeing them.
Bizarrely I’ve come across people who have similar time scales as me in choosing their cars, not many but more than I expected.
I'm Autistic, if I say something you find offensive, please let me know, I can guarantee it was unintentional.
I'll try to give my honest opinion but am always open to learning.Mark
So I have had to comment here (after a while) Ioniq 5 ultimate 4×4 my second ioniq in as many years, my first one had a serious battery issue were sometimes you would charge to 80% (car and dash etc will say 80%, electricty bill would say you took a lot of kw, you would drive a few miles and be down to 40%) so it was terminated, I went for another one this 5 and hassle free motoring, until the 12v died :(, luckily it was just the 12v and nothing else.
Now my energy company ovo are saying the ohme charger I have wont be supported from next month and the car is beta at the moment (which means if it does not register the control I get charged full amount…
Now a lot of people are saying just change energy company but looking at octopus/ eon etc, their daily rate is extornate on their ev tarrifs, I do about 15 to 18kw a day without charging due to medical equipment and smart home stuff that aids me. that extra 4 pence per kw over 1 year is going to equait to a extra £300 a yer….
Motabilty have told me to try bp, but that will be more than charging at 24p a kw… ffs I love this car so much (comfortable) but its starting to feel like am doomed.
Hi Rico – not sure if this is helpful or not – obviously easy to ignore if it isn’t
I am in a similar position I have Kona that I swop for Elroq at the end of July – the Kona and the Elroq are on the okay for ohme list – I’m with OVO too – but I was part of the beta testing for the Kona – involves just regularly plugging it in and they decide the schedule.
I wonder if it’s worth ringing ohme to see if you could be part of the beta test for your car – not sure how that would sit with OVO but maybe worth a go.
Im gonna wait till end of this month and then ring both ohme and OVO to see if I can get a better deal – there is still some ambiguity – not totally clear
Good luck👍
Hi @Rico
Heres my thoughts:
Of the intelligent tariffs only Octopus Intelligent & OVO charge Anytime exist, leaving the majority of the EV tariffs on the market are traditional two rate tariffs.
Car manufacturers use API’s for location, SOC, charging start/stop, car info etc, that is shared particularly between the manufacturer and the cars apps from a a 4g connected car. These intelligent tariffs seek to gain this information to offer these tariffs. This can become troublesome for energy companies, when manufacturers tighten up restrictions on sharing these API’s outside their circle. The VW group are such manufacturers doing this especially Skoda and non european manufacturers can proove more troublesome to access the cars API or in Hyundai’s case, they aren’t very good at API’s.
Now perhaps to the point – Ovo is transitioning its technology platform from Kaluza to Enode’s platform, which is a platform directly focused on connecting energy companies with smart devices, enabling seamless integration with IoT devices, thereby simplifying energy management for consumers and energy companies alike.
As for Ohme chargers, they are either not compatible with Enode or they simply don’t want to move to Enode. I suspect either reason is because, their chargers aren’t compatible with IoT devces such as solar pv or solar battery. so OVO have dropped them from their intelligent Anytime tariff.
My understanding is –
From 15 July 2025, OVO Charge Anytime will no longer integrate directly with Ohme charger – however if your car is on the supported list you can connect to OVO Charge Anytime directly from your vehicle and still get the cheaper rate
It is suggested that some of the additional facilities that were available maybe missing when connected direct from car – so for me some questions to be asked – which is why I will contact them both at the end of this month – to get both sides of the change and understand my options better.From 15 July 2025, OVO Charge Anytime will no longer integrate directly with Ohme charger – however if your car is on the supported list you can connect to OVO Charge Anytime directly from your vehicle and still get the cheaper rate
Yes thats correct mate.
https://developers.enode.com/api/capabilities/vehicle
It has been the case for some while that developers such as, ABRP, Vool, Enode to name a few, can connect vehicles not otherwise compatible or on the list of supported vehicles by energy companies, with the use of a dongle or Enode or other.
For example the use of ARBP and a OBD dongle or Enode, which repaces the dongle can support Hyundai and MG etc and connect to manufacturers servers.
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