This is not a b!tch but…..

[Exonian]

The Cupra Born might be an interesting prospect.
Even the ID.3 GTX will probably be a bit too conservatively styled if the ID.4 GTX is anything to go by. Mind you if the 3 GTX also has the 300 bhp motor I’d forgive it that blunt cutesy nose.

I had a quick nose around an ID.3 forum and in places it was more prickly than a blackberry bush.

I really need to snag a test drive of an EV to better inform my opinions and options.  I must admit I'm  tempted by the Mini EV as a city runabout.  Perhaps the best so far at marrying efficiency and driving enjoyment?  Anyone here driven one? 

I drove a Mini Electric when they were launched.
It feels a lot more tied down than the ID.3 and the interior is in a different league for quality of materials.
Pointless mentioning the interior space difference, let’s just say it’s significant!!
Power to weight is probably similar to an ID.3

I’m planning on having another go in one when I get chance soonish, whilst the ID is still fresh in my mind.
I don’t plan on having another go in the ID, so make of that what you will. 

I also have had a good few reads of a Mini Electric owners group and they’re MUCH nicer!

[Splashalot]

I really need to snag a test drive of an EV to better inform my opinions and options.  I must admit I'm  tempted by the Mini EV as a city runabout.  Perhaps the best so far at marrying efficiency and driving enjoyment?  Anyone here driven one? 

I drove a Mini Electric when they were launched.
It feels a lot more tied down than the ID.3 and the interior is in a different league for quality of materials.
Pointless mentioning the interior space difference, let’s just say it’s significant!!
Power to weight is probably similar to an ID.3

I’m planning on having another go in one when I get chance soonish, whilst the ID is still fresh in my mind.
I don’t plan on having another go in the ID, so make of that what you will. 

I also have had a good few reads of a Mini Electric owners group and they’re MUCH nicer!

Cheers for that.  The Mini E is priced similarly to a Tesla 3 here in Aus, which is something I'm having trouble accepting.  But.....the Mini is the only EV which appeals to me at the moment.  Because it has conventional controls, in a conventional body, which drives (apparently) pretty conventionally.  But that price.... ($60,000 on the road). 

I love everything about the Tesla except the all-touchscreen interface.  No way am I buying a tablet with 4 wheels.  Plus I'm not sure I'd fit in on their owners' forum! 

[Exonian]

That pricing seems insane! Is there a reason why?

[Splashalot]

That pricing seems insane! Is there a reason why?

I wish I knew.  I suspect lack of Federal Government support, financial or otherwise, is a big factor. 

The Leaf and Hyundai Ioniq are also in the $50s.  Although Chinese EVs are just starting to appear here - there is an "MG" SUV for around mid $40s.  Which kind of makes me gag, as I grew up idolising MGBs.

The long touted alignment of ICE and EV car prices is being achieved here by bringing ICE up to EV prices, not the other way around - or even meeting in the middle.  For example, I paid ~$43k for my manual GTI on the road in 2018.  Similar (albeit DSG) is now over $60k in mk8 guise.  It's lunacy here.

[Exonian]

Is there not a lot of backlash over the pricing?
In a country where you’re very reliant on cars due to the sheer distances between everywhere (metropolitan areas excepted) I’d have thought car pricing would be a political and commercial hot potato.

The rather short range of some of the smaller BEV’s must be of a concern in Aus too?
What is your charging infrastructure like?
My step brother (in Ballarat) used to think nothing of driving 5 hours to go to the beach in his Subaru, I can’t see him doing that in an EV!

[Splashalot]

Is there not a lot of backlash over the pricing?
In a country where you’re very reliant on cars due to the sheer distances between everywhere (metropolitan areas excepted) I’d have thought car pricing would be a political and commercial hot potato.

The rather short range of some of the smaller BEV’s must be of a concern in Aus too?
What is your charging infrastructure like?
My step brother (in Ballarat) used to think nothing of driving 5 hours to go to the beach in his Subaru, I can’t see him doing that in an EV!

Yes, there is definitely public backlash over our high EV prices and on a larger but related scale, a Federal Government which refuses to take decisive action on climate change.  But that veers into politics, on which I could really mount a soapbox, so I shall try to avoid that subject further.

To be honest I'm not up to date on our charging infrastructure, but I'd hazard a guess it reflects our very low EV uptake.  I do know, however, that it is nowhere near as comprehensive as the UK and Europe.  Yes, range anxiety remains a major issue here.  Not so much for day-today running to and from work etc, but more for the recreational trips such as your step-brother's.

For me personally, I would buy an EV as our second car, using our new Mazda 3 for trips and family use.  So the range issue is, well, a non-issue.  Hence my interest in the Mini, even with it's relatively small range.  I initially was hoping the ID2 might be ideal, but no way it if it uses VW's new all-digital UI.  Something like the Honda-E would be perfect for me:  Buttons and dials, cute retro styling, ideal size for city use and fun to drive.  Ditto the Mini. The small range is a non-issue for me as I can charge it in my garage using our solar panels on most days, so free fuel, basically.

[fredgroves]

Didn't I see some comment from some Aussie politician the other day about how EV's would impact the Aussie lifestyle because you can't travel 500 miles into the outback for camping at the weekend or something?

Fairly sure he said something like that.

[Splashalot]

That would not surprise me at all, Fred. We're living in some Trumpian, dystopian backwater.

[fredgroves]

Even the ID.3 GTX will probably be a bit too conservatively styled if the ID.4 GTX is anything to go by. Mind you if the 3 GTX also has the 300 bhp motor I’d forgive it that blunt cutesy nose.

I'd think again on the ID GTX... well, reading this anyway:

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/volkswagen/id4-gtx/

"The GTX is only 0.6sec slower to 62mph than the 296bhp Golf GTI Clubsport, but the EV is not nearly as involving to drive as a Golf GTI. In terms of handling prowess, the top-of-the-line ID model is, at best, a dozen confetti flakes and half a paper streamer more entertaining than the RWD Pro edition. It's a steadfast, stoic sort of car, not one that feels like it was designed with sheer driving pleasure anywhere near the top of its priorities."

[Exonian]

I’ll have a proper read of that review a bit later Fred, but yeah, the ID.4 is a tub of lard that hasn’t had anywhere near the chassis development of the ICE GTI’s.


****************

Splashalot, in the interests of science and following on from comments here I popped into MINI today, as I had an hour to kill, and took their demo car out for a spin.
I only had it half an hour, it was peeing it down and the traffic was shocking but I got it out onto some quieter roads I know well.

This is a Golf forum so size, styling and all that jazz is down to personal requirements and taste.
But it’s a GTI forum so driving fun is 100% relevant.

I got in, shoved it straight into Sport mode as I consider all other settings irrelevant as far as my uses are concerned, and headed out into the traffic.
The power delivery takes me back to the Diesel hot hatch heydays of the mk4 and mk5 era.
Loads of shove from the off but then power plateaus(sp?) and feels a bit flat after a trip in a 300 PS petrol.
Real world quick but lacking something. And not just noise.
Lack of diesel tickover vibration is a plus, as is the missing sudden abrupt stall you get when you find yourself in too high a gear at low speed driving a derv.

Bushings versus ride quality are on the comfortable side of sporty.
Plenty of wheelspin and torque steer in the wet too when nailing it but that’s not a bad thing as it reminds you to drive according to the conditions rather than fooling yourself you’re invincible unlike certain 4WD fast hatches.

Cornering is flat but the car doesn’t literally pivot on its axles for pinpoint accuracy like the Clubsport. I’ve gotten used to the Clubsport handling which is truly exceptional for a standard VW product (I’ve had heaps of modified GTI’s in the past so have good grounding). But the little EV is quick through the corners and accelerates very very rapidly up to (and possibly beyond?  ) the speed limit.
The brakes didn’t feel woolly unlike the VW ID’s plus there was a lot more regen going on, so in fact the brakes were hardly touched except for testing them.

The MINI SE is great fun on the right roads unlike the ID.3 but lacks the interior space (a completely different league) and range.

Just like after driving the ID.3 it was nice to get back in my Golf again though. And yet again not a single warning light came on in the VW for the 30 mile round trip in nasty weather.