8 hours ago, Ootohere said:

The Fiat Panda EV is the one i look forward to actually driving.

Still want one of Stellantis sister cars after your Corsa?

The Dolphin might be worth a look? I also quite like Firefly fro Nio.

@wyx087 I am not buying one new, but it is nice to know how they are & maybe down the line when they are Cheap as chips i will. One with steel wheels.

There is always going to be a model that a few years old proves to be good. Like the Oxford built MINI Electric. Now 2023 ones are @ asking prices £20,000 less than the RRP when new.

£5-6,000 less asking prices than a Petrol one that was £5,000 cheaper when new.

They (Stellantis / FIAT) surely must evolve and develop and not keep turning out crappy motors or ones with fundamental design, manufacturing or material faults. .

They surely learn from VW Group failing to remember 'Vorsprung Durch Technik'.

Edited 15 June, 202515 Jun by Ootohere

'Never mind the length feel the width'.

That saying has little to do with anything, but people that do not need big cars to carry passengers, or more than 2 might well have a small car to do longer trips. one back seat folded and room for 3 and stuff in the boot / rear.

Or they have a small cars because they do need to park on streets and drive in towns and cities and do not need Family / Taxi size cars

&

Remember that there is is the 6.7 pence a kWh charging and then here will be those paying 10 times that amount or even more if they have to be using public charging.

The Social Divide.

10,000 miles getting 4 miles a kWh, 2,500 kWh @ 60 pence a kWh £1,500.

10,000 miles getting 4.5 miles a kWh, 2,222 kWh @ 60 pence a kWh £1,333.

10,000 in a Petrol car getting 45 mpg. 222 gallons @ £6.15 a gallon £1,360.

Looking forward to driving a Peugeot e-208 GTI.

Overkill really for the UK considering the e-208 is pretty quick already.

It will be more comparable with am Alpine A-290.

Renault 5 EV has battery choices of 40 kWh or 52 kWh.

Peugeot e-208 was a battery of 50 kWh then upgraded 2023 & these are 54 kWh. Gross.

Centre Lock wheels Look, if visually impaired and you fail to spot 5 wheel bolts.

Edited 24 July, 202524 Jul by Ootohere

On 24/07/2025 at 07:41, Ootohere said:

'Never mind the length feel the width'.

That saying has little to do with anything, but people that do not need big cars to carry passengers, or more than 2 might well have a small car to do longer trips. one back seat folded and room for 3 and stuff in the boot / rear.

Or they have a small cars because they do need to park on streets and drive in towns and cities and do not need Family / Taxi size cars

&

Remember that there is is the 6.7 pence a kWh charging and then here will be those paying 10 times that amount or even more if they have to be using public charging.

The Social Divide.

10,000 miles getting 4 miles a kWh, 2,500 kWh @ 60 pence a kWh £1,500.

10,000 miles getting 4.5 miles a kWh, 2,222 kWh @ 60 pence a kWh £1,333.

10,000 in a Petrol car getting 45 mpg. 222 gallons @ £6.15 a gallon £1,360.

Looking forward to driving a Peugeot e-208 GTI.

Overkill really for the UK considering the e-208 is pretty quick already.

It will be more comparable with am Alpine A-290.

Renault 5 EV has battery choices of 40 kWh or 52 kWh.

Peugeot e-208 was a battery of 50 kWh then upgraded 2023 & these are 54 kWh. Gross.

Centre Lock wheels Look, if visually impaired and you fail to spot 5 wheel bolts.

Renault 4 should be all the R5 is but with the issues of cramped back seats and boot size solved.

With couple of grand off the R4 it will be a bargain. Looking like UK not getting the 40 kwh LFP batteried version, maybe that will change if sales not quite what hoped for.

.

Edited 4 August, 20254 Aug by Ootohere

Tesla still top on European sales, ID3 and 4 going well and Skoda EVs bur Renault 5 doing well too......

Edited 7 August, 20257 Aug by lol-lol

I do like the low rear entry (dogging) not many BEV,s like that i know of available new. Berlingo / Rifter / Combo life.

They come in 2 lengths. (or non BEV) Ford Tourneo.

Detachable Tow Bar fitted is £695. Tows 750 kG or for a bike rack / cargo box rack.

Edited 9 August, 20259 Aug by Ootohere

6 hours ago, Ootohere said:

I do like the low rear entry (dogging) not many BEV,s like that i know of available new. Berlingo / Rifter / Combo life.

They come in 2 lengths. (or non BEV) Ford Tourneo.

Detachable Tow Bar fitted is £695. Tows 750 kG or for a bike rack / cargo box rack.

2 foot high boot so one can easily sit on the boot floor, head covered by boot lid, eat your sandwiches and look out to the rainy weather.

So worth the extra couple of grand over the R5 but will need after market heated seats as probably will not go for the top spec one.

I drove my parents' Megane yesterday and today. It drives very well and works well as a small car. But not for me personally, I think assist stuff are years behind my Tesla, eg. ACC doesn't slow down for curves, seeing stopped car too late, visualisation doesn't show much. The way it operates feels like a 10 years newer Leaf rather than a grounds up EV, mainly still need power button and different options in different sections of menu (Settings but that's only for infotainment, Vehicle is for vehicle setting but not everything, EV menu hides more settings, then drive mode also contains some other settings including interior lightstrip).

Worst for me is the size of the key, seems to be a Renault thing. I hope the phone key mentioned by Johnny is a functional thing works like Tesla and BMW.

The 2023 Megane also doesn't have one pedal driving. Only 3 regen settings compared to newer Megane or Johnny's 4 settings on the R4. (no firmware feature updates, typical of legacy manufacturers)

Personally, I'm looking forward to Nissan Micra (R5 but Nissan style), new Leaf with smaller footprint (Megane sister car?) and VAG ID2 sister cars. We've decided to keep the 11 yo Leaf for a few more years (spent too much on the house over last 2 years, new kitchen, battery, aircon) Also wait and see what development are there for V2H options in the coming years.

On 09/08/2025 at 20:49, wyx087 said:

I drove my parents' Megane yesterday and today. It drives very well and works well as a small car. But not for me personally, I think assist stuff are years behind my Tesla, eg. ACC doesn't slow down for curves, seeing stopped car too late, visualisation doesn't show much. The way it operates feels like a 10 years newer Leaf rather than a grounds up EV, mainly still need power button and different options in different sections of menu (Settings but that's only for infotainment, Vehicle is for vehicle setting but not everything, EV menu hides more settings, then drive mode also contains some other settings including interior lightstrip).

Worst for me is the size of the key, seems to be a Renault thing. I hope the phone key mentioned by Johnny is a functional thing works like Tesla and BMW.

The 2023 Megane also doesn't have one pedal driving. Only 3 regen settings compared to newer Megane or Johnny's 4 settings on the R4. (no firmware feature updates, typical of legacy manufacturers)

Personally, I'm looking forward to Nissan Micra (R5 but Nissan style), new Leaf with smaller footprint (Megane sister car?) and VAG ID2 sister cars. We've decided to keep the 11 yo Leaf for a few more years (spent too much on the house over last 2 years, new kitchen, battery, aircon) Also wait and see what development are there for V2H options in the coming years.

After I eliminated the R5 as nice but no cigar, way to small in the back seats I have just come back from looking at the R4.

Sam issue in the back seats, slightly better but not good getting in an out for those of us over 6 ft.

So if to stay with the Renault stable it is looking like a Megane-e. Test drove one over a year ago and thought OK but nothing special even though 220 hp ie more than my Scenic.

Need to try the back seat access and comfort, hopefully better than R4 and R5, will not be as good as the Scenic of course but will check if acceptable.

MY2026 Megane-e's have one pedal driving now and range is up to 285 miles now for the 63 Kwh battery pack like I have in the Scenic but only 267 miles of range under WLTP.

Pair that with 4 year 0% finance and the £1500 EV grant and the R4 and R5 just look silly options IMO.

Amazing price for a Hyundai Inster with them giving a £3,750 grant, or reducing the price by that. (not a UK Band 1 grant.)

Then another £500 off.

Well,

Just tell the price to pay and stop playing numbers IMO. & maybe make the APR very very clear for those buying on tick.

Clear enough here.

With Renault and Alpine i was have to check re-check and re-check.

At one point i almost Reserved a NEW Alpine A290 GTS then i spotted the 50 / 50 on the first payment.

Edited 3 September, 20253 Sep by Ootohere

MY 2026 Megane should also get taller centre screen. The one in their 2024 version is unreasonably tiny, only fits keyboard + text entry field.

.

4 minutes ago, Ootohere said:

.

Whilst I like the yellow the 5 comes in that matt grey in combination with those wheels and what looks like a body kit is hideous

Edited 12 September, 202512 Sep by skomaz

Ordered a Renault 5 this morning, just the basic Evolution trim etc anymore the 40 kwh LFP battery.

EV grant of course and a bit of discount and tapped in to 0% finance so can leave some money earning interest whilst paying sub £100 pm but largish 40% down. Only went for 8k miles a year as Scenic is the car for longer journeys and when carry more passengers.

Disappointed with rear passenger space but front is nice and for a sub £22k car good quality i felt. Not as nice as son's Mini but quite acceptable.

Gather Dacia Spring is getting 100 hp motor, it felt 'lively' with 65 hp, rolly and weird on those narrow small tyres. Hope they beef up the wheel and tyres. 18s on the '5'. Might have gone for PopGreen on the '5' but spec was not around so Pop Yellow it is, hate being billed for the non Green colour but it is striking.

Glad it's LFP chemistry, forgot to ask if I get V2L adapter or if extra. Car already at Bristol Import Centre so should get early November when the much loved Zoe goes back to Renalt after 4 years of joy.

I splashed out £100 on bagging first dibs on a Twingo EV with the R-Pass.

42 minutes ago, Evolution13 said:

I splashed out £100 on bagging first dibs on a Twingo EV with the R-Pass.

Be interested to see what the Twingo EV spec is, what size battery, LFP I would pressure.

Dismd a good few miles in the petrol Twingo. Just don't leave your cool shopping items ib the boot to long as boot gets pretty warm with the engine just beneath the floor

.

Back in time.

Edited 27 October, 202527 Oct by Evolution13

2 minutes ago, Evolution13 said:

.

Back in time.

Started watching the Alpine A290 video with Tiff, frankly I was thinking he has started to enter his 7th age (See As you like it Quote below), did not even watch it thru. We know the Alpine 290 is luke warm rather than hot, even if fine handling, packed with gimmicks which do not translate to real performance. Mini rather than a A290 even the base model Mini E my son has.

The old Twingo EV was very limited, the new Twingo on the Ampere S platform should be massively better. Wonder what battery they can pack in to the new Twingo, like my R5 ordered if it is even smaller, and like the Cooper E we have, range down to 100 miles on a cold day and blasting down the motorway might give shockingly short range. One just have to chill out and cruise at 60-ush to get a reasonable range. Like in the Oil Crisis drive at the Double Nickel "55". Even my R5 has a heat pump, R5 95 hp is due not to get one to save cost and maybe Twingo will not either, extra layer of clothing required maybe. Changed my R5 order to Pop Green as they found one at the Import Centre. £800 less so £320 less for the deposit and less than £92 aa month including 2Y 30k miles servicing, can live with that.

All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms. Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school. And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice, In fair round belly with good capon lined, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws and modern instances; And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts Into the lean and slippered pantaloon, With spectacles on nose and pouch on side; His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice, Turning again toward childish treble, pipes And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

Still happy with my Evolution / Urban R5 choice over the Inster and C3e.

Inster does well but FUGLY in my opinion, C3e thirsty...

Edited 31 October, 202531 Oct by lol-lol

Ohh, my R5 should be here in the week coming. Zoe going back to Renault on the 13th so will have 4 EVs for a few days on the drive.

My Evolution Urban 40 kwh is fairly stripped out but what does one expect for a bit over £20k plus most on 0% finance.

No cup holders or arm centre arm rest which is a bit annoying but order this below, £12 delivered. Really want the baguette holder but they are £100 as is the V2L adapter but will look to get both, maybe not genuine Renault but if it works and looks OK.

Twingo to be only 27 kwh battery, air cooled like my Zoe and LFP battery tech.

Hmm.

Price is the most important detail. How much is it going to end up. Everything else are secondary.

Best part is that it has CCS rapid charging, makes it a truly viable ICE replacement EV. For people to get about normally and very occasional trips away.

49 minutes ago, wyx087 said:

Price is the most important detail. How much is it going to end up. Everything else are secondary.

Best part is that it has CCS rapid charging, makes it a truly viable ICE replacement EV. For people to get about normally and very occasional trips away.

But also how much more, ie spend just a couple of thousabd more, or few thousand more and get something a whole quantum better.

If the Twingo is £19k but you can get a 40 kwh Renault 5 for £21k, or a 52 kwh R5 for £23k or a Megane e for £26k tgen tge Twingo looks not so good a bargain.

Then there is the Leapmotor T3 and soon to be updated Spring.

I want to see the Twingo do well but I think Renault may not have got it right. Selling A segment cars is the hardest of all segments for Europeans.

Edited 6 November, 20256 Nov by lol-lol

Indeed, it could a hard sell. But there is always something bigger and better by spending slightly more.

I think it's the physical size that's really attractive. R5 is not A segment car. It can't fit into same space as the Twingo. These little cars are excellent secondary vehicles, where EV's should have started in the first place, IMO.