193 000 km in an EV
What's like to own an EV over an extended period? One passionate local explains why'd he'd never go back to traditional motoring after adding nearly 200 000 km to his i3's odo
SHAUN Maidment is no eco-warrior, or off-the-grid advocate. He is, however, an early-adopter when it comes to electric-vehicle (EV) ownership in South Africa. Shaun boasts more insight than most with close to 200 000 km of first-hand experience in a 2015 BMW i3 REX. We chatted to Shaun to understand the challenges and the future potential of local electric motoring.
WHY BUY AN EV?
“Being a director of a tech company, I like to experiment with new things and this included electric cars when I bought the i3 REX. In my next life, I would like to study electrical engineering.”
DID YOU DRIVE ALL OF THE 193 000 KM?
“No, I experimented with the Taxify service and employed a driver to run the i3, which added about 80 000 km. Because of the low running costs of an EV, the idea was to use the profit to pay the driver and help fund the purchase. The fact that my kid’s school is 70 km from home also played a role in the high mileage.”
WHAT ARE THE RUNNING COSTS OF AN i3?
“It works out to about 20 c/km, which is a remarkable figure. I have replaced eight tyres to date, six owing to damage (they are quite frail) and two because of wear. You should get around 80 000 km on a set if you avoid attrition. The brake pads were changed only at 100 000 km and I am not even sure if the wiper blades were ever changed.”
HAS SOMETHING GONE WRONG?
“Precious little, aside from the range-extender petrol engine failing at 100 000 km (ironically). As the vehicle was outside of warranty, I did not bother to get it fixed.”
WHAT ABOUT RANGE ANXIETY?
“Everyone asks me this question but most people drive less than 100 km a day. So why should it ever be a problem? However, I did challenge its range a couple of times on my trip from Pretoria to Cape Town [see Roadtripping in silence].”
HAS THE CAR LOST BATTERY RANGE OVER TIME?
“According to the onboard diagnostics, the battery has lost only 9% of its full capacity in all this time and the i3 can still easily get a real-world 120 km on a single charge while employing all the auxiliaries.”
ARE THERE ANY PRACTICAL CONCERNS WITH RUNNING AN EV?
It goes for all EVS but you need to be careful not to run over pedestrians in a car park as it is so quiet!
DOES THE CAR CHANGE PERCEPTIONS?
Definitely. I constantly get asked questions by passersby, not to mention all the interesting conversations at charging stations. Then there are the drag races at the lights and the look on the face of a certain Porsche 911 owner caught off-guard was priceless.s
WILL YOUR NEXT CAR BE AN EV?
For sure. Once you have experienced the low running costs and driving pleasure, there is no going back. I would like an electric SUV with more space but do not quite see myself spending close to R2 million on the next breed of electric vehicles like the Jaguar I-pace (although it is a lovely vehicle). The i3 will have to do for now, as its second-hand value is too low at this stage (around R180 000) to trade up.
“Everyone asks me about range anxiety but most people drive less than 100 km a day. So why would it be a problem?”