Electric Vehicles
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@NTA said in Electric Vehicles:
Was in Adelaide for a quick break with the family, so as we weren't going out into the sticks, I decided to hire a BMW iX3.
Overall, yes it had the combination of electric driving ease with the luxury associated with a European brand and Ze Chermans do things alright. Loved the 360 degree look-down and the HUD.
However, there were things that shit me:
European indicator stalk on the left. I turned the fucking wipers on about 5 times on the first day. Good thing Adelaide has no traffic.
Tailgate didn't open fully. No idea why, but it stopped just at head height. Also some twat had programmed the remote to NOT open the tailgate. Again: why? I found out how to tell the remote to do something useful deep in one of the menus.
For a car worth about $80k AUD it had good passenger space and amenities but not really much cargo room.
It is a fat bastard - the passengers have plenty of space but it bows out another foot on each side. Shit to park in the modern Chinese-built apartment even with the fancy bings and bongs.
The seatbelts auto-tightened on takeoff. And it made a noise every time we went over a certain speed.
These aren't EV complaints, you'll note. If that's Euro luxury, hopefully there's a menu to turn it all off somewhere.
The only EV complaint I have: there is nowhere to see the percentage of battery left in the thing, only a fairly vague needle gauge. Only by going to a charger could I see where it was in real terms - charging was free at certain providers fast-charging stops so that was good.
Overall, for $80K I think it's a bit rich for me.
I am looking at the Kia EV5 for around $65k which seems to have everything I need (and no doubt a raft of annoying safety things that I don't want). Maybe even the EV3 (launching here in a few months) which will suit what I need and fit in the garage more easily.
Are we allowed to discuss hybrids in this thread? I was in Adelaide recently too, drove a Toyota Hybrid for 5 days including the Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills and filled up just before returning the rental - $25. Felt like I'd won something not having to fill up a whole tank with expensive near the airport petrol.
I've driven a hybrid in NZ before but it wasn't as efficient at using the electric in comparison to this one, might be just advances in technology.
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@Nepia said in Electric Vehicles:
@NTA said in Electric Vehicles:
Was in Adelaide for a quick break with the family, so as we weren't going out into the sticks, I decided to hire a BMW iX3.
Overall, yes it had the combination of electric driving ease with the luxury associated with a European brand and Ze Chermans do things alright. Loved the 360 degree look-down and the HUD.
However, there were things that shit me:
European indicator stalk on the left. I turned the fucking wipers on about 5 times on the first day. Good thing Adelaide has no traffic.
Tailgate didn't open fully. No idea why, but it stopped just at head height. Also some twat had programmed the remote to NOT open the tailgate. Again: why? I found out how to tell the remote to do something useful deep in one of the menus.
For a car worth about $80k AUD it had good passenger space and amenities but not really much cargo room.
It is a fat bastard - the passengers have plenty of space but it bows out another foot on each side. Shit to park in the modern Chinese-built apartment even with the fancy bings and bongs.
The seatbelts auto-tightened on takeoff. And it made a noise every time we went over a certain speed.
These aren't EV complaints, you'll note. If that's Euro luxury, hopefully there's a menu to turn it all off somewhere.
The only EV complaint I have: there is nowhere to see the percentage of battery left in the thing, only a fairly vague needle gauge. Only by going to a charger could I see where it was in real terms - charging was free at certain providers fast-charging stops so that was good.
Overall, for $80K I think it's a bit rich for me.
I am looking at the Kia EV5 for around $65k which seems to have everything I need (and no doubt a raft of annoying safety things that I don't want). Maybe even the EV3 (launching here in a few months) which will suit what I need and fit in the garage more easily.
Are we allowed to discuss hybrids in this thread? I was in Adelaide recently too, drove a Toyota Hybrid for 5 days including the Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills and filled up just before returning the rental - $25. Felt like I'd won something not having to fill up a whole tank with expensive near the airport petrol.
I've driven a hybrid in NZ before but it wasn't as efficient at using the electric in comparison to this one, might be just advances in technology.
Toyota hybrids are mostly very efficient esp the small Yaris. Which one did you have?
My issue with hybrids is that they have the weight of an engine and battery and more things to go wrong and need to have maintained.
One of my issues with Teslas is cost of repair. With Chinese cars, after sales support and retained value.
Hyundai/Kia EVs seem pretty good to me. -
@Snowy said in Electric Vehicles:
olestar now building in both US and China too. Mine is a 2 and assembled in China, but the build quality seems to be as good as my Audi was.
I'm told a lot of Chinese made Tesla Model 3 are better than the US assembly.
It'll be interesting to see if they get to a point where their labour costs eventually cull their financial edge.
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@nostrildamus said in Electric Vehicles:
My issue with hybrids is that they have the weight of an engine and battery and more things to go wrong and need to have maintained.
Anecdotally, a friend hired a Rav4 Hybrid and it the electric drive train shit itself, rendering the car useless.
Standard hybrids like the Prius are great for fuel economy but you're dragging two lots of everything around, and both are gutless.
Similarly with Plug In Hybrids the first 40km are great, then you're switching back and forth.
There are some carbon-to-electric drive trains out there, where the wheels are driven completely by the electric motors using a smaller battery than an EV and the petrol engine is there purely to generate electrons.
Nissan's e4orce (stupid name) in the top end model of the latest X-Trail is one example.
The BYD Shark is another, and a very interesting example as it contains a ~30kWh battery fed by a 1.5L turbo petrol 4cyl engine.
These guys reckon it's a solid offering: https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/2025-byd-shark-6-off-road-4x4-review-147971/
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From the above link:
Verdict
The final highway cruise back into Adelaide is time for contemplation.This trip reinforced yet again what a stunning and brutal place the Australian outback is and how hard it is on the vehicles that venture into it.
And the BYD Shark 6 stood up to the challenge.
Yep, we had tyre issues and there are queries over fuel consumption but the core mechanical, technical and design package all passed the test comfortably, quietly and capably.
And most important, robustly!
I honestly expected at one stage or another we’d be stuck by the side of the road with something broken or software malfunctioning, especially as these high-tech dual-cab utes are pre-production vehicles.
Instead the Shark 6 emerges from this drive as a viable alternative to orthodox diesel dual cab utes. It’s a different experience for sure, but in important ways (like refinement), a better one.
It’s a shock that BYD can make its first ute so convincing. It’s a genuine dual-cab contender.
2024 BYD Shark 6 Premium at a glance:
Price: $57,900 (plus on-road costs)
Available: On-sale October 29, deliveries start late December 2024
Powertrain: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 135kW/260Nm (front electric motor: 170kW/310Nm; rear electric motor: 150kW/340Nm)
Combined output: 321kW/650Nm
Transmission: Single speed reduction gear
Battery: 29.58kWh LFP lithium-ion
Range: 80km (estimated)
Energy consumption: 15kWh/100km (estimated)
Fuel: 2.0L/100km (battery SOC above 25%); 7.9L/100km (battery SOC below 25%) (estimate)
Fuel on test: 14L/100km
CO2: 46g/km (estimate)
Safety rating: Unrated -
TBH with Chinese battery supplier CATL claiming a 1000km range semi solid-state battery, the last few arguments for EV ownership are slowly getting whittled away.
The challenges now are in the charging network. Incidentally I saw Bunnings are now selling home EV chargers.
https://www.bunnings.com.au/dewalt-smart-ip65-22kw-32a-three-phase-ev-charger-with-5m-cable_p0663307
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@NTA said in Electric Vehicles:
These guys reckon it's a solid offering: https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/2025-byd-shark-6-off-road-4x4-review-147971/
"Glad we’re carrying some jerry cans of fuel."
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@antipodean said in Electric Vehicles:
@NTA said in Electric Vehicles:
These guys reckon it's a solid offering: https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/2025-byd-shark-6-off-road-4x4-review-147971/
"Glad we’re carrying some jerry cans of fuel."
I think anyone running a petrol engine would be wise to carry at least one jerry can of fuel out that way. Not taking the hybrid Camry on those roads, either. A nice diesel troopy with extended tanks. That's the shot.
The Shark isn't a desert dueller to my mind - a truck of those dimensions is approaching wankpanzer territory, going up against the Ranger and Hilux.
They point out that the towing and load capacities are well below the competition, which is OK in my book; most of the Rangers or Hiluxes I see driving around clearly aren't being used to tow much more than a nascent divorce and a few cappucinos, as well as offroad gear that looks decidedly unused.
The fuel consumption was interesting tho - like EVs at lower speeds it performed well. No idea why BYD are flogging "2L/100km" tho. That indicates a lot of charging being available, and gentle driving with it.
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@NTA said in Electric Vehicles:
From the above link:
Verdict
This trip reinforced yet again what a stunning and brutal place the Australian outback is and how hard it is on the vehicles that venture into it.
And the BYD Shark 6 stood up to the challenge.
Yep, we had tyre issues and there are queries over fuel consumption but the core mechanical, technical and design package all passed the test comfortably, quietly and capably.
And most important, robustly!
I honestly expected at one stage or another we’d be stuck by the side of the road with something broken or software malfunctioning, especially as these high-tech dual-cab utes are pre-production vehicles.What sort of trip do you go into “expecting” that to happen?? Sounds absolutely horrific
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@voodoo said in Electric Vehicles:
What sort of trip do you go into “expecting” that to happen?? Sounds absolutely horrific
Vehicle reviewers are like any other media critic : they love to see shit fail
Think food, film, etc.Particularly EVs
And especially Chinese made anythingIf you find EV reviews from about 5 years ago everything is deeply critical - and yes, justifiably so in some ways.
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@NTA said in Electric Vehicles:
@antipodean said in Electric Vehicles:
@NTA said in Electric Vehicles:
These guys reckon it's a solid offering: https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/2025-byd-shark-6-off-road-4x4-review-147971/
"Glad we’re carrying some jerry cans of fuel."
I think anyone running a petrol engine would be wise to carry at least one jerry can of fuel out that way. Not taking the hybrid Camry on those roads, either. A nice diesel troopy with extended tanks. That's the shot.
Agree completely. I quoted it as the strangest sentence given the route. Anyone not insane is taking additional fuel and/ or has extended tanks.
The Shark isn't a desert dueller to my mind - a truck of those dimensions is approaching wankpanzer territory, going up against the Ranger and Hilux.
They point out that the towing and load capacities are well below the competition, which is OK in my book; most of the Rangers or Hiluxes I see driving around clearly aren't being used to tow much more than a nascent divorce and a few cappucinos, as well as offroad gear that looks decidedly unused.
I keep boring people that hybrids are the best solution for towing anything. Immense immediate torque to start moving, fuel for economy and recharging.
The fuel consumption was interesting tho - like EVs at lower speeds it performed well. No idea why BYD are flogging "2L/100km" tho. That indicates a lot of charging being available, and gentle driving with it.
Mrs Antipodean has a hybrid Lexus and there's no way it's capable of getting that sort of fuel economy. Not helped by her putting it into sports mode at every red light...
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@antipodean said in Electric Vehicles:
Mrs Antipodean has a hybrid Lexus and there's no way it's capable of getting that sort of fuel economy. Not helped by her putting it into sports mode at every red light...
Yep. I'm glad the charging for the iX3 was free
Mrs TA not impressed. Even more than usual. So I did well.
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Working in the energy management area of Woolworths, with sites in both Aus and NZ, the carbon intensity of NZ's stores is so much lower because the energy source is so much greener.
So while the above farm might not be a huge impact on global emissions, the price factor is what might be an important piece here. I'm sure energy retailers will find another way to gouge customers of course.
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@NTA said in Electric Vehicles:
Working in the energy management area of Woolworths, with sites in both Aus and NZ, the carbon intensity of NZ's stores is so much lower because the energy source is so much greener.
So while the above farm might not be a huge impact on global emissions, the price factor is what might be an important piece here. I'm sure energy retailers will find another way to gouge customers of course.
To be honest sounds like a real opportunity for someone in the short/medium term to still make some coin here while helping everyone, before the big guys swallow them up
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i was watch an old episode of the Grand Tour, maybe 2017, where they were testing that butt ugly BWM EV that was out, little bubble thing....was quite shocking to see how much they changed in the last 7 years, was a bit of a joke and now pretty normal
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@bayimports said in Electric Vehicles:
To be honest sounds like a real opportunity for someone in the short/medium term to still make some coin here while helping everyone, before the big guys swallow them up
The farm owner alluded to that, and it is the same here: there is a massive opportunity for things like wholesale pricing at volume, or frequency stabilisation services.
Once the parameters move from a 20th Century grid, diminishing returns.
So that big Tesla battery installed in South Australia paid for itself in a year. Subsequent battery installs will be cheaper, and progressively eat each others' lunch.
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@Kiwiwomble said in Electric Vehicles:
i was watch an old episode of the Grand Tour, maybe 2017, where they were testing that butt ugly BWM EV that was out, little bubble thing....was quite shocking to see how much they changed in the last 7 years, was a bit of a joke and now pretty normal
BMW i3 - I drove one about 6 years ago and remember the amazement I felt at the instant torque. No, it wasn't as powerful as V8s of the time but for most drivers it induced giggles.
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We're now 15 months into our Model 3 and I still think it's a superb piece of kit. Biggest drawback is that it's so wide, certainly more than it feels so kerbing the wheels is a pretty common occurrence.
My wife messed up the other day and had a slight ding with another car. Totally her fault, but as she said to me "you married an Asian - occupational hazard".
The thing is though, if you are a car nut like me, as much as it's enjoyable, you do forget just how much of a performance/sports car that it isn't. I drove an M3 recently (as a comparison) and it was a massive reality check of what a soulful sports car is all about.
The gap is certainly closer to sports cars than it used to be. But it's kind of like going from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic. The massive chasm is now a smaller chasm.
I'll always have an electric car on the drive going forwards as they are brilliant pieces of kit. But they aren't sports cars. The Taycan gives it a nudge, granted, but electric is just missing that big thing that makes sport cars smile inducing fun.
