In the search for a new reportage car, the choice fell today on the Tesla Model 3 Long Range. It must be done not to choose Tesla when driving an electric car to France.
Has a wall charger - looking for a car
If you have your own wall charger, you can drive cheaply with rechargeable cars. The lady of the house thought that the time had come to replace the hybrid car with a proper electric car. Her list of demands was simple. It must have the range to drive round trip Oslo Skien - mid-winter. And then it must not be too big and wide – not an SUV. I myself dream of driving an electric car to France one day. It makes all the arrows point towards Tesla. I still choose to keep an open mind. Actually, I don't like Tesla.
Interesting nyheter
"The new Corsa is nice". My wife likes small cars. I have to agree. It's been decades since Opel launched a car that looks this good. It looks bigger than its stable brother, the Peugeot e-208. The Peugeot has a more youthful and sporty feel than the more mature Corsa. But both cars are small cars with little luggage space. The high-built Peugeot e-2008 shares drivetrains with the e-208 and e-Corsa, but extra space steals 19 km of range. I'm happy to sacrifice that range for more space.
Range matters a lot
The battery pack in the Opel e-Corsa provides a range of 336 km (WLTP). The stated range for the larger Peugeot e-2008 is 320 km. Such ranges mean that the cars can function as car number 1 for most people. You will be able to drive Oslo Skien round trip on the same charge with a slightly economical gas foot, but hardly on the coldest winter days.
Development is going fast. The newcomers from PSA show today's high level. These are cars you can get on the road for under NOK 300. Two other newcomers to the electric car market, Mazda MX-30 og Honda and, by comparison, have far too little range – 200 and 222 km respectively. Range is as important for electric cars as "location" is for homes.
The yardstick
It is not fair to compare the Tesla Model 3 with the e-Corsa and the new electric Peugeots. Tesla is much more expensive. Nevertheless, it is a model that cannot be ignored. It is designed as an electric car from the ground up. Two engines and super low center of gravity with driving characteristics like a sports car. It offers ranges others can only dream of, as well as an international network of charging stations. Although many of the Teslas have had childhood illnesses, they seem durable once the problems are resolved. Tesla also has a very hard time low value loss.
Minimalism
Inside, the Tesla 3 bears the stamp of minimalism. It is unusual to deal with only one centrally positioned screen. I think this is an easy fix. The dashboard is a PC with a screen - not vulnerable electronic components scattered around within a dashboard that take hours to disassemble and reinsert. Externally, the Tesla bears the stamp of having been shaped in the wind tunnel. The omission of the grill increases the range by several kilometres. What is most important for an electric car? Tough grill or extra range? Minimalism in practice. No thing is there without having a function.
Tesla wins on range and charging outside Norway
The advantage of having your own wall charger is the comfort of always having electricity in the car and avoiding public charging stations. Also, electricity is cheaper there. The price for installing your own box is admittedly additional, but you get that money back on the day you sell the house. The point of wall chargers and long range is that you reduce the need to visit charging stations. If you are not extremely sporty and outgoing, charging along the road appears like a plague and a nuisance. I'm willing to pay a lot of money to avoid standing in a charging line along an access road on a Sunday night.
In Europe there are not many charging stations - at least not fast chargers. Driving an electric car in France and Spain can present challenges. Which charging stations are available? Do they work? Do they take our payment? Are they available? In my French city, there are two municipal charging stations with Type 2 connectors. The city's only two electric cars are permanently parked there. Tesla and the Volkswagen group are currently the only ones that offer (will offer) their own charging networks to ensure mobility over long distances.
- And the others?
The reviews are linked to our requirements and spring taste. These are therefore subjective notes that do not give a complete impression of the models.
Here is "The Good, Bad & Ugly"
The PSA group's new electric cars
The PSA group's drivetrain, based on the new 50 KWH battery pack, is used in the Peugeot e-208 and e-2008, Opel e-Corsa and DS3 Crossback. The range of the two crossovers is 320 km, the e-Corsa 336 km and the e-208 339 km. The batteries are water-cooled and can withstand fast charging, but the range will be limited to many. Both the Peugeot e-2008 and DS3 Crossback have slightly quirky designs that you may love or hate. The Peugeot e-2008 has created a front with far too many disjointed lines and angles. My guess is that a facelift will force its way before too long.
Opel e-Corsa
The designers of the Opel e-Corsa have done a good job, but when the digital screen in the instrument panel in front of the driver does not fit into the frame, you understand that components have been used that are obviously made for a different model than the Corsa. Studying this apparent blunder, I think: What other camels has Opel had to swallow to adapt to Peugeot's powertrain?
Volkswagen ID.3 1st
Production has been delayed due to Covid-19, but the cars can be ordered now. The 58 KWH battery pack provides an estimated WLTP range of 420 km. It is good. The new drivetrain is more advanced than the current e-Golf, including liquid cooling of the batteries and no restrictions with regard to receiving fast charging. The Volkswagen Group is the only car manufacturer besides Tesla with its own charging network. It's called IONITY and is currently under development in Norway under Cirkle-K. The charging network is far from fully developed. My guess is that it will take several years before it works in France.
Order now, or wait?
I am not sure that the Volkswagen group will be able to roll out the new cars without problems. Here at home, the problems can be exacerbated by the fact that the dealers (Møller Bil) lack knowledgeable mechanics. Today, battery cars often have to stand for days waiting for an available specialist. It is too early to order a new ID.3 now. I would wait until the dealers are prepared and the charging network is operational. It is being developed in full now.
The Korean models
Korean models with 64 KWH battery packs from LG Chem are in the top tier in terms of range. The Hyundai Kona has a WLTP range of 484 km, the KIA e-Soul has 452 km and the KIA Niro has 455 km. Kona's higher range shows how important it is to have an aerodynamic design. The range of Hyundai and KIA is on a par with the Tesla Model 3. Hyundai and KIA have delivered many electric cars to Norway - and there have supposedly never been any problems with the batteries. The 64 KWH battery pack has liquid-cooled battery cells that can withstand efficient fast charging. The disadvantage of Korean electric cars is that they are more "budget" than "premium". The seats in the Hyundai Kona and Ioniq look nice, but are not very comfortable on long journeys. The seats in the KIA e-Soul suited me well, but the special Asian look did not get a unanimous thumbs up from us.
Hyundai Ioniq
The Hyundai Ioniq comes with a smaller battery pack than the others from the Hyundai group. 38,3 KWH is enough for 311 km (WLTP) which is good for this battery size. The Ioniq has low consumption and is easy to charge. From 2020, the batteries are also liquid-cooled. The range is too short for us. In addition, the seats are relatively uncomfortable - especially on long journeys. In terms of price, it is on a par with the Opel e-Corsa and Peugeot 208, but in terms of space it is considerably larger. The Ioniq offers perhaps the most car for the money.
Renault Zoe
The 2020 model of the Renault Zoe received a mild facelift and larger battery pack. The capacity is now 52 KWH, which gives a WLTP range of a whopping 395 km. There are many Zoe cars on the road during the day - as rental cars in the Oslo area. WE fear that it may affect future trade-in values.
Nissan Leaf
The Nissan Leaf with 62 KWH has a WLTP range of 385 km. Nissan's battery packs lack active battery cooling and may therefore be limited in accepting fast charging due to the batteries being too hot. Blockers for fast charging have also been added to the software - at least on cars manufactured before 2019. The problem is referred to as "rapidgate" because many believe that Nissan has misled its customers. Nissan has come up with a software update, but many still experience poor fast charging. The Nissan Leaf is an example of how battery capacity and range should not be overlooked.
Tesla Model 3
The Tesla Standard Range has a 60 KWH battery pack that gives a WLTP range of 409 km. Tesla Long Range and Performance both have a 75 KWH battery. The Long Range has a range of 560 km, while the model with stronger engines "only" has 530 km. Tesla has had far more childhood illnesses than other brands, especially on new models. The cars are sold according to a new sales model. You can complete the entire order online, including financing and insurance. Tesla does not accept trade-in cars, but offers an opportunity to list the cars on an exchange for 3rd party buyers. Trade-in prices are therefore lower than what brand dealers can offer.
Overview
| Concern | Model | KWH | km (WLTP) | 250 km on winter roads? | Drive to France? |
| PSA | Peugeot e-208 | 50 | 339 | Maybe | in this |
| Peugeot e-2008 | 50 | 320 | Maybe | in this | |
| Opel e-Corsa | 50 | 336 | Maybe | in this | |
| DS3 Crossover | 50 | 320 | Maybe | in this | |
| Hyundai | Hyundai Ioniq | 38,3 | 311 | in this | in this |
| Hyundai Kona | 64 | 484 | Ja | in this | |
| KIA e-Soul | 64 | 452 | Ja | in this | |
| Kia Niro | 64 | 455 | Ja | in this | |
| VW | ID.3 1st | 58 | 420 | Ja | In the future |
| Renault | Zoe | 52 | 395 | Ja | in this |
| Nissan | Leaf | 40 | 270 | in this | in this |
| Leaf | 62 | 385 | Ja | in this | |
| Mazda | MX-30 | 35,5 | 209 | in this | in this |
| Honda | Honda and | 28,5 | 220 | in this | in this |
| Tesla | standard range | 60 | 409 | Ja | Ja |
| Long Range | 75 | 560 | Ja | Ja | |
| Economical performance | 75 | 530 | Ja | Ja |
See
Listen to me. I've had about 30-40 cars in my career. Mercedes, VW, Audi Q 5, +++. My choice fell on the Kia Soul (452 km), 7-year warranty Car of the year apparently. Have now driven it 12000 km, and is very happy with the phone. I agree that it is not a car people turn to, but good comfort, good seats, and for a 65-year-old body that doesn't like to sit a bit above the asphalt, it is superb. In summer, the battery is over 480 km , mn there the right foot probably decides. Lots of (preferably moldy) equipment. If I want attention, I'd rather take a vintage car and drive around with it. mn d is not that important. In addition, I have fitted a charger from Easee which works perfectly. NB: The the latest model is a good deal larger than the previous one. vh John
The Hyundai Kona recently upgraded its range to over 480 km. Nice to have confirmation that you can drive the same distance with the KIA Soul, which has the same battery pack. The batteries in previous models are supposed to have been completely problem-free - something that cannot be said about previous Teslas. Another advantage of today's battery pack is that it can be placed in normal-sized vehicles. The new Soul is bigger and better than its predecessor. Still, I liked the look of the old one better, without being able to put my finger on exactly what could have been better. Thanks for sharing your experiences 🙂