Paul’s first electric car was a Citroen e-C4.
Why did you buy the Citroen e-C4?
I set out to go electric so I tried the Volkswagen ID.3 and Hyundai Kona Electric and of course the Citroen e-c4. I was shocked that most dealers were only offering 25 minute test drives but I managed to get the Citroen and Hyundai for half a day. That made the ID.3 the back runner as the dealership wouldn’t budge on offering an extended test drive. After driving all three models and lots of consideration we decided that the best way to go was Citroen due to the comfort and looks.
The battery range isn’t an issue for us as we have 2 dogs and never drive for long periods/distances so the e-C4’s 217-mile battery range is fine for us. The ID.3 was nowhere near as comfortable as the e-C4 and we didn’t like the inside. The Kona Electric was a very close 2nd but just lost out on the comfort. The Citroen and Hyundai dealerships bent over backwards for us whereas Volkswagen just seemed to be not that interested, to be honest. It’s like everything, it comes down to individual choice but I would highly recommend the Citroen e-C4 Shine Plus as it has loads of goodies.
Sign-up to Electric Road now to receive a FREE ‘Guide to the Best Electric Cars’, a weekly Newsletter and to win some great prizes!
What got you into an electric car in the first place?
We thought electric was the way to go due to the charges for driving into cities and of course the emission side of things. I was a milkman back in the 80s and that was my first experience of electric vehicles, driving a milk float. I enjoyed the milk float but boy have they come a long long way! We will never go back to the combustion engine.
Initially, what did you find most confusing about electric car ownership and how did you solve that?
Well to be honest, nothing really. Getting over the biggest step was convincing ourselves it was the best way to go and it will only get better and better. I hear people say, “never, never” and moan about cost but if you’re going to look at top brands, yes, it’s out of reach but cars like Citroen, Hyundai, and Volkswagen are not really out of reach in the real world for most people. As things move on of course they will become available on 2nd hand markets at reasonable prices. I think everyone’s worry is battery life i.e. how long will they give a good charge rate.
What sources of information helped you e.g. people, groups, websites etc?
We did our own research into the vehicles by means of websites and comparing manufacturers and what they had to offer. The Citroen advert on TV was a very big factor, also contacting the dealers to see what they were offering and who was the most helpful. Some of the dealerships need to look at some of their staffs’ attitudes as there are some very poor ones out there.
What are your top 3 pieces of advice for those people considering their first electric car?
Do your research and demand a longer test drive as that’s important and even better now lots of sites to help you. Also, make a list of questions to ask as you will forget on the day and also see who’s offering the best for your needs.
See other getting started reports here
