A few months ago our ageing Peugeot's odometer ticked over 100,000 miles and in recent years started requiring replacement of increasing numbers of parts. With this being our main form of transport we rely on, the search for a replacement began. We weighed up the pros and cons of stretching our budget to afford an electric vehicle as well as sticking with as efficient a petrol car we could find for our needs.
There's no doubt EVs are now at the stage where they can serve the vast majority of drivers' requirements and if money were no object are the obvious choice for our day to day usage. Even parity in terms of cost is fast approaching, but it is not here yet. Also with regular home charging on a 'smart' overnight electricity tariff being the most financially prudent way to run an EV, there needs to be consideration given to upgrading your own home infrastructure, and minor lifestyle adjustments to allow for this.
The new EVs we tested were very well appointed and drove pretty well too. After much discussion we decided a new or even used EV (for which there is an increasing buyers market) was the way forward in theory.
Unfortunately looking at the numbers and the fact we are planning significant work on our home (which may well also have an impact on where and how we install a home charger), we decided now is not quite the right time to make the leap to electric.
So we chose a petrol model of a car that is also offered as electric. Our plan being that one day in the not too distant future, we could swap it for the electric version or shop around for a similar alternative. We opted for a new MG ZS with the 1.5 VTi engine in 'Exclusive' trim:
The ZS is also offered in a 1.0 turbo charged engine. But with it being a heavier car and having experienced 1 Litre 3 cylinders before, I felt a more 'traditional' 4 cylinder was a more reliable option. There's not much in it but the 1.5 is actually slightly slower than the turbo engine, but then we're used to a 1.2 VTi 3-cylinder without a turbo anyway so that's no great shock. Don't get me wrong I love the efficiency and 'less is more' approach of many modern 3 cylinder engines but they suit smaller, lighter cars much better IMO.
Anyway combustion engines are dying out aren't they? Well as our purchasing decision would suggest possibly not. Don't get me wrong I'm 100% behind the switch to electric in the majority of cases and I fully accept they suit our use own case. The financials and our own home situation just aren't there yet, but it is tantalisingly close.
The MG could be thought of as a boring option, an appliance, catering to the latest trends in car design. In many respects it will serve a way just to get from A to B. But at the same time I still think even in this age of cars being increasingly seen as disposable appliances, owning a car offers a unique form of transport to those that want it.
Being our only car since I got rid of my own 'hobby' car, I might write a bit about it. I'm not sure how much work, if any, work I can do myself on it without voiding the warranty but there might be some interesting things that crop up with it worth writing about.
For now though we just need to run the thing in and get used to the myriad of features we never knew we needed (and probably don't). The only deciding factor at play that led us to choosing the higher spec trim was that the seats are more comfortable, such are our fairly rudimentary requirements. Regardless of this fairly 'head over heart' choice of new vehicle after the first few hundred miles, I find myself starting to enjoy aspects of driving and owning it. I think that's when you really know you get something out of cars, if no matter what you drive you can find it in some way interesting or enjoyable and make the most of it.
Maybe I just need to get out more... or find a new classic to work on...