Not interested in a van personally but really appreciate the time you take to do these. Cracking job putting main dealers to shame

Very interesting seeing this type of EV judged for its practicality. Most car EV reviews I see are too focused on the fluff of gizmos and gadgets. I would have thought, though, you'd be better served by something that had better range and high speed charging. I'm also loving your run downs on the issues you find on EVs. Very valuable.

Thanks for a real World view of motoring of the issues and challenges which concern real people.

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome.

Class. Love these types of review. So much more insightful than the mainstream who spend about an hour with the vehicle.

Great review James 👏 👌, i spy one of my Nissan Leaf !

Thanks for the video James. Our Peugeot e-expert has now covered 7k from mid August and hasn't put a foot wrong. Fully loaded with carpenters tools and carrying materials so working hard. Average 100 miles a day at the moment travel distance. Can mostly top it up each night in my cheap tariff so it's incredibly cheap to run. The diesel saving each month is almost covering the monthly repayment. Costing about £ 10 a week for 5 to 6 hundred miles. This distance is one tank of diesel in our LWB Renault Traffic Sport van at around £ 100 now 😐

@paulyflyer8154

2 жыл бұрын

I'll tell my plumber friend.. he's a stubborn git so the first thing he'll say is "yeah I'd save a fortune on diesel but the van costs a fortune! How much was yours?

@richardcorns8553

2 жыл бұрын

@@paulyflyer8154 Van was 30k with the grant included. The diesel version was 27k. Repayment on the diesel was £150pm vs £ 280pm for electric. I do 500 to 600 mile per week so a tank of diesel at say £ 90 per week so £360 fuel plus £ 150 repayment around £ 510 running cost not including road tax or service per month. The e-expert costs £ 40 per month fuel for 2000 mile month so £ 320 per month to run, no road tax either. I am fortunate I only need to home charge on my cheap tariff 5p as public charging in very expensive. Comparable to diesel now so best to avoid if possible.

@Joe-lb8qn

2 жыл бұрын

@@paulyflyer8154 not the poster but point is, if it's a lease does it matter?

We have the Nissan which is great but just a bit small for us with weight. It is brilliant regularly shows 150miles on the GOM. About once a month we do a high speed charge - squirt and run. Love driving it, We have an e- expert coming next week because we need more vehicles with higher weight limits, we looked at the maxus but I could not make the sums add up on the quotes we got given. One side door and a bit clunky at the price we got did not seem to make sense. The expert was a good price but only available as a lease which is annoying. My only concern is the Nissan has been super reliable but previous experts(diesel) have been pretty rubbish. We could do with a video on home charge points and sourcing sensibly priced ones for multiple car owners.

I had one on 2 week loan. Amazing van. Ours was chilling conversion too

Great real-world look at the Maxus, thank you James.

Love these week long reviews James!

I have read that holding the charge plug in whilst it’s doing the handshake could help with varying charging speeds. You was within 8 miles from me when you were in Crowborough.

Really useful, thank you. Especially as you run the nearest used contender - the eNV.

It sounds like you need to "service it"! 😁 for the slow charging...

Great real world review. Thumbs up.

Great real life vid excellent stuff.👍😎🎄

Good video. The first thing I would do is put some thick fabric as a noise and heat insulation on the black wall behind the seats, that little mod should make the experience and efficiency better. I would want to find out if there is a firmware update to possibly fix the charging quirks.

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

Indeed, I think this will come.

Hi James 👋 Great video on the Maxus van 😀 I work in Trafford Pk at Motus DAF and the yard is full of those vans with some for Tesco and a courier company 😆 For me it's great not getting vans from the EU 🤣🤣 Take care on the road until the next time cheers Stevie 👍🏻

Thanks James. 🙂👍 Not buying a van, but it's interesting to see how they have been evolving rapidly over recent months. That unpredictable recharging has to be a negative, unless it's only something not quite right about that particular vehicle. Were you able to check to see whether the varying rates were linked to battery temperature?

Watching this I could not help but reflect on how Nissan managed to throw away a clear lead advantage in EV vans by being first to market so easily ? I guess we will never know the real answer but your review shows that others have learnt from them and that EV commercials are now practical workhorses.

Hi James, great videos, really informitive for me as im in the early stages of looking to get a small EV Van. Could you do a video of what the actual £ cost to charge over you week of travels? Would really help in my decision? Cheers

Very fortunate that you are able to plug in at your jobs

You have the right pronunciation for Crowborough, my brother lives there.

Hi James thanks for another informative video. I'm not in the market for a van but enjoyed it nonetheless. Main dealers not doing the servicing correctly what a poor show!!

Btw - Bacup is pronounced as Bake-up.

Go and pick mine up at lunchtime today! Can’t wait !

Main dealer servicing does seem bad these days. Just seems to be an expensive oil change, and check nothings falling off

Great 'Real Life' Review. Thank You For Some Comparison/Context: I have had my Kangoo ZE33 for 3.5 years. It replaced a diesel Pug Partner. I get between 2.7mpkWh (winter) and 4 mpkWh (Summer). I only do local (I'm Dog walker these Days) so rapid charging is not a requirement and the range (90-120 miles) is spot on for my needs. Moving from Diesel to an EV has saved a fortune... I am spending around £1900 per year less on fuel/servicing/Road tax. The Octopus Electricity bill has just come in (covering 6th - 27th October) the Average cost was 6.09p / kWh!! (7.1p/kWh inc Standing charge and Standing charge)(We have 2 x EVs, an ASHP , Solar PV and a Powerwall).. Breaking it down the cost per mile is between 2.6p/mile and 1.8p per mile.. (My Diesel van cost 13p/Mile based on Diesel costs in 2017/18!!) As a Bonus all my dogs Love the Electric Van.. Its very harmonious and calming for them The Kangoo is a Keeper as its perfect for its current use and I see no point in paying the additional costs for a bigger battery and rapid charging when they are not essential for my usage. IF I was going bigger distances of course the Kangoo would NOT be my vehicle of choice. I think people often miss this point when they 'demand' more range and faster charging!... All IMHO of course. However If I needed more range and rapid charging the Maxus e Deliver would be top of the list. BTW: We love our MG ZS EV and It will only be replaced when we van get a Rivian 1RS.

Great video sir 👍

Great Video.

Great vid as always James....btw it's prounounced "Bakeup" not "Backup" :)

great review James. I would love to get my hands on one of these to make a tiny EV camper.

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

I think it would be ace for that.

@bathfun

2 жыл бұрын

That is exactly what I was thinking, if it was possible to use the battery as a 'house battery' it would be perfect.

James, I'm enjoying the videos. Just wondering why you travel so far & wide. Why do people not have their cars serviced locally?

@craigevans6156

2 жыл бұрын

Because, James and his colleagues are the best EV service team around and I’m near Aberdeen

@martinweston8147

2 жыл бұрын

Because the local guys forgot to do half the jobs on the service sheet but charged the full price 😉

Very informative review thanks for that. That's impressive it gets 3.5m/kWh at motorway speed. What was the outside temperature? Ps you do a heck of a lot of miles per day? I would be shattered doing that and then having to climb under cars! Not much fun when it's raining? Many thanks

Thanks for a great review! Did you buy one in the end?

Great video James. Interested to know what apps you use to plan your journeys (charging stops etc)?

24 minutes and my knees are aching in sympathy.

Hi mate. Cheers for the video. Its good to see a reveiw from an actual trades person rather than a journalist. As the price of diesel in sweden is now over 2 quid a litre Im thinking of scaling back my business so I can operate from a small van rather than a hilux and trailer. Most days I would still require about 300kg of tools and it would not always be viable to go and charge up whilst Im out on jobs. I think I would get away with a van that reliably managed 200km (125 miles) on a single charge driving a mix of A and B roads (speeds between 45 and 85mph). This would have to be with the tools and all year round. Do you think this van could manage that given your expirience? Regards Paul

Hi James, in your line of business have you thought of an overnight camper conversion, link bookings to save wasted time returning home, plug in at a charge point, even, dare I say fit a (red) diesel heater, do 2 days and 1 off , it can't be fun having to recharge on the way home. Just think how much time you would save plus the wear and tear. Enjoying the vids.

@commuterbranchline8132

2 жыл бұрын

I had that very thought myself a while back, then I thought no, hotels are a tax deductible expense and a hot shower, hot meal and a warm bed are perhaps preferable at days end.

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

The thing is, I like to get home to the girls.

Great test of this ev. they seem very good value. would of liked to see a break down of costs at the charging points. it's running cost's per mile compared to a diesel vehicle. Great report though. 👍

11.45 point the guy at the property is running a lead down his back garden over his fence into a granny charger inside a waterproof freezer plastic box under his Zoe .He’s just not telling you about it .Everyone’s doing it 12 hours 50% home charge overnight .

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

Ha, didn't see that. What a legend.

Oh god you travel a lot . Enormous stamina to drive all the way and then have energy to do the job .

Thank you James, interesting. I’m sure I won’t be the only person to explain that Bac-up is pronounced BA-cup.

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

I've been told twice today :-)))

another great video !!!

im sure the charging thing was just that particular van being grumpy. sounds very fixable, 54kwh charging and 150 miles of range? Perfect! Is it in the US? Course not :(. DAB audio I hear isn't always that great anyway since they put so many channels on it in the UK. Here we got HD radio, sounds outstanding, no one uses it. lol

Hey James, great video as always. The charging speed issue is bizarre, is there any pattern you spot or is it totally random? OVMS already supports the Maxus ED3 which will show battery temperatures which my help figure out what's going on.

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Mate. It appears to be at a certain percentage as it starts off at 48kWs, then drops to 22kWs and then jumps back to 48kWs. I'm thinking software.

The range wouldn't get me to site without charging. Stopping for an hour puts me into needing to travel to work a day earlier. Safety induction 8.30am. Plus cost of paying crew to drink coffee. 250 mile real world range loaded before it would be practical or reliable faster recharge.

I only used a geniepoint once on my corsa it charged fine speed wise but took three tries to get it to start.

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

I do try to avoid them where possible, tbh.

A really nice test and review. Possibly would have been made better by some discussion around safety rating.

That’s a good van!! What does it feel like to drive? Is it like a car to drive? Is it more van like? The reason I ask is that I’m looking for a small camper that will also be a daily drive.

Great video James. Perhaps the impending quad cybertruck might be a worthy contender in the time ahead.

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

I don't have that sort of money :-)

@cawfeedawg

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah.. the 39k price is a lie.. Tesla always lies about starting prices 😒

Hi James this is certainly NOT a criticism but Bacup is pronounced Bay- cup thanks for another great vid !

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

I've told rather a lot since posting. I'm rather good at destroying town names, especially in Scotland.

Did you get one of these vans in the end? How you finding it, if so? Only thing that worry’s me is lack of dealer network for warranty work if needed

Nice video James. You guys seem to be THE people to ask regarding electric vehicles! Which van would YOU recommend to get converted? This one?

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

What are you converting too? A camper??

@trailrunningphil

2 жыл бұрын

@@Jamesandkate Yes, a campervan, just for two adults.

Gave my one back to my company last week as it was not going anymore than 70 miles a day and that was around town delivering all day the range of 210 miles for the 55kw is in now way real Maxis need to re think this van whilst it drivers nice the mileage is well of the reported amount

Interesting video as always, have you ever been to a client who has a home charger that is in a terraced house?

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

I haven't, but plenty of our customers actually don't have a charger. I'll guestimate at almost 20%. It's shocked me, but they manage.

@2036scott

2 жыл бұрын

​@@Jamesandkate We have had a Renault Zoe 40 for a year now, we lived in a terraced house and no parking or charging infrastructure close, so we just charged it when shopping, it works out fine if you plan ahead, (not that different from what we done before) although we now live in a semi house, our landlord will not allow us to install a charger, and we don't have off-street parking, so we still do the same, charge when shopping. We use our diesel estate for long journeys, to be fair I rarely use my diesel I'm thinking of switching to an MG5 Estate. James where can I find information on getting you to service the Zoe?

Interesting I had a 21 plate on demo last December for a week and had the same issues with the Charging and the stereo system and as my weekly drive is 185miles from East Sussex to Somerset and back it really put me off buying one. as you said in the video they drive really nicely mind you the seat heaters are a bit mad for my taste 😁. I never got the level of efficiency that you showed on the motorway more like 2.5 - 2.75 miles to the Kilowatt If I didn't do the long run every week and it was just used for going site to site I would buy it in a heart beat. Also did you get the odd whine noise from it I found driving at lower speeds it was far more noticeable?

He got his own EV dealership and he’s obviously certificated to work ,maintain and MOT specifically EVs.His name is on all theservice Log he don’t invalidate the warranties .

Did you loan the van from West Bromwich? I saw a Clevely MG5 parked up at their yard a few weeks ago. Fellow MG5 owner so spotted it on my way to work

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

Good spot, we did indeed.

Could the good miles per kw be due to the ground up ev design

Hi James Have you got anything planned to test drive the ORA CAT

Was the charge rate temperature related? Has this van got the same thermal management on the battery that the MG5 has?

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

Personally I think it's software as another van has the same pattern. Hopefully they bring an update to the fleet to rectify it.

Hi James, Thanks for the review, I'm considering purchasing one of these vans in NZ, did you get on top of the charge rate issue and did you end up purchasing one, if so how's it been performing. Thanks Graeme

@Jamesandkate

Жыл бұрын

Hi, we didn't purchase one in the end, it was simply too big. Essentially we would have been carrying around a van full of wind. The charge rate issue seems to have been our van, a colleague has purchase one and does see over 50kW's easily.

@graemehansen3464

Жыл бұрын

@@Jamesandkate Thanks for that, good to hear the DC charging was an isolated issue, your associate, how are they finding the van in general?

I've bee. Seriously considering an ele tric van but you've put me off. I need would need at least 300miles in the 'tank', no way could I keep stopping to charge, I'd wouldn't get any work done. Hopefully someone is going to produce a van with serious range. A range extending box trailer would do it, more miles and more space, I could have a smaller van that way. That would be good, you could leave the trailer charging while you drive off to do other stuff and pick it up later.

I take it you have a marquee for when it's pissing down.

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

I have a gazebo, yes, but seldom use it unless i'm working on electrics for long periods.

Any thing less than 85 to 100 kw should be the bare minimum for a work van in 2022. They really need a larger battery pack 225 miles minimum and 150 kw. It would be worth the extra $5 or $6,000 dollars- pounds.

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

I'd certainly prefer that. It will come as the industry evolves.

Does this van have a problem with battery temperatures thats causing the strange charging speeds?

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

We think it's software. The pack is fully thermal managed.

Heart Dance is the best!

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

It's king, apart from the ads

Does anyone know what the range would be with a pretty much constant half ton on back? Most vans are loaded like mine and knowing the range with not much on the back is not what most van drivers want. Great review though.

What was the total charging time for your journey home on the first part of the video (up to the 4:55 mark)? Looks like it was three stops?

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

It was two rapids and I topped up at the first chaps house.

@RealWorldCarReviews

2 жыл бұрын

@@Jamesandkate Thanks for answering. I meant how long physically?

At 4 minutes re low speed of charge did you try a different charger?

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

I did, and all were the same.

What battery size was this van 35 or 50Kwh?

Cant help but wonder what rate of charge you have at home given you land at 8pm and are on the road with near 100% charge at 6.30am Also as a courier vehicle ....... courier means aparting to customers needs , a possibility ? ... i do wonder given im in a sprinter luton and the loss of jobs vrs the cheaper running costs does rattle the cage somewhat on the idea of an EV but id also like to ditch fossel as soon as poss .

How many hours total for the week, did you spend on charge ?

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely no idea. I should count it, and I will.

I had a Vauxhall xback the other day as a hire and i found the LED lights really bad. Narrow beam pattern and not much light throw either. I found it dangerous in un lit areas as could not see far enough ahead, even with full beams there was not much improvement !! Old Halogen in the trust Jazz like night and day difference.

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

Wow, I never thought i'd hear that about LED's. So they're not always amazing, then.

@ghost70

2 жыл бұрын

@@Jamesandkate def not on a xback :)

Not as flexible as the 5 but really nice interior on that Maxus.

I've done alot of research re changing my van for a an electric van but if your not able to charge at home and do all the distance till you return home it still makes no sense for the vast majority. This review is great but suj factors to consider. Yiur plugging in your van while your servicing other eVs that's great and all that but that's not what happens for the majority of plumber driving around doing distance prob won't have the liberty to ask a customer to use thier eV charger as they prob wonr hvae one to start with. Added to this imagine doing a 10 hour day only to find you need a stop 39 mins from home and spend more time charging the coffee itself would cover the cost of the fuel. What if all the chargers were all being used as well Unfortunately currently thier are too many variables. It's all about range which I'm sure will increase in years to come. It's a euro 6 van again for 3 years for me

You say the Van's are available from £25000 +vat. I've rang maxus and they laughed at this figure they said £29500 +vat. Please could you tell me where I can buy one at your figure. Thank you.

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

Autotrader.

Fine for toodling about, but i`m a often long distance driver. 150/170 miles between charges is no good to me. Until they get around the 300 plus range, i`ll stick with my Peugeot Partner 550 mile range diesel.

Strange about charging, guess you did a lead swap in case that was faulty..? Did you mean there is no cruise or it’s just not the semi intelligent sort..?

I'm interested in your ev services.

What happened to the MG5 a lot better on range

I see you’re giving the shorts a miss!

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

They'll be back, don't you worry.

Hi I woch lots of you videos and there helpful in helping me desid on wat car to by one day maybe you could point me in the right direction I've bin driving a Gwiz electric car and I love driving it but for the last 30 months I've bin living in a tent in the back of a van and there is now electric socks in the tent and Blackpool isn't electric car friendly lick London there lots of charging points there for the Gwiz and if I by a adaptor so I can yous a changing point but if will still take 7 ish hours to change and imagine people sat behind me in the queue I have 14 pounds a week to live on so things are hard eney thorts would sume day retern the help please be healthy happy and lucky

I had my first Zoe got rid of it and got an MG instead .ZOE so overrated ,no CCS ,can’t see out the back of them ,heavy steering and crap sat nav.Even the Renault dealership hated them.

Typical choice over the eJumpy. 50kW isn't really a proper speed nowadays. Is it the purchase price ?

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

That helps but I agree, I'd like faster charging and at least 50 were possible.

@RedBatteryHead

2 жыл бұрын

@@Jamesandkate the new eVito gets 60 and 80 DC charging Might be worth a test. See if it is less efficient than the Maxus too.

Why can those people service their car locally.

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

They can, but prefer the convenience of a mobile visit.

It's pronounced " bay cup "

Who on Earth are you kidding. A friend of mine has just spent nearly 3 weeks in an electric van for a business promotion. An absolute nightmare travelling around the country. Realistic range nearly half that stated and much headache trying to find chargers. You might argue lots of services have chargers and indeed they do but most services allow only 2 hrs per visit then issue a penalty charge. It takes an hour 45 to fully charge and if you have to wait for a charger (which turns out to be quite a frequent occurrence) then you find yourself leaving with less than a full charge. The future is not electric! Certainly not yet as the infrastructure is woefully lacking.

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

I'm not sure which van your friend was driving but they do not take 1hr 45 to charge, well certainly not in the electric vans I've been driving. This video shows that, and I drive an electric van over a 1000 miles every week and have done for the last 60,000 miles. However, the biggest point not being mentioned is the fuel and emissions savings. These vans allow us to run at less than 1/5th of diesel, which today I saw at £1.69 a litre. They also emit less than 10% of the emissions of a similar sized diesel van.

Loads of time wasted waiting for the bloody thing to charge… also asking the customers to plug it in is a no no … get yourself a diesel estate bmw 535d and enjoy the motorway…

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

The fuel costs would make it unprofitable, tbh.

If you had a diesel you would have been home hours ago, maybe fit in another couple of jobs. I understand you love EV's but certain times you need petrol/diesel.

@paulbrowne5049

2 жыл бұрын

You got the wrong end of the stick. The channel is a demonstration of EVs the good and bad.

@davidtaylorbfd

2 жыл бұрын

@@paulbrowne5049 Fair point.

@Brian-om2hh

2 жыл бұрын

@@paulbrowne5049 Plus of course one day diesel will no longer be an option. And 5 years from now, vans will have at least 50% (or more) range than at present, and chargers and charging times will both improve by then. And the comment James made regarding being "really surprised" at the number of people who have an EV, but no home charger. There are those out there who claim it isn't possible to own an EV if you have no charger. Perhaps they'd like to take note?

@Jamesandkate

2 жыл бұрын

The fuel costs would kill us tbh. We run at 1/5th of the cost. Today I saw £1.69 ltr, could believe what i was seeing. I think £2 is on the horizon.