80 SEAT Mii AND THE EV LIFE
Electric vehicles have been making the automotive headlines for some while, and with the recent announcement of no new petrol or diesel cars from 2030 (hybrids are spared until 2035) only serves to put them even more into the headlines. Range anxiety, a fragmented public charging
infrastructure and price consistently hinder the progress of EVs. However, if you have a home charger and mainly drive lots of local commuting runs then an EV could be for you. More expensive EVs tend to offer the greater range, both stated and in the real world. Move to the cheaper, well relatively, and you lose range but gain more affordable purchase prices. SEAT’s diminutive Mii is now only available in
all-electric form and suits the car well. In its previous petrol incarnation it made a super town car, and now with its new electric power it’s even better. It costs £22,800, but you gain a £3,000 reduction via a government grant which helps make the purchase price more palatable. It comes with excellent levels of equipment and a useable range. That range is 160 miles, but in the real-world that
very much depends on how and where you drive. In my busy week I00 miles was my maximum range, but that was while making full use of the Mii’s features and some cruising on dual carriageways. EVs thrive in stop
PEUGEOT 3008 HYBRID4
no longer! Premium manufacturers have tried to attract aspiring buyers from the lower price ranges, and other manufacturers have tried to move into the premium sector. One example of the latter is Peugeot. Their models have improved in both looks and build
T
quality over the last few years and the 3008 is a perfect demonstration. Prices start from £27,160 and peak at a premium £47,210, and engines on offer are a 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder turbo petrol, a 4-cylinder 1.6-litre turbo petrol, a 1.5 -litre diesel and two plug-in hybrids using the 1.6-litre petrol unit with either one or two electric motors. It’s the plug-in hybrids that drew my interest given the direction we’re motoring. Two 3008 hybrids are offered with an effective 180hp
in two-wheel drive form and 200hp in four-wheel drive form. The latter uses two electric motors, one on each axle, and boosts the power to 300hp. You’ll get around 40 miles on pure electric and a home charger helps the practicalities. It reaches 62 mph in just under 6 seconds. Mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox the whole 3008 experience is a relaxed and refined affair. Switchable drive modes offer all electric, hybrid, sport
here was a time when cars touching £40k bore premium badges from the likes of BMW and Mercedes Benz. Well
start motoring to maximise their range. I would guess in city motoring you would easily manage 120-140 miles. Any more would most likely require use of the eco button on the Mii, which cuts down on features to maximise the range. On the road the Mii is a delight; small, nimble and good fun. Its perky demeanour belies the rather lazy 0 to 62 mph of 12.3 seconds and top speed of 81 mph. It smooths the bumps and its quiet drive only enhances its appeal on a daily basis. Four people would be fine in its seats for shorter journeys, two adults and two children would be very comfortable. Although the boot space is somewhat limited, it easily accommodates the urban luggage that would result from the Mii’s city life. This is a smart and well-equipped city car that would
offset some of its higher purchase price with low running costs by home charging. It charges quickly and has a very useable commuter range. The Mii is an excellent and very useable introduction to EV life.
and all-wheel- drive by a turn of a dial. The four- wheel drive offers additional grip all the time but in winter, especially in more rural
areas, it would certainly provide an added boost of confidence. The low set and rather small steering wheel divides opinion as you see the instruments above rather than through the wheel. The interior is a delight, radiating a quality and a modern feel to make it a nice place to be on any journey. Comfortable seats and good space – although the boot is smaller than you might expect because of those batteries – help matters along too. Having arguably led the drive for digital cockpits the 3008 continues the theme, a direction I’m not convinced by, but the Peugeot’s controls are very intuitive. Other manufacturers would do well to take note. Priced at £44,810 for my GT model, I’m not
convinced the four wheel drive version is worth the hefty chunk of extra cash over the £39,810 two wheel drive version. Whichever you choose, I doubt you will be disappointed because this is one very stylish, impressive and comfortable SUV.
All quoted prices were correct at time of going to press
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100
