This time we've got two of the best new gen electric vans.
They're big, they're clever, but can they go do the distance?
Seventy four percent of electric charge.
I'll write this down so I don't forget.
And which one do we like best?
Somebody's properly thought this through.
Yeah. I love it.
VW's IV5, on paper, it's the SUV you want.
But we don't live on paper. So, is it any good?
Does it feel like a 50-odd thousand pound car?
No.
And can Tesla's first EV
match the pace and poise of the petrol, Lotus Elise,
the car on which it is developed from.
These are just epic.
(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)
This is Fifth Gear.
But with a difference.
There'll still be screaming.
(SCREAMING)
And squealing.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
And shouting.
JASON: Stupid idea. I can't listen to this nonsense.
But there'll also be this.
(ENGINE HUMMING)
The EV revolution is here.
Are all electric vehicles right for you?
What are the costs, choices and challenges?
And how do they stack up against their petrol-powered rivals?
We're here to tell you everything you need to know
about the new automotive landscape.
This is the future of driving.
This is Fifth Gear Recharged.
VICKI (NARRATING): Last year,
the Fifth Gear Mario Brothers, Jason and Jimmy...
I like your hat. In fact, I like your khaki colour.
It's nice, innit?
..tried out two fully electric vans and they weren't impressed
because you couldn't even get 100 miles between charges.
The range is 82 miles.
82 miles? That isn't great, is it?
VICKI (NARRATING): In fact, that figure halved,
once they loaded up some washing machines.
Well, we've lost a mile already.
Pretty quickly to the two. It's gone again!
VICKI (NARRATING): But now a new breed of EV van is emerging
that claims to go further between recharges.
We've grabbed the two leading contenders
to find out if they're a step forward,
should you want to lug some goods around.
This is the Fiat E-Ducato.
Now, the Ducato name has been around for over 40 years,
and the manufacturer says that this is the best selling van in Europe,
with 150,000 sales per year.
Yeah, but let's be honest.
If you're going to buy a van,
you want one with the Transit badge on it.
It's been around since 1965
and they've built over 8.5 million of these.
Come on, it's a no-brainer.
But is it going to be as good now it's the called the 'E Transit'?
Fiat first? Why not?
VICKI (NARRATING): We'll be doing three tests today.
The first, we'll discover what the vans are like to live with.
Ergonomically, immediately,
I have brushed myself against the handbrake,
which is quite protruding down there.
So, a couple of bits I spotted straight away,
that there, it's got to be the Italian espresso holder, isn't it?
Because your latte is definitely not going to stay in there.
No, I agree with that.
And, then other thing was, like, what's going on here?
What is that doing?
And then, you've got that thing in the corner with a wire,
like, a visible wire coming out the back.
It's like they drilled the hole in
to stick that panel in for the EV into it.
VICKI (NARRATING): First impressions are that
it lacks a little polish and practicality.
Right, let's get my big van head on.
But perhaps things will improve on the road.
(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)
To assess the range of our electric vans,
we drove them the same seven mile route
around Milton Keynes,
the kind of urban, multi-drop environment
that these vehicles have been designed for.
Crucially, because of the roundabouts,
and the number of traffic lights,
your laden foot will be vaguely kept under control.
(MUFFLED CHEERING)
VICKI (NARRATING): We'll take a note of the battery level
at the start of our journey.
Seventy-four percent of the battery charge.
I'll write these down so I don't forget.
VICKI (NARRATING): And then we'll see what it's dropped to by the end
and calculate the real-world range...
at least our version of it.
We are in Eco-mode, regen... On?
On. Everything's on. Yep.
VICKI (NARRATING): Would van men and women, please note,
Eco-mode limits the E-Ducato to 50 miles an hour top speed,
and nought to 30 takes 6 seconds.
So, more tortoise than hare.
So, we have two trim levels available in this van,
an entry level and then this,
which is the E-technico.
And for that, you get,
Apple CarPlay and Auto-Android,
you get a Sat Nav... Ooh.
..and a leather steering wheel.
But to be honest with you, this just feels really plasticky.
It's probably pleather. An unusual cow, that's for sure.
(LAUGHS)
So, I don't feel that I'm being cosseted.
No.
VICKI (NARRATING): Mind you, you would expect a bit of luxury,
when you consider this van costs 70,000 pounds,
and that includes a 5,000 pound government grant.
Alright, Vicks, we're coming back to our start point.
We've done just about seven miles. Yep.
So, what is your percentage?
My percentage is 68 percent.
Right, so you have used up
six percent of your battery. OK.
KARUN (NARRATING): Based on our drive,
it means the van should be good for 116 miles between charges,
which ties in with Fiat's own figures.
They estimate the E-Ducato's 47 kilowatt battery
will deliver a range between 102 and 139 miles.
Things have certainly moved on since the Mario Brothers
first tested e-vans.
How does the E-Transit compare?
The Transit is a legend in the world of vans
with almost a million currently on British roads.
Can this Transit carry on that weighty reputation?
The E-Transit's cheaper than the Fiat,
but only by five grand.
Now, I've got 98 percent,
as we set off on our journey.
And this tells me I could do apparently 156 miles.
KARUN (NARRATING): Ford say
the Transit should be good for between 166 and 196 miles.
Hopefully, the van's computer will take a more optimistic view
as our trip around Milton Keynes continues.
Vicki seems more excited about the van
than its range though.
Karun, I need to show you so much about this thing.
You have got loads of storage space up here.
Magazines?
Magazines, clipboards.
Oh, clipboards, for delivery people.
Yeah. Good. Good.
And actually the dough pockets are easier to reach, isn't it?
OK.
Now, one thing that is hugely different
between this and the Fiat,
is the Ford has got 261 horsepower.
Now, that's more than double... Wow.
..the Fiat's got. Yeah.
KARUN (NARRATING): And it's got more torque
at 430 newton-metres,
compared to the Ducato's 280.
And, so this is more powerful,
it's got more torque,
but it's cheaper.
And it's cheaper.
It's five grand cheaper than the Fiat.
KARUN (NARRATING): On top of that,
it's only seven grand more than the equivalent diesel.
The fact that battery technology is still expensive...
the reality is, 7,000 is not a lot.
KARUN (NARRATING): And there's more good stuff.
I love the fact
that they've basically nicked the 12-inch screen
from the (INDISTINCT).
Yes, yeah, exactly.
And you can get over the air updates on it,
you can work out when you plug in,
where's available.
KARUN (NARRATING): And the screen lets you access three drive modes.
You've got the Normal, you've got Eco,
and then you've got a Wet mode, actually.
It's slippery. Yeah. It's slippery. I love it.
Which, basically, is for people who aren't used to EVs
and that instant acceleration,
and it just manages it all.
Somebody's properly thought this through.
This is it, we're done. Done and dusted.
So, I've used just three percent of my battery
to do our seven mile drive,
which on paper, you know,
well, that's only half the number of percentage that you have.
However, this does have a bigger battery.
It's got a 68 kilowatt hour battery.
KARUN (NARRATING): Based on our little test,
the Transit could cover up to 200 miles between recharges,
around twice what the E-Ducato could do.
Although, you could argue it's got a bigger battery,
it's also a cheaper van.
So, that's not cheating.
It's time for a verdict on our Test One,
which is how good the vans are delivered.
You've probably guessed out victor.
Ah, thanks for breakfast.
I don't actually eat bacon, so you can have both of them.
Yes! Result. (MAKES COMICAL SLIDING SOUNDS)
Um, so...
Up front, I found that the Ford
was more comfortable and more special.
Well, yeah.
I mean, it just felt like they'd made an effort.
The touch screen was really good,
the cubby holes were easily reachable.
And, you know, the fact that the range
is going to be pushing 200 miles,
that's pretty good.
So, the winner for this one then is the Ford E-Transit.
I think the winner is you with your double bacon role.
(CHUCKLES)
VICKI (NARRATING): Bacon butties aside,
there's more to play for in this challenge.
Join us later,
when we turn out attentions to the rear of the vans.
I mean, feel free to give them a hand, Karun.
I'm not qualified. I haven't got gloves. (CHUCKLES)
VICKI (NARRATING): Let's see which one
is actually better at carrying stuff.
JASON (NARRATING): Now, it's time to get a first look
and a first drive of a brand new car.
Yes, it's the Fifth Gear Recharged Team Test.
So, this week, the team tested the new Volkswagen ID 5.
The ID 5 is VW's big brother to the popular ID 3 and 4.
It's a five seater SUV starting at 49,000 pounds,
but ours is the max spec, which is seven grand more.
VW is really gunning for that prized Tesla territory,
and the ID 5 has a claimed range of 313 miles.
Should you choose this car over a Model Y?
What comes after three and four? BOTH: Five.
And that's what it is. It's the VW ID 5, their EV.
It's a bit like a four to here, really.
A bit? It's exactly the same. SID: It's exactly the same.
(MAKES COMICAL WHIRRING SOUNDS)
Up to here, it's absolutely identical to the 4.
And then it's got one of these slopy-backed coupe styles.
Yeah. What do you think. You like it?
Well, this is their electric SUV,
and I don't think
it is the most stylish thing I have ever seen.
I just think it's clunky.
That's quite strong. Wow, that is strong.
These doors, they're so deep, they're so high,
and that's almost breast height for me.
And what are you're think from inside it might be a bit claustrophobic?
Speaking of doors though,
I quite like these flash door handles.
I know it's not much, but it's kinda cool.
You're right, it's not much, Sid.
He's easy-peasy boy, isn't he?
But look at it. Look at the door handles. It's cool.
I was never a fan of the ID 4, it was too boxy.
But I do actually prefer the back end of the ID 5.
I like that swoopiness, it looks a bit more sporty like.
Show us your rear. Let's have a look.
Do you know what?
I don't think any of us particularly like the looks of the car.
Now, this is a bit weird.
This is good, they've got... This is quite cool.
They've got a little net there. ..net thing.
GRACE: What's that for?
Well, you can put stuff under it,
and it's got a zip, and you can put Jason in it.
Imagine that.
It's just with stuff?
Yeah. It's for your milk.
For your stuff that moves around. For your milk?
Get in the car. Alright.
Get in the car. Alright!
Come on, we've got driving to do.
GRACE: Mm.
Who ordered the brown?
No. I like it.
I love brown when it's down nicely.
This, just a little strip there, strip there.
Do you not like that? There's too much going on.
Nah, I'm all for it.
This is funny, this is interesting,
because I don't find that offensive at all.
Now, see the interior has got this brown and black two-tone.
I didn't find that that bad actually.
I quite liked it in a way, but the girls, they didn't,
which I don't understand.
Because for me,
that was probably one of the nicest things about the car.
Me and Jason were Team Brown Interior Two Tone.
Can we have some air con on, please, because it's jolly hot.
It is, isn't it?
Well, that comes with a problem when you put the air con on
because there are no knobs.
This has the same sort of style, like, all the new VWs have,
like the ID 3.
And the biggest pain is the fact that, you know,
that panel doesn't illuminate at night.
For the temperature control, so you lit...
it's a major distraction. What, this one here?
Well, you're driving around and you want to get more volume
and you're like, "Ugh, ugh.
What do I press and what am I sliding?
Big sun roof. That's nice. Yeah.
Can you close the blind half way? I don't know how to do it.
It's up there. It's touch as well, by the way. You've got to stroke it.
That's touch too?
Are you ready? No, don't go too far.
I'm going to stop. Oh, stop, I'm done.
Um, in the back, I'm doing OK... Yeah, I'm good.
But I'm five, five and a half.
Yeah, I'm over six foot.
I've got head room.
Are you really over six foot? I am.
Because I'm six foot exactly. Nah, I'm taller than you.
That's only because you wear heels. No, it's got nothing to do with it.
Moving on, moving on. Ready? Ready. I'm ready.
Go. Yow-wee.
How does it feel behind the wheel?
JASON: It's OK.
Steering's nice when in Sport mode.
It's got a nice weight to it, but it's not quick.
It wants to do everything for you.
I want to tell it what to do. GRACE: Yeah.
I want to tell it what mode I want.
I want to turn the traction control off.
I want to do my regen braking.
Yeah.
Do you know what I mean? Yeah.
It's too clever for its own good.
They've tried to make everything so simple.
Yeah.
But I... It's too simple now.
So, they haven't got buttons up front?
You have got an improved voice recognition system.
Do you want to try it out? Yes.
Here we go. I've got buttons somewhere.
Can you turn the air conditioner to maximum and cool us down,
because we're roasting idly?
(CHUCKLING)
OK. So, supposedly it's on max now.
It understood what you just said. Oh my gosh.
Surprisingly.
Set air conditioning to warm me up.
COMPUTERISED VOICE: Sorry.
'Sorry' what?
You know, by and large,
I have an issue with voice control in cars,
because it simply doesn't work.
And, you know, VW have made a claim that this works better than the rest.
Again, it simply doesn't.
JASON (NARRATING): We better edit this bit,
just in case I use a bad word.
I'm hot.
We know you are, Plato.
COMPUTER: Sorry, this is the minimum temperature.
SID AND VICKI: Oh.
Well, guess what? It ain't cold enough.
Jason had a play around with the voice recognition.
He's not the world's most patient man,
and this tested his patience.
JASON: Shut up.
Everything inside the car, doesn't have any buttons.
I think the only buttons that exist on it
is the window switches.
That's it.
JASON (NARRATING): It would be great to find something decent to say.
What about the range? Let's talk about the range.
We need some proper buttons or at least some illumination,
particularly when you're driving at night.
Nearly three years down the line, you'd think that VW would go,
"Do you know what?
"We need to put buttons back in this".
And they haven't. And it's really frustrating.
The system is not intuitive.
JASON (NARRATING): No. There's just moaning.
Well, do you know what?
We can only review the car as delivered and as tested.
And just, remind how much it is again. Remind me?
55,000 pounds for an ID 5.
JASON (NARRATING): Is everybody tired or is the ID 5 making us grumpy?
Let's get the team scores.
So, the ID 5 is a family car,
and it does have good statistics for that.
It has over 300 miles of range,
and it does have features that support a family.
And I do think Volkswagen's heart is in the right place.
Unfortunately, it's not a particularly good car.
OK, it's got good claimed range.
But to use every day,
to live with,
I think it would just drive you absolutely mad.
I have to say with a heavy heart that I'm not impressed with this.
I am usually a VW fan.
I was hoping for more.
I was hoping for this car to sparkle. It doesn't.
I don't like the dashboard, I don't like the infotainment,
I don't like the switchgear.
I do like the gear selector knob on top of the main dashboard,
that's a nice touch.
But all these other things are just annoying.
Oh, I was going to give it a five for an ID 5,
but I don't even think it deserves that.
So, I'm going to give it a 4.5.
Have I done that the right way around?
No.
(LAUGHING)
VW, if you're listening,
please, please, please put buttons back in the car,
because that's the reason why it's getting a three.
Overall, I'm going to give the ID 5,
which costs about 55,000 pounds
a five.
So, the ID 5 is going to get a poor score.
It's going to get a four.
Remember, that car's over 50 grand.
JASON (NARRATING): 16.5 out of 40 is a pretty poor score.
It certainly looks like VW
can't make a great spec translate into a great car.
Shame.
JASON: Coming up, our EV van challenge continues.
(GASPS) That went in pretty easy.
That's gone in a treat, hasn't it?
(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)
00:17:48.200 -- 00:17:50.840 (THEME MUSIC PLAYING)
VICKI (NARRATING): Welcome back to our EV van challenge,
which pits Fiat's E-Ducato against Ford's E-Transit.
We want to know if they're up to the job
when it comes to a hard day's work.
This just feels really plasticky.
It's probably pleather.
An unusual cow, that's for sure. (LAUGHS)
KARUN (NARRATING): And so far, both have delivered adequate range
when driven over a stop-start route.
This is more powerful, it's got more torque,
but it's cheaper.
It's cheaper.
KARUN (NARRATING): But the E-Transit was the clear winner,
because the cabin was a better place to be.
And thanks to a better battery,
it can travel around twice the distance on a single charge.
And to rub salt into the Fiat's wounds,
it's also 5,000 pounds cheaper.
But you don't just buys vans to feel happy,
you buy them to carry stuff.
For our second test,
we're going to check how good our vans are
at swallowing a large load.
And we have come to a DIY store,
because building materials come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
Now, it's not just about volume, is it, Vicks?
It's about also seeing how easy it is
to load up these vans.
Yep, and also about paid load...
Yep. ..the weight that they can carry.
I will be keeping score. OK.
First of all... Yeah?
..how many anchor points have you got?
Ooh.
One, two, three.
Four, five, six, seven.
Seven, eight, nine.
That's it. I got nine. What have you got?
Fifteen What?!
I've got nine.
Nine? Not even double figures? Oh, di, doje. Oh, dear. Aww.
Yes, yes, yes. Very good.
Fine, one point to the Fiat.
(SIGHS)
What's next?
Ease of loading. Ooh.
KARUN (NARRATING): Anyone who's loaded up a van,
or a car for that matter,
will know that the distance
you have lift the luggage off the ground,
makes a big difference to the effort involved.
Here, I'm going to get my measuring stick.
And although you've got this sort of little lip
to help you get in,
when you get to the top, what's that?
One seventy. Yep.
(HUMMING) Dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee.
One sixty-two.
So, that is almost ten centimetres lower,
which is better for loading.
Yep, two points for Fiat.
This is a lot of winning happening here.
Doing... Doing good so far.
Let's get some stuff in here. Yep.
See what we can fit. OK.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. It's manual labour. It's not my department.
So we have the lovely Dave and Cara. Yep.
Currently bringing in a fence panel,
six foot by six foot.
(GASPS) That went it pretty easy.
That's gone in a treat, hasn't it?
And are these MDF boards?
Uh, uh, uh. They're not. No?
These are not MDF, darling. These are OSBs.
Oh, you are so educated...
I know. ..in the DIY world.
Thank you. Any way, they're eight foot by four foot.
And they are quite heavy, and they've gone in a treat as well.
Should we go look next door? Yeah.
Thank you very much, team. Time to do the Ford.
Right, I'm fairly concerned
that these guys are going to battle a bit more to get into this.
Oh, yeah. I think they definitely will have a struggle.
As clearly illustrated here. So...
Oh, it's actually rubbing against the roof already.
Yeah.
And, you can't actually prop it up against the side...
Oh, interesting.
..like they could with the other one.
So, that's not going to work.
Yeah, just leave it there, guys.
I mean, feel free to give them a hand, Karun.
I'm not qualified. I haven't got gloves.
(BOTH LAUGHING)
I'm not surprised that you are struggling,
because you aren't as big as the Fiat.
The Fiat's got 13 cubic metres of space in here, and you have got...
Eleven.
So, that's going to have to go. Whoop!
Karun, it almost got involved.
I touched it. I touched it. I touched the fence.
VICKI (NARRATING): The Ford loading bay
is 15 centimetres shorter,
and ten centimetres narrower than the Fiat.
There is a high roof version available on the Ford
for around a thousand pounds.
So, I think we can pretty conclusively say
another point for the Fiat. Yes.
Should we go some big, fat payloads in?
Yep, off you go.
Hey! Hey! (LAUGHS)
VICKI (NARRATING): The Ford has already lost the load test.
However, will it recover a bit of pride,
when it comes to dealing with weight?
Right, what we've got is a bag, which is just about a tonne.
So, the Ducato can have 1,060 kilograms of weight.
And the lovely Sam is going to deposit
a thousand kilograms in there now.
Oh.
I mean, that is precision...
before it goes, 'Donk'.
Oh, wow. Ooh!
See how much that moved? Yeah.
KARUN (NARRATING): Perhaps it's not surprising
that the van groaned a bit
as our bag is only 60 kilos short of the maximum weight permitted.
How will the Transit fare?
Well, let's check the suspension then as this drops down.
I like seeing that,
because you can really see the impact that the weight has on the van.
(FORKLIFT BEEPING) Brilliant.
VICKI (NARRATING): So, the Fiat can take 1,060 kilograms.
And the Ford, 980kg.
That is an 80 kilogram difference.
Right then, what's the conclusion?
Well, it's not looking great for the Transit.
VICKI (NARRATING): In fact,
it's lost all of its load-based tests.
The suspension seemed to manage the bag of sand well,
but the Ducato can handle more weight.
So, it's clean sweep here for the Fiat.
The scores are one all. Yeah.
Should we go on the road
and see what they're like now we've got a bit of load in it?
Oh, yeah. Right, let's go.
KARUN (NARRATING): Join us later
when we discover whether the range and performance
falls to the floor once we've got a bit of work to do.
And, which is the overall winner of our EV vans challenge?
JASON: Coming up,
an intriguing sports car head-to-head... Lotus versus Tesla.
(SUSPENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
That's just brilliant.
00:24:00.720 -- 00:24:03.720 (THEME MUSIC PLAYING)
JASON: One track, two cars, and a stop watch...
which could only mean one thing.
It's time
for the Fifth Gear Recharged Shootout.
This time we've got two pure sports cars
going head-to-head.
One is an iconic petrol-powered legend.
The other, an electric trailblazer.
The Lotus Elise
is one of the finest handling sports cars ever made.
And it's been a huge success for Lotus.
But sadly, production ended in 2021 after an astonishing 25-year run.
JASON (NARRATING): This one is named after Lotus' famous F1 driver,
it's the 2009 Jim Clark Special Limited Edition,
with a supercharged 1.8 litre petrol engine,
making it to 224 horsepower.
But that might not sound like much these days.
But remember, this car weights less than a tonne,
which is why the fly-weight Lotus
can get to 60 in just 4.5 seconds.
Now, pitched against the Elise is the Tesla Roadster.
Now, this was launched in 2008,
and it was Tesla's first venture into electric cars.
Now, you might think it looks a wee-bit like the Elise.
Well, that's because Lotus helped build it.
JASON (NARRATING): The original idea was to electrify an Elise.
But by the end of the project,
only six percent of components actually made it into the Tesla.
Lotus' founder, Colin Chapman, was all about saving weight,
but EV struggled to keep weight down.
So, will this Tesla, with more power, measure up?
The Tesla might be heavier than the Lotus,
but with its 288 horsepower electric motor,
the Roadster can hit 60 in under 4 seconds.
So, this should be interesting.
On paper,
the electric Tesla beats the Lotus
but it has 300 kilograms
of extra weight,
and it's 67 grand more expensive.
Around the track,
will its extra power be enough to make up for its extra weight?
Well, there's only one way to find out.
First up then, The Lotus Elise.
Oh my god!
These are just out there.
These have got, by any standards...
one of the finest handling in the world by Lotus road cars...
that's ever been created.
I can feel everything about the car.
I can feel it breaking traction on the rear,
I can feel little bits of understeer,
I can feel how the nose dips,
I can feel all the little bumps and undulations.
I can feel the grip (INDISTINCT).
You just feel everything.
Not just in your hands,
but in your bum, in your ribs.
Everywhere.
JASON (NARRATING): Time for a fast lap.
(BEEPING)
I don't care what the lap time is, I really don't,
because it's just so fun to drive.
It's just brilliant.
It's pure driving.
It's razor sharp with it steering,
and it's really a brilliant bit of kit.
Oh my...
That...
Stop the watch.
JASON (NARRATING): The Elise crosses the line in 49.81 seconds.
Now, for the Tesla.
Now, the Lotus was about 36,000 pounds when it was new.
But this Tesla, well...
That was a much more eye-watering 103,000 pounds.
Big difference, huh?
But the Tesla was the first ever road car...
to feature lithium iron batteries.
And when you consider that in 2008...
boy, oh, boy, was this a ground-breaking bit of kit.
The trouble is that technology comes at a price.
And that price is weight.
At less than a tonne, The Elise is a very light car.
The Tesla, well it's 300 kilograms heavier,
but it does have extra horsepower and gets all that torque from zero.
So, we've got an extra 70 horsepower, and honestly, a lot more torque.
Yes, you can feel it,
but I can also feel it just feels heavy.
I think we should go for a hot lap.
So, let's get it teed up.
So, last course to get a really exit.
Right, here we go.
Start the watch.
I've got traction control off, there's not any hint of oversteer.
There's definitely more understeer than in the Elise,
the steering weight is heavier,
the brakes aren't as good.
JASON (NARRATING): At the first checkpoint,
the Tesla is already a second behind the Lotus.
It's certainly nowhere near as engaging
or as fun to drive as the Elise.
I'm a bit nervous about the brakes.
So, this fast corner here, a bit of understeer,
this will actually be good,
a low rev pick up.
Yep, good there.
JASON (NARRATING): By the second checkpoint,
the Tesla is 2.5 seconds adrift.
It feels like the Tesla has got the power,
but still it's not enough.
It's pretty good though.
In the slow corners like this, it struggles, front end.
It's, you know, by any standard, it's pretty good.
It's not anywhere near as good as the Elise.
JASON (NARRATING): By the end of the lap,
The Lotus is 3.6 seconds ahead.
And stop the watch.
JASON (NARRATING): Leaving the Tesla with the lap time of 53.48 seconds.
So, what have we learnt?
Lightweight really is the key to performance around the track.
And the Lotus Elise retains its reputation
as one of the best handling sport cars ever made.
Coming up, the going gets tough for our EV vans
when we test them with very heavy loads.
(GASPS) Here comes a hill. Crikey.
JASON (NARRATING): We also ask if a high mileage EV
makes for a smart used car buy.
This is what I want in a compact EV.
It's giving me that 'Star Trek' vibe. I'm on board.
00:31:17.720 -- 00:31:20.720 (THEME MUSIC PLAYING)
JIMMY (NARRATING): Going electric is a growing trend,
but let's be honest,
private buyers are still struggling with new car prices.
They're a serious notch upwards.
However, if you hunt around a bit, cheaper cars can be found,
because some have now been around for a decade or so,
and in the process
have clocked up some serious mileage.
JIMMY (NARRATING): A high mile EV will be cheaper,
but is it actually wise to get one
especially as replacing batteries can be five figure expensive?
We've assembled a trio of second-hand EVs
which have really been around the block,
to see how fresh they fill on the road,
and check out the actual battery life they have left.
We'll start with the Nissan Leaf.
This indeed is an exciting day,
because this is my first ever drive in the pioneering Nissan Leaf,
which was introduced in 2011.
JIMMY (NARRATING): It was practical, it was no-nonsense,
and it's eight grand today,
but it won't exactly get your heart racing.
The 24 kilowatt battery
gives a top speed of 89 miles an hour,
and the nought to 60 in about 12 seconds.
But over the years, the Leaf won plenty of admirers,
and it was the world's best selling plug in EV
until the Tesla Model 3 came along in 2020.
Well, it drives fine.
The interior, yes, it's a lit bit tatty,
but the drive train feels absolutely fine.
There's no nots, clonks, nothing feels loose.
The things I'm interested in though
are how well those batteries are performing,
and I'm a little bit concerned.
JIMMY (NARRATING): I've just driven 12.8 miles
and used 27% of the battery charge.
Do the maths,
and that gives me a total range of under 50 miles.
The official range of this car is 84 miles,
which suggests
the batteries have degraded by over 40 percent since new.
If this is accurate, than this car is in trouble.
The only way to find out
is to access the Leaf's onboard diagnostic data,
and for that, I need the help of an EV specialist, Matt Cleevely.
The state of health of the battery is at 81.98 percent.
So... Alright, that's interesting.
JIMMY (NARRATING): So, the batteries
were not nearly as done for as I feared,
and a range of nearly 70 miles is possible.
I have a theory of why my drive had depleted the charge so quickly.
It's a hot day, I've got the air con on,
and you know what?
My driving was probably terrible as well.
Of course, this display is only a guess-o-meter of that.
Well, that's 18 percent degradation over 8 years.
Mm-hm.
Is that degradation linear, as in does it continue to drop off
at the same rate of knots,
or can it be a sudden thing?
It really is dependent on use. OK.
So, how the car is used, how it's looked after as well.
So, with these batteries, heat is the enemy.
JIMMY (NARRATING): First generation Leafs
didn't have active battery cooling,
and regular overheating can shorten the pack's life.
Parking the car in the shade,
charging it only between ten and eighty percent,
and using a slow charger where possible
will help to maintain battery health.
Failure to do this could set you back 14,000 pounds,
the cost of a new battery.
Our next mega-miler is the BMW i3, which was launched in 2013
and has only just gone out of production.
Used examples are going for around 12 grand,
a third of the original price.
This car, it's definitely quirky,
it's definitely got that futuristic feel,
and that did divide opinions when it first came out.
But I got honest, BMW, I'm liking what you've done.
This is what I want in a compact EUV.
It's giving me that 'Star Trek' vibe,
I'm onboard.
Where we going, Scotty?
JIMMY (NARRATING): This car is a 2014 model
with 95,000 miles on the clock,
and officially, it should be capable
of travelling 80 miles between recharges.
Back to the garage for a proper check up.
MATT: So, we can see on this one, state of health, 83 percent.
Over the eight years,
it's just under 20 percent degradation.
Yes.
JIMMY (NARRATING): The final car comes from Tesla,
catalyst of the modern-day EV revolution.
The Model S made EV sexy
and showed the world what battery-powered could do.
It came out in 2012, costing up to 90 grand,
but this one is just over half that.
Not cheap, but cheaper.
I mean, there is basically no switch gear.
There is just this massive touch screen,
which controls pretty much everything.
If I want to turn me fan up.
No, that's not it. I can't do it.
That was my volume. Not my volume, hang on. Oh, no.
Puh! It's a minefield.
JIMMY (NARRATING): This 2018 Model S is newer that our other EVs,
but at 82,000 miles,
it's racked up a similar distance in four years.
So, has all that hard driving affected the battery performance?
Well, to be honest, I couldn't tell.
The graph I have here,
which is the remaining battery life I have,
that's reading, still, 56 percent.
JIMMY (NARRATING): It turned out
I wasn't seeing live data on the screen,
but back at base, Matt had all the info,
not just on my trip,
but on the car's entire lifetime.
As you can see,
the line of degradation over years is tiny.
It's lost 26 miles, 8.33 percent.
Over, sort of, nearly four years? Correct.
JIMMY (NARRATING): Although a new battery
would have cost ten grand,
it looks like after four years, I don't need one.
What else have I learnt?
Well, you can't always judge battery health
based on the range read out,
because so many other factors affect depletion.
But the good news is
all three of our money-saving, high-mile EV cars
seem to be in rude health.
Each is only losing
around two percent of their battery life, per year.
Our test has only covered a small sample,
but it has shown a high mileage EV
doesn't necessarily mean you're going to spend half your life
at a charging point.
And it could also save you big money on servicing and fuel costs.
VICKI (NARRATING): Welcome back to our EV van challenge.
We want to see if the Fiat E-Ducato and the Ford E-Transit
are up to a proper day's work.
Both had decent range on our ride around town,
although the Ford got our vote, thanks to a better cabin,
superior tech, and battery life.
It's got a 68 kilowatt hour battery.
KARUN (NARRATING): But the Fiat fought back in Round Two
with the more usable load bay.
Oh, wow. Ooh!
See how much that moved? Yeah.
VICKI (NARRATING): One-all then. And time for our final test.
Jason and Jimmy discovered in the last series
EV vans can throw a bit of a wobbly
when they're asked to cart some weight around.
Now, hang on. That's flat to the floor.
That's not accelerating now.
JASON: That's poor, eh? JIMMY: Yeah.
VICKI (NARRATING): So, how will our vans react
with a tonne of sand in the back that's around their maximum payload?
And for that reason, I've picked Karun out.
He might be compact, but every kilo counts.
We have chosen a route that's got a few hills,
but nothing too silly.
And with 280 newton-metres of torque in my Ducato
I think this should cope pretty well even with the extra load onboard.
KARUN (NARRATING): Two hundred and eighty newton-metres?
I laugh in your face, VBH.
The Ford E-Transit
is the most powerful electric van in the market today.
And with 261 horsepower and 430 newton-metres of torque,
it should absolutely smash
any performance that the Fiat can put together.
But with a tonne of weight in the back,
it will be interesting to see
just what the consumption numbers are like,
because when we drove around earlier,
actually it was pretty good, to be honest.
I'd be interested to see just with the hills
what a difference that makes.
VICKI (NARRATING): Karun,
I might have 150 newton-metres of torque less than you,
and be lacking horsepower,
but right now, I'm moving along quite nicely.
I can barely notice that I've got a load onboard.
Honestly, it just feels
a tiny, wheenie bit heavier at the back than before.
VICKI (NARRATING): However, I've got a few issues elsewhere.
The noise on these roads
has definitely increased in the cabin.
I can hear the suspension going over potholes,
and I can definitely feel it as well.
VICKI (NARRATING): And another problem is looming on the horizon.
(GASPS)
Here comes a hill. Oh, crikey.
I'm in Eco mode.
Ooh. Foot on the throttle.
That is my foot flat on the trottle.
It's not picking up very well.
I'm going to switch modes to Power mode.
Into Power mode,
and this behaves very much like a normal petrol diesel van.
VICKI (NARRATING): In Eco mode, acceleration is limited.
But in power mode, it unleashes all of its grunt
and top speed increases from 50 to 62 miles an hour.
My range is going to be zapped pretty quickly.
So, I'm going to pop it back into Eco, ASAP.
KARUN (NARRATING) I'm yet to reach any hills,
but I'm enjoying the ride of the E-Transit,
which has finally ditched its ancient leaf spring suspension.
I can feel the bumpy B-road I'm driving along,
it's actually a pretty comfortable ride.
And, actually, I'm not even having to go to full throttle.
I'm just about,
I'm at maybe 40 percent on the throttle,
and it's pretty effortlessly climbing up.
VICKI (NARRATING): OK, Karun, I get it,
your van is better on hills.
But owning an EV isn't all about power.
Both vehicles could save you as much 13,000 pounds in fuel
over 95,000 miles,
and an EV van could be 40 percent cheaper to service.
KARUN: Let's talk warranties.
Ford will give you three years, or 60,000 miles,
whichever comes first.
But, more importantly
when it comes to the electrical component,
including the battery,
you'll get 100,000 miles of warranty.
Which isn't as good as the Fiat,
which gets a 5 year or 100,000 mile warranty
and five years free roadside assistance.
VICKI (NARRATING): And the battery is warranted
for 8 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes sooner.
Our drive is now coming to an end.
What effect had a tonne of sand done to our range?
Empty, the Fiat had a 160 mile range,
but loaded up, this dropped to 75.
The Ford dropped from a 200 mile range to 122 miles.
Important figures to bear in mind if you often carry heavy loads.
So, we think then that the Ford definitely won the first test.
We found it more agreeable inside. Yep. Yep.
This won the second test
for different shapes and sizes to go in the back.
And then you've won the third.
Yeah, I mean, at the end of the day, the Ford is 5,000 pounds cheaper
it's got better range, and it's faster.
So, really, no-brainer. Yeah.
So, do we think then
that these vans have now become fit for purpose?
I think that if Jimmy and Jason got back in these,
after seeing two years of development
they'd be really impressed.
VICKI (NARRATING): So, it's the mighty Ford
which gets the prize for the van
that's managed its transformation to electric power the best.
If you decide to buy one,
remember you aren't obliged to wear the same uniforms as ours,
unless you really want to.
Captioned by Ai-Media ai-media.tv