Little on the outside, large on range

[salty]

I think spare tyres are just a dying fashion. Lots of new ICE cars don't have them.

More's the pity.

 

[Rolfe]

Tell me about it....

 

[Bam Bam]

I think spare tyres are just a dying fashion. Lots of new ICE cars don't have them.

True enough.

But then why not just have a deep space there like there is on the Puma-E?

I have assumed the Puma offers this because it only has a small battery (43.5kWh). That 8kWh difference gives you space for a boot well.

Sure, it's just an assumption, but battery modules inevitably take up space somewhere.

 

[siteguru]

Is the Puma FWD or RWD? The MG4 is RWD so the motor is in the rear, thus available height is reduced.

 

[Bam Bam]

Is the Puma FWD or RWD? The MG4 is RWD so the motor is in the rear, thus available height is reduced.

That's a good point. It is FWD, so no need for the motor at the back. That will make a difference to the well space.

I've just looked it up and in the Puma-E they put the battery under the back seats and made the car a bit taller and longer than the petrol version.

I think that would have to be the answer here. If you put in both a skateboard battery and an under-back-seat battery bank. Maybe then you could squeeze more in without losing boot or a seat.

I guess there are all sorts of options. The new Maserati has the battery running between the passengers so that they are closer to the ground. I just think you're likely to lose some cabin or storage space space if you add much more battery into a small car.

 

[Everest]

Am I alone ?

No

Personally I like the comfort of knowing I've got that little bit extra in reserve on journeys.

What about an ID.3 with 77kWh battery - that might fit the bill?

 

[Bam Bam]

What about an ID.3 with 77kWh battery - that might fit the bill?

Or the MG4 ER which has been discontinued due to low sales?

I assume this is too large a car for @Gomev

[looking back they asked for "Renault 5 or similar." This has a smaller footprint than the MG4/ID3 (and as a result limited space in the back seats)].

 

[Gomev]

I am unconvinced that you can fit more batteries in the skateboard chassis of a small car, though I don't have data to hand so I'm not inconvincible.

There isn't room in my MG4 for a spare tyre because there are batteries under there. Is that just because it is LFP? The MG4 has a medium-sized chassis, but you want an even smaller footprint for a small car.

I accept that this will be possible if battery density increases, but for now I think you would either have to double up the battery in the floor (so the car becomes very tall) or stuff extra batteries in extra places.

Happy to be proven wrong on that if you have any examples of a skateboard chassis with a small footprint (wheelbase and width) and high capacity.

Doesn't the MG4 have 3 battery sizes on the same skateboard platform, 49, 64 and 77kWh versions? So quite a fair bit of variation.

Or the MG4 ER which has been discontinued due to low sales?

I assume this is too large a car for @Gomev

[looking back they asked for "Renault 5 or similar." This has a smaller footprint than the MG4/ID3 (and as a result limited space in the back seats)].

No it's not too big, as I mentioned in my original post the Kona is fine for 2 of us as would be the MG4 apart from it's too low and and the sills too wide. We looked when it first came out and I do still like the look of it.
My main issue there is only the 2 of us and we rarely carry any passengers at all so in practical terms we don't need a big car, but we do like long road trips. I may be weird, (I don't think I am ) as I find driving really relaxing and enjoyable but find if I don't need to charge on a long run or day out say 250-300 miles it's even more comfortable.
My Kona fits the bill but there is very little, if any, choice of smaller cars with 300 range. If I won the lottery I would be more than happy in a big car with humungous range with a little second city runaround but that ain't happened yet, so I need a dual purpose city runaround and a GT for trips.

 

[Bam Bam]

No it's not too big, as I mentioned in my original post the Kona is fine for 2 of us as would be the MG4 apart from it's too low and and the sills too wide. We looked when it first came out and I do still like the look of it.
My main issue there is only the 2 of us and we rarely carry any passengers at all so in practical terms we don't need a big car, but we do like long road trips. I may be weird, (I don't think I am ) as I find driving really relaxing and enjoyable but find if I don't need to charge on a long run or day out say 250-300 miles it's even more comfortable.
My Kona fits the bill but there is very little, if any, choice of smaller cars with 300 range. If I won the lottery I would be more than happy in a big car with humungous range with a little second city runaround but that ain't happened yet, so I need a dual purpose city runaround and a GT for trips.

So, the cyberster, then?

I guess it would be possible to have a double-thickness skateboard to meet your specifications. Then you could have double the battery capacity.

The car would get quite tall, which would be fine for you by the sounds of it.

I don't think it will happen (until battery density improves) because it would mean designing a car around a niche market which would no doubt mean a lot of compromises being made. The unnecessary height and wasted space underneath would make the standard range versions less appealing.

But you have got me thinking it would be nice to have some more modularity/customisability, such as an option to replace a back seat with a battery pack to achieve a longer range.

 

[Gomev]

So, the cyberster, then?

I guess it would be possible to have a double-thickness skateboard to meet your specifications. Then you could have double the battery capacity.

The car would get quite tall, which would be fine for you by the sounds of it.

I don't think it will happen (until battery density improves) because it would mean designing a car around a niche market which would no doubt mean a lot of compromises being made. The unnecessary height and wasted space underneath would make the standard range versions less appealing.

But you have got me thinking it would be nice to have some more modularity/customisability, such as an option to replace a back seat with a battery pack to achieve a longer range.

I'm not sure whether you are mis-reading, or misunderstanding what I have been writing.
Cyberster, no - If the MG4 is too low then....... oh and I still haven't won the lottery.
Again the Gen 1 Kona that I have more or less hits the spot with an achievable 300 mile range, (I'm not asking for 500) small crossover but long range. This however has been superseded by the Gen 2 which is bigger, has a slightly bigger battery and less range.
The point is that cars are getting bigger and it's difficult to find a new smaller car with the larger range such as I have already, they have split into camps, small with small range, large with options of small and long range. Well I want small with long range.

 

[Everest]

The point is that cars are getting bigger and it's difficult to find a new smaller car with the larger range such as I have already, they have split into camps, small with small range, large with options of small and long range. Well I want small with long range

ID.3 with 77kWh battery then

 

[GaryMG4]

Kia EV3, 81.4 kWh?

 

[Gomev]

ID.3 with 77kWh battery then

How low is the ID3, I've not tried one ?

Kia EV3, 81.4 kWh?

I've seen them about, they look huge possibly look bigger than they are, maybe it's the box shape ? My missus looked at it and said it's ugly.

 

[GaryMG4]

I've seen them about, they look huge possibly look bigger than they are, maybe it's the box shape ? My missus looked at it and said it's ugly.

It is pretty boxy and I agree the Kia 'look' is a bit marmite. It seemed smaller than our 71 plate eNiro, so did the 25 plate Niro that we had as courtesy car while they sorted ours out. The EV2 has a range around 270 for LR so I guess that's too low.

 

[Everest]

How low is the ID3, I've not tried one ?

Low as in seat height, or overall height of vehicle? Similar size to a Golf, but a bit higher. Smaller than MG4 or Kia Niro.

 

[Rolfe]

Do you think a Golf is smaller than an MG4? Mine seems to take up pretty much the same space in my garage.

 

[Gomev]

Low as in seat height, or overall height of vehicle? Similar size to a Golf, but a bit higher. Smaller than MG4 or Kia Niro.

Seat height. The main issue as we age (dis)gracefully is getting in and out and it ain't gonna get easier.

 

[Ian Key]

Seat height. The main issue as we age (dis)gracefully is getting in and out and it ain't gonna get easier.

That's why I exchanged my MG4 for the MGS5.

 

[Everest]

Seat height. The main issue as we age (dis)gracefully is getting in and out and it ain't gonna get easier.

It's noticeably higher than Golf or 3-series BMW - def easier to get in and out of compared to those - and higher view when you're in it. But you don't have to climb up into it, like an SUV. You should try one

Do you think a Golf is smaller than an MG4? Mine seems to take up pretty much the same space in my garage

It looked it to me, but then I was comparing with Golf MK6, not the latest one. A Google search came up with MG4 at 4,287 mm long and 1,836 mm wide, compared to the Golf Mk6 at 4,199 mm long and 1,779 mm wide.

 

[Rolfe]

My Golf was a Mk6, so obviously it must have been slightly smaller.