About to get a C Zero...what's your best tips about the car?

My wife wanted a small automatic car....a bit of research showed them to be pretty rubbish. Either a fuel sapping auto, an iffy CVT or an automated manual box - which also seems to have dubious reliability.

And then I found out about the Ion/C Zero clones. The car would be an ideal second car for pottering about in and commuting. There were no secondhand ones near Manchester, but we found one in Chester, had a test drive and were impressed enough to put a deposit down on it. British Gas are fitting a charging point at the front of the house for £115......and then we will pick it up.

I've been reading lots of useful information on here and have ordered a couple of cheapo electric heated seat covers....but what else would you recommend to a new owner to get the best out of the car ?

Congrats Monty-

When driving the car, my wife's slow-but-steady consistency produces very accurate range remainder estimates, but I put on more miles than she and have decided that going electric means you can be bipolar! If I'm going less than 45 miles, I drive it like I stole it, but have honed my hypermiling techniques for distance driving.
If you have the remote control- the defrost setting is most effective for pre-heating, which is a wonderful luxury in a cool and clammy climate like we share.

Don't worry about any charging regimen other than plugging it in when you get home, and think twice about passing up any easy opportunity to charge. Slow vs Fast charging has consumed much bandwidth here and elsewhere, with zero-to-minimal results. One study comparing a LEAF that was exclusively charged via CHAdeMO (Level 3, 330V DC) found only 2% additional battery capacity loss in a year, and our car has far superior thermal management of the battery!

The skinny tires may look scary if you're accustomed to fat rollers, but roadholding is quite good and the understeer is very predictable. I often plow right through wet corners with confidence that I could never muster in an old aircooled VW!

+1 what Jray3 said

Plug (where ever possible) & play


Enjoy

One of best and useful addons could be CanIon android app with appropriate OBD reader. It's like (what Malm said) being blind no more.

I bought a Hippo Bag from Homebase which I use with the back seats folded to carry stuff to the tip without making the interior all messy.
I also made a couple of adapters so I can charge from a "Blue Commando" outlet (like you find at campsites for electric hookup) - carrying these with me always has meant I have never had to use them ;-).
I never use the range remaining readout, because I live somewhere hilly which seems to confuse it - after a few weeks using it for our regular trips we got used to where we could and couldn't go on a single charge.

Many thanks.

I've collected the car and having done 100 miles in it I'm grinning from ear to ear. It's brilliant.

The regen is different to the imiev, as you probably know. It very controllable via the accelerator and I've driven the 18 into manchester from our house with five brake applications !

I'm concerned that the brake light doesn't come on when regenning though - its quite fierce at high speeds and I've had a few cars get very close. Is there a mod to put them on ?

I find it hard to judge speed without an engine note too.

And driving it in a car park with pedestrian s around is very nerve wracking !

Other than that....The public chademo charger at Etihad manchester is great and everyone who has been in it loves it.