Your questions answered: Why did the Optus outage stop my EV from charging?

The widely publicised Optus network outage has made it to the carsales YQA column this week, with readers asking why it meant they couldn’t charge their EV.

Another EV owner is also dealing with some big issues with their new car and wondering how they can get a replacement under Australian Consumer Law.

On a more practical front, we’ve got families on the hunt for cars that use less (or no) fuel, including a second-hand hybrid SUV that comfortably fits three child seats. Someone else is after a larger SUV that can take snow chains.

As Chinese brands continue to rise up the sales charts, we’ve also got readers wondering whether to take the plunge with a budget-priced Chinese SUV or stick with a more familiar brand.

Question: I heard that the Optus outage this week left drivers of electric vehicles unable to charge. Why? Why does a power cable need internet connection? And surely this makes a laughing stock of the whole EV thing? – James G

Answer: That’s right, people trying to use some chargers – including those from the Evie network – were unable to charge because the charging station did not have a data connection with its head office. The connection is primarily done to authorise payments.

Evie also distributes RFID cards, which could still be used on the day of the Optus outage because the chargers still had an electricity supply.

However, if you’re anything like me the last thing you want tumbling around in your pocket is another card. It’s so much easier just having an app on your phone – especially when there are so many different charging networks that all require you to have an account with them.

Still, it was a salient reminder of how much we all rely on technology and connectivity these days. Perhaps the charging operators need to think of a redundancy for times like this. Perhaps allowing the electricity to flow for free if the network goes down?

Question:

I picked up the Kia 26/06/2023. Lovely to drive, but about 615km later the brakes “juddered”, a loud beeping came on with a big red error message “Stop safely and check brake system”. It was towed to local dealer, problem not still present and the only defect found was a dirty grounding rod and increased resistance between the chassis and 12V battery. I was then away for quite a few weeks, so it was not until 22/09/2023 that the same thing happened again, while doing 105km/h down Bass Hwy (odometer now 2334km). Towed again to the dealership, problem still present, but no answer, so on 3/10/2023 the car was trucked to a larger dealership where the car had been purchased. Problem still present, no specific defect identified to date, except that there appears to be a communication problem between some of the electronic control modules.

I looked up my ACCC consumer rights, and currently this car ticks all four boxes for a major defect. I gather that, although the dealership will provide supporting documentation, it is up to the owner to initiate any contact re: my consumer rights with Kia, so did so 6/10/2023. Got a polite non very forthcoming response, as expected. To request of refund/replacement etc the car “cannot be fixed or is too difficult to fix within a reasonable period of time”.

My question that I desperately need help with is simple: How long is a reasonable period of time?

Will I end up with an expensive but unsafe car that I don’t trust and which I can’t trade in? If you can give any advice I would be very appreciative. I just need more information before I can work out how to approach this. – Mary

Answer: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) oversees Australian Consumer Law (ACL), but likes to have some vagaries around its wording, presumably to allow some wriggle room and possibly to encourage manufacturers and dealers to do the right thing by consumers rather than point out the car is one day past the deadline.

Your first step is talking to the dealer you bought the car from and telling them what you want and expect. Point out that ACL has provisions for major defects and that you believe this is a major defect.

We’d also recommend speaking to Kia’s customer service centre to point out your concerns and request what you’d like done.

Failing that, the next step is to speak to fair trading in your state. They should offer advice as to your rights. They will also be able to facilitate negotiations with the dealer if you’re still hitting brick walls.

It’s not always a smooth process and can take time, but rest assured you will not end up with a car that is safe or difficult to sell; that’s what ACL is designed to stop.

In the meantime, ask the dealer for a loan vehicle.

Question:

Answer: There’s really only one hybrid SUV option you’d consider from around 2020 and that’s the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Toyota still dominates in sales of hybrids and has only really faced proper competition in the last couple of years.

The challenge with RAV4 Hybrids is they’re very popular on the used car market, so prices are high.

The Toyota Corolla Cross is slightly smaller but still a practical size (it’d be similar in size to your older Sportage; the newer Sportage has grown a lot in size), but it didn’t hit the market until 2022. That said, its size means it should be cheaper than a RAV4 Hybrid of a similar age.

As for fitting three child seats across the rear, that depends as much as anything on the child seats. If they’re broad then there aren’t many cars on the market that will work for them. But narrower ones might just slot in.

The other option is to step up to a seven-seater, which obviously means a bigger vehicle that could potentially cost more. But it gives you the option of putting one of the child seats in the third row. However, you also need to check that the car has top tether points for child seats in that third row; many – including the Toyota Kluger Hybrid – don’t.

The Kia Sorento is one that does and it has been offered with a hybrid system since 2021 onwards. Don’t bother with the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version because it was more expensive. The regular hybrid works fine.

See our recent article on hybrid family cars, which covers various SUVs and different forms of hybrid systems.

Question:

In terms of an upgrade to a newer vehicle (used is fine), is there a recommendation that can be made please?

My thoughts are a car that’s up to two to three years old. Any make other than Volvo. Volvo standard wheels do not have the clearance for Diamond pattern chains so each winter the narrower set go on the car. – Anthony

Answer: You may find Volvo isn’t the only one with challenges going over the big, wide tyres that the Euros love so much. That said, many brands sometimes have options for chains on certain models, again dependent on the size of the wheels and tyres.

So we wouldn’t rule Volvo out, especially with the imminent arrival of the Volvo EX90, the all-electric replacement for the XC90. Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but it’ll be well into six figures, which may be out of your budget.

If you’re prepared to go mainstream then the Hyundai Palisade is an excellent option. Or you could go slightly smaller – but still large – with a Kia Sorento.

A left-fielder is the Genesis GV80. As the luxury arm of Hyundai, Genesis packs plenty in and the GV80 is a terrific option.

You could also do a lot worse than the longer, seven-seat version of the Lexus RX (look for an “L” at the end of the model name). Our anecdotal experience – and discussions with mechanics – suggests that of all the luxury brands Lexus tends to have the fewest issues once the warranty expires. So even if you’re looking at options with 100,000km on the odo there’s a fair chance a well looked after one will have many years ahead of it.

Back to the EV options, which start to make more sense if the price is below $90K. That’s because you can take advantage of the federal government’s generous FBT exemption that potentially saves thousands per year.

The only challenge will be finding a seven-seater. The best option is the Kia EV9, but it’s way over $100K once you get it on the road.

That leaves the Tesla Model Y and Kia EV6 as the best five-seat alternatives, each with a very spacious cabin for five.

Question: I have been an owner of a Nissan LEAF for 12 years and a Tesla Model S for eight-plus years with no problems.

Given the range anxiety with the LEAF which is now around a mere 80km (and the new one has a pathetic range of circa-250km), my wife needs a new EV. We looked at research around the MG EVs but we are a bit dubious and consider the Hyundai IONIQ the better option. So we would be interested in your advice about the Hyundai IONIQ 5 as opposed to the MG as our budget as retirees is a bit limited and we want to limit our spending to less than $70K. – Alan M

Answer: The original Nissan LEAF is known for battery degradation issues, in part because it didn’t have a liquid cooling/heating system to manage the temperature of the battery pack. How much range is remaining is something to look out for when buying one second-hand.

As for replacements… The MG4 is a great budget option, albeit one that’s sparsely equipped. The MG ZS EV is not as convincing.

When you say Hyundai IONIQ, we’re assuming you mean the IONIQ 5, which is a great mid-sized option. Hyundai has just released a more affordable entry-level model, although its range has dropped slightly.

Also look at the Kia EV6, which has more polish to its suspension and is also an excellent option, although it will just break your budget.

And don’t ignore the Tesla Model Y. You’re clearly familiar with the brand and know the advantages of the Tesla charging network. And what the Tesla lacks in terms of cabin ambience it makes up for with impressive tech and ease of use – as well as solid value.

Question:

I drive a semi-trailer on afternoon shift and as night comes on there is always someone driving with no lights except for the daytime lights and no tail-lights, I can see the dash lit up bright as day so there is not much going on to jolt the driver’s attention.

Answer: You’ve touched on the issue here: dash lights. Many modern cars have digital instrument clusters or a dashboard that illuminates even during the day. So instead of having a dark dashboard – as happens on many older cars – to prompt you to turn the lights on, you end up with everything lit up like New Year’s Eve, leaving the driver to think that everything is fine.

Most cars these days have auto headlights, although you can still override them if you want – or if you accidentally flick a switch. Either way, a simple change to the Australian Design Rules could easily fix the issue. Then again, there’s nothing simple about government departments trying to make a logical change…

While we’re having a rant, we’d like to rant about those people who think parking lights are okay to use at dusk. Here’s a clue: they’re called parking lights for a reason. If it’s dull enough to warrant lights, then why not go the full monty?

Question: Chery Omoda 5 versus Kia Seltos Sport? I like both vehicles with some reservations with the Chery. Being an older driver, is the Chery too technical to try to understand? What would be your recommendation? Both are within our budget. I’ve yet to drive both cars. — Katrina

Answer: Each has its pros and cons. The Chery Omoda 5 looks terrific in the showroom but loses some of its shine when you get it on the road. The engine doesn’t always meld nicely with the transmission and the suspension is softer to the detriment of driver satisfaction and surefootedness.

But its biggest issue is over-zealous driver assistance systems, or electronic aids. From the speed warning and auto braking to the lane departure system there can be a heck of a lot of warnings and unwarranted beeping. The systems need a lot better calibration.

The Kia Seltos may not have as much of the showroom glitz, but it makes up for it with a solid core that sets the foundation for a better car. The Seltos is terrific to drive and is a sensible size with decent value.

We’re less enamoured by the speed warning beeps that have to be turned off every time you get in the car. Otherwise, if you indicate 1km/h over the limit you’re getting four loud bongs.

Got a question but don’t know where to find the information you need? Email us at editor@carsales.com.au

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