Electric vehicles

[Just4Fun]

So it sounds bad - BUT we love it and have realised that we probably only do 100 mile plus drives 10 or so times a year - so just accept planning some stops on those trips.

I guess that makes you an ideal customer for an EV. Were I in your position my decision would be much easier. In reality I need a car that can regularly do long distances in all weathers and that still seems to be a sticking point, for a while at least.

If the battery is very cold (or very hot) it can absorb less power so regenerative braking is reduced.

It seems everywhere I look I find another reason why I am not going to get the range I need in winter. If I could afford a "summer use only" car it would be fine, but ...

 

[Just4Fun]

This being what is the view with regards social etiquette, if you plug in your vehicle at the home of the person you visit? Should invites be sent out stating that you can or can not plug in, then if you do should you be expected to pay.

I have never been in that position, neither as visitor or host, but I doubt there is a simple solution. My feeling is that it would depend on how well the visitor knows the host. A family member or good friend might not be expected to pay but a casual aquaintance might. Personally I doubt I would ever expect or accept payment from a visitor but would at least offer payment if I visitted someone. Perhaps it will become a bit like tipping in a restaurant which many of us find vaguely awkward no matter how often we eat out.

 

[NormanB]

If you barely ease the throttle do you get mild deceleration even with maximum regen selected?

That’s unique to the model of the car and user input on the pedal- essentially it is a matter of the user becoming attuned to the vehicle - rather the same as jumping into a ‘new to you’ manual transmission ICE car and developing a feel for the clutch bite point.

 

[D_W]

Recent survey showed some caution.

The actual data here in the US suggests that the tesla 3 is the only car sold here so far that has reliability data similar to a good ICE car. Not that we don't have our gas-powered turds. Cadillac, US-distributed VW/Audi, etc, are probably just as bad as the Model S and Y tesla.

Most of the luxury cars sold here have poor reliability and repair history/cost data.

Rule of thumb here is that even if the domestics have something they do well (for example, the mid-design cycle domestic trucks are far more reliable than the cars from the same maker), they're still to be avoided the first year or two after a redesign. Data collected supports that - domestic makers go too bold on redesigns and then iron out the problems in the first few years of production (or drop the model). On the luxury cars, they often don't get ironed out (cadillac is supposedly going to all-EV in the future - I think the brand is dead as they haven't had a reliable car since they introduced the northstar series in the 1990s - though I'm not sure why anyone would trust them to make a reliable EV if they can't make a reliable type that's been around for more than a century).

At any rate, CR collects data here and when I had a subscription, had notified tesla that data showed the 3 to be unreliable, and that was the only reason they didn't give it their "recommendation". Tesla addressed the issues, the data is better, and it's now in the recommended list. The S and Y aren't close to my knowledge, but they're aimed at a different buyer.

 

[D_W]

I have never been in that position, neither as visitor or host, but I doubt there is a simple solution. My feeling is that it would depend on how well the visitor knows the host. A family member or good friend might not be expected to pay but a casual aquaintance might. Personally I doubt I would ever expect or accept payment from a visitor but would at least offer payment if I visitted someone. Perhaps it will become a bit like tipping in a restaurant which many of us find vaguely awkward no matter how often we eat out.

BIL has a plug in van to go with his model 3 (Depending on kids or not and long trips). I live 260 miles from BIL/SIL and while visiting, he asked me if I had 220 in the garage in the middle of a woodworking discussion. I don't, as I'm not a serious power tool user, and then he clarified that he was hoping to top off his PHEV's battery while visiting for a couple of hours. I thought that was a bit presumptuous!! He then mentioned that any time they visit SIL's parents, it's just at the end of their PHEV range and they request a recharge while visiting. Presumptuous because the car would get home just fine on a gallon or two of gas.

 

[pe2dave]

The actual data here in the US suggests that the tesla 3 is the only car sold here so far that has reliability data similar to a good ICE car.

Forbes says not?

 

[D_W]

Forbes says not?

I post post saying that tesla's only reliable car is the model 3 (and improvement from fixes based on early data trails brought the reliability into an average or better range needed to get the "recommended label"). And state S and Y are poor. Do they still make the X? I don't know.

You post an article saying no.

Article says this:
>>Indeed the only Tesla vehicle Consumer Reports could recommend is the Model 3 <<

> both physical and electronic issues in the Model X and Model S. <<

I don't know about the Y or what the balance of Y and 3 production is (I think they account for almost 90% of tesla's vehicles). My point being, if you're buying the 3, tesla does not force you to buy a Y with it.

Longer term with the 3 will be interesting. My BIL puts about 30k miles on his a year. It's 2 now. No issues so far. One data point does not make credible proof, though. I'd be comfortable with it. Just as with any manufacturer, I wouldn't buy anything that doesn't have a decent history on its own and on its current design (as in, if they made a wholesale revision of the 3 without much tie-back to what's there, I wouldn't feel safe buying it. Our domestics here have proven that out over and over - not a safe buy.

 

[Droogs]

for those who want to see the future of the garage forecourt

 

[NikNak]

Why would you think this was aimed at you?

I didn't, i was merely stating that i along with millions of others would not class my self as 'rich'.

So we (me and the co driver "what does this button do..?" ) took the Niro4+ ev out today for a jaunt of 120 miles or so in the pouring rain, and Oh... My... Fffflippin'... God... what... a... car...!! Its happy to just poodle along in slow moving traffic. But when you click it into Sport mode and put your foot to the floor its also happy to give you a free face lift, which also stopped her from wondering what buttons did

 

[MusicMan]

If you barely ease the throttle do you get mild deceleration even with maximum regen selected?

Yes.

 

[MusicMan]

If regenerative braking similar to appyling the brakes, a high level of "braking assistance" in snow or ice could be a real safety concern

On the Leaf it is not as aggressive as applying the brakes. I doubt if it would lead to skids, but I haven't yet tried it.

 

[MusicMan]

Musicman,

I thought I would bring a little amusement into your life. My wife has bought herself a Nissan Leaf; gave me a lecture on "green things" and has told me to get a home charger ordered..asap. Thank god delivery is some time in the New Year.

I'm still laughing at the irony of it all.

Al

So ironic, you could pick it up with a magnet! You clearly married wisely!

 

[NikNak]

@Just4Fun and @MusicMan.... i found if you just ease off the throttle the same as you normally would in your ICE car, so you end up almost coasting(?) but still maintaining 50ish lets say, then you can see from the fangled graphic display that you're also regenerating. All clever stuff....

 

[Droogs]

does anyone know what a fangle is? I have been saying new fangled this and that all my life and don't have a clue.

 

[Blackswanwood]

does anyone know what a fangle is? I have been saying new fangled this and that all my life and don't have a clue.

I think it is derived from fancy from looking at the dictionary definition?

 

[Rorschach]

I didn't, i was merely stating that i along with millions of others would not class my self as 'rich'.

You are still making no sense whatsoever.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

With all the points raised and answered, I have yet to hear the the answer to the one question regarding EV cars that I have. This being what is the view with regards social etiquette, if you plug in your vehicle at the home of the person you visit? Should invites be sent out stating that you can or can not plug in, then if you do should you be expected to pay.
You may believe this a silly point, but if you are visiting and you need to recharge, what do you do? Stop at a recharge point prior to visiting or afterwards or spend that hour with your friends/family.

I have a vision of hosting a dinner party (post Covid, obviously): 12 guests would equate to 6 cars, probably. How much extension cable spaghetti do you need running out of the front door to accommodate everyone? It is an interesting point. I'm sure that social media will find the correct solution and enforce it on everyone through ritual humiliation for contravention. Perhaps you will be required to supply a charge point to anyone who needs power - a modern version of philoxenia for the weary traveller.

 

[MikeJhn]

Alfa have always made beautiful cars, just a shame they have never sorted out where to put the front number plate, always looks an after thought.

If any visitor presumptuously asked where the could plug in, I would certainly tell them where to stick their plug, or tell them my charge point is broken, two choices take your pick.

 

[Just4Fun]

I'm sure that social media will find the correct solution

No need to be sarcastic . When has that ever happened?

Interesting point about multiple guests needing access to a charge point. The same problem will arise every day in multi-car households. Extra charge points would mean additional installation costs, and many people will not have suitable parking for multiple cars to have access to a charge point.

 

[Oaktree11]

Hi all,
Just a few observations of my own. I bought a Hyundai Kona ev. I have done a lot of research and one of the things that is clear to me is that in these early (almost pioneering) days there are few of the companies involved who have made the change of mindset that I think is required. My Hyundai dealer for example doesn’t have an ev specialist. The salesman, who I like btw, was briefed but had no deep knowledge about the finer points. Their maintenance regime requires one service a year...why? This is just ICE thinking read across to EV’s.
My insurance on the old car (a Mercedes E350 convertible) had 3 months to run, I had to cancel it because the underwriter won’t cover an EV so I can’t just change the vehicle ... what??
I know it’s early days but it’s changing fast. My car has a 64kW (useable) battery. I can fill this up at 5p/kWh overnight so under £4 for a real life minimum 250 mile range. 1.6p/mile. No road tax, insurance (from a switched on (pun intended) underwriter £250 annually, half what I was paying.
It’s a pleasure to drive, not perfect but damned good and I am sure that in the next few years the volume of Ev’s will increase dramatically.
No going back for me