Electric vehicles

[Just4Fun]

Yet Finland sales of EV top ICE this year. I would expect the charging infrastructure to be accelerating rapidly.

I have no idea TBH. The state of the charging infrastructure is of no consequence when my goal would be to not use it, but to charge at home.

I haven't checked but I'm guessing there are tax incentives at work there.

I don't know much about it but I believe there are tax incentives. I have heard (but don't know if this is true) that the incentives are distorting the market for little benefit. The story I have heard is that the tax incentives, particularly for company cars, mean that by buying the hybrid version of a car at a discounted price you can afford a better spec car than if buying the ICE version. Apparently there are "many" people who buy a hybrid but never charge it. The result is that now cars are being traded in with the charging cables still in their original wrappings, never having been used. People only bought the hybrid version to get a better car at a discounted price and never had any intention of plugging it in.

 

[Just4Fun]

The battery degredation that occurs when charging to 100% only happens for the time the car is at 100%. If you driven soon after reaching the 100% mark theres very little impact on longevity. Some cars like BMWi3 and some of the MG4's youre recommended to charge to 100% and it has no bearing on longevity at all.

That's interesting. As my calculations are approaching a tipping point a small change like this can make a significant difference. I am still not quite ready to pull the trigger on an EV, but it is certainly getting closer. Close enough that I may try test driving a car or two. I'll probably wait until winter to do that so I can get some impression of how low temperatures affects things.

 

[johnb80]

That's interesting. As my calculations are approaching a tipping point a small change like this can make a significant difference. I am still not quite ready to pull the trigger on an EV, but it is certainly getting closer. Close enough that I may try test driving a car or two. I'll probably wait until winter to do that so I can get some impression of how low temperatures affects things.

Look for LFP battery chemistry, theyre good for 100%, some manufacturers (eg BMW i3) put an internal buffer into the battery pack so you always charge to 100% which equates to 90% in real terms.

 

[mg123]

I have no idea TBH. The state of the charging infrastructure is of no consequence when my goal would be to not use it, but to charge at home.

I don't know much about it but I believe there are tax incentives. I have heard (but don't know if this is true) that the incentives are distorting the market for little benefit. The story I have heard is that the tax incentives, particularly for company cars, mean that by buying the hybrid version of a car at a discounted price you can afford a better spec car than if buying the ICE version. Apparently there are "many" people who buy a hybrid but never charge it. The result is that now cars are being traded in with the charging cables still in their original wrappings, never having been used. People only bought the hybrid version to get a better car at a discounted price and never had any intention of plugging it in.

I may be wrong, but aren't the batteries in hybrid cars charged when using the ICE?

 

[johnb80]

I may be wrong, but aren't the batteries in hybrid cars charged when using the ICE?

Not always, it depends on the car and configuration. BMWi3 REX for example can only be set to maintain the SOC whereas Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV can be configured to charge, maintain or use the engine.

 

[Lons]

The story I have heard is that the tax incentives, particularly for company cars, mean that by buying the hybrid version of a car at a discounted price you can afford a better spec car than if buying the ICE version. Apparently there are "many" people who buy a hybrid but never charge it. The result is that now cars are being traded in with the charging cables still in their original wrappings, never having been used. People only bought the hybrid version to get a better car at a discounted price and never had any intention of plugging it in.

If that is the case then it's counter productive as the cars are carrying excess battery weight being pulled by an often smaller ICE having to work hard which means more pollution. It also means the battery is not being used at all for the term of the lease so not in great condition when sold on to a new owner. Not good.

 

[Just4Fun]

If that is the case then it's counter productive

Agreed. If true it means the politicians have screwed things up so badly that their solution is doing more harm than good. Colour me shocked.