EV Owners Thread

[Legs]

2: We would not be happy charging a car away from the house, out of sight with an expensive cable (that would have to be at least 25 meters long) that can be pinched

When the car is locked and charging, the cable is physically locked into the car's charging port, so cannot be pinched.

 

[Legs]

Yes.

You are going to get a parking space somewhere. And that somewhere is always going to be within 25m of a lamppost unless there is no street lighting. it doesn't matter if you aren't next to the lamppost, the cable can happily run down the gutter, past other vehicles. This is already working well in many areas of London, Brighton and other densely populated areas with few driveways.

What happens at dropped kerbs when you need to drive out over someone's cable, or where the cable presents a tripping hazard to pedestrians? Do you need to lug these about as well?

I love my EV and it's really practical to charge it at home with our big driveway, but I'd agree that it would be a right nuisance if we weren't lucky enough to have off-road parking.

 

[ianrauk]

When the car is locked and charging, the cable is physically locked into the car's charging port, so cannot be pinched.

It can be damaged or cut though.

But, it's a moot point anyway.
For us, a fully electric car just will not work. We've discussed it. There are far too many downsides and hoops at the moment to make it a viable option, hence the hybrid route.

 

[potsy]

It can be damaged or cut though.

But, it's a moot point anyway.
For us, a fully electric car just will not work. We've discussed it. There are far too many downsides and hoops at the moment to make it a viable option, hence the hybrid route.

Assuming you are talking about a PHEV where will you charge it up?
I hear of people buying these then not actually ever plugging them in, so running purely off the engine.

I thought about one myself, could charge at home to use the small battery for commutes, and have the engine for longer trips, still undecided so doing nothing yet.

 

[fossyant]

Get a dirty diesel van, you'll wonder how you ever managed without one. Best thing I've done. Might, one day, supplement it with a little leccy city car.

 

[ianrauk]

Get a dirty diesel van, you'll wonder how you ever managed without one. Best thing I've done. Might, one day, supplement it with a little leccy city car.

Our current car (Mokka) is a diesel.

 

[ianrauk]

Assuming you are talking about a PHEV where will you charge it up?
I hear of people buying these then not actually ever plugging them in, so running purely off the engine.

I thought about one myself, could charge at home to use the small battery for commutes, and have the engine for longer trips, still undecided so doing nothing yet.

Self charging hybrid.

 

[Tenkaykev]

Our current car (Mokka) is a diesel.

I got one of their stove top coffees pots, didn't realise they'd diversified into transport.

 

[CXRAndy]

Self charging hybrid.

These are the worst type. The battery is miniscule, used for pulling away generally, when they go down, the car has to use more fuel to charge as well as the extra weight of the battery and charging system.

A plug in hybrid with 40-60 mile range is a fairly good compromise. Do commutes in EV mode and long journeys with the ICE

 

[ianrauk]

These are the worst type. The battery is miniscule, used for pulling away generally, when they go down, the car has to use more fuel to charge as well as the extra weight of the battery and charging system.

A plug in hybrid with 40-60 mile range is a fairly good compromise. Do commutes in EV mode and long journeys with the ICE

As per my previous posts. Plug in's simply doesn't work for us.

 

[Buck]

And that is the biggest challenge with EV take up, as @ianrauk says, on street charging is going to be a real hurdle both in terms of infrastructure/pricing and also adoption by the end user. It sounds easy but things never are as simple as the plan says!

For those of us with drives/ off street parking, charging is so much less of an issue that it is not a barrier. If I only had on street parking and not necessarily outside my house, my conversion to an EV would have to be much more thought through and costs/(in)convenience really looked at.

 

[Venod]

Having my Volvo XC40 (petrol) serviced today, they have loaned me a Polestar 4 twin motor all singing and dancing version, all I can say is wow, the lack of a rear window didn't detract from the positive experience.

 

[icowden]

What happens at dropped kerbs when you need to drive out over someone's cable, or where the cable presents a tripping hazard to pedestrians? Do you need to lug these about as well?

If there is no off street parking the dropped kerbs are not an issue. Even if there were a dropped kerb, there is still usually a lip and a car crossing the cable isn't going to notice it. It isn't a sleeping policeman. The cable is not on the pavement so no impact on pedestrians. It goes from lamppost to the road to the car.

Obviously if the lamppost were recessed on the other side of the pavement, then yes, it would be a problem, but lampposts are usually next to the road.

 

[icowden]

1: Unfortunately, changing lamp posts to cater for cars is not going to happen any time soon, at least not in my area.

Out of interest what area are you in?

2: We would not be happy charging a car away from the house, out of sight with an expensive cable (that would have to be at least 25 meters long) that can be pinched

It wouldn't have to be at least 25m long. 10 would cover 50% of use cases. 20 pretty much 100%. In residential areas, lamp posts are usually closer together, and the chances of you having to park dead in the middle are slim.

3: Cost of public charging is much higher then charging at home

This is the biggest problem to me. That difference needs to be brought down.

So for those 3 reasons. we won't ever be getting a fully electric car rather then a hybrid.

I'm on the fence with hybrids - they tend to catch fire a lot more than pure ICE or EV.

 

[icowden]

Having my Volvo XC40 (petrol) serviced today, they have loaned me Polestar 4 twin motor all singing and dancing version, al I can say is wow, the lack of a rear window didn't detract from the positive experience.

Nice loaner you lucky swine!