First electric car experience

[gzoom]

Leaf 2 plus can do more than that range. So can Tesla 3, VW ID.3 or ID.4, in fact almost all current BEVs have a range well over 150 miles.

Infact its hard to think of a brand new EV that does less than 150 miles??

 

[Bazzer]

The advice I was given was that using the heated seat was less damaging to range than using the climate control.

That is the case with my hybrid, but the impact on the range on a full electric car should be less, given the greater number of batteries. - Unless of course you keep it on all of the time.

 

[Nebulous]

I regularly do 150 mile journeys with no provision to off street charge before I return.
I could do 77mpg on a gallon if I slip-streamed wagons like the electric cars I see (but that is way too dangerous).
Maybe you live close to everything, have you thought of cycling instead? I could move nearer one destination but then I'd be further from another regular destination so then I'd need to hope to charge on route. Doesn't work for me, not that I could afford to scrap a good car and buy a hugely (and having to be manufactured) expensive beast.
I cycle lots, I drive relatively few journeys - just that those few are long, I have a caravan but no electric car could get that more than one county away, should I scrap that even though that also is serviceable?

I also tow a caravan with a van to carry bikes. We've flipped between one and two cars repeatedly over the years.

My life has changed dramatically and I'm doing 12 hour shifts 25 miles away. That leaves my wife without a vehicle. My previous job was 2 miles from my old house and I cycled every day. We needed another vehicle and I wanted to try electric, so got a leaf. I'm confident that my new leaf will do my commute twice on a single charge.

It has a place in our lives, but certainly isn't a do-it-all vehicle. I reckon the battery usage was a worst case scenario. It was a cold day, I was playing with all the gadgetry and I was showing my father how fast it can accelerate. In normal usage I expect to modify my driving to make the most of battery life.

 

[cougie uk]

I regularly do 150 mile journeys with no provision to off street charge before I return.
I could do 77mpg on a gallon if I slip-streamed wagons like the electric cars I see (but that is way too dangerous).
Maybe you live close to everything, have you thought of cycling instead? I could move nearer one destination but then I'd be further from another regular destination so then I'd need to hope to charge on route. Doesn't work for me, not that I could afford to scrap a good car and buy a hugely (and having to be manufactured) expensive beast.
I cycle lots, I drive relatively few journeys - just that those few are long, I have a caravan but no electric car could get that more than one county away, should I scrap that even though that also is serviceable?

My wife uses the leaf for work. She probably does about 50-60 miles a day. The EV is perfect for her. Well within range but enough miles to notice the huge savings over Petrol.

If you regularly do 150 mile trips you'd just need a bigger battery on the EV.

And I never understood caravans. Isn't it better for the environment to use statics rather than tow things there and back again ?

 

[neil_merseyside]

Infact its hard to think of a brand new EV that does less than 150 miles??

But how do I get back?

 

[neil_merseyside]

My wife uses the leaf for work. She probably does about 50-60 miles a day. The EV is perfect for her. Well within range but enough miles to notice the huge savings over Petrol.

If you regularly do 150 mile trips you'd just need a bigger battery on the EV.

And I never understood caravans. Isn't it better for the environment to use statics rather than tow things there and back again ?

You could of course live nearer wife's work and she walks or cycles...
Yes but I need 350 for regular return trips, (or magic charging overnight in the middle of a residential street) or just 5 minutes in a fuel station just like refuelling is now and then it's nearly working as a plan, so that not happening.
So go on name a second-hand electric car that's £15K like my current one cost, and can that can do that 350 miles?
Better in the same way as if you only go to same self catered apartment every holiday.

 

[MrGrumpy]

And I never understood caravans. Isn't it better for the environment to use statics rather than tow things there and back again ?

better than flying anywhere surely ?

 

[cougie uk]

You could of course live nearer wife's work and she walks or cycles...
Yes but I need 350 for regular return trips, (or magic charging overnight in the middle of a residential street) or just 5 minutes in a fuel station just like refuelling is now and then it's nearly working as a plan, so that not happening.
So go on name a second-hand electric car that's £15K like my current one cost, and can that can do that 350 miles?
Better in the same way as if you only go to same self catered apartment every holiday.

My wife goes to many places of work in one day. Sadly a car is the only easy way to do this. I've not needed a car for work for over 30 years.

Where are you going that's got no charging stations in 350 miles ?

 

[MrGrumpy]

Can nobody see the issue at all in the future if we are all driving EVs ??? We are going to need more Power Stations not friggin wind mills at this rate.

 

[stoatsngroats]

Can nobody see the issue at all in the future if we are all driving EVs ??? We are going to need more Power Stations not friggin wind mills at this rate.

there are interesting things afoot in development which could assist the change towards EVs….UK-Morocco Electricity model

 

[MrGrumpy]

Just build some Nuclear Power stations .

 

[Tenkaykev]

You do realise LiFePo batteries aren't BETTER!!

They have less energy density, need more discharge heat management. The reason Tesla is using them more is because they are CHEAPER!! (So higher profit margins for Tesla).

Can you guess the battery technology Tesla is using in their most powerful, £130k+ Plaid cars?? May be latest cells in 4680 format like those found in the 3/Y? Maybe LiFePo chemistry?? Nope but Cells using the same 18650 format and chemistry as the original Model S made in 2011.

So if you want heavier, worse performing batteries interms of thermal discharge performance (but importantly also cheaper) you will be happy with a Model 3/Y using LiFePo cells, but if you want the latest and best Model S/X, for £130k+ Tesla are still using the same battery technology from 2011 .

Not as straightforward as it first appears, although LiFePo initially has less range its vastly superior lifetime charge holding capacity and inherently better safety soon start to show its advantages.
Here's a link to a comparison, it gets a bit " Sciencey " in places, but it's an interesting and informative analysis of the two chemistries.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdZL8RF3thI

 

[icowden]

So go on name a second-hand electric car that's £15K like my current one cost, and can that can do that 350 miles?
Better in the same way as if you only go to same self catered apartment every holiday.

That's the main problem at the moment. BEVs are expensive. Until the moron Johnson is out of the way, or wakes up and starts subsidising electric / penalising ICE, it will remain expensive. I was excited for the Tesla Model Y but it looks like the UK price is going to be £57,000 😭

 

[cougie uk]

Can nobody see the issue at all in the future if we are all driving EVs ??? We are going to need more Power Stations not friggin wind mills at this rate.

Not an issue according to the National Grid.

https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/journey-to-net-zero/5-myths-about-electric-vehicles-busted

 

[cougie uk]

That's the main problem at the moment. BEVs are expensive. Until the moron Johnson is out of the way, or wakes up and starts subsidising electric / penalising ICE, it will remain expensive. I was excited for the Tesla Model Y but it looks like the UK price is going to be £57,000 😭

It's a 7 seater though isn't it ?

You can pick up 2 year old EVs for under 20k. Not with 350 mile range or 7 seats but second hand prices will make EVs more affordable.