EV Acceleration + Idiot - Experience = Dangerous?

[ALFAitalia]

....and that assuming that you can find an unoccupied charging point.....

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Totally agree. But remember, it's fine! - "Just go for a coffee......", the oft used mantra repeated up and down the land my EVangelists.

Makes me laugh that one, if i'm driving to the Alps (~700 miles from home for me door to door), the last thing I want to do is stop every 200-300 miles for more than a few minutes doing anything. Call me old fashioned but I like to reach my destinations in a reasonable amount of time, not spend the first day of my holiday touring motorway service stations waiting for my car to charge.

Stopping twice for 30 minutes sounds like I’d “need’ to be stationary for less time than I’d “want” to be stationary on a 700 mile trip.

Even if I didn’t want to stop for coffee (which I would), then stopping to refuel, eat, drink and answer the calls of nature on what is likely to be a 10-12 hour journey would equate to at least an hour (I would say more).

PS I know a 10 year old Nissan Leaf won’t be capable of that range or charging speed, but I wouldn’t choose to drive to the Alps in one, just like I wouldn’t my choose to drive there in a 10 year old Almera (if there was such a thing).

 

[Dippo]

It's a vicious circle. You have to stop to charge, so you have a coffee. Then you need to answer the call of nature, so you stop, may as well charge while you're stopped, and have another cup of coffee while it's charging. And repeat.

 

[markjay]

I have no doubt that a long journey in an EV requires careful planning, and that it is far less convenient than in a petrol or Diesel car.

However, I have an EV for just over a year now, and not once did I charge it away from home.

The range is 300+ miles which is common on many new EVs. My longest journey so far got me back home with 20% battery left.

Obviously, it varies, and some people routinely do long journeys. But I have an uneasy feeling about this, and at times it seems to me that the '30 minutes refueling stop' is being used just as a point of argument in the debate.

I am sure that there are many people like me for whom a 300+ miles range on a single charge is more than enough, and who wouldn't mind a couple of 30 minutes stops on the rare occasion when they do go on a long drive.

 

[E55BOF]

What's the range cruising at 85 mph?

 

[Doodle]

and at times it seems to me that the '30 minutes refueling stop' is being used just as a point of argument in the debate.

For the average man in the street though, it's the harsh reality because while 300+ mile EVs exist they're out of his price range. The experience in the cheap seats is somewhat different when it comes to electric motoring, even something entry level like the Zoe is the wrong side of £30k now.

 

[markjay]

What's the range cruising at 85 mph?

No idea, I drive 65 on the Motorway.

The range is indeed affected by speed, but even more so by ambient temperature. In the summer while driving on A roads and B roads the range on a full charge can get as high as 340 miles, in the winter on Motorways it can go as low as 270 miles.

(My IONIQ 5 is a very early 2021 model from a batch that had a slightly smaller battery than standard. Current IONIQ 5 batteries have 6% more capacity than mine)

 

[markjay]

For the average man in the street though, it's the harsh reality because while 300+ mile EVs exist they're out of his price range. The experience in the cheap seats is somewhat different when it comes to electric motoring, even something entry level like the Zoe is the wrong side of £30k now.

I do not disagree, but price and range are two separate arguments - and some people are affected by both while others may be affected by only one, or by none. Another hood argument is if you live in a place when there are no public chargers and you can't install a home charger.

 

[E55BOF]

I think you could probably knock at least 30% off that 270 miles cruising at 85 (not that I ever would...), so giving a practical range of 200 miles. Not for me yet, but battery technology is advancing all the time.

I've nothing against EVs in principle, though I much prefer analogue (display at least) instruments in individual mounts, and I think the Tesla interior to name but one make is ghastly, but until there's an affordable EV that meets my wants as well as my needs I'll stick with my fossil fuel dinosaurs.

 

[Doodle]

I do not disagree, but price and range are two separate arguments - and some people are affected by both while others may be affected by only one, or by none. Another hood argument is if you live in a place when there are no public chargers and you can't install a home charger.

Price and range are inextricably linked - money buys you range, there are few cheap long-range EVs at this time. It's whether people are affected by it that is separate and means that for 3 of the 5 groups mentioned above, it is an issue that must be considered. Ironically it's usually the other 2 that then proclaim them as doom and gloom merchants.

 

[Wolfie1]

I understand that EVs cannot tow? If so, what on earth will caravanners do?

The funniest bit is the caravan has to be unhitched and left somewhere so the car can be taken to a charger

 

[markjay]

EVs can tow, though it will have an impact on range. And yes there are fast chargers where you have to reverse into the charging bay so that won't work while towing - you'll have to use a slow charger (because then you can use your own long charging cable). So yes, EVs can tow, but it's far from being the ideal car for caravaning.

Electric power: taking the award-winning Hyundai IONIQ 5 on a summer towing adventure

www.hyundai.news

 

[markjay]

I think you could probably knock at least 30% off that 270 miles cruising at 85 (not that I ever would...), so giving a practical range of 200 miles. Not for me yet, but battery technology is advancing all the time.....

Absolutely, EVs are not the best mode of transport for fast driving.

 

[Wolfie1]

Absolutely, EVs are not the best mode of transport unless your only in a city centre and dont do a lot of miles.

Fixed that for you

 

[BTB 500]

I think you could probably knock at least 30% off that 270 miles cruising at 85 (not that I ever would...), so giving a practical range of 200 miles. Not for me yet, but battery technology is advancing all the time.

We do a lot of longish motorway runs and I've never yet seen an EV cruising at normal clear road traffic speeds (say 75-80), presumably for that reason.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

No idea, I drive 65 on the Motorway.

In the righthand lane?

 

[BTB 500]

No idea, I drive 65 on the Motorway.

Of course if that's based on the speedo/cluster the actual speed will be lower.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

I do not disagree, but price and range are two separate arguments - and some people are affected by both while others may be affected by only one, or by none. Another hood argument is if you live in a place when there are no public chargers and you can't install a home charger.

Not really. You have to pay extra for the vehicle to get additional battery capacity !

 

[markjay]

In the righthand lane?

No, when I go into the outer lane, I reduce the speed to 45... then brake-test a lorry

 

[markjay]

Not really. You have to pay extra for the vehicle to get additional battery capacity !

Obviously, what I meant to say was that when it comes to customers' considerations, some will be OK with the range but will find the EV unaffordable, while some will be able to afford it but still won't buy an EV because the range is insufficient for their needs.

I knew a chap once who's job was to set-up new retail outlets for a UK national chain, he did 40,000 miles a year in his private car (a Volvo) against mileage allowance, I can't imagine anyone doing a similar job while driving an EV... not yet, anyway.