The Car Thread

[Tredman]

@Wolf Hunting if you use your type 2
Cable you’ll be able to get up to 22kW AC in your VW (obviously if the charger is rated that high). Tesco always have a 22 and a 7.

Time is money though. So if you’re not intending to stay long then just wack the DC in. I worked out that paying £0.70p for the pricey chargers was the equivalent of the price per mile in my old diesel. So you haven’t really lost out still, you just haven’t won.

Not all cars support 22kwh, that’s 3-phase.

 

[Tredman]

If you do a lot of charging on the road you can get decent subscriptions with good rates. This is mine:



Tesla also do a very good sub for non-Tesla drivers.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Not all cars support 22kwh, that’s 3-phase.

Mine only does 11kW in the 22kW but I think the newer Audi/VWs do the lot.

 

[leedswolf]

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/retro/all-electric-mercedes-benz-280sl-conversion-will-set-you-back-a-cool-ps107000?fbclid=IwAR0EOrpHkVp-ZR0wyhcWSqNSs_cCvPn5ZUnFXjspi-KNEB8EQ30l7qPb3Hs

 

[EpsomWolf]

Loads of companies converting classics to electric now. Seems like the perfect way to go tbh.

I’m seriously tempted, the new electrics are just so soulless despite their obvious attributes and I think I’d rather pump money into an art piece.

Each to their own but this baby reignites the passion. One day:

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Is it fairly standard for EVs to restrict performance in cold temperatures to protect the batteries in inefficient conditions?

Went for a test drive in an electric XC40 this morning and was told it wouldn't give me full power because of the weather which I hadn't anticipated. Obviously extreme conditions today, was -4°C when I got to the dealership, but seeing that 35% charge was only offering 55 miles range was still a bit of an eye opener.

Another little thing that flagged up I hadn't really considered before, was minor for me this morning but could be a much bigger issue elsewhere, windscreen washer was completely frozen up so when I had a few sprays from passing traffic it just smeared across the windscreen. Guess with no engine under the front you've got little chance of that thawing out unless the weather picks up.

 

[Kenny]

Was the 35% when you started the journey?

Took the wife to Crewe station in her car this morning. The pre conditioning seems to have sorted out the washer fluid. -4 on the journey and that was fine to use.

 

[Mel Evo]

We’re completing our 6th year of EV ownership - Nissan Leaf, with an upgraded model / range halfway through. Absolutely loved it. In terms of the cold it does make a huge difference. In practice it’s the difference between making it to Wolves and back without needing to charge or definitely an enforced break at Corley services. A shame that when it’s freezing and wet (hello Burnley on Tuesday) tends to be when you want to get home sharpish! Plentiful medium speed chargers in Wolverhampton would make for a huge improvement to my fortnightly logistics.

 

[EpsomWolf]

Is it fairly standard for EVs to restrict performance in cold temperatures to protect the batteries in inefficient conditions?

Went for a test drive in an electric XC40 this morning and was told it wouldn't give me full power because of the weather which I hadn't anticipated. Obviously extreme conditions today, was -4°C when I got to the dealership, but seeing that 35% charge was only offering 55 miles range was still a bit of an eye opener.

Another little thing that flagged up I hadn't really considered before, was minor for me this morning but could be a much bigger issue elsewhere, windscreen washer was completely frozen up so when I had a few sprays from passing traffic it just smeared across the windscreen. Guess with no engine under the front you've got little chance of that thawing out unless the weather picks up.

I struggled enough with the backward step from diesel to petrol, but the EV posts make it sound as much fun as sticking needles in your eyes.

I guess you’re either a mad-keen environmentalist or the tax advantages are forcing you into (granted, understandable) submission, but honestly, it sounds like an absolute ballache.

 

[Tredman]

Being able to pre-warm from the house solves that issue.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Was the 35% when you started the journey?

Took the wife to Crewe station in her car this morning. The pre conditioning seems to have sorted out the washer fluid. -4 on the journey and that was fine to use.

Started at 35%/55 miles and ended at 30%/45 miles I think, just looked on Google maps and think I went about 16 miles in it so did get better efficiency than advertised I guess.

I did a quick Google on the washer jets thing and it's an easy enough fix with some better screenwash that has a lower freezing point but obviously got to get ahead of the game otherwise you've got a block of ice stuck in the tank that you can't replace until it thaws.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

I struggled enough with the backward step from diesel to petrol, but the EV posts make it sound as much fun as sticking needles in your eyes.

I guess you’re either a mad-keen environmentalist or the tax advantages are forcing you into (granted, understandable) submission, but honestly, it sounds like an absolute ballache.

Think that's a bit over the top but there are certainly things to adapt to compared to the long ingrained ICE mentality. Few things over and above you need to consider such as the weather impact but I think a lot of the factors are pretty similar just with a slightly different angle. Fuelling/charging for example, 90% of the time EV would win out on convenience because I'd do it at home but it's the ad hoc stops when you're on a long journey and just want to get to your destination that they're more problematic due to lesser infrastructure and longer wait times.

I like the idea of an EV but I'm just not sure on balance it suits me better than ICE at the moment, majority of my travelling is motorway style miles and that's where ICE tend to be more efficient just idling along but your EV tends to be weaker there than they are with shorter/slower journeys so I'd probably be exacerbating the issues somewhat.

 

[The Bear]

People also forget that ICE cars also use 10-15% more fuel in cold weather.

 

[EpsomWolf]

Think that's a bit over the top but there are certainly things to adapt to compared to the long ingrained ICE mentality. Few things over and above you need to consider such as the weather impact but I think a lot of the factors are pretty similar just with a slightly different angle. Fuelling/charging for example, 90% of the time EV would win out on convenience because I'd do it at home but it's the ad hoc stops when you're on a long journey and just want to get to your destination that they're more problematic due to lesser infrastructure and longer wait times.

I like the idea of an EV but I'm just not sure on balance it suits me better than ICE at the moment, majority of my travelling is motorway style miles and that's where ICE tend to be more efficient just idling along but your EV tends to be weaker there than they are with shorter/slower journeys so I'd probably be exacerbating the issues somewhat.

That’s fair enough. No doubt an EV would work well for most of my journeys too, but faffing around on longer journeys and driving in the middle lane at a steady speed to eke out the desperately needed range would drive me insane.

Looks like the days of knocking out 700 miles, pulling into a convenient filling station for 5 minutes and knocking out another 700 are going to be a thing if the past.

One of those areas where new technology takes us backwards but if it’s decided the other advantages are greater we’ll just have to get used to it I guess.

 

[The Bear]

That’s fair enough. No doubt an EV would work well for most of my journeys too, but faffing around on longer journeys and driving in the middle at a steady speed to eke out the desperately needed range would drive me insane.

Looks like the days of knocking out 700 miles, pulling into a convenient filling station for 5 minutes and knocking out another 700 are going to be a thing if the past.

One of those areas where new technology takes us backwards but if it’s decided the other advantages are greater we’ll just have to get used to it I guess.

The battery technology and range will improve greatly over the years.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

People also forget that ICE cars also use 10-15% more fuel in cold weather.

Only until they get up to temperature, if you're doing lots of short journeys it be noticeable but on a single long trip it'll be negligible.

 

[sycophantia]

Only until they get up to temperature, if you're doing lots of short journeys it be noticeable but on a single long trip it'll be negligible.

Yeah I've never noticed much if any difference in fuel efficiency with ICE vehicles during Winter.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

That’s fair enough. No doubt an EV would work well for most of my journeys too, but faffing around on longer journeys and driving in the middle lane at a steady speed to eke out the desperately needed range would drive me insane.

Looks like the days of knocking out 700 miles, pulling into a convenient filling station for 5 minutes and knocking out another 700 are going to be a thing if the past.

One of those areas where new technology takes us backwards but if it’s decided the other advantages are greater we’ll just have to get used to it I guess.

I imagine the number of people doing multiple 700 mile legs back to back must be pretty small so aren't going to be many feeling that pain so hard.

For me the inconveniences wouldn't be huge but they'd probably coincide with the occasions I'd least like to have that additional hassle. Long trips for work, UK holidays, etc. In those situations I just want to pull in, fill up and get back on with things as quickly as possible.

Biggest annoyance for me with cars these days is pissing touch screens! Everyone is filling their boots on removing as many buttons and switches as possible chasing that efficient design of as few controls as practicable to save money.

 

[EpsomWolf]

The battery technology and range will improve greatly over the years.

Oh no doubt, but it had better get a faster move on if we’re going to meet the full EV targets.

I’ve got one eye on the panicked realisation kicking in as the clock ticks with the deadlines punted down the road for a few years. With the secondhand EV’s still to find their way onto the market en masse with their desirability and values still to unravel, who knows, there may be the added twist that those uncomplicated petrols and diesels might represent value after all.

Either way, I’m holding fire as long as possible I think.

 

[Tredman]

Oh no doubt, but it had better get a faster move on if we’re going to meet the full EV targets.

I’ve got one eye on the panicked realisation kicking in as the clock ticks with the deadlines punted down the road for a few years. With the secondhand EV’s still to find their way onto the market en masse with their desirability and values still to unravel, who knows, there may be the added twist that those uncomplicated petrols and diesels might represent value after all.

Either way, I’m holding fire as long as possible I think.

Have you looked at second hand EV prices