Thread: EV general discussion

Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

It will be interesting to see how this works out for them. The chargers appear to be so tiny profit margins I can't see it being viable (imagine the grid connection to install 1/2 dozen 1MW charges. You are going to need a six million watt grid connection. Maybe at an aluminium smelter they might find this ??

I really do hope they manage this though. You only really need them in the middle of suburbia where the electric cars live (and there is no off street parking).

FYI EV's are actually pretty good highway cars. The yanks have freeways everwhere and Teslas in particular are excellent on the highway. Effortless. Far far better than a defender.

They won't be for everyone but if we have charging facilities on the highway network ev's might be an option for many people.

I've done some looking.. there are few instances where there are no towns that couldn't be within range of a standard range Tesla for instance. At least not until you get really west of Brisbane.

Originally Posted by Captain_Rightfoot

FYI EV's are actually pretty good highway cars. The yanks have freeways everwhere and Teslas in particular are excellent on the highway. Effortless. Far far better than a defender.

They won't be for everyone but if we have charging facilities on the highway network ev's might be an option for many people.

I've done some looking.. there are few instances where there are no towns that couldn't be within range of a standard range Tesla for instance. At least not until you get really west of Brisbane.

I've got no doubt. There real "usage case" is in heavy traffic areas and short distances. I would expect big heavy electric cars would be excellent highway cruisers. I just can't see anyone of than the few really keen lunies that love electric cars using them for distance travel though. A bit like the lunies like me using old classic cars for distance travel ... its just dumb for the majority to attempt

seeya
shane L.

Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

I've got no doubt. There real "usage case" is in heavy traffic areas and short distances. I would expect big heavy electric cars would be excellent highway cruisers. I just can't see anyone of than the few really keen lunies that love electric cars using them for distance travel though. A bit like the lunies like me using old classic cars for distance travel ... its just dumb for the majority to attempt

seeya
shane L.

Fully agree with the current Tech. My nutty solid state battery play in the USA jumped another 25%. on friday NOT INVESTMENT ADVICE!!!! I am putting my ute on hold for a year as that, the 1000 kWh charging network plan and other rapid changes is moving the dial from nuts to real world option. My last big 4wd specific drive in my disco from Esperance to Balladonia was rather remote.



I will wait Until my Disco EV replacement can do that and more for my next one. The prior golden Disco (RIP ) with its two fuel tanks, would be my goal range for real play time touring fun


Next time I do that run I will make sure no bloody bush fires are going to make the Drive and 18 hour GET ME out of here event

Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

I've got no doubt. There real "usage case" is in heavy traffic areas and short distances. I would expect big heavy electric cars would be excellent highway cruisers. I just can't see anyone of than the few really keen lunies that love electric cars using them for distance travel though. A bit like the lunies like me using old classic cars for distance travel ... its just dumb for the majority to attempt

seeya
shane L.

Well.. they they aren't really heavy. The equivalent BMW is an X3 and it's about 50kg heavier than a model y. More when you put fuel in it.

Are they Big (sorry Benny Hill moment)? Well a Model Y is significantly shorter than a Falcon.. let alone a wagon. I guess they certainly are large cars.

I'm afraid they are just really good highway cars because that's what the people that developed them do. Cars are usually a product of their development environment.

Originally Posted by Captain_Rightfoot

Well.. they they aren't really heavy. The equivalent BMW is an X3 and it's about 50kg heavier than a model y. More when you put fuel in it.

Are they Big (sorry Benny Hill moment)? Well a Model Y is significantly shorter than a Falcon.. let alone a wagon. I guess they certainly are large cars.

I'm afraid they are just really good highway cars because that's what the people that developed them do. Cars are usually a product of their development environment.

I just googled ... the model Y is about 2tons empty (slightly less with less motors/smaller battery). Very, very, very heavy for a small passenger sedan. Why would you compare it to a moderately heavy duty 4wd that probably has a full chassis, two heavy duty diffs, a transfer case ... etc.. to a small passenger sedan.

Now, highway cruisers, that is my forte. I live in the past. I have here an old Citroen CX. For its time, very fast, compared to a tesla very slow. This car weighs about 1300kgs empty. Can cruise at speeds upto 220km/h with supreme ease (it is what it designed for).

Now blasting down the autobarns for hours at a time at 180 -> 200km/h .... (which it loves) will return incredible comfort, staggering stability (height and load sensitive suspension, it always sits level). It could travel easily at these speeds for hours and fill up the tank in 5 minutes at a petrol station.
A tesla ... um ... it will easily do the speed. Your range will evaporate... It wind drag as speed increases will suck massively in an electric throw-away. you have stupid giant clown wheels with crappy rubber band tires (and no spare). It's ride is bone jarring in comparison ... You will be watching the charge indicator slowly going insane at these very reasonable cruising speeds. It is the complete opposite of the stress free drive above car. In my old ****box, you'll be cruising relaxed in your armchair recliner at 200km/h. One finger tip resting on the steering wheel, the car feels to push itself into the road harder the faster you go, a small flick of your little finger and a movement of the other finger resting on the steering wheel and your into the fast lane to get past the tesla owner desperately looking at the charge gauges going slower ... and slower ... and slower .... So relaxed, there is tons of hydraulic pressure holding the road-wheels where the steering is pointing them ... so you are just guiding her down the road with a finger on the steering wheel.
Isn't life easy ... no worrying about charging, no planning endless routes praying a charger will work when you get there ... hoping its not in some deserted parking lot behind a shop somewhere.... hoping you can get the app working on your hopefully charged phone so you can maybe get some charge into the car.

Actually, you know traveling in a tesla distances sounds so relaxing I might just buy an electric campervan. What a dream vacation!!!

archive.md

A great read (actually the camper looks awesome).

seeya
Shane L.

VW has “paused “ production of that van.

Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

I just googled ... the model Y is about 2tons empty (slightly less with less motors/smaller battery). Very, very, very heavy for a small passenger sedan. Why would you compare it to a moderately heavy duty 4wd that probably has a full chassis, two heavy duty diffs, a transfer case ... etc.. to a small passenger sedan.

Now, highway cruisers, that is my forte. I live in the past. I have here an old Citroen CX. For its time, very fast, compared to a tesla very slow. This car weighs about 1300kgs empty. Can cruise at speeds upto 220km/h with supreme ease (it is what it designed for).

Now blasting down the autobarns for hours at a time at 180 -> 200km/h .... (which it loves) will return incredible comfort, staggering stability (height and load sensitive suspension, it always sits level). It could travel easily at these speeds for hours and fill up the tank in 5 minutes at a petrol station.
A tesla ... um ... it will easily do the speed. Your range will evaporate... It wind drag as speed increases will suck massively in an electric throw-away. you have stupid giant clown wheels with crappy rubber band tires (and no spare). It's ride is bone jarring in comparison ... You will be watching the charge indicator slowly going insane at these very reasonable cruising speeds. It is the complete opposite of the stress free drive above car. In my old ****box, you'll be cruising relaxed in your armchair recliner at 200km/h. One finger tip resting on the steering wheel, the car feels to push itself into the road harder the faster you go, a small flick of your little finger and a movement of the other finger resting on the steering wheel and your into the fast lane to get past the tesla owner desperately looking at the charge gauges going slower ... and slower ... and slower .... So relaxed, there is tons of hydraulic pressure holding the road-wheels where the steering is pointing them ... so you are just guiding her down the road with a finger on the steering wheel.
Isn't life easy ... no worrying about charging, no planning endless routes praying a charger will work when you get there ... hoping its not in some deserted parking lot behind a shop somewhere.... hoping you can get the app working on your hopefully charged phone so you can maybe get some charge into the car.

Actually, you know traveling in a tesla distances sounds so relaxing I might just buy an electric campervan. What a dream vacation!!!

archive.md

A great read (actually the camper looks awesome).

seeya
Shane L.

BMW X3

Height from
1660 mm

Width from
1920 mm

Length from
4755 mm


Weight 1865 for the 2WD petrol one.


Tesla Model Y

Height from
1611 mm

Width from
1978 mm

Length from
4750 mm




Weight 1788kg.

So the main reason I compared them is because they are as similar in dimensions as two cars can ever be. I mean the BWM will be much smaller inside, but that's another story. Anyway the EV is lighter so I don't see why you'd describe it as heavy because it's similar or lighter than equivalent ICE vehicles.

Plus all the weight is very low down which has lots of advantages.

My search shows 1921kg for the std range Model Y. And 1992kg for the long range version…

Weight is fine, COG is good…. It still doesn’t help physics of cornering on a non-banked surface anything heavy is going to want to go straight.

Tesla is now an also ran in the EV race. The others are streaking ahead and will no doubt eclipse them in short order.

That’s seems to be one of the financial risks with EVs. Like PCs they evolve so quickly that the models by year help depreciate themselves.

Still, they’re a good alternative for those they suit, with the usage case etc aligned. As an urban 2nd vehicle (or for those whose sense of adventure is limited to going across town) they are a value proposition for those with Solar set ups suited to charging at home.