Thread: EV general discussion

Today I had the batteries on my power system replaced, and all the above discussion on double cab utes becomes relevant, especially the possibility of replacing it with an EV.

They came from Sydney (nominally, actually came from another job in Newcastle) and tonight headed home to Sydney (about 360km).

They were in a DC Ford ute, with a lovely body on the back, with the roof about 150mm higher than the cab, and with large gull wing doors both sides and the back, and a drawer under the tray at the back. It was stacked full of drawers on one and a half sides, and the remaining space fillled with various stuff that does not fit into drawers, including two heavy roller cases full of tools, a starlink system, an inverter to run it, my new batteries (a bit under a quarter of a tonne) and the new heavy DC cabling. Their personal gear was in the rear seat. Four wheel drive was essential as was adequate ground clearance and range in "off grid" areas.

As far as I am aware there are no EVs that are even close to this - is ths correct?

Originally Posted by Tombie

So your streets garages are what? Made for Noddy cars?

XD falcon wagon Vs 2025 Hilux..

Length: Hilux is less than 28cm (a ruler) longer
Width: Hilux is narrower by 60mm
Height: Hilux is 350mm taller - but then anyone can stand in their garage so that’s moot.

Suggests your observation is incorrect and that they park out on the front likely for convenience or the garage is full of other things needing securing when not in use.

The houses in my street were all made in the mid 60's. Unlike the houses that were made 10 years earlier when virtually no one had cars, these houses have garages. Quite the executive mansions they were. They were all made by the same italian dude.

My house like all the others has a clearance of about 2m. The only way I can fit the defender in there is because I've lifted the door. And if the tank gets much below half it hits the rubber on the inside of the door as I drive in. Also I have to take the roof rack off every time. I'm the only person I know who does this. Everyone else just fits them and leaves them on. It's about an hour to take it on and off.

Back when these houses were built people were able to do all they needed to do with 2wd cars. Who would have thunk it hey.

People weren’t able to do everything they *wanted* to do.

There just wasn’t anything readily available or potentially affordable. And life was very different with regards to leisure time activities.

DCs didn’t just appear because someone thought they would sell. They appeared because people wanted the benefits of a Ute with the “comforts” of a car up front.

This affordable vehicle then opened doors for tradesmen to have a work and family vehicle.

Over time this morphed into a leisure vehicle that can ‘do it all’ - tow, carry, beach, highway etc and still keep some semblance of comfort.

I can well remember the falcon wagon packed to the hilt, dragging its bum, to go away with the family. Yes we all did it, was it safe? No! Was it comfortable- barely. Bicycles strapped to the roof!

Originally Posted by Tombie

People weren’t able to do everything they *wanted* to do.

There just wasn’t anything readily available or potentially affordable. And life was very different with regards to leisure time activities.

DCs didn’t just appear because someone thought they would sell. They appeared because people wanted the benefits of a Ute with the “comforts” of a car up front.

This affordable vehicle then opened doors for tradesmen to have a work and family vehicle.

Over time this morphed into a leisure vehicle that can ‘do it all’ - tow, carry, beach, highway etc and still keep some semblance of comfort.

I can well remember the falcon wagon packed to the hilt, dragging its bum, to go away with the family. Yes we all did it, was it safe? No! Was it comfortable- barely. Bicycles strapped to the roof!

And most people in those days would only have one car ( well, I'm older than you, and I'm thinking of a Falcon XP or somesuch ). And this is often still the case for a young family who wants to avoid the debt treadmill for a while.

I know that the modern DC has become, in my eyes, ridiculous, but they're practical. Before the DIL got her Y62 she drove a 3.2 Ranger with canopy. room for the two ( smaller back then ) boys, and could tow the boat or caravan. And carry the shopping and two dogs. Sure, the full catastrophe. Thing is , who was I, or anyone els, to judge their choices? Son had a little, cheap Focus for driving to work.

These days, I am single, and a DC for me would be stupid. You could argue that so is the D2. But I wasn't single when I got it, I can go anywhere in it, I can tow with it ( something I want to avoid mostly ), and I own it. What can I get that is its equal, for the money I would get for it? I have no wish to get into debt for transport.

You don't want my life story ( there's a thread for that), but it's important to understand that one size definitely does not fit all, and people shouldn't assume that their choices suit everyone else.

PS, I know I'm replying to your post, Mike, but it's directed at the thread as a whole.

Originally Posted by Tombie

People weren’t able to do everything they *wanted* to do.

There just wasn’t anything readily available or potentially affordable. And life was very different with regards to leisure time activities.

DCs didn’t just appear because someone thought they would sell. They appeared because people wanted the benefits of a Ute with the “comforts” of a car up front.

During my gainful employment, a twin-cab became the vehicle of choice, out of necessity. To get insurance on the more expensive equipment we carried, it had to be in a 'Lockable' compartment. This effectively put an end to our use of, what was then, the conventional, style side 'tilly, as metal, tool boxes were not suitable to requirements.
As to JD's observation, there are numerous occupations that come to mind, mine included, where an EV is just not up to the workload.

For example (time is money). I quite often was required to travel two to three hundred k's to a job, drive the vehicle during work and then drive the return distance home. Two drivers, one ten minute pit stop for return trip fuel, sometimes from a property fuel storage. I'm dead-set certain my employer wouldn't want two blokes sitting on their bums, waiting for their vehicle to charge. If, in fact, it could be charged!

City based folk and the ruling class, make city-centric decisions.

Originally Posted by Saitch

City based folk and the ruling class, make city-centric decisions.

Which, In Australia, is ridiculous. If I lived in Fitzroy or Fortitude Valley, and never left the environs, an EV would be a no brainer, as long as I had somewhere off street to park it. Did anyone see how prevalent the theft of charging cables has become?

Many of the Valley residences don't have off street parking, like many of the other inner city suburbs.