Electric cars

[1961_vintage]

Took delivery of my Ford Explorer EV about 6 weeks ago done 3k miles - mainly motorway. Set it to Eco with the drive to B and cruise control and I'm consistently getting 4.5 kwh. This week for instance I went to stevenage - 160 miles each way. Set off with 80% charge. Got there with 38% left. 30 mins in a fantastic charging centre and home with 40% left.

Which roughly means you're getting around 380 miles out of a full battery which is incredible.

 

[antste]

Well it is brand new - so battery in best condition it's ever going to be.

I stick to charging to 80% max.

It has not been cold wich I believe will effect the range when it happens.

Also it has really changed the way I drive. No hard acceleration or harsh braking etc. It really makes a difference. .

On a long drive it adds 30 to 45 mins to my day due to charging and driving style - but I'm on the clock so get paid for it

Genuinely surprised how well it does.

The day after I got the car I drove to Tenby from the high peak. All the way without charging. Couldn't believe it

 

[East Level 2]

Took delivery of my Ford Explorer EV about 6 weeks ago done 3k miles - mainly motorway. Set it to Eco with the drive to B and cruise control and I'm consistently getting 4.5 kwh. This week for instance I went to stevenage - 160 miles each way. Set off with 80% charge. Got there with 38% left. 30 mins in a fantastic charging centre and home with 40% left.
Not got my home charger yet.
Never had to wait for a charger anywhere. Max has been 30 min charge that I do while shopping at Aldi, so it would just be sat there anyway.
Love the car - great to drive and loads of tech.
Resisted the change for ages - mainly over range anxiety but just making a few adjustments and it's been a great choice
Would genuinely recommend to anybody. I do more than the average mileage and it has been fab

How much are you paying per kwh at public chargers?

 

[give it to gordon]

Its getting ridiculous for us that drive proper cars. Our parking bays at service stations are being turn into scale electric charging bays.
The service stations always have queues and the seating areas are full as these scale electric drivers sit around waiting to be charged.
To top it of the other day I pulled in to get diesel, pulled up behind another car at the pump to wait my turn. What the fucking hell was a tesla parked at the fucking pumps for ?? Oh she was doing her weekly shop.
So now I park in electric charging bays !

 

[antste]

?

65pper kwh on average. That is on a fast charger. Will be 6.1p when I get my home charger. I have 3 phase at hone so hoping I will get 22kwh rather than normal 7.

 

[hilts]

Its getting ridiculous for us that drive proper cars. Our parking bays at service stations are being turn into scale electric charging bays.
The service stations always have queues and the seating areas are full as these scale electric drivers sit around waiting to be charged.
To top it of the other day I pulled in to get diesel, pulled up behind another car at the pump to wait my turn. What the fucking hell was a tesla parked at the fucking pumps for ?? Oh she was doing her weekly shop.
So now I park in electric charging bays !

I feel your pain:-)

 

[East Level 2]

65pper kwh on average. That is on a fast charger. Will be 6.1p when I get my home charger. I have 3 phase at hone so hoping I will get 22kwh rather than normal 7.

And that's why they are a non-starter for me as I live in a flat and would rely on public chargers.
65p/kwh is 14.4p/mile at 4.5 m/kwh and I'm currently averaging 10p/mile in a petrol hybrid.
I know there is more to consider than fuel costs but it's not a good starting point.
As an aside I'd love to know the typical mpg of various plug-in hybrids running in non-electric mode, but I'm struggling to find those figures.

 

[SCEtoAUX]

Basic rule is that if you can't charge at home don't get an EV.

 

[fulabeer]

And that's why they are a non-starter for me as I live in a flat and would rely on public chargers.
65p/kwh is 14.4p/mile at 4.5 m/kwh and I'm currently averaging 10p/mile in a petrol hybrid.
I know there is more to consider than fuel costs but it's not a good starting point.
As an aside I'd love to know the typical mpg of various plug-in hybrids running in non-electric mode, but I'm struggling to find those figures.

I've just signed up for a scheme that costs £4.99 a month. For that i can charge at "any" Ionity charger for £0.45p kwh.
I don't even need to use it every month. Just pay the month(s) you need.
Not as cheap as my home charging at £0.8p kwh, but not bad for superfast public charging.

I understand it might not suit you now, but charging in flat parking spots is becoming a thing.
It might be worth you enquiring if something is happening where you live. If only to register your interest to the people who plan this.
This is a transition, not a war. Some people think it is a personal vendetta.

Technology moves on. We are also too reliant on foreign oil. It will take time to iron out the bugs.
If governments didn't set deadlines, then things would never change.
It's almost stupidity to drive around emitting toxic fumes which we then breath in. Especially when there is now an alternative.

 

[fulabeer]

I was at Renault for yet another part for my diesel car. This month the intercooler pipe split and then the main turbo gasket seal also went. (different days). Last month was the second injector to go in the last year. The car still has a flat spot at 1500rpm, so it's going in again next week.

This car is only seven years old and 80k miles. Fully Renault serviced. I await "It's a Renault, what do you expect" quotes. Well i've had nearly every brand, they are all the same. Over the last decade, my VW and Audi's had very similar faults, but were just more expensive to fix. It stays because it's a seven seater. The whole family uses it as needed.

ANYWAY!
While there, i asked how much for a total brand new battery replacement for my EV. Fully expecting a stupid main dealer price.
Well to my surprise, i was told around £6500!
Now i'm not being funny, that is more than reasonable. Partly because a new ICE engine would be at least that price, but secondly, that price is only going to go down. No Megaine E-tech owner will need to pay for eight years due to the battery warranty. In 2030 when the first cars come out of warranty, secondhand owners won't have a massive bill that makes the car unviable.
I would imagine a refurbished or second hand battery pack would be even cheaper.
So it seems the only possible weakness would be a traction motor failure. They are also not that expensive, and there are already many independent shops set up to repair them. I've watched a few Youtubers changing the bearings themselves. It's a fairly straightforward job (No oil or water involved!).

 

[1961_vintage]

Basic rule is that if you can't charge at home don't get an EV.

Or at work - where some companies provide free or subsidised charging for employees.

 

[dickie davies]

Well it is brand new - so battery in best condition it's ever going to be.

I stick to charging to 80% max.

It has not been cold wich I believe will effect the range when it happens.

Also it has really changed the way I drive. No hard acceleration or harsh braking etc. It really makes a difference. .

On a long drive it adds 30 to 45 mins to my day due to charging and driving style - but I'm on the clock so get paid for it

Genuinely surprised how well it does.

The day after I got the car I drove to Tenby from the high peak. All the way without charging. Couldn't believe it

Looking at electric yesterday and it says 30 minutes (or so) yo 80% charge
Why 80%, why not all the way to 100?

 

[Scottyboi]

Looking at electric yesterday and it says 30 minutes (or so) yo 80% charge
Why 80%, why not all the way to 100?

The way Elon described it, think of an empty car park, filling it to 80% doesn't take long but as it gets more full it takes longer to find a parking space.

 

[dickie davies]

The way Elon described it, think of an empty car park, filling it to 80% doesn't take long but as it gets more full it takes longer to find a parking space.

But then on the range figures, they always quote from a full charge

 

[Scottyboi]

But then on the range figures, they always quote from a full charge

Would be weird advertising the range of a car at 80% instead of telling you the full range it is capable of surely?

 

[dickie davies]

Would be weird advertising the range of a car at 80% instead of telling you the full range it is capable of surely?

If they're bragging about a super fast charge of 20/25 minutes to 80%, then they should also be giving a range for 80%
They can't have it both ways

 

[bluegray]

Got back from my holiday in Cornwall last week. First time I've had to charge on public chargers. Planned my 2 stops, 1st at Gloucester services and 2nd at a Telsa service station in Exeter. Both chargers were Telsa at 57p per kW. 1st charge was basically a toilet break and a quick look around the farmers shop in the services and back upto 80%. 2nd charge meant getting off the motorway for a couple of miles to the charger. But in the service station had a toilet, waiting room and a free coffee machine so was a nice quick stop. 20 mins later back on the final leg to Newquay. This is where I was lucky in the sense there is a Tesla charger just off the A30 near Newquay which costs 37p between the hours of 8pm-8am. I charged a couple of times early eating a maccies breakfast. In all I think I did over 1000 miles at a cost of £90.

 

[dickie davies]

In all I think I did over 1000 miles at a cost of £90.

So not much difference to a good quality diesel engine

 

[drthingy]

So not much difference to a good quality diesel engine

Correct, but much cheaper to fuel the rest of the time when charging at home

 

[Blue Maverick]

Had our first bill for charging up at home £20! We charge it up once a week as we only use it round town, school runs etc. so one month £20 compared to £90 for our diesel previously.