So, do you know much about Electric Vehicles?

Dale124

Dale124

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Hi all. AMA here in Edmonton hosted an Electric Vehicle info/ demo this past Saturday, so we went to check it out. I have never really been interested in a fully electric vehicle up until now, but my perspective may be changing after this event. The range on some of these cars is really quite impressive, which would be great for in town, which is 99% of my driving anyway. So, I though I would get your thoughts on them…any first hand accounts, or just opinions on EV’s would be nice.
Dale.
 
Some (maybe all?) EVs have battery management systems that only allow "full power" for a few seconds to preserve overall power and range. They're fast, but the power is carefully managed. Mustang Mach E has a 5 second max power output before throttle is reduced automatically.
EVs that get used in colder weather will usually have shortened ranges, due to some battery power being used to self-heat the batteries, and to power other systems like headlights (gets dark earlier), wipers (snow/sleet), defrosters, and cabin heaters.
They're probably going to be treated as "disposable" vehicles. When the batteries start to age out, it might be cheaper to buy a new EV, than to replace them, and no one is going to buy your 10 year old Tesla, knowing that batteries aren't "forever".
Batteries have a finite number of charge/discharge "cycles". When they're done, they're done. Replace.
ICE can have their functionality extended by replacing parts, rebuilds, and so on.
I can usually fill my car up and be on my way in a matter of minutes, if the gas station isn't too crowded.
Recharge time can vary, depending on the type and power output of the charging station, if it's not too crowded.

If I had no choice, but had a choice, I would prefer a hybrid ICE/EV option.
 
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Electric is quiet so it’s a good fit for luxury cars. Still not the range and recharge time I need for my needs ( business travel and leisure road trips) and it does miss the soul and experience of a nice ICE car.

Very curious to see first electric sports car and how they fare in reviews. For commuter and luxury cars, that’s an easy swap eventually but not sold on sports cars just yet.
 
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OL Yeller said:
Most of my driving is highway and lots of it. When they come out with an EV that has a range of 500+ km @ -20 Celcius and fully charges in 20 nimutes or less, I might consider one. Until then...not gonna happen...my 2 cents
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100% agree, although now post-COVID I do travel less out-of-town with more meetings conducted via Zoom videoconferencing.

Still, my "EV criteria" has always been: driving from Edmonton to Calgary and then a minimum of 1 hour in Calgary, before needing to recharge, at REALLY COLD temperatures (ie. -30 C. and colder). So that's roughly a 4-hour highway driving time. There's no way I"m stopping (for example) after 1.5 hours to recharge in Red Deer, to ensure I'm not stranded on the highway but as well, due to the wasted time for that stop. I just checked the Edmunds "real-world tested" stats again and the only vehicle which likely comes close to meeting that criteria, is the 2022 Lucid Air Dream with a sticker price of about US$170,000.

I'm confident they'll advance the technology in future and create batteries that last longer in the ++ cold. Until then, no EV for me. I'll keep driving my ICE which gets me to Calgary and back again, on one tank of gas.

And then there's the "elephant in the room": where do we get all the electricity to power our EV world??? The only viable option looks to be nuclear and we're a long ways from having the needed power grid.
 
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Imagine the fist fights at the recharging stations, when the lines get longer, and longer, and the tempers get shorter, and shorter.
 
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netsinah said:
100% agree, although now post-COVID I do travel less out-of-town with more meetings conducted via Zoom videoconferencing.

Still, my "EV criteria" has always been: driving from Edmonton to Calgary and then a minimum of 1 hour in Calgary, before needing to recharge, at REALLY COLD temperatures (ie. -30 C. and colder). So that's roughly a 4-hour highway driving time. There's no way I"m stopping (for example) after 1.5 hours to recharge in Red Deer, to ensure I'm not stranded on the highway but as well, due to the wasted time for that stop. I just checked the Edmunds "real-world tested" stats again and the only vehicle which likely comes close to meeting that criteria, is the 2022 Lucid Air Dream with a sticker price of about US$170,000.

I'm confident they'll advance the technology in future and create batteries that last longer in the ++ cold. Until then, no EV for me. I'll keep driving my ICE which gets me to Calgary and back again, on one tank of gas.

And then there's the "elephant in the room": where do we get all the electricity to power our EV world??? The only viable option looks to be nuclear and we're a long ways from having the needed power grid.
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I regularly do a 7 hour drive, and much of it in remote areas, no cell service, or anything else.
At -30C i need to be able to get 7 hours driving in, and in snow, and the dark.

Nothing can beat my Ram 3500 diesel fuel powered beast for that come winter time in my opinion.

Ground clearance, 4 wheel drive, massive fuel range, it laughs at snow and cold, and I still arrive with a quarter tank of fuel even if driving in 10 inches of snow for parts of it through the mountains.

Its going to be decades I'll bet until electric csn match the needed real world performance of my 2016 Ram 3500.
 
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Our biggest problem is that the people currently in charge, don't seem to care whether an EV can replace our ICE vehicles, on a one to one basis.
They also don't care whether you or I can safely use an EV in our more northern climate.
All they care about is pushing their narrative.
 
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MKinOntario said:
Our biggest problem is that the people currently in charge, don't seem to care whether an EV can replace our ICE vehicles, on a one to one basis.
They also don't care whether you or I can safely use an EV in our more northern climate.
All they care about is pushing their narrative.
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Very true. It’s all honky dory in Toronto, Vancouver or Ottawa but they should take a drive 2 hours out of there or take a trip east to realize we are still far from transition.

It’s going to happen, just not as fast as they want to ban good old gas cars.

At least I will have had my share of V8s before they go the way of the Dodo.
 
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The elephant in the room is that electric cars suck. Plain and simple. No range, length of time to recharge, lack of suitable charging stations, and replacement cost. They may work for urban dwellers and those still living in their mother's basement, but as most of our Canadian land mass is rural or "rurban", electric vehicles are not viable. Hydrogen will overtake electric shortly and electric cars will become the "beta" video tape of the the automotive industry.
 
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Cariboocreek said:
The elephant in the room is that electric cars suck. Plain and simple. No range, length of time to recharge, lack of suitable charging stations, and replacement cost. They may work for urban dwellers and those still living in their mother's basement, but as most of our Canadian land mass is rural or "rurban", electric vehicles are not viable. Hydrogen will overtake electric shortly and electric cars will become the "beta" video tape of the the automotive industry.
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I've been hoping someone will devise a nuclear "micro-reactor" that can generate enough heat to drive a steam based mechanical engine of some sort, that fits in a mid-engine vehicle.
If it also included a closed water/steam capture system, the water could be reused to drive the mechanicals.
No carbon footprint at all. Except anything that gets burned during the construction of the vehicle.
Plus the spent fuel radioactive footprint.
No worse than lithium/cobalt disposal, I'll wager.
 
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MKinOntario said:
I've been hoping someone will devise a nuclear "micro-reactor" that can generate enough heat to drive a steam based mechanical engine of some sort, that fits in a mid-engine vehicle.
Click to expand...
1686334897785.png
 
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AndrewJ said:
The acceleration of my son's Model 3 performance is more brutal than my C8. If you like torque it is hard to beat electric.
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I am little skeptical about electric cars not too long ago. But having spent some time behind the wheel of a Model 3 Performance, I am totally on board. I will missed it when I have to return it. :)

Here is my take on future Performance EVs and its potential. Low center of gravity, awd, independent wheel vectoring capability plus other convenience features.
The potential is there for an exhilarating experience. I can for go the lack of exhaust for the exceptional excelleration. At my early senior years, I don't mind it and I know I would be less likely to get car-jack?? :Biggrin:

Look at the Rimac Nevera. Except for no sounds, charging, no shifting, and price what else are there not to like about it as far as Performance goes?
Imagine if GM would make something similar at 700hp E, at around the same weight as the current C8s in future generation Corvettes, I will buy one in a heart beat at an affordable price of course.
Not here to convert anyone, but just my own perspective.

Here is a nice vid from Randy Pobst on driving dynamic for a Tesla 3 on track.
 
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cdnz said:
I am little skeptical about electric cars not too long ago. But having spent some time behind the wheel of a Model 3 Performance, I am totally on board. I will missed it when I have to return it. :)

Here is my take on future Performance EVs and its potential. Low center of gravity, awd, independent wheel vectoring capability plus other convenience features.
The potential is there for an exhilarating experience. I can for go the lack of exhaust for the exceptional excelleration. At my early senior years, I don't mind it and I know I would be less likely to get car-jack?? :Biggrin:

Look at the Rimac Nevera. Except for no sounds, charging, no shifting, and price what else are there not to like about it as far as Performance goes?
Imagine if GM would make something similar at 700hp E, at around the same weight as the current C8s in future generation Corvettes, I will buy one in a heart beat at an affordable price of course.
Not here to convert anyone, but just my own perspective.

Here is a nice vid from Randy Pobst on driving dynamic for a Tesla 3 on track.
Click to expand...

Might be easier to steal, with no engine/exhaust noise. Just jack it and drive away...in stealth mode....
 
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