For help, advice and discussion about stuff not related to aviation. Play nice: no religion, no politics and no axe grinding please.
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By GrahamB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1664142
Rob P wrote:I still find it bizarre when anyone uses "No charging points near me" as their reason for not going EV.

A fifty mile radius of home is just where you are never going to need a recharge.

:scratch:

Rob P

Unless you only end up with 25 miles left, like the woman in the Bloomberg article. :lol:

Yeah, local was a bad choice of words. 'Local to the longer distance runs that I tend to make most frequently'

Going by ZapMap, too many of the few that exist are either Tesla only, restricted, or only have one or two points for my comfort. The point is, yes, you can make anything work if you want it too, but I'm not prepared to compromise to the level that I believe I would need to at this point in time. If there were more plug-in hybrids available, I'd be more tempted.

Bizarrely, while looking at ZapMap, I noticed a point (I forget where) where the last person to use it was a 'wonkotsane'. If it's the one and the same, is he still hereabouts?
#1664145
Chris Martyr wrote:
Flying_john wrote:It still does require slightly more planning for journeys over 60miles than a gas guzzler, but it is becoming easier now to get to places without the worry of topping up.


I've deliberately avoided making any input in this debate but couldn't help seeing a little irony in the above .
Especially after reading this in Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com

Just scroll down to the bit about doing a European road trip in a Tesla .

Enjoy.. :D

It seems a bit odd that he searched for chargers in Mannheim using Google maps when the Tesla Nav screen will tell you where they are and if they are available. He also says that he spent 10 hours charging, without really making it clear that over 6 of that were overnight asleep!
#1664146
To be fair, there are chunks of the country where I wouldn't buy an EV if I lived there, could only afford one car and regularly needed to drive >200 miles without rapid charging.

I'm starting to think about buying a second EV to replace our remaining piston engine - I drove it for the first time in weeks the other day and can't be doing with the noise and lack of control so thinking of passing the Leaf on to my wife and I'll get one of the new crop of EVs to use for longer trips.

The 300 mile range Kona is getting very good reviews, but are difficult to get hold of.
Flyin'Dutch' liked this
#1664150
malcolmfrost wrote:
Chris Martyr wrote:
Flying_john wrote:It still does require slightly more planning for journeys over 60miles than a gas guzzler, but it is becoming easier now to get to places without the worry of topping up.


I've deliberately avoided making any input in this debate but couldn't help seeing a little irony in the above .
Especially after reading this in Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com

Just scroll down to the bit about doing a European road trip in a Tesla .

Enjoy.. :D

It seems a bit odd that he searched for chargers in Mannheim using Google maps when the Tesla Nav screen will tell you where they are and if they are available. He also says that he spent 10 hours charging, without really making it clear that over 6 of that were overnight asleep!


There is certainly a learning curve to going EV. Different mindset and different habits. I won't go back, but I did have some learning to do - even if the biggest learning point was to chill!

Range anxiety does go away - to the point where, on a long trip a few weeks ago, I got a bit blasé about stopping for a break and ended up stopping later than planned and going to an Ecotricity motorway service station point that normally charges 30p/unit. On the plus side it was out of order and failed over to free vend.
#1664153
Barcli wrote:.. guzzler that shows an " actual" 8 mpg when I give it some..... :D


for some perspective, a member of our Strut (and very occasional Forumite) told me of the consumption of one of his vehicles at, IIRC, 8 (Imperial, I assume) gallons to the mile .. :shock:

.. but this was of a scale, road legal, steam tractor which he had built himself, and was consumption of water :)
#1664199
@Flyin'Dutch' My view too. I've got used to the convenience of just plugging in at home and not going to petrol stations. If I charge away form home then first preference is to find a Lidl and get a free charge while grabbing some groceries (their loos are spacious and clean too), second preference is Polar - they tend to be at Holiday Inns and Novatels and would be first preference inter than many charge 9p a unit for raid charge (less than 15p at home, but not free and I live in Yorkshire ;) ), after that a stress purchase is to go to a service station - 30p a unit.

Would never have shopped at Lidl before getting an EV, but have found that Lidl sell some interesting things that you don't really find in other supermarkets. The extended ranges of familiar brands that are normally targeted at the continental market.

Petrol stations are unpleasant. Once you don't visit them for a while you can end up quite Howard Hughes about touching anything at a petrol station. Sticky diesel fingers on the doors and PIN pads.
#1664215
Nothing new in the world is there ?

All that Bertha Benz was doing in 1888 was trialling a new mode of transport . OK , so she had to stop at a pharmacist to 'recharge' , instead of a horse trough .

I'm sure the more astute among us will have seen a few parallels here... :D

I'm in no hurry whatsoever to 'convert' though . It's all about timing . But in the meantime I will stick to my Honda CRV .

But when I reach 86yrs of age in 2040 ,,,,,,I will definitely be looking at battery power though.... :D

Or have I got this all wrong ?....[ :D ]
#1664246
True, but you don't need to to go to the ones in petrol stations. Hotels have great charge points and they tend to be right next to the motorways. It's actually good fun collecting them. The Novatel at Manchester (M60 J13) is very nice - charge point in a quiet spot and nice and friendly people. Holiday Inn at Doncaster (Warmsworth, A1M J36) is probably the nicest charge point I've found - under the trees with some pleasant buildings around.

There are three hotels at the M1 A52 junction, two with rapid chargers and one has barriers to keep the hot poloi out (but free for EVs). The other has nice staff who are happy to take instruction on how to make bespoke iced coffees.

As mentioned above, Lidl have good clean and spacious loos and the electricity is free, but word is spreading...
Flyin'Dutch' liked this
#1664426
riverrock wrote:Assuming that the leaf was out of power, then the driver will have been well warned and decided to carry on anyway - ignoring the warnings.


As a point of interest. When I was roadshowing the Leaf, the Nissan back-up included free recovery for battery-exhausted Leaf an unlimited number of times in Year One, then a small fixed number of times in Year Two. I can't recall offhand, it might have been ten or twelve occurrences.

Year Three, you are on your own (and a slow learner)

Rob P
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