The initial question was on the incorrect thread, Unfortunately I am human so not infallible like some. LOL!
If prices of EV reduce as the prices of cordless mowers then it’s something to welcome. Three years ago I looked at a Cobra 16 inch cordless and it made no sense so I bought a nice petrol Alko one. Now the Cobra is down to £322 whereas three years ago well over £500. After using our daughters smaller 13 inch mower last week on a wet lawn which did a cracking job, I’m rapidly coming to the conclusion that it’s nearing changeover time.
Much the same as with an ICE vehicle, use the "fuel" reserves you have as carefully as you can.
A big plus with the EV though is those reserves can be targeted at doing what is necessary, not as with the ICE achieve heat as a by-product of doing something else, and very inefficiently. Used directly there is about a three fold increase in efficiency, before you explore just heating occupied seats and adding heat pump gains.
I am not sure the real relative numbers are as sick as might be believed, and potentially can improve for EVs, along with range improvements.
At the end of the day going out in freezing conditions without planning reserves for potential delays of that sort, is not the territory of the thinking driver.
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Running the heating in an EV is not a problem. Having it keep the cabin warm while stationary will consume around 1 mile of range an hour. If you had a 1Kw (1 bar electric fire) in you cabin on the whole time, you would be roasting in no time. A full EV battery could run that fire a full belt for over 3 days. A couple of hours in a traffic jam is not a big deal. Some newer EVs use heat pumps for heating which will give the same heat output as a 1kW fire for 300-400w. But - you already point out, this is a tiny issue. It happened to you once “many years ago”. Do you really buy your cars based on their performance in freak weather and traffic situations?
You have to remember Tobes people like me are struggling to comprehend EVs. Your explanation on the heating has provided further knowledge which so far had eluded me👍👍
Presumably much the same case can apply with air con, already heat pump technology, but with ICE typically powered by the inefficient fuel burning engine, whereas an electric direct drive will similarly give a threefold or better improvement.
IMO there does need to be a better understanding of the whole EV picture, thanks Tobes for bringing some real user knowledge here.
IMO there does need to be a better understanding of the whole EV picture, thanks Tobes for bringing some real user knowledge here.
It’s always good to ask questions. And it’s why I am in these forums. Helping spread a little bit of real world experience in using EVs for our chosen pastime of caravan touring is good for all of us 😁👍. There is a lot of poor information, myth and adverse hype around EVs pushed on the internet. Some “issues “ are trivial and can be easily dispelled. Others there is more truth to, but the in reality EVs are FAR more capable than most ICE drivers would give credit for, mostly because of a lack of direct experience.
I have had some brilliant cars (Solo and tow) over the years, and I though my last main car (Volvo V60 D6 PHEV) was the best of them all. 20 miles of pure electric, 70mpg on average, almost 300hp, AWD and 200 miles towing range. It’s great, but my Polestar 2 EV knocks it for six. The Polestar is honestly the best car I have ever driven (and I have driven a fair number).
Yes, air on just the same. And the great thing with an EV, because climate systems are totally discrete from the traction system (other than the battery) you can run them completely independently. So you can start the heating on a cold morning from an app on your phone, or the cooling from the same when your car has been parked in the sun all day, and you are just coming back to it.
Run the heat. It's far more efficient than ice and as an ice you might run out of fuel too .mo different but far more economical. Heat uses barely any power. Re floods they are more sensitive if handbook is believed. Very very specific warning not to go over wading depth but diesels lock up etc. So not much difference
Sadly at the moment I don't know of any EVs that can safely tow our twin axle caravan 2000kg safely for a reasonable distance i.e. 200 miles before a recharge woudl be required. The other issue is being able to afford an EV even second hand!
Yep, 2T is at the top end right now. Tesla X can do it today, and there are a number of cars that will be able to this and next year. 2nd hand EV market is in its infancy right now, but I think in 5 years it will be much more established, and choice will be much wider. The question is do you really need 200 miles of towing range? That’s a good 4 hours in the driving seat without a stop. Some can do that, I know I can’t, not Solo, and certainly not towing.
But having a 15-20 min charge while I take a break can add another hours driving range, and that is improving all the time.
Thanks for that reminder as we normally stop anyway for a 15 minute break after about 100 miles or 90 minutes driving. I have never topped up at a motorway services so I guess my brain is still aligned that way. Reason being the high cost of fuel at a motorway services. Not sure if that would apply to EVs as you will be more or less a captive audience?
Charging costs tend to vary by network rather than by location. Gridserve, the new owner of the Electric Highway chargers that you may have seen at motorway services, are actually one of the cheaper networks and have some more rapid chargers. However, my charging while towing is directed more to the chargers location in the carpark, and availability of a parking spot for the caravan. There are locations where competing networks are co-located giving choice for the user and allowing competition on price (a good thing), and I would expect this to increase over time.
Having had a DVT following a long tow from Scotland I get a two hour reminder for a leg stretch.
No worries ! I’ve learnt more in 24 hours than all year! Keep it rolling👍👍👍
Just checked the handbook for our Mini-am not sure what the wading depth of a standard cooper s is, but it actually doesn't make much fuss about it-sounds about the same as an ICE vehicle; Only drive through still water
Only drive through water max depth 25cm-this isn't very deep tbh
Drive through at walking speed-5 mph
However in contrast, our Roadster S makes no mention about wading depth!!!
Only drive through water max depth 25cm-this isn't very deep tbh
Drive through at walking speed-5 mph
However in contrast, our Roadster S makes no mention about wading depth!!!
My Polestar 2 says "dont go above floor level" - I think they don't want you to get your feet wet. ;-)
I don't share the view that driving a normal car through 10" of flood water can be described as "isn't very deep".
Even at 5 mph, there will be a bow wave, plus other peoples and reflections of bow waves yours and others.
Put it this way, if it was ours I would not push my luck driving through 10" of water, even if I knew for sure there were no pot holes or lifted manholes.
In the Center of Bradford on Avon is a mini island and Avon had a factory with an entrance off of the junction. After some severe floods the police started to allow cars through. I put my BX onto “ high” which is a rock solid position only to be used at walking pace. I went straight through the Center of the junction over the mini island. The following car started this way but his nerve gave out and he steered towards the side to go around the flooded outer periphery. Net result sudden intake of water to the cylinders and stoppage. He hadn’t realised the water in the crown of the junction was shallower than at the edges due to the camber and mini island.
My worst fear are the Richard Head drivers coming in the opposite direction who believe speed is the way to do it, or take malicious delight in trying to “ kill” an oncoming car.
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