Electric and Hybrid Car Thread

[Hehe]

Originally Posted by JDMDreams

I'm surprised Nissan can't figure it out considering it isn't really a new car and EVs are relatively simple compared to gas, battery, power control, motor

People have the illusion that making EV is easy and legacy automakers would have no problem moving to EV.

Yes, anyone with a basic electromagnetic understanding can wire a motor, hook on batteries and make the motor goes. But the problem is how to do it efficiently, scalable and durable.

All the engineers and know-hows legacy automakers have acquired the last few decades are meaningless when it comes to EV. Not a single thing is transferable and they need to start from scratch just like any new Chinese EV startup. Legacies can have the absolute best ICE engineer, but they would have little understanding of how to make the best EV motors.

And when they don't invest/put enough attention for the switch to EV (say... train mechanics at dealer level), this is what you get.

[Hondaracer]

Having to sit in an uncomfortably warm car in order to get the range you require, sounds lovely lol

[Manic!]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

Having to sit in an uncomfortably warm car in order to get the range you require, sounds lovely lol

No different from not running A/C because of how much fuel it burns.

[!Aznboi128]

Originally Posted by SumAznGuy

Nissan called. Turns out the traction motor or something drivetrain related is broken.
And no one in Canada has the part.

Need to overnight it from Japan. Put it on my tab at Harry's.

But all Harry's has is a couple of sr20s

[Hondaracer]

Originally Posted by Manic!

No different from not running A/C because of how much fuel it burns.

lol people do that?

[freakshow]

Originally Posted by TypeRNammer

Started the day 90%, made a small errand.

Then drove to Chilliwack, back to Mitchell Island, and then East Van

Ended with 15%, total of 200km driven on that day.

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

Having to sit in an uncomfortably warm car in order to get the range you require, sounds lovely lol

If you regularly drive 200-300km every day, a standard/average range EV is not for you.

[TypeRNammer]

Originally Posted by freakshow

If you regularly drive 200-300km every day, a standard/average range EV is not for you.

It's the odd trip here and there that I go the distance.

I can almost go one round trip East Van to Bellingham and back.

Just have to top off 5 bucks at the supercharger in South Surrey coming back to be on the safe side.

[Dbone]

Originally Posted by Hehe

All the engineers and know-hows legacy automakers have acquired the last few decades are meaningless when it comes to EV. Not a single thing is transferable and they need to start from scratch just like any new Chinese EV startup.

I think you're overstating things by a large degree. The drivetrain design including the software is just one small part of the whole thing. The design of the factory, the implementation of the robotics as well as having experience managing the whole supply chain is a big deal.

[Hondaracer]

Originally Posted by freakshow

If you regularly drive 200-300km every day, a standard/average range EV is not for you.

I don’t but given some of the stories here I think range anxiety would be a big deal for me.

Next vehicle will almost certainly be a hybrid or EV but hopefully can keep the gas guzzler going for a bit until we can afford somthing where the range anxiety isn’t as bad

[68style]

Range anxiety definitely factors into my street racing decisions... when a Tesla pulls up next to me in the right lane and there's parked cars ahead, depending if it's got performance wheels or not I decide whether I have a chance but range anxiety never factors into the decision.

When a Nissan Leaf pulls up next to me, I just smile and nod slowly to myself because not only do I know the car isn't fast, I know the owners are scared of their range dropping and are totally unlikely to floor it off the light.

[JDMDreams]

I love it when taxi,uber drivers roll up on the right lane in their Prius too soon junior

[SumAznGuy]

Originally Posted by !Aznboi128

But all Harry's has is a couple of sr20s

Ted has the SR20's in his warehouse. He know's he'll fetch a premium just before racewars.
Harry's only good for NOS, and two of them.

Originally Posted by Hehe

People have the illusion that making EV is easy and legacy automakers would have no problem moving to EV.

Yes, anyone with a basic electromagnetic understanding can wire a motor, hook on batteries and make the motor goes. But the problem is how to do it efficiently, scalable and durable.

All the engineers and know-hows legacy automakers have acquired the last few decades are meaningless when it comes to EV. Not a single thing is transferable and they need to start from scratch just like any new Chinese EV startup. Legacies can have the absolute best ICE engineer, but they would have little understanding of how to make the best EV motors.

And when they don't invest/put enough attention for the switch to EV (say... train mechanics at dealer level), this is what you get.

In all seriousness, every car maker legacy or not is going to have their issues.
Talked to my buddies last night and told them about my Leaf.
One of them said Porsche is having their own issues with their EV and hybrids.
Another friend with a Tesla is having issues with his Model X. At this point Tesla has no fix for his issues either other than replacing parts, parts that you can't just walk into a dealership to buy.

Newer cars are far too complicated as they are rolling computers, especially these newer cars with self drive, lane departure, accident avoidance etc.

One thing Ford is doing that Tesla isn't is offering e-crate motors. Will be interesting to see more people dropping in new electric motors into gas powered cars and keeping hot rodding alive while the only way to get Tesla parts is from wreckers that stock Tesla's.

As for Hondaracer, range anxiety was an issue for me, till about a month of ownership of my Leaf. After that, I know how far I can drive or how long it will take to charge my car. And as they improve the charging network, soon you will know where all the chargers are, in case you need to use one.
The only thing though, is the time it takes to add a few km's of charge. Nothing beats the 5 mins pulling into a gas station to add a few $ of gas unless you are waiting in line at Costco.

[punkwax]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

lol people do that?

I had a coworker who did that and we carpooled. Black on black leather Jetta with windows down mid-August.. no bueno.

Then one day he picked me up with the windows up and I got into a nice cool car. I asked what changed and apparently he had read or heard that the drag created by having windows open actually burned more fuel than the AC

Great day for me though.

[68style]

Most people are running their AC all day long every day anyway without even realizing it if the car is on any of the windshield settings.

I know mine always are otherwise the windows fog up right away.

[mikemhg]

Does anyone have any information on the grumblings I've been hearing about the potential raising of charging/fast charging rates in the future?

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/do...182042025.html

I've already seen reports in California that people are paying upwards of $40-$50 USD to fast charge a Model 3 fully.

What I'm hearing is that fast charging has largely been subsidized over the last number of years, but as more EVs are adopted, such pricing for charging will increase in the near future exponentially.

Curious if that will affect parity in the price savings between ICE/EV when on the road? I suppose home charging would offset that, but interesting nonetheless.

[68style]

I mean you can almost count on it? Onboard everyone and then when they’re all on board, jack the prices up.

[Hondaracer]

Wouldn’t doubt in 20-30 years it will cost the same as it costs to fill a car at $1-1.5 a litre for a full charge

[SumAznGuy]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

Wouldn’t doubt in 20-30 years it will cost the same as it costs to fill a car at $1-1.5 a litre for a full charge

But would also bet that gasoline prices will also go up too.

[Alpine]

Not to mention the rolling brownouts & blackouts that are already happening in states like California. Not only will the price to charge increase, but certain cities won't even have the capacity available to charge all these EVs.

[Hehe]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

Wouldn’t doubt in 20-30 years it will cost the same as it costs to fill a car at $1-1.5 a litre for a full charge

There are certain limits on how much utility provider can charge on electricity in many parts of the world, Canada included.

BC Hydro needs to justify whatever increase it plans to do, and the gov't needs to approve it because electricity rate is a political issue in many places.

Setting politics aside, there is one huge advantage of electricity that gasoline can never compete: logistics costs.

Electrical service is usually the first service to get anywhere with development going on as everything needs electricity in order to work. Once an electrical wire is brought in, the logistic cost of electricity is almost nothing compared to the total amount of electricity that can be delivered.

Then take a look at gasoline, to get the raw petroleum from the place it's extracted to where's refined needs $$$ on logistics, then you'd need even more $$$ to deliver the finished product to all the gas stations around the country.

We've grown so used to having gas station every other corner that we don't see it. But it takes millions and millions of dollars to get all that logistics done.

In the long run, there's very little, if any advantage for ICE cars vs. EV. Maybe for nostalgia reason? Like how people prefer a mechanical watch/camera when their modern digital counterparts are almost better in every form and shape. It'd be down to preference... but in 10years from now, there'd be no practical reason to drive an ICE car.

As for energy generation... it's a matter of demand vs. supply. It's very costly to create new power supply. And if you don't use it, that power is gone, unlike gasoline. Thus, it takes many years of planning and forecasting. But things are being done to make sure there'd be enough power even when the vast majority of vehicles on road are EV.

[SumAznGuy]

I heard Tesla raised their charging rates on their super chargers.
How much does it cost to charge now?

Also, who's driven an EV Kona/Niro?

The lease on my Leaf is over next year and thinking of switching to a Kona/Niro since I'd like a little more room in the car and the bigger battery/range for a commuter car.

Since moving to Pitt, I am doing 25-30K km's a year between commuting to work and back to Burnaby to play hockey.

[radeonboy]

Originally Posted by SumAznGuy

Also, who's driven an EV Kona/Niro?

Does a Soul EV count?

I test drove the Limited but ended up with the Premium trim (lower hp/range) since it's enough for my commuting needs. What questions do you have?

[JDMDreams]

Do you only rely on super chargers? I've only used them once under the free 1500kms, 120v has been fine, and the occasional 240v. Still gonna be cheaper than the $140 that you pay for that 500 km on a gas car

[SumAznGuy]

Originally Posted by radeonboy

Does a Soul EV count?

I test drove the Limited but ended up with the Premium trim (lower hp/range) since it's enough for my commuting needs. What questions do you have?

I'm curious how roomy the Kona's are. I guess the Soul and Kona/Niro uses the same platform?
How's the tech in the car? how good is the infotament?
I hate how Nissan cheaped out with a VGA moniter

Originally Posted by JDMDreams

Do you only rely on super chargers? I've only used them once under the free 1500kms, 120v has been fine, and the occasional 240v. Still gonna be cheaper than the $140 that you pay for that 500 km on a gas car

The supercharger question was just out of curiosity. I use a 120V at home and other than 1 time a week where I splurge at $10 to charge at a DC fast charger, my leaf will last the work week.
Last 2 weeks, it's been $100 each week in gas for the wife's car since my car is still at Nissan.

[JDMDreams]

Such a big claim and they didn't give you a courtesy car? I would raise hell. Even ICBC is covering all gas costs for those getting a gas courtesy if their EV is in the shop.