A Good range guide video to watch for the Newbies to EVs

[Les burrows]

This video shows how you should drive an EV especially one with limited range like the e-Golf and explains what can be done with a bit of foreword planing for any journey I’m in total agreement with it.
Les

 

[Cocijo]

30kwhr battery is too small for regular longer trips. It’s a town car really.

 

[smokie]

I don't disagree with my mates who do more regular long journeys than me who say they need a longer range than an EV can provide. I don't think I'd want any car where I was dependent on public charging at the moment, though in the few times I've had to do it I've not had many issues.

 

[Gadget Geek]

I don't disagree with my mates who do more regular long journeys than me who say they need a longer range than an EV can provide. I don't think I'd want any car where I was dependent on public charging at the moment, though in the few times I've had to do it I've not had many issues.

I like a battery which matches my bladder capacity, I can fill one and empty the other at the same time.

 

[Ian Key]

I like a battery which matches my bladder capacity, I can fill one and empty the other at the same time.

Just don't connect them the wrong way round.

 

[Archev]

I like a battery which matches my bladder capacity, I can fill one and empty the other at the same time.

Two essential and complimentary apps required there - “Zap Map” and “ Flush”. I’ve road tested both and they’ve got good range enhancing properties ??

 

[Amun]

Don't get me wrong, I love our EV and have no intention of changing back, but then we only drive around Norfolk at the moment. We have kept an ICEV for longer/faster journeys, for the time being.

It's interesting the way that different people view things. though. He clearly means to be very positive, but the video would put off any of our friends looking at buying an EV.

The round trip was only 260 miles, during which he had to make three charging stops and ended up with restricted power at the end of his journey.

Any of our ICEVs could do the return journey without having to refuel at all - many could do it twice over. We used to do a similar journey to get to my parents, and never stopped during the journey - and there was no need to stick to such low speeds to do it, either, which meant that we didn't need to stop for comfort/rest breaks.

 

[Pebble]

I've covered my "range concern" in another thread but for someone who's about to embark on long regular journeys, I'll only be charging to 80% on fast chargers (80-100% apparently frowned upon by the EV world on public chargers and takes forever?) and running down to c.20%,

So in effect, a 60% range charge to charge - 60% of a 58kwh (usuable) battery gives 34,8 kwh. At best, 4 miles/kw (worse in colder weather?), leaves me with a safe range of just 140 miles.

And no way am I going to plod along at 50-55mph on a 70mph road - I might as well be towing a caravan

My body (and bladder) can go much further than the car can ?

 

[Gomev]

Don't get me wrong, I love our EV and have no intention of changing back, but then we only drive around Norfolk at the moment. We have kept an ICEV for longer/faster journeys, for the time being.

It's interesting the way that different people view things. though. He clearly means to be very positive, but the video would put off any of our friends looking at buying an EV.

The round trip was only 260 miles, during which he had to make three charging stops and ended up with restricted power at the end of his journey.

Any of our ICEVs could do the return journey without having to refuel at all - many could do it twice over. We used to do a similar journey to get to my parents, and never stopped during the journey - and there was no need to stick to such low speeds to do it, either, which meant that we didn't need to stop for comfort/rest breaks.

I holiday'd in in Norfolk a couple of years ago touring around in our Gen1 ZS EV and it was a bit of a desert for chargers out and about but it never caused any concerns. In fact King's Lynn where your profile says you are was a useful stop (courtesy of Instavolt at Costa and Starbucks) on the way there and back from Leeds.
Now in a Mk1 5 we are heading to Lowestoft for a week soon so will be bypassing KL and heading on to hopefully Gridserve at Norwich or if needed the Instavolts at Necton (closer) for our stop enroute.
There are many that travel the length and breadth of the country and even across Europe in their EVs, including MGs. It's just about doing it the first time and realising it ain't that hard or as stressful as people imagine.

 

[Archev]

I've covered my "range concern" in another thread but for someone who's about to embark on long regular journeys, I'll only be charging to 80% on fast chargers (80-100% apparently frowned upon by the EV world on public chargers and takes forever?) and running down to c.20%,

So in effect, a 60% range charge to charge - 60% of a 58kwh (usuable) battery gives 34,8 kwh. At best, 4 miles/kw (worse in colder weather?), leaves me with a safe range of just 140 miles.

And no way am I going to plod along at 50-55mph on a 70mph road - I might as well be towing a caravan

My body (and bladder) can go much further than the car can ?

Take good care of your youthful bladder my friend - personally, towing that caravan with a loo sounds close like travelers nirvana ?

 

[Amun]

.....It's just about doing it the first time and realising it ain't that hard or as stressful as people imagine.

And yet my point was that many people don't want to have to stop at all - they want the car to work to suit their needs, not the other way around.

Until the cars are a lot better, or they have no other choice, they will not be buying an EV. They don't care whether you or I find the constraints acceptable, it's their money and they will spend it on what suits them best. A number of people that I talk to are planning the best point to buy a new ICEV, which they hope 'will last them out'.

 

[Ruislip Resident]

And yet my point was that many people don't want to have to stop at all - they want the car to work to suit their needs, not the other way around.

Until the cars are a lot better, or they have no other choice, they will not be buying an EV. They don't care whether you or I find the constraints acceptable, it's their money and they will spend it on what suits them best. A number of people that I talk to are planning the best point to buy a new ICEV, which they hope 'will last them out'.

The sooner they have no choice the better. Alongside the ban on new sales of ice cars, daily charges for using them should be ramped up after 2030.

 

[Amun]

The sooner they have no choice the better. Alongside the ban on new sales of ice cars, daily charges for using them should be ramped up after 2030.

That's incredibly inconsiderate for most people who are less well off...

 

[smokie]

I've said before I can completely understand why an EV wouldn't suit some, especially those dependent on public charging and/or regularly doing high miles, and I respect that. And that's not even thinking of those who can't afford to replace a car.

The more borderline cases will need some incentive or encouragement to make the change. I don't know the answer.

 

[Ruislip Resident]

That's incredibly inconsiderate for most people who are less well off...

Not after 2030. They will be much cheaper with plenty of older used models.

 

[Les burrows]

And yet my point was that many people don't want to have to stop at all - they want the car to work to suit their needs, not the other way around.

Until the cars are a lot better, or they have no other choice, they will not be buying an EV. They don't care whether you or I find the constraints acceptable, it's their money and they will spend it on what suits them best. A number of people that I talk to are planning the best point to buy a new ICEV, which they hope 'will last them out'.

You say you know of a number of people who are looking to purchase a new ICE vehicle, well I find this difficult to see why when we have cars today such as the MG4 and several more similar vehicles coming to the market very soon which could be cheaper or similar in price to a new ICE.

We are now 6.5 years 78 months away from the cut off date for the sale of new ICE vehicles, and you can bet there will be either a shortage of new ICE vehicles, or a massive price cut long before the end of 2029 in ICE vehicles, as production is run down or dealers do there upmost to clear their stocks by cutting prices or by preregistration of what they have left, making what’s left is then 2nd hand.

This in turn will see the sales of new and 2nd hand EVs rocket IMHO.

I wonder in the video at the start of this thread how many petrol stations they passed on there trip, which wasn’t that far really in an EV which is not that good on range to kick off with by today’s standards, this is as we all know the issue the lack of places to charge in certain parts of our islands which has got to improve sooner rather than later.
Even the Giants of the Ice world such as Shell and BP are slowly beginning to see that things have to change, and there are more and more charge points poping up at fuel outlets, plus shopping facilities like supermarkets, and I hope this continues because it as too.

My advice to anyone looking to buy a new vehicle, would be get a full BEV it’s a no brainier in my opinion in many ways, and as those 78 months tick by will get more expensive and harder to get into one as waiting times increase for deliveries from countries far away from these shores.
Les

 

[smokie]

Yeah I think you're right Les to point out that there will be a rapidly increasing global demand for EVs - though OTOH you can see that there are companies gearing up for this with all the new EV manufacturers s coming onto the market, and that's as well as the older established manufacturers who are moving their model range to EV.

But IMO there are two flies in the ointment. One is that EVs are regarded as not "aging" that well, because the batteries deteriorate with age (although maybe not as badly as had been predicted) but whereas an old banger of an ICE can command a half decent price as a run around, until the market is established old EVs will be the ones to avoid.

And my second thought is that it is such a fast evolving market, and so much is being don to research alternative fuel, that EVs (and their charging infrastructure) as we know them could be virtually obsolete in 10 years time. I say could because I don't think they will, but who knows what developments are just around the corner.

I suppose a last point is that in some areas there is already a shift away from owning a vehicle - with car pooling, moving to public transport and car sharing all looking to grow their businesses. While we can see that they do not always fit our requirements, there are younger generations who would embrace such innovation.

 

[Les burrows]

I totally agree with all of that Smokie no one knows what’s around the next corner with vehicles and fuel’s between now and 2030.
As you say some one might find away to run a car on rain water or something else ( rain water imagine that funnles on the roof of every car bit like the spoilers on the MG4 trophy, WOW do the Chinese know something we don’t? ) LOL and
for all we know and maybe the ICE vehicles we have now could be adapted in some way a bit like we did way back, when unleaded petrol became all you could buy we got around it by changing the timing and adding additives but I think they are going to have to be very quick as another reason for EV take up is the LEZs that are becoming more and fast to many cities and large towns quite soon.
Les

 

[Amun]

You say you know of a number of people who are looking to purchase a new ICE vehicle, well I find this difficult to see why when we have cars today such as the MG4 and several more similar vehicles coming to the market very soon which could be cheaper or similar in price to a new ICE.

I thought that I'd explained it - in their eyes, not mine, or yours, EVs are not as good as ICEVs from a range and convenience point of view. It's not all about purchase cost, or even running costs, it's whether they think that an EV is better than and ICEV - and, at the moment, they don't.

It's hard to predict exactly how the wind down will happen, or whether that will change their current views.

 

[Gadget Geek]

When I talk to friends and family about driving an EV, I always point out that an ICE vehicle is at best 35% efficient, which means when they put in £10 worth of fuel, only £3.50's worth makes the car move, £6.50's worth boils the water in the radiator. That's an expensive heating system.