Battery Electric Vehicle News / Enjoying the Transportation Revolution

EVandPV

BP: Fast Chargers Become Almost As Profitable As Fuel Pumps

It's outstanding news that fast chargers become almost as profitable as fuel pumps. It's an expected result of a few major factors, including higher power chargers, multiple stalls per station, and a higher number of cars that also can accept higher power and have bigger batteries.

https://insideevs.com/news/560953/bp-fast-chargers-profitability/amp/

JKenH

Elon Musk's 5-Word Response to a User Suggestion Is a Bad Sign for Tesla Owners

Following the V.11 software update over Christmas there has been quite a bit of discussion on social media about the changes to the user interface. Tesla fanboys loved them but many other users complained that some tasks now required more input from the driver to achieve what were previously simple actions. Also I believe (and I would find this particularly annoying) the live driving efficiency read-out was removed from the regular screen. (Tesla owners on here please correct me if I am wrong and let me know what you think to V.11.)

Tesla have historically reacted quite positively to owner feedback but is this changing? One owner made a suggestion to Tesla about how the UI could be improved and this was Elon Musk’s response. Mr Musk was somewhat dismissive of the idea that drivers might like some input over matters (such as seat heaters). 

Now, of course, this is a relatively minor issue in the grand scheme of things but if you buy a car with certain features it is a bit concerning that manufacturers can unilaterally remove those features (or make them more difficult to use) with a software up date?

So, you Tesla drivers, what do you think?

https://www.inc.com/jason-aten/elon-musks-5-word-response-to-a-user-suggestion-is-a-bad-sign-for-tesla-owners.html

Verdigris

Sound like Apple, to me. Over-priced toys controlled by a megalomaniac.

I've no time (or money) for either.

CKhalvashi

Verdigris said:

Sound like Apple, to me. Over-priced toys controlled by a megalomaniac.

I've no time (or money) for either.

As with anything, if it's the best fit to my needs for the price, I may think about it, but there's nothing in my lifestyle generally a Tesla would do that my Ioniq won't for £20k less.

Cars are a very subjective area for most people and I don't see the appeal of a Tesla (and have concerns over the use of certain data by the company that they collect).

That said, I'd have another Jag in a heartbeat if an electric XE-ish car was available, but I don't really like the design or price tag of what is available from them as a manufacturer on a BEV level right now, mainly as I personally want an electric car that is discreet, meaning looking like a standard petrol/diesel car. Again, subjective opinion.

JKenH

Tesla Model 3 Owner Discovers Car Was Delivered Missing a Brake Pad

Another Tesla story doing the rounds, this time about a car delivered with a missing brake pad. Now I am sure someone will point out to me that these sort of things can happen with any manufacturer, not just Tesla, but the problem is I feel compounded by Tesla’s lack of a dealer network (or “stealerships” as Tesla fans like to call them).

A couple of years ago I decided I wanted a new Leaf 40kWh and ordered one to my spec through a local dealer. When I went to collect it there was an issue and I declined to take delivery. I gave the dealer a week to sort it during which time they gave me a loan car. At the end of that week the issue was not sorted despite the manufacturer being involved and I rejected the car and got my money back. I then bought a delivery mileage car from another Nissan dealer but after 3 weeks rejected that and again got my money back. I ordered another new car from a third dealer and when I went to collect the new car I was expecting had in fact been manufactured 6 months earlier. The dealer offered an adjustment to the terms as an alternative to rejection and a deal was done. 

The point of this story is that neither manufacturers or dealers are perfect but if you have a problem, you have two avenues of redress/resolution, either with the manufacturer (under warranty) or dealer under contract/statutory legislation). With a dealer you can go in and discuss issues face to face (in my case with the dealer principal) and stay there until you have a resolution. 

In some states in the US they don’t allow direct sales (they have to be through a dealer). Some people bemoan this but perhaps it is for a good reason - to protect the customer. 

For direct sales to work the buyer has to have confidence in the supplier and the stories I hear about Tesla, for me, fail to give that. 

https://www.thedrive.com/news/43876/tesla-model-3-owner-discovers-car-was-delivered-missing-a-brake-pad

Martyn1981

Tesla news, but higher safety applies to almost all BEV's, especially thanks to front crumple zones. I even seem to remember some news that even BEV's built on ICEV chassis' such as the Hyundai Ioniq, were safer than the ICE versions. Certainly something to push, though perhaps BEV's being safer than ICEV's is a tricky marketing position for legacy auto today, as it might imply that their ICEV's are unsafe (rather than less safe), but still bodes well for the future.

Is The Tesla Model Y Even Safer Than The Tesla Model 3?

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) revealed the results of its Tesla Model Y crash safety tests recently. Like all Teslas, the Model Y earned the highest-possible rating during these tests. But there was also a surprise.

When looking carefully at the results, it’s clear that the Model Y electric SUV has proven even safer than the Model 3, via a better score in the “Driver injury measures — lower leg/foot” subcategory and some other categories.

These tests imply that the Tesla Model Y has taken the crown from Model 3 for being the vehicle with the least probability of injury. Interestingly, this would allow the entire Tesla lineup (including Model S, 3, X, and Y) to occupy the top 4 rankings for safest vehicles in the USA.

Martyn1981

Lovely little milestone. More to come.

EVs Beat Diesels As Electric Car Sales Ramp Up In Europe

Auto analyst Mathias Schmidt tells the Financial Times that sales of battery-electric cars in Europe and the UK were higher than sales of diesel-powered cars for the first time in December. “The diesel death march has been playing on repeat since September 2015 when ‘Dieselgate’ was first unveiled — causing VW to draw up the first plans of the ID.3 within 30 days of the scandal coming to light,” he said. The December data indicates 176,000 battery electric vehicles were sold in December — 6% more than in December, 2020 — as opposed to 160,000 diesels.

shinytop

https://www.avweb.com/recent-updates/evtols-urban-mobility/zeva-evtol-completes-first-untethered-flight/

I think calling it a even a prototype is being generous but it is technically an EV.  It's designed to take off vertically but then tilts so you fly face down superman style. 

Martyn1981

Bit old, but I only just heard about this idea on a youtube news piece, but have found an article. Hope this hasn't been mentioned before.

So the idea is quite simple, install a charger or two on power poles. The power is there already, the support structure is already there, and they can be high enough to avoid accidents, vandalism and winter weather (in snowy states). When  you want to use them, you activate with your phone and they lower the charge cable down to you.

Yet another tool in the EV charger toolbox.

Why Are They Installing Charging Points Up There On Utility Poles?

Here is a presentation of an interesting approach to public AC Level 2 charging, with the charging unit installed pretty high on a utility pole.

The on-street pole has an advantage, because it can easily provide electricity, which minimizes installation costs.

Those particular charging points are installed quite high - to prevent any damages we assume - which requires use of an app to lower the charging plug.

National Grid is installing a small number of such charging points in Melrose, Massachusetts, in partnership with the City of Melrose, California-based AmpUp, EVSE LLC, and Voltrek. The pilot project was announced in April 2021 and a few locations are already online. Some have one, some two plugs. In total, there should be 10 locations with 16 plugs.

Verdigris

It is easy to forget that a great deal of US electricity infrastructure is above ground, even in urban areas. Could be a cost effective solution for rural areas in the UK, which may not have heavy enough usage to justify a "proper" charging station, and would be less visually intrusive, too.

It'll keep the Wichita linesman busy, anyway.