EV Discussion thread

JKenH

Grumpy_chap said:

QrizB said:

At least one journalist noted that Teslas and Superchargers work fine in Norway, where it's regularly colder than Chicago, so it's not a global problem - just Chicago now.

I was thinking about Norway and the fact there are regular mentions in these forums about how far ahead of the curve the take-up of EV's is there only this morning on my way to work.

Today was the first time it was properly cold (-5degC) and entering the car I was greeted by multiple series of messages:

• Regenerative braking temporarily reduced
• Park assist is degraded 
• Lane departure avoidance features unavailable
• Autopilot speed restricted to 60 mph

Obviously, only the first of these is really associated with being an EV.  There was plenty of space to fill up with recovered energy since I only charged to 80% yesterday.

The other issues are to do with the promise that we have fully autonomous cars "tomorrow".  Frankly, if autonomous assist features don't work in the cold, we are far away from the promise being fulfilled.  I suspect we will have the fully autonomous car the same day as we get that "electricity too cheap to meter" that we were promised.

When was that promised, and by whom?

EricMears

MeteredOut said:

Grumpy_chap said:

 I suspect we will have the fully autonomous car the same day as we get that "electricity too cheap to meter" that we were promised.

When was that promised, and by whom?

That's what Lewis L. Strauss, chairman of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission in 1954, told the National Association of Science Writers in New York in September of that year.

ISTR that it was also part of a speech given at the opening of Calder Hall nuclear power station.

Strictly speaking,  it was never an actual promise - just a (very poor) forecast.

Grumpy_chap

JKenH said:

Grumpy_chap said:

QrizB said:

At least one journalist noted that Teslas and Superchargers work fine in Norway, where it's regularly colder than Chicago, so it's not a global problem - just Chicago now.

I was thinking about Norway and the fact there are regular mentions in these forums about how far ahead of the curve the take-up of EV's is there only this morning on my way to work.

Today was the first time it was properly cold (-5degC) and entering the car I was greeted by multiple series of messages:

• Regenerative braking temporarily reduced
• Park assist is degraded 
• Lane departure avoidance features unavailable
• Autopilot speed restricted to 60 mph

Obviously, only the first of these is really associated with being an EV.  There was plenty of space to fill up with recovered energy since I only charged to 80% yesterday.

The other issues are to do with the promise that we have fully autonomous cars "tomorrow".  Frankly, if autonomous assist features don't work in the cold, we are far away from the promise being fulfilled.  I suspect we will have the fully autonomous car the same day as we get that "electricity too cheap to meter" that we were promised.

When was that promised, and by whom?

The following article gives several people who said we'd have self-driving cars, even including Failing Grayling
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/dec/06/driverless-cars-future-vehicles-public-transport

JKenH

A couple of EV YouTubers go to Chicago to investigate what really was going on.

https://youtu.be/K64HQ5ZPfdQ?si=crNSrl7XNK32GAGB

QrizB

paul991 said:

At least being in UK this wont be a problem any thing like minus 20 everything will be shut and  we will be told to stay at  home  

It was -10C here this morning.

UK winter diesel is only specced down to -15C, so if we did get a -20C cold spell most of those vans and heavy vehicles would be off the road.

(Wonder if eg. the ambulance service have plans for this? )

Netexporter

(Wonder if eg. the ambulance service have plans for this? )

I suppose they could add extra anti-waxing additive in a very cold snap.

Martyn1981

QrizB said:

paul991 said:

At least being in UK this wont be a problem any thing like minus 20 everything will be shut and  we will be told to stay at  home  

It was -10C here this morning.

UK winter diesel is only specced down to -15C, so if we did get a -20C cold spell most of those vans and heavy vehicles would be off the road.

(Wonder if eg. the ambulance service have plans for this? )

Don't mention the ICE, I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it.   

paul991

I had to drive a diesel van for work (not  by choice ) for the last 40 years and only starting problems were due to flat batteries

JKenH

My motorhome’s MOT was due this week. It had been standing since October and last week while checking the central heating oil tank next to it I heard a beeping sound from it and, yes, it had a flat battery so I plugged it in and charged the 7 year old battery. Yesterday I went out to it (it was -7C here yesterday morning) and turned the key, waited for the glow plug light go out, then cranked it and it fired straight away. As I last filled it In September, presumably it was on summer diesel so with modern engines maybe diesels aren’t as bad at starting as they were in the past. 

JKenH

Martyn1981 said:

QrizB said:

paul991 said:

At least being in UK this wont be a problem any thing like minus 20 everything will be shut and  we will be told to stay at  home  

It was -10C here this morning.

UK winter diesel is only specced down to -15C, so if we did get a -20C cold spell most of those vans and heavy vehicles would be off the road.

(Wonder if eg. the ambulance service have plans for this? )

Don't mention the ICE, I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it.   

Well, I anticipated someone would mention ICEs again so after picking the motorhome up I took this photo. Now a remaining range of 117 miles is not great for a diesel but the fuel gauge needle was only just off the red.(The top half of the fuel gauge is obscured.) It had been 91 when I collected it so over the 7 miles driving home the mpg just got better and better.  Diesels cope well in this cold weather and do not suffer the range loss of a EV. Yes the 12v battery can go flat if left for 3 months but the fuel doesn’t evaporate and (at least,in my case) it hadn’t turned to jelly.

I can’t imagine BEV motorhomes working very well. With the drag of a motorhome body you will either have to have a very large battery or accept a limited range. Our motorhome sits around unused most of the year, apart from 2 or 3 holidays and a few race meeting weekends and the odd test/track day.. Not an ideal usage pattern for a BEV but not untypical for a motorhome.