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Electric Vehicles

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In my local shopping centre there used to be a handful of electric charging points and the only cars in them were there because they couldn't park anywhere else. Walking around there last week not only has the number of charging points multiplied by at least fivefold but almost every car using the bays is plugged in. EVs are quietly gaining ground.
 
In developing countries a hybrid with golf cart technology ( as opposed to Tesla tech) that meets safety standards would be ideal. 12v lead acid batteries and a gas generator using a small engine that would be common and easy to maintain.

The power grid in Mexico isn't exactly stone age tech but certainly wouldn't hold up to a change of installing enough charging stations to even a third of car driving folks going electric.
Yet.

I would certainly be interested in an electric hybrid that held a week or two worth of gas for the everyday commute needs. Comfortable enough for road trips once in a while, not like the little tiny ones we see now.
 
Puppycow said:
The price of gasoline (or petrol) is quite high there, isn't it? Heavily taxed.

So, no wonder. I imagine it's cheaper if you are just thinking about saving money. Yes? Or is everyone there an environmentalist?
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The government has promoted the sale of electric cars. There's no sales tax (25%) on electric cars, and they pay less road tax.

There used to be more advantages, like free parking and road tolls, but as the number of electric cars has increased those advantages have been scaled back.

Although many fossil cars still use gasoline, the majority of fossil cars in Norway run on diesel. Diesel is a little cheaper than gasoline, but the prices on both are high and increasing.

Jack by the hedge said:
Well the price of everything is kinda high there, but I suspect it has less to do with fuel prices and more to do with the shorter distances people routinely drive and perhaps the cost threshold of going electric is lower in a higher income/higher tax country.
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Shorter distances? Norway is a big country, with a small population spread all over. And there's mountains and fjords all over, making driving distances longer than they appear. Although the sale of electric cars has been high for a while now, the real revolutions just started recently with cars getting long enough range to be usable outside the cities.

Another factor, of course, is higher end and long range electric cars are now hitting the used cars market. You no longer have to buy a brand new car to get long range.
 
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Took a vw id3 for a test drive a couple of weeks ago. Sprightly, but felt basic. Buttons on the steering wheel had haptic feedback, making them feel like they been loosely stuck on. Touchscreen controls odd too. No one pedal driving.

Drives in a Tesla model 3 and a Fiat 500e tomorrow. Trying to book a drive in a Kia ev6 for next Friday. All have one pedal driving.
 
And rumours* that Hertz have ordered 100,000 model 3s. The tipping point is coming

*will try to confirm tomorrow
 
Slightly off-topic, but I've subscribed to Aviation Week ever since I started at Boeing. Every issue lately has at least five or six articles about electric aircraft. None have made it to the market yet. Most will fail.
But during my time in the Product Development organization, in the Advanced Concepts group, I probably became known as something of a Luddite. One of the concepts of which I was skeptical was electric airplanes. But a lot of people are putting a lot of money into them.
Also, I live in -- ok, a little outside of -- Port Townsend, WA. Which I refer to as Priusville. I see at least half a dozen pure electric cars every time I go to town. And the only public chargers I'm aware of are at the Food Co-op, because of course they are.
 
bruto said:
When I visited Norway a few years ago, there were already a fair number of electric cars about. I was told that because of the large hydro resources, electricity is plentiful and relatively inexpensive.
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I went to Norway about 13 years ago, and saw charging points at the airport. (For cars not planes!)
 
Oh, and you can set the Tesla to make farting noises when its indicating. The future is now!
 
Test drives -
Fiat 500e La Prima - nice car, but I hit a lot of traffic at the start of the test drive, and the e-pedal/one pedal driving was really jarring* as the car stopped and started. They clearly haven't spent long enough blending regen and conventional braking. Performance was fine once the traffic cleared and for slowing down at junctions the e-pedal worked well.

I'm 6'3" and "solid," but the cabin didn't feel cramped. My feet were though, there wasn't enough room for my left foot to sit alongside the pedals safely. My main requirement in a new car is to go further, comfortably, than the Nissan Leaf. And there's complaints on the web about the software. It's off the list.

Tesla Model 3 AWD long range (actually it was the Performance, but dialled back) - I came away scheming on how I can afford to buy it. The conclusion was "not yet," and that's made me feel a little bit sad. A lovely car to drive, and drive in. I had a look for "panel gaps," which have been a reported problem, and there weren't any. E-pedal works well. Do want, as the kids used to say.



*I told the salesman and he asked, "is 'jarring' good or bad?"
 
Filippo Lippi said:
Test drives -
Fiat 500e La Prima - nice car, but I hit a lot of traffic at the start of the test drive, and the e-pedal/one pedal driving was really jarring* as the car stopped and started. They clearly haven't spent long enough blending regen and conventional braking. Performance was fine once the traffic cleared and for slowing down at junctions the e-pedal worked well.

I'm 6'3" and "solid," but the cabin didn't feel cramped. My feet were though, there wasn't enough room for my left foot to sit alongside the pedals safely. My main requirement in a new car is to go further, comfortably, than the Nissan Leaf. And there's complaints on the web about the software. It's off the list.

Tesla Model 3 AWD long range (actually it was the Performance, but dialled back) - I came away scheming on how I can afford to buy it. The conclusion was "not yet," and that's made me feel a little bit sad. A lovely car to drive, and drive in. I had a look for "panel gaps," which have been a reported problem, and there weren't any. E-pedal works well. Do want, as the kids used to say.

*I told the salesman and he asked, "is 'jarring' good or bad?"
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Who needs a left foot for one pedal driving?

(One-pedal driving - for those who never got over being too big for their toy electric jeep.)

Filippo Lippi said:
Cheaper Chinese cars starting to arrive in the UK next year

A video review said the £25k does not include the UK grant
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Not yet crash tested, but will probably be ok. Fairly nippy but not that quick off the line, I wonder how much the premium will be for the bigger battery.
 
Filippo Lippi said:
Test drives -
Fiat 500e La Prima - nice car, but I hit a lot of traffic at the start of the test drive, and the e-pedal/one pedal driving was really jarring* as the car stopped and started. They clearly haven't spent long enough blending regen and conventional braking. Performance was fine once the traffic cleared and for slowing down at junctions the e-pedal worked well.

I'm 6'3" and "solid," but the cabin didn't feel cramped. My feet were though, there wasn't enough room for my left foot to sit alongside the pedals safely. My main requirement in a new car is to go further, comfortably, than the Nissan Leaf. And there's complaints on the web about the software. It's off the list.

Tesla Model 3 AWD long range (actually it was the Performance, but dialled back) - I came away scheming on how I can afford to buy it. The conclusion was "not yet," and that's made me feel a little bit sad. A lovely car to drive, and drive in. I had a look for "panel gaps," which have been a reported problem, and there weren't any. E-pedal works well. Do want, as the kids used to say.



*I told the salesman and he asked, "is 'jarring' good or bad?"
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I’ve had a TM3 AWD LR since March 2019 and I still grin every single time I set off in it. Which isn’t often as both Mme and Mlle Malbui have overcome their initial reservations and always find an excuse to take it out.

No mechanical, bodywork or electronic issues to report yet.
 
malbui said:
I’ve had a TM3 AWD LR since March 2019 and I still grin every single time I set off in it. Which isn’t often as both Mme and Mlle Malbui have overcome their initial reservations and always find an excuse to take it out.

No mechanical, bodywork or electronic issues to report yet.
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Had a Tesla Model 3 AWD LR since June 2019. Only one issue so far. The FM radio quit working and was replaced at no charge by Tesla mobile service. The only maintenance has been rotating the tires and getting a slow leak caused by a nail fixed.
 
lobosrul5 said:
I'm targeting 2025 or 26 as a target date for a new car. Just need to see a few more charging stations in northern NM and southern CO to go electric.

This would hit the sweet spot: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/tesla-hatchback-dollar25k-price-2023-release-possible-range-and-more

I think I could go without an SUV if I can get a hatchback. Room for 2 medium sized dogs is what I gotta have.
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I just hit 100,000 miles on my Corolla, and I'm hoping it'll last another 10 years or so. I'm very hopeful my next car will be electric.
 
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