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Electric Vehicles

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Lplus said:
Because it is a drastic simplification/elimination of a process I personally have no difficulty with and often find satisfying to carry out, to whit the use of a manual gearbox and clutch to drive a car and a braking system to stop it. The more simplified a process becomes the more the phrase "a child could do that" comes to mind.

Now I can understand that those who can't cope with a manual gearbox, those who get no pleasure from using a manual gearbox, and those who's journey involves nothing but nose to tail traffic needing or at least preferring an auto box, and the one pedal system is just an auto box with the inclusion of "automatic braking". (Yes I realise manual cars have a small amount of retardation off throttle, but it isn't something I choose to rely on.)

You yourself have highlighted a significant problem with that sort of system in that you are relying on the regen braking to slow the car, and it may not be sufficient for the job. Unfortunately by the time you have realised that it may be too late, whilst those who expected to use a footbrake would already be braking as necessary. I suppose it's the same as "self driving" - by the time you realise the system isn't going to cope you may be too late.
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And the hand crank starts it just fine with a little extra exercise thrown in.

I really enjoy driving a standard transmission sporty car, but everything else is better with an automatic in my experience. Still haven’t tried one pedal driving, but looking forward to it.
 
I find it really difficult to go up steep hills without using both pedals.

Downhill, though, I often do just fine using no pedals at all.
 
zooterkin said:
Well, that's a load of unsubstantiated nonsense.
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No problem, I have as high an opinion of your views as you have of mine
I'm perfectly capable of driving a manual car (I've been doing it for forty years), but the last few cars I've had have been automatic. I haven't missed having to change gear at all, but I have no problem if I need to (our motorhome is a diesel with a manual box).
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I'll put you in with the "get no pleasure from using a manual gearbox" category then.
An electric car is not simply an auto box; there are no gears at all, it's direct drive. I've been driving mine for only a few months, but I've had no cases where it's been too late to use the foot brake. (Also, using the foot brake also engages regenerative braking as well as the actual brakes.) Mine also has adaptive cruise control, which is great on motorways, and in traffic jams; you don't need to touch the brakes at all (though of course you should always be ready to if necessary).
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I'm well aware of the workings of an electric car, all I can say to the first hilite is "So far" and to the second, "and there's the rub"

What is it with electric car drivers that they are so defensive about their choice of vehicle?
 
We've been through this whole "one-pedal driving is madness*" thing up thread, it'll be another round of "EV's are always catching fire" next.

*I'm still waiting for them to reattach my brake pedal. Until they do, I'm not moving an inch
 
Filippo Lippi said:
We've been through this whole "one-pedal driving is madness*" thing up thread, it'll be another round of "EV's are always catching fire" next.

*I'm still waiting for them to reattach my brake pedal. Until they do, I'm not moving an inch
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I don't think it is madness as it clearly suits some, but it just doesn't interest me as a driver and I consider it has some downsides.
 
Every car that isn't one that you are familiar with has "downsides," in that the brakes are different, you won't drive it in the same way until you have learnt the brakes work.

I don't see your "downsides." If a corner needs more brakes than one pedal driving is giving me from lifting my foot off the accelerator, then I do what you do, I press the brake pedal.
 
Filippo Lippi said:
Every car that isn't one that you are familiar with has "downsides," in that the brakes are different, you won't drive it in the same way until you have learnt the brakes work.

I don't see your "downsides." If a corner needs more brakes than one pedal driving is giving me from lifting my foot off the accelerator, then I do what you do, I press the brake pedal.
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Completely meaningless unless you have chosen you hand select your clutch face material.
 
Regenerative braking does not replace standard brakes. And, when using one-pedal driving, the car will apply the real brakes if regenerative braking is not available or is insufficient.

For example, when the car is fully or nearly fully charged, regenerative braking is not available, but the brakes are applied when you let up on the accelerator. The car's computer ensures that it responds the same whether regen is available or not.

In a similar way, pressing the brake pedal will engage regen braking or a combination of regen and physical braking to slow or stop the car.

The idea that the driver has to decide between regen and physical braking is silly.
 
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And if I ever sound defensive ... well, sorry ....

It's not nearly as bad here, but every post I see on Facebook about EVs is followed by hundreds of comments repeating the same misinformation. It's kind of hard not to be at least a little defensive.
 
jadebox said:
And if I ever sound defensive ... well, sorry ....

It's not nearly as bad here, but every post I see on Facebook about EVs is followed by hundreds of comments repeating the same misinformation. It's kind of hard not to be at least a little defensive.
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- They're fire hazards!
- They're worse for the environment than Gas cars!
- It takes hours to charge!
- They have limited range!
- There's no where to charge them!
- What happens to the grid when EVERYONE has one!?
- They're powered by coal!

Are the garbage ones I've heard

I've had my Tesla for 30000 miles. No issues, is a fantastic car, and you can pry autopilot from my cold dead fingers.
 
wareyin said:
I know, right? All you did was compare them to 4 year olds and say their cars are like kids toys. Why would that make anyone defensive?
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I said one pedal driving makes me think of kids toys, but if they think that makes them 4 year olds, well, if the cap fits they can wear it.
 
One advantage of owning an electric vehicle in the UK is that you can re-charge for free (or at least the costs are indirect) at Tesco supermarkets. Mrs Don and I went out for a leisurely lunch yesterday and parked for close to three hours and got about 80 miles of range for free in the process.
 
Lplus said:
I said one pedal driving makes me think of kids toys, but if they think that makes them 4 year olds, well, if the cap fits they can wear it.
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Right, you never said anything about 4 year olds....
Lplus said:
One pedal driving makes me think of electric cars for kids. I suppose it has to be intuitive for a 4 year old to master it.
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oh. Whoops, looks like you actually did...
 
The Don said:
One advantage of owning an electric vehicle in the UK is that you can re-charge for free (or at least the costs are indirect) at Tesco supermarkets. Mrs Don and I went out for a leisurely lunch yesterday and parked for close to three hours and got about 80 miles of range for free in the process.
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The parking is limited to 90 minutes at our local Tesco, and I rarely stay that long, but I do get back home with more range than when I set off, if there is a spare charger.

At least the charging at Tesco, provided by PodPoint has been pretty much hassle-free. At Waitrose, the BP Pulse chargers seem to be unreliable; I've had to phone up to get them turned on, and again to get them to stop charging. I suspect a bad phone signal, since I've used the BP Pulse chargers at a nearby multi-storey car park without problems. (I was pleasantly surprised to discover the latter ones are free to use too, apart from the car park charge. Since I'm mostly there in the evenings to attend gigs, when the car park charge is a flat £1.70, it's even cheaper than charging at home, as well as faster (we don't have a charger) and getting cheaper the longer I stay.)
 
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