Electric Vehicles - Models Discussion

[rembrandt]

I’m seeing a lot of Cybertrucks these days, someone likes them!

There's no accounting for taste.

 

[2HOTinPHX]

There's no accounting for taste.

I do not know how Musk got a hold of my 5th grade drawings of a concept for an aerodynamic vehicle?
I wish I had known then that I was a visionary. Of course I think I remember also drawing a Pontiac Aztec back then to so there is that. Let this be a warning to kids stay away from those sugary cereals...LOL

 

[audreyh1]

That’s a GM Pontiac EV.

 

[NgineER]

We just took ownership of a new Model Y. We purchased one off the lot at a discount and with 7 seats to accommodate everyone in the family. It doesn't leave a whole lot of cargospace however.
Definitely a lot of little things to learn, but I'm already liking the one pedal driving.

 

[Ronstar]

I’m seeing a lot of Cybertrucks these days, someone likes them!

I seldom go to the Chicago suburbs, but went a few days ago. Saw 3 cybertrucks in 5 minutes in Naperville. Parked my F150 close to one. Those things are huge.

Ive now seen 5 or 6 cybertrucks, all in heavily populated areas. I’ve never seen a cybertruck away from big cities. I suspect that cybertrucks have replaced hummers as the go to truck for rich city people.

 

[Midpack]

I seldom go to the Chicago suburbs, but went a few days ago. Saw 3 cybertrucks in 5 minutes in Naperville. Parked my F150 close to one. Those things are huge.

Ive now seen 5 or 6 cybertrucks, all in heavily populated areas. I’ve never seen a cybertruck away from big cities. I suspect that cybertrucks have replaced hummers as the go to truck for rich city people.

Cybertruck:

• Length: 231.7 inches
• Height: 75.0 inches
• Width: 79.8 inches
• Bed length: 78 inches (assuming a full 6.5 feet of length)

And the Ford (we're using a 2020 SuperCrew F-150 with a 6.5-foot bed unless otherwise noted):

• Length: 243.7 inches
• Height: 75.6 inches (4×2), 77.2 (4×4)
• Width: 79.9 inches
• Bed length: 78.9 inches

 

[JoeWras]

Interesting! One would swear the Cybertruck is bigger.

I think it is a trick of the eye. All the slabs make it look larger. At night, the front light bar is impressive.

 

[RetMD21]

Right. We basically waited till we felt like the car that met our needs was available, and the charging network we needed was available, and then we ordered the car.

A nimble peppy car - hard to beat an EV. No lag in response to controls! No gear shifting!

People have different preferences, of course. This week I saw a guy in a Camero at stop light make a lot of noise accelerating to the speed limit. I guess that's fine if it makes him feel better.

 

[audreyh1]

People have different preferences, of course. This week I saw a guy in a Camero at stop light make a lot of noise accelerating to the speed limit. I guess that's fine if it makes him feel better.

Lots of deliberately noisy vehicles around here. I’m glad the Tesla does a good job of filtering out road noises, and even more critical it filters out nasty road smells completely!!

 

[audreyh1]

Interesting! One would swear the Cybertruck is bigger.

I think it is a trick of the eye. All the slabs make it look larger. At night, the front light bar is impressive.

I just know that I didn’t realize how huge it was until I stood next to the driver’s side door.

 

[CaptTom]

I was driving in Boston today. Got stuck behind a Tesla with California plates. The temperature was around 15F, and it had snowed a bit in the past few days. By now most of the cars no longer had any "frosting" of snow or slush on them, between the sun shining all day and the heat of the engines.

Except the Tesla. It had a lot of frozen slush on it, and the rear window was fogged up. When I finally got a chance to pass them (on the right; they were in the passing lane, going slow) I noticed that all the windows were fogged up, and the 3-4 people inside were wearing heavy coats. We'd all been in traffic for quite a while at this point, so it's not like they were just getting started.

What's the deal? Don't Teslas have heat? Or does it wear down the battery so fast that drivers avoid using it?

 

[Midpack]

^^^ Might have been a rental, and the renters didn’t know how to turn on defrost? Could have been a one way rental from CA, or just normal moving inventory where needed - pretty routine to find rental cars with out of state plates.

 

[sdtech]

just today finished a 180 mile trip at from 11 to 20 degrees in a Tesla - no problem with cabin heat - we ran an energy check versus a "normal" trip and the Tesla said we had a 4.5% range penalty because of cold. - so basically - no problem.

 

[joesxm3]

I did 100 or so mile trip with two hour-long sitting in cold but starting from 60 degree garage. It was 12 degrees when I started and 20 degrees by the end. The entire trip took about 5 hours and was half highway 70 mph half 40 mph. I did leave my jacket on and turned the temp down to 67.

I was comfortable and the seat heat came on automatically. The normally would use 35%. Today it used 40%.

 

[CaptTom]

I was comfortable and the seat heat came on automatically. The normally would use 35%. Today it used 40%.

Thanks, I'm very curious about "real world" numbers for EVs. Like that 35-40%. Do you mean 40% of the energy used during the trip went to heating, or heating took 40% of the total battery capacity, or something else?

I always use a 600-mile road trip as an example. Any farther than that and I'd probably fly. But if I'm going to commit a whole day to traveling anyway, it's easier in my own car.

With my ICE vehicles, it takes me about a half-hour to stop halfway, fuel up and grab a bite to eat. So the question becomes, how much time would an EV add to this hypothetical trip? What is the actual (not advertised) range? How much would heating and cooling cut into that? How much time would recharging add?

 

[sdtech]

600 mile trip...With my ICE vehicles, it takes me about a half-hour to stop halfway, fuel up and grab a bite to eat. So the question becomes, how much time would an EV add to this hypothetical trip? What is the actual (not advertised) range? How much would heating and cooling cut into that? How much time would recharging add?

My Model S has a full range of 405 miles.... At a supercharger it can refill at 200 miles every 15 minutes... so it wouldn't add any time as long as there was a supercharger about 300 miles in... I'd probably plan two stops so I wouldn't even have to think about - luckily the Tesla recommends stops automatically but you can override your own selections.

 

[Zathras]

Thanks, I'm very curious about "real world" numbers for EVs. Like that 35-40%. Do you mean 40% of the energy used during the trip went to heating, or heating took 40% of the total battery capacity, or something else?

I always use a 600-mile road trip as an example. Any farther than that and I'd probably fly. But if I'm going to commit a whole day to traveling anyway, it's easier in my own car.

With my ICE vehicles, it takes me about a half-hour to stop halfway, fuel up and grab a bite to eat. So the question becomes, how much time would an EV add to this hypothetical trip? What is the actual (not advertised) range? How much would heating and cooling cut into that? How much time would recharging add?

Range can vary a lot based on driving style and performance.
In my standard range Model 3 I regularly got better than EPA range.
If you get larger wheels, performance model, a roof rack, etc, your range will go down.

Temps around freezing will impact your range, the colder it is the more of an effect. This happens to all cars, but is more pronounced in EVs with the added cabin heat requirement.

For long trips that penalty is minimized. For taking lots of short trips with time between each trip for the battery pack to cold soak, it is magnified.

If you live in AZ, no issues.
If you live in MN it may be something to be aware of.

The advise I would give is:
A) Only buy an EV that uses a heat pump for primary heat.
B) Check for local EV clubs where you can talk to people that drive in your area’s weather and roads.

 

[joesxm3]

When I said 35% and 40% I was referring to how much of my maximum battery capacity was used for the trip.

In this case I charged up to 75% rather than my usual 50% the night before. When I got home I had something like 35% left. In the summer I would have had 40%. But that is a little rough because it was not the exact route.

I don't know how much of that was used to heat the cabin. Judging by some noises I suspect that it was also heating the battery pack.

 

[Midpack]

Thanks, I'm very curious about "real world" numbers for EVs. Like that 35-40%. Do you mean 40% of the energy used during the trip went to heating, or heating took 40% of the total battery capacity, or something else?

No. He's saying 5% of the energy used went to heating. Where he would normally use 35% of his battery for the trip on an average temp day, he used 40% on the very cold trip.

 

[Texas Proud]

I am a bit curious... I know that the battery does not work as well in the cold...but I would think AC uses more electricity...

How does it work in 100 degree weather? How good is the AC... IOW, how long to cool the car...

BTW, I would think that you could precool it so when you got in the car it was already cool... correct?

 

[Midpack]

I am a bit curious... I know that the battery does not work as well in the cold...but I would think AC uses more electricity...

How does it work in 100 degree weather? How good is the AC... IOW, how long to cool the car...

BTW, I would think that you could precool it so when you got in the car it was already cool... correct?

You’re on the right track though high ambient temps aren’t as punishing as very low temps. The graph below shows what the curve looks like for one older variant of the Model Y for example.

Since they converted to heat pumps with the octo-valve in 2020-2021, all Teslas heat and cool efficiently. Earlier Teslas used almost 3 times as many watts to heat the cabin.

And yes you can precool or preheat any Tesla.

 

[Alan]

It does not get very cold in jolly old England compared to plenty of US States but I typically see a 20 - 30 % drop in range in the winter months on my id.3. However the vast majority of trips in the winter for us are quite short so the battery doesn’t get the chance to warm up.

 

[sdtech]

I had one small surprise when I started driving at 11 deg F. The regenerative braking didn't work. I only drove a mile and pulled off to google it - turns out the battery has to warm up first. So I pulled back into traffic and it was already normal.

 

[Midpack]

Just got another free trial for Tesla FSD - this time V13.2.2! I really like it but there’s no reason for me to pay for it while I’m still fully able to drive myself, and enjoy doing so. I will use it until 1/23/25. In the 13 months I’ve owned my MYLR, I’ve now had 6 months of free FSD. Lovely.

 

[rembrandt]

Honda and Nissan have announced plans to merge as the Japanese automakers struggle with competition from rival brands in the electric vehicle market. The two companies confirmed on Monday that they had signed a memorandum of understanding that would create the third largest car maker by sales, behind Toyota and Volkswagen.