Leaving Carbon Footprints In The Snow

[Vaughan]

I can't help wondering what it must feel like to be stuck overnight on the M62 in 15 inches of snow, in a pure electric vehicle, watching as the heater rapidly drains the batteries.

I can't imagine that their eco - gesture to the reduction of global warming would seem quite so significant, right now.

[BroadAmbition]

I can - stressful 

whereas in a ICE vehicle, confident 

Griff

[Mouldy]

How will the emergency services deal with EV’s with flat batteries?  Unlike an ICE vehicle , it’s not just a question of a quick jump start!

Imagine the queues forming at the nearest working charge points as folk try to continue their journeys.

Not for me, I’m afraid.  

[BroadAmbition]

Those queues and those situations have already been happening after long road closures accidents and the likes 

Griff

[MauriceMynah]

So, for ice get ICE.

[Smoggy]

9 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

So, for ice get ICE.

No that's rum and gin you are thinking about, again....  (I can see a theme emerging)

[oldgregg]

3 hours ago, Vaughan said:

I can't help wondering what it must feel like to be stuck overnight on the M62 in 15 inches of snow, in a pure electric vehicle, watching as the heater rapidly drains the batteries.

I can't imagine that their eco - gesture to the reduction of global warming would seem quite so significant, right now.

People have done tests on this... A Tesla uses about 1-2% battery per hour to keep the heating at a good temperature. Electric cars (apart from the cheap ones) have a heat pump so are generally quite efficient. You can of course also use the heated seats, which use very little power.

So running it overnight (with little noise other than the fan) would actually not be too bad. A popular YouTuber (and tesla owner) who lives in Norway has done overnight tests and it was all pretty undramatic.

Probably a better experience than being in an ICE car and having to run the engine and potentially ingest your own and others' exhaust fumes....

But yes, you might need to find a charger in the morning pretty pronto.

[Vaughan]

1 hour ago, Mouldy said:

Imagine the queues forming at the nearest working charge points as folk try to continue their journeys.

That is if the charge points have not suffered "power outages" owing to the freezing conditions.

But of course, it must all be blamed on global warming.

[floydraser]

I can see "panic charging" whenever there's snow in the forecast.

[CambridgeCabby]

34 minutes ago, oldgregg said:

People have done tests on this... A Tesla uses about 1-2% battery per hour to keep the heating at a good temperature. Electric cars (apart from the cheap ones) have a heat pump so are generally quite efficient. You can of course also use the heated seats, which use very little power.

So running it overnight (with little noise other than the fan) would actually not be too bad. A popular YouTuber (and tesla owner) who lives in Norway has done overnight tests and it was all pretty undramatic.

Probably a better experience than being in an ICE car and having to run the engine and potentially ingest your own and others' exhaust fumes....

But yes, you might need to find a charger in the morning pretty pronto.

The papers have recently been reporting that EV’s range is reduced by 16% to 33% during cold weather in the ten most popular vehicles , added to that the premise that a percentage of those cars stuck would be for arguments sake at 50% charge when they got marooned then they would only have at best 40% of their capacity remaining ( due to the reduced capacity/range in cold conditions) if they are stuck for 5 or 6 hours then many will deplete their batteries before reaching or being able to recharge.

If , as is the current intention  by those who make the rules , all transport is going to be electric then they had better hurry up perfecting battery range and charging and putting the infrastructure in place as currently the 6 to 8 hour being stuck in snow bound traffic is nothing compared to the wait some drivers are going to experience queuing to use the totally inadequate charging facilities on our motorway network .

[ExSurveyor]

In 2029 I will buy a nearly new diesel car and hope it lasts me until I give up driving because, at the moment, the only electric vehicle I will ever drive  will be an electric disability scooter.

[FlyingFortress]

I think that there is a place for EV's but not for everyone or everything as it is being proposed or should I say forced on us at the moment 🫣

For example if it was not for Mrs FF' s range anxiety ( she gets range anxiety when the level in her diesel tank drops below a half) she could have an EV as she rarely does more than 20 miles at a time. That is of course with the proviso that her car parks on our driveway AND we have an ICE as a back up in case we need to actually go go somewhere. This of course means that you can afford to run 2 cars AND have a suitable home where you can charge it AND the home supply has the capacity.

Before I retired my company were pushing the EV lease with quite favourable terms available. I know quite a few of my former colleagues who took advantage of this scheme as our "on call" nature of our job required a dedicated car to be available 24/7 so most had to run 2 cars anyway. Of course charging was made available at the Pilot Station car parks.

In fact London owned the very first Hybrid Pilot Boat stationed at Gravesend ( built by Goodchilds at Burgh Castle 👍)

So it can work for some but talking to some of my colleagues who had gone down the EV route they swore they would never rely on an EV for any long distance motoring.

[oldgregg]

1 hour ago, CambridgeCabby said:

The papers have recently been reporting

Must be true then.... 

I won't be buying an EV any time soon, but they aren't as hopeless as some would have you believe.

Cheap ones are rubbish but Tesla etc are pretty good at what they do.

[Jbx5]

13 minutes ago, oldgregg said:

Must be true then.... 

I won't be buying an EV any time soon, but they aren't as hopeless as some would have you believe.

Cheap ones are rubbish but Tesla etc are pretty good at what they do.

If the steering wheel doesn’t fall off 😂

[BroadAmbition]

My lad has a Tesla from brand new. It’s pretty impressive, the acceleration cornering and braking are phenomenal. I’ve driven it, the tech and its capabilities are way beyond me though 

However, he can get to the wetshed but can’t get home as not enough range 

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

The only EV I intend to own (And currently do) is a Scalectrix 

Griff

[Mouldy]

8 minutes ago, oldgregg said:

Must be true then....

It’s a fact that lithium batteries are adversely affected by cold weather, whatever they are used in.  A quick consultation with Google should confirm it.

As CC stated, the charging network is inadequate for the number of EV’s currently in use and its development is far short of what it needs to be, to achieve the 2030 targets.  Even if it was on target, we don’t have the generating capacity to power the demand.

Finally, the cost of EV’s is surely far too high for the average person.  40 - 60k is too much when compared to the cost of a comparably sized family car with an ICE.

[oldgregg]

I don't disagree.

What I do disagree with is all of the stories we keep hearing about "oh what if it rains" or "what if it's cold" or "what if the owner drives it through a ford" and all of these stories that some people seem to actually believe.

Let's be honest, lots of people can't even work out how to keep batteries on a boat (or an ICE car) in good condition.

Yes, cold is not the friend of any battery technology really. But can a Tesla work well in a cold environment? Yes it can, which is why they sell in decent numbers to the scandinavians. Our winters are ridiculously mild in comparison.

No the infrastructure and battery technology isn't ready yet and you won't see me trading the ICE car in any time soon, but are EV's doomed because it snows on the M62 occasionally? No not really.

[oldgregg]

36 minutes ago, BroadAmbition said:

My lad has a Tesla from brand new. It’s pretty impressive, the acceleration cornering and braking are phenomenal. I’ve driven it, the tech and its capabilities are way beyond me though 

However, he can get to the wetshed but can’t get home as not enough range 

Griff

But can he charge at Gridserve at Broadland Gate on the way to the wetshed and then top up on his way home?

And if he charges the car at home before leaving will the overall return journey cost less than it would for me to do it in my petrol car?

[Bikertov]

50 minutes ago, BroadAmbition said:

The only EV I intend to own (And currently do) is a Scalectrix 

Griff

Wot - no Hornby model railway (Other model railway brands are also available ...)

[Vaughan]

39 minutes ago, oldgregg said:

What I do disagree with is all of the stories we keep hearing about "oh what if it rains" or "what if it's cold" or "what if the owner drives it through a ford" and all of these stories that some people seem to actually believe.

Or what if it spontaneously bursts into flames?

[Smoggy]

17 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

Or what if it spontaneously bursts into flames?

You can turn the heating off....

[grendel]

this is the video I recently watched regarding the new battery claims, for me there was evidence that research is being undertaken, but I am slightly sceptical of some of the claims made in the video, anyway you can watch and decide for yourself.

 

[Smoggy]

Does anyone really believe Musk?

" Mr. Bond we've been expecting you" Doh! Did I say that or think that...

[Andrewcook]

Hi, would get a Hybrid Car as to Electric Cars are still not thought out properly except to town use . As the Mayor of London is pushing us all to have Green Electric Cars with his Emission Zones put in place as he's pushing all this will cost us money that some of us have not gpt The Mayor of London Travels on all types of Transport free pass.