The Electric Vehicle experience..

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Major_Tom
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The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by Major_Tom »

..In front of a PC now. As promised, the EV comedy of errors.

Okay, so Julie Ann hired a Hyundai Iconiq months ago. You get 500 free miles a month. We had friends down in Brighton and being run by the Green Party, I assumed the town would cater for EVs. Brighton's 90 miles from hers, the battery was nearly fully charged and had 175 miles range. So off we go. We had it on Economy Mode, which applies the brakes when you lift off and uses the energy to charge the battery. You also get this little gauge on the dash and the idea is you keep it in the blue and it's at peak effeciency.

On the way down I found that keeping at a constant 70mph was impossible without it creeping into the red: keep it in the blue and the lorries I'd overtake would be overtaking me on the slightest gradient. Unacceptable driving style, so I had to eek it out, just a little bit, to keep it at a constant speed. It's around a quarter of the way down that we realise that the range must be calculated by it driving in a vacuum or something, we're down to 100 miles at around a third of the journey.

So we pull in to a services to charge it up and get something to eat. She has this BP Pulse card, so you can charge it for free. Except this wasn't a BP Pulse services. So we had to pay and also download an (other) app. We do this, but the app doesn't work. After deciding what to do, we reckon we can get to Brighton, just, and then charge it on one of the multitude of charging stations in the fabled hub of progressive thinking.

We get to Brighton with 20 miles of range left, and finally find a charging point, in a pay on exit multistory. It's the medium strength charger, so it'll only take 6 hours to charge it up to 80 percent, the level we were at when we set off. It'll cost £30 to park there that long, but hey! That's probably less than the fuel we would have spent had we taken a petrol car, so why not. As we were messing about there, a Tesla drives in, whereupon the owner tells us that, no, Brighton is one of the worst cities to drive an EV in. Way to go Greens. Fucking hippies.

We get back there 6 1/2 hours later at 19:00.... it's all still plugged in, but the car says [CHARGING INTERRUPTED] and we only have 45% battery. So the thing's been sitting there not even charging. So we re-visit my mate, who had now gone home, and plug it in at a charge point at ASDA, then sit around until 22:00, then went back out to check it. 75% charge. Well, we can't stay in Brighton all night, so we reckon we'll chance it and head back, stopping at one of the Fast Charging stations, these only take 90mins to charge your car up to 90%, then the final 10% takes another 45ish minutes, if I remember correctly.

On the way back, the temperature drops, to minus 1. I then realised, of course, the fucking thing's heaters are electric, and sucked the amps away so badly they had to be turned off after the first 20 minutes, so poor old Julie Ann is freezing and wrapped up in coats. Spirits are high, however. The battery is not though, so then we turn off the radio, as it becomes more and more clear that even the slight bass impulse through the speakers is taking its toll. We're barely a third of the way back, just getting onto the M25. All this time, these incredibly advanced 20 year old Golfs are roaring past with these "internal combustion engine" things that run all the electrics off the engine and use waste coolant to heat the cabins. How we were struck dumb with awe at these marvels of the modern age!

It becomes clear approaching the Dartford Crossing, in our freezing cold, deathly quiet dying car, that we have to make a choice. Do we press on to the charger we had earmarked further up the road, risking running out of electricity, or turn off now and find a charger to give it a few more miles? Julie Ann finds a "fast" BP Pulse charger 15 miles away, so we decide to take it. Thing is, the charger doesn't exist. We end up down some unlit single carriageway road and the charger is supposed to be in this big dark field in the middle of nowhere. And now we definitely can't reach our original choice of charge point. Argh.

So with our breath coming out in steamy clouds, Julie Ann finds another. 20 miles away. We have a range of about 40 pretend miles. My phone's dead, hers is nearly dead, and we can't charge the fucking things because even that little bit of voltage we need for the battery. The next nearest one is in a pub car park, which the sat nav sends us the wrong way to and we end up in some estate by a railway track, but after asking a pedestrian, we get on our way. It's now 23:30 and we pull into this rubbish strewn car park with no other option. This pub doesn't look like it's been open in months, but the charge point is on.

There's two Corsas there, with a huge gang of teenagers around them. Immediately they're all like "Ee's got a TeSlaaAaa!" and Julie Ann reckons we should go, but we can't, there's no range, no phone charge. I reassure her that they're just young folks having fun, and remind her how incredible it is that they're driving these unearthly vehicles that can blare out bassy tunes without running down. But she's scared. I don't blame her.

I get the charger hooked up, have a piss, and as all this hooting and screaming is going on, I imagine what it would be like if she was alone, trying to charge the car for 90 minutes (yes, it's a fast charger!) whilst all this is kicking off just yards away. It's a disgrace, she doesn't even like to put petrol in alone as people always start shit with her, it's awful when the person you love feels frightened.

So I get in and we tell stories and watch all these guys and girls having fun until the battery is at 50%, when she's had enough and wants to go. I reckon we can make it.

I think we got back to her place at 02:40. The battery level was at 6% and it had given up calculating range. She took it back the next day and we got her the 30 year old Mercedes instead. And that was our EV experience. It was the most frustrating driving experience of my life.

And that was on 'Economy', I wonder what it would have been like on the 'Sport' setting :lol:
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

My word, imagine having to go through a kerfuffle like that on a daily basis !
It would appear that the government's dream of electric-only car sales in a mere 9 years has some way to go before it can become a reality.

The most important thing is that you both made it home safely, eventually.
It sounds like you'll need a short holiday to recover from that experience. I hear that Brighton's nice....

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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by stevemarl »

Thanks for taking the time to write that - very, very interesting. There really are going to be `challenging` times ahead. I can see people choosing to hang on to their petrol vehicles for some time after 2030.
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

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Andrew 2.8i wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 4:55 pm
It sounds like you'll need a short holiday to recover from that experience. I hear that Brighton's nice....
:lol: :lol: :lol:

The next time we go it will be in a 37 year old Ford.
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by Major_Tom »

stevemarl wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 5:15 pm Thanks for taking the time to write that - very, very interesting. There really are going to be `challenging` times ahead. I can see people choosing to hang on to their petrol vehicles for some time after 2030.
About that very point, Julie Ann remarked over a pre-bedtime beer that same evening, that it could work, "if there were the fast charging points in every parking space in every city and they always worked and were always available."

Oh and that's the other thing, in the weeks before this Brighton trip, she was saying that about a quarter of all the charging points didn't work, and the ones that did,not all were BP ones, and even then, on more than a few occaisions, other EV owners or maybe kids had just unplugged it! Then there's the cost of installation and maintenance of the chargers. It's ludicrous and needs much more than 8 1/2 years to sort judging from what I saw.
Last edited by Major_Tom on Sun Jun 20, 2021 6:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by andyd »

I watched a programme on EV a few months ago that highlighted the lack of useable chargers, so as mentioned we are along way from it working yet.

Still expensive to buy one too, and those without a driveway it will be a nightmare. I can see it now, someone wants to charge their car and will unplug someone elses or just unplug it for fun :sneaky:

It wouldn't surprise me if government bully drivers into EV by making petrol/diesel vehicle laws and costs more awkward or expensive :spank:

I would rather give up my licence and walk!
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by Major_Tom »

andyd wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 6:08 pm
It wouldn't surprise me if government bully drivers into EV by making petrol/diesel vehicle laws and costs more awkward or expensive :spank:

I would rather give up my licence and walk!
I think the government is more interested in stimulating the retail industry and bringing in a bit of desperately needed revenue by coercing people to buy electric cars out of fear of having nothing. For this reason I often think they don't have any intention of banning new petrol cars by 2030. Time will tell of course.

It also surely deals a big blow to the used car industry, electric cars. I can't imagine a 5 - 10 year old EV will be desirable as a second hand vehicle... how long do the batteries last before they have to be replaced? How much are they :shock:

I'm with you, think I'd rather walk going by current situation :lol:
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by Mc Tool »

Welcome to the modern world Tom ,a place where truth and practicality will never stand in the way of a deceitful self serving government 🐂 :turd:
Would you consider posting your story somewhere others can read it , just that I think the average Joe doesnt realise just what a crock of shit the EV roll out is now let alone in the near future. Pleased you both made it home , fucking cold here too 🥶, -6deg c ,foggy as hell and my heatpump is going full tit and struggling to maintain 18deg c inside
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by Major_Tom »

Mc Tool wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 8:36 pm Welcome to the modern world Tom ,a place where truth and practicality will never stand in the way of a deceitful self serving government 🐂 :turd:
Would you consider posting your story somewhere others can read it , just that I think the average Joe doesnt realise just what a crock of shit the EV roll out is now let alone in the near future.
Feel free to warn anybody you know and put them onto this post, or me, I'll put them straight. One day these things will work, all new tech has its issues, but this current acceptance of treating customers like things to exploit pisses me off, they aren't even close to a suitable alternative, as it stands for the forseeable future they are an expensive gimmick with little practical use, trendy flawed prototypes designed to line the pockets of already rich companies at the expense of well meaning ordinary folks.
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by Mc Tool »

Major_Tom wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 9:41 pm

Feel free to warn anybody you know and put them onto this post, or me, I'll put them straight. One day these things will work, all new tech has its issues, but this current acceptance of treating customers like things to exploit pisses me off, they aren't even close to a suitable alternative, as it stands for the forseeable future they are an expensive gimmick with little practical use, trendy flawed prototypes designed to line the pockets of already rich companies at the expense of well meaning ordinary folks.
Couldnt have said that better myself.
I think electric motors are deff the way to go , but this notion that we can all find a charging station thats not already in use is a load of shit . Untill we get a battery that charges in a couple of minutes ,goes for 6-700km , weighs about 40kg and takes up no more than 40L volume ....in a convenient shape that can be charged at home ......I mean why go backwards. I think your story ,Tom , will quickly become a familiar one . 🙂
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by Bug »

Maybe we should all buy small diesel generators and carry them around in the back of our EVs?
In fact, we could possibly rig them so they run continually, keeping the battery charged and providing extra power for lights, heaters etc?

Hang on, the germ of an idea is forming......................
Why don't we investigate some way to take drive from the generator and turn the wheels??? :whistle:
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by Noel »

Even if the charging worked (which for you it didn't), you still have a vehicle that stated a 170+ mile range, but in reality once you'd done 90 miles it was largely empty.

Thats the problem as I see it. Even if you accept the compromise required of a battery vehicle - ie the charging takes longer than a liquid fuel fill up; if you are getting that much disparity between stated range and reality, I don't see how you can plan your way around that.

I guess that some battery vehicles are better than others, as dictated by the wide range of prices.
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by pbar »

It's important to have the other side of the coin, and so -

I haven't driven an all electric car, but I have driven a hybrid. And when in electric mode, I have to say, it was brilliant. A fantasic drive, easy, smooth, clean, quick, it was a joy to drive. Getting in a normal car after that was like driving a clunky old tank. I can certainly see the appeal on a day to day basis.

I know a couple of poeple with electric cars and they love them. They are in a privileged position though, of having a house with driveway and with a charging point fitted to the outside, but they just plug it in overnight and leave it and drive the next day. On a long journey they plan a route quite carefully, to take in the charging points they would need, much in the same way that a normal driver may with service stations, but more meticulously. They haven't had the bad experience which Tom mentions, but different areas do seem to vary wildly, Brighton appears particualrly bad then.

I wouldn't buy an EV, for the same reasons that most of us wouldn't, but if I was given one I wouldn't give it away, I'd keep it and drive it each day.

All this negativity and see it won't work, it won't work attitiude is just pointless really, as it will happen. A better mindset would be to just accept it and deal with it as it creeps in. Yes many things need to be sorted and developed, but 9 years is a long time in technology, batteries will be better, charging times qucker and more of them, etc. I did see a car/battery/charge combination developed which takes something like 15 minutes, that's quite phenomenal, I'm on a petrol station forecourt for around half of that time when I fill up so it is getting there.

We see things differently than the mainstream on here, as we are mostly all internal combustion engine enthusiasts and no one likes to be told that their hobby is on the wane.

If you would have told me a few years ago that virtually every person in the country over the age of 4 will have their own mobile phone and would never go out of the house without it I'd have laughed at you. We have more mobiles than people now in the UK. Or that we would all be staring at screens doing all sorts of tasks for hours on end and connected to an all encompassing electronic infrastructure I'd have scoffed at you. We easily forget the amazing things which appear and they soon become the norm. And then we become content with it.
Last edited by pbar on Mon Jun 21, 2021 10:53 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by pbar »

andyd wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 6:08 pm It wouldn't surprise me if government bully drivers into EV by making petrol/diesel vehicle laws and costs more awkward or expensive

You are spot on I think Andy. It is normal for a government to make things too expensive to be viable, if they are wanting to steer the populous away from it. I drive my Capri all year round, and therefore tax it all year round, and I dread that tax letter falling through the letterbox, it is a fortune. I have often thought I may be better not driving as much and making a saving, so the seed is actually in place for me.
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by Major_Tom »

I agree, like I say the tech is in its infancy, but I doubt the issues will be sorted in 8 1/2 years! Time will tell though
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by Mc Tool »

Bug wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:21 am Maybe we should all buy small diesel generators and carry them around in the back of our EVs?
In fact, we could possibly rig them so they run continually, keeping the battery charged and providing extra power for lights, heaters etc?
Nah , top gear have already tried that , body work by Clarkson , mechanics by May and whining , negative attitude and complaining by Hammond 😁
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by pbar »

Mc Tool wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:08 pm negative attitude and complaining by Hammond 😁

He is about to appear on his own classic car restoration show -

https://metro.co.uk/2021/06/21/richard- ... -14804705/
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by Mc Tool »

pbar wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:47 pm
Mc Tool wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:08 pm negative attitude and complaining by Hammond 😁

He is about to appear on his own classic car restoration show -

https://metro.co.uk/2021/06/21/richard- ... -14804705/
Yeah ? Id be keen to see that , thanks for the heads up.🙂
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by Peter-S »

Major_Tom wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 10:53 am I agree, like I say the tech is in its infancy, but I doubt the issues will be sorted in 8 1/2 years! Time will tell though
You've confirmed my view that electric is fine for local commutes such as work and shopping but they currently lack a degree of flexibility that is quite important to me. The knowledge that the car is there and available and ready to go with maybe just a 10 minute pit stop is something that is not going to come with an electric car. You will be slave to keeping it charged 'just in case'.
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Re: The Electric Vehicle experience..

Post by andyd »

Another possible issue will be people charging EV when they can regardless of when they should, or not fully charging as not enough time or just enough charge to get home or work.

As far as I know charging mobile phones before they are 15% or below and not charging fully to 100% will shorten longterm battery life.
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