Electric Car Ownership - Any Experiences?

[Zaukrie]

#1 isn't ever really going to happen unless the industry creates standardized battery packs, that are hot-swappable. You would then just remove and replace the battery, instead of charging, in much the same way you swap your BBQ's propane tank at a store.

That's got to be the long term process, I'd think

 

[Umbran]

I think you have to be very selective when talking about areas before this is true. I'd tend to suggest that this is far more practical some areas than others. Mass transit in most of California and Texas is not exciting.

Well, are we talking about what is, or what should be?

 

[prabe]

That's got to be the long term process, I'd think

Also, given how heavy EV batteries are, it seems to require like an entirely different approach to making EVs. Might be a good approach for e-bikes and such, first.

 

[schneeland]

That's got to be the long term process, I'd think

I think the problem is that it was tried (e.g. by Better Place), but didn't work out. Doesn't mean it can never work, but my impression is that right now, most countries go with the charger network approach.

 

[Ryujin]

I think the problem is that it was tried (e.g. by Better Place), but didn't work out. Doesn't mean it can never work, but my impression is that right now, most countries go with the charger network approach.

It would need to be adopted by a bigger player in the automotive market, for it to get traction. There would also need to be some way to handle the liability for potentially swapping damaged battery modules.

 

[Meech17]

So, part of the plan is that my wife and I are also going to get a gas-powered vehicle as well, for my less frequent driving, as a backup for my wife's car, and so on.

Knowing what my wife needs in a backup vehicle, and what I typically use a car for, a compact hatchback is probably ideal.

So, I start looking at brands and cars. And... geeze, these all have crappy gas mileage. I am so used to our former Prius C, which got 40+ mpg on a bad day, closer to 50 mpg most of the time. And all these are listed as having like 30 mpg at the upper end. Who puts u with mileage that low? Sheesh!

My Impreza can break 30 but I have to try really hard.. Be very conscious with the shifting, and drive like a saint.. My record on a road trip is 33.

If I drive in a way that allows me to keep up with all of the death wish having loons that populate Michigan's roads I get more like 24mpg.. My actual average is more around 27.. It's acceptable.. But I really wish it was higher..

I'm pretty confident that I'll give up on having a manual in my next car.. If an EV still isn't practical for me, I'll be looking at a hybrid for sure.

 

[Thomas Shey]

It does not really exist outside of large, urban, metro areas.

Even within them there's the issue of multiple connections needed and frequency of lines. And that becomes more and more of an issue the more the region sprawls. I've taken buslines in the greater L.A. area, and unless you happen to have a line that just runs from where you are to where you regularly need to go (work usually) you'd better have plenty of time. The commuter train is a little better in some ways, but again, you'd better be living in an area that happens to connect with the area you work in, or forget it.

It does not really exist outside of large, urban, metro areas.

Personally, I will not adopt EV tech until is matures and includes:

1. can be charged in the same amount of time as filling a gas tank

So you don't plan to do it ever? Because to do that in that time range would require virtually having room temperature room conductors.

 

[Thomas Shey]

#1 isn't ever really going to happen unless the industry creates standardized battery packs, that are hot-swappable. You would then just remove and replace the battery, instead of charging, in much the same way you swap your BBQ's propane tank at a store.

Though even there there's the question of damaged batteries and the like.

 

[Thomas Shey]

Well, are we talking about what is, or what should be?

I think its possible to be overly blasé about how easy it would be to make mass transit really work in some areas with a great degree of sprawl, even with the best of intentions. So unless you're talking about rearranging housing and other elements, I'm not sold you're ever going to get generally useful (as in, would be useful for the majority of residents) in the Greater Los Angeles area or (from what I saw of it) Houston and adjacent. At one time the Bay Area was somewhat better (largely because its more logically arranged as a side effect of the Great Fire of 1906) but I've been told there are new problems created by it having turned into the housing community for Silicon Valley. I can't speak about San Diego, Sacramento or Bakersfield (though a look at the maps of same is not overly encouraging).

 

[Thomas Shey]

I'm pretty confident that I'll give up on having a manual in my next car.. If an EV still isn't practical for me, I'll be looking at a hybrid for sure.

I'd be much more willing to try for a hybrid under current conditions (though whether they land in a cost range I'd be likely to manage is another story--I'm one of those people who has not owned a new car in my life (neither has my wife, nor I think, my parents when they were alive).