Soldato
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I noticed it had been changed to 40% yesterday.
EV general discussion
- Thread starter Ricochet J
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I noticed it had been changed to 40% yesterday.
It still doesn't really present many issues as it used to either, given how fast cars charger and how many more chargers there are, you can get enough range in an 'emergency' refill. Adding 10 mins on isn't ideal but if your tank was empty you'd be adding at least 3-4 mins just to put in 10 litres to get you where you are going.
Harrys garage review of the new CLA.
Comments section is full of angry boomers yelling at clouds. I personally quite like the new Mercedes styling. Also like the fact they've got a proper flat floor EV platform this time with a frunk. I have one on the Mach E and find it very useful when going away on holiday for the week. Range is impressive, and the UI on the screens looks nice. Would like to see more in depth and see some carplay etc.
Stupid light bars front and rear - check.
Generic flat dashboard full of screens - check
Other than that, I can't really find anything else to dislike
Last time he complained he couldn't use a credit card and this time he had no problems with that or range. His problem was he couldn't get max charging on a charger that wasn't rated for it.
He's anti EV while pretending he isn't. He always slips a bit of FUD into his EV reviews. I've lost a bit respect when he does that. Also he's slightly too positive about certain brands.
I do agree with him about all the bling and leds. More cowbell when it comes to LEDs these days and it's too much. I could be old. But light bars do not look good. It's like the Blackpool illuminations. They all look the same. The days when cars had distinctive and good looking lights when on is good.
He's anti EV while pretending he isn't. He always slips a bit of FUD into his EV reviews. I've lost a bit respect when he does that. Also he's slightly too positive about certain brands.
I do agree with him about all the bling and leds. More cowbell when it comes to LEDs these days and it's too much. I could be old. But light bars do not look good. It's like the Blackpool illuminations. They all look the same. The days when cars had distinctive and good looking lights when on is good.
I think the most objective thing for me how cramped the interior looks to be compared to its competitors which are ground up EVs. Even ‘smaller’ cars like the ID.3 are far more spacious.Stupid light bars front and rear - check.
Generic flat dashboard full of screens - check
Other than that, I can't really find anything else to dislike
I recall watching the Autotrader video with Rory Reid and thinking he filled that space and I’ve got another 6” on him.
Now I’ve not sat in one yet so it might be fine but I’ve been in older generation CLA’s and they are most exactly the bastions of space.
It’s probably fine coming from an older CLA if you’ve never known any different but you can get spoilt easily by cars that are built from the ground up to be EVs and the benefits in packaging that brings.
Yeah I never understood the issue of stopping for a few minutes in hours of driving.
The scenario is you can't stop even 10 mins. Which is slightly contradictory if you're located hours and hours away from where you need to be.
There are better more normal reasons to validate the use of phev. Even gateway into EV or just don't want one is fine.
Soldato
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Im finding our Evoque is just outside the core range for a decent PHEV range and power is arguably a little limited, but then its only a 15kWh gross pack. 40 miles range is about spot on as a target, this is more like 33 (in summer). That said of the 5300 miles its done i think 4200 ish are EV only. Its not bad efficiency wise either as EV drive is just the Rear motor direct to wheels and it weighs less than most EVs. The Range Rover Sport PHEV is a far better car. Large battery, geared ZF motor with 4WD.
Its a lower car. Both the CLA and MEB sit on batteries. The idea that ground up EV change that physics is a myth frankly. All we see if small changes in cell format for the lower cars where they dont need the range so can go less deep ie 90mm cells rather than 120mm but theres the same amount so the bus voltage is mantained. MEB EV only meants no frunk, but thats cos they put the large HVAC unit under the bonnet rather than in the cabin
Its a lower car. Both the CLA and MEB sit on batteries. The idea that ground up EV change that physics is a myth frankly. All we see if small changes in cell format for the lower cars where they dont need the range so can go less deep ie 90mm cells rather than 120mm but theres the same amount so the bus voltage is mantained. MEB EV only meants no frunk, but thats cos they put the large HVAC unit under the bonnet rather than in the cabin
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It’s not the height, it’s the length, e.g. the space lost to the engine bay which is larger than it would otherwise need and that inevitably gets deleted from the cabin space or the boot compared to its ground up EV competitors.
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Soldato
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Its the height, the feet are on the cells, THe person is in the car, the headroom is how the car feels.
Wheelbase and lengths are vehicle defining for the segment the car presents itself in, they are not a consequence of the ingredients.
Volvo CMF used in Polestar 2 isnt EV up but ironically has footgarages. So it sits as the perfect spanner in the works to those up simplify the 'ground up EV' benefits rhetoric. Cant blame them, afterall Google is their car design source.
Wheelbase and lengths are vehicle defining for the segment the car presents itself in, they are not a consequence of the ingredients.
Volvo CMF used in Polestar 2 isnt EV up but ironically has footgarages. So it sits as the perfect spanner in the works to those up simplify the 'ground up EV' benefits rhetoric. Cant blame them, afterall Google is their car design source.
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Soldato
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taste/looks are subjective however to me that car - along with most of the new mercs imo - is fugly!. Am sure it is a good car but for me i want looks i dont dislike as well as a good car so with that i would be out even if I could afford it (which i am sure i cant) as for Harry's garage. maybe i am wrong and this bucks the trend but i stopped watching his content a good while ago. For all his salient points he matches it with something contrived, outdated or flat out wrong with EVs imo so i dont give him the clicks.
i am all for honest critique but imo he is far from honest. However if i am wrong and he has started to be more balanced then i would be more than happy to re-evaluate!. (its a shame really as i did like his general demeanour and he seems a likeable enough bloke)
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Soldato
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yeah im struggling with him now too. This is months after the main reviews too isnt it? Probably too many trips to the French Riveria, Alps and selling his super cars to do a video on time about people in the real world using EVs.... Oh yeah, thats exactly why i see him as irrelevant now.
I don't think you can deny that for a ground up EV for the same length you can package the car differently and improve legroom...? If you don't have a platform that you also need to mount eg. an inline 6 in front of the driver as well as being an EV, you're not as compromised with your choices.
This.
The likes of the Ionic 6 (is longer but same height) and the Model 3 (almost identical dimensions) feel considerably larger inside than the previous generation CLAs I’ve been in plenty of times.
As I’ve said, I’ve not sat in the latest but I have been in a previous gen plenty of times and from the images/reviews I’ve seen it looks similarly small inside.
The polestar 2 is also pretty small inside compared to the two above although it is a shorter car.
Soldato
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Its sounds like this but in reality its not, the engine mass in a normal car is handy as it basicallys hit the wall and dumps its mass. On a BEV the car is heavier and MUCH heavier during the crash even as the battery mass loads the structure for the full event. So the EDU to battery interaction on front motor cars is just as tricky. Ball of foot to wheel centre the critical measurement and if you look at those you wont see the differences being imagined here.
Lesson on BEV insurance cost mean you want the front overhang longer to protect the basket of parts that guy UK Thatcham and EU GDV rating insurance groups. So they are starting to increase now too.
Subjectively most think whats being said, in reality in numbers its not as different. Guess that's evidence of the design of cars able to mask it. Its a huge square battery regardless and simpler the better.
Caporegime
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Soldato
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again to each their own. i see what they are trying to do with that grille but to me it seems like someone said "Those new BMWs have got to have the ugliest front ends of any new car on the market"................ and then a Merc designer replied "hold my beer"!!!
Not sure why this keeps happening with Mercedes but it just looks so cramped
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