EV general discussion

[b0rn2sk8]

I cannot stress just how tightly my cheeks would be clenched under 5%.

The lowest I have got back with is 0% and I was on that for a few miles.

I had the choice of bailing out and charging for 3 minutes but it was in a biblical rain storm and I’d have got drenched.

Option B was to YOLO and hope for the best.

I went with option B.

So even if I set it to 100% departure energy and a final arrival energy of 5% (the lowest it'll let me set it) it still thinks I need to charge for 7 minutes in Exeter.

I’d probably not navigate to the charger on the way back to avoid pre-conditioning, navigate to the services instead.

With such a small charging requirement, you are better off not preconditioning as it will use a ton of energy which you’ll have to pay for at the charger.

Sure if you are doing a substantial charge then precondition but the time difference is negligible if you only need a short charge.

As for starting with 100% from home - this is the way.

 

[Junglist]

Isn't preconditioning only worth it if you're starting from cold? I'll have been driving for about 60 miles or so before I got to the charger so would've thought the battery was suitably warm to charge up anyway?

 

[tamzzy]

wasting money with preconditioning, i'd rather wait that extra 2-3 mins with a slower charge than spending that extra £1-2

 

[Junglist]

Yeah, if it's only saving a few minutes I'd rather have a little extra time to debate "Do I? Don't I?" on a McDonalds

 

[m4rmite]

Carwow have done a recent video on small evs , drive until dead, but it does tell you how far they travelled at/ after 0%.
Might be worth a watch if you have one of the models.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Isn't preconditioning only worth it if you're starting from cold? I'll have been driving for about 60 miles or so before I got to the charger so would've thought the battery was suitably warm to charge up anyway?

Define ‘cold’.

60 miles isn’t enough to get the battery temperature up to optimal for charging at any time of the year.

When I tow the caravan we are doing 500-550wh/mile and even that’s not enough to get the temperature up to optimal over 130 miles.

It will charge fine but just slower than peak speeds.

That said, the time difference of preconditioning is worth it if you are say doing a 15% to 70% charge and you are going to be 20-30 mins. Not so much if you are stopping for 7 mins.

 

[MOOGLEYS]

I managed the whole M54 with 2% remaining in my Ioniq 5. when I got home it was at 3% it would not go above 55. Not sure I would do it again was a bit butt clenching if I’m honest.

 

[Junglist]

Define ‘cold’.

60 miles isn’t enough to get the battery temperature up to optimal for charging at any time of the year.

When I tow the caravan we are doing 500-550wh/mile and even that’s not enough to get the temperature up to optimal over 130 miles.

It will charge fine but just slower than peak speeds.

That said, the time difference of preconditioning is worth it if you are say doing a 15% to 70% charge and you are going to be 20-30 mins. Not so much if you are stopping for 7 mins.

Ah I just assumed if you were driving from a stop to a charger. Didn't realise quite how warm it had to get.

To be fair, I'm not a fan of long drives really so I'm more than happy to stop for 10 minutes if I know I have another 1.5-2 hours ahead of me.

I managed the whole M54 with 2% remaining in my Ioniq 5. when I got home it was at 3% it would not go above 55. Not sure I would do it again was a bit butt clenching if I’m honest.

Not for me lol.

I really don't want to be posting on Monday about how I took all of your advice ands tuck along the motorway!

 

[b0rn2sk8]

You’ll be fine, they’re are loads of Tesla superchargers down that way (and non-Tesla chargers). There is 3 to pick from near Exeter alone.

 

[kefkef]

You are almost certainly guaranteed to have speed cameras along the A30, in case you weren't aware. Not that you'll be speeding!

I find Exeter services odd, getting to it but also the layout. Plenty of charging stations when we took a break there recently.

I ended up going to the Darts Farm just off the M5 rather than Exeter Services, not too much out of the way and they have Tesla SC's there, though if you do use them you want the one's tucked away in a garage type thing at the back of the shop rather than the 8/10 that are all in the side of the main car park. Newer versions that charge quicker.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

That has to be one of the most expensive place to stop in the country and it’s not because of the price of the chargers

That said, I’d sooner stop there than the services.

 

[Robbo]

I am still very happy with my new Model 3 (RWD Standard), coming from far more expensive cars I honestly can't fault it, and the fact it's saving me an absolute fortune is the icing on the cake really. I think it looks great too, and it must be amongst the most efficient of EVs. In terms of range anxiety and all that stuff, I've been doing 2000 miles a month and it's barely even entered my mind.

I'm not sure what I'd replace it with down the line, but I like the Model Y as well. I do want a BMW i7 though - I've just driven the new LCI and it was quite something!

It's such a pity about Musk but I'd liken Tesla to Apple and the iPhone, there are a lot of obvious parallels in terms of how the tech and platform just work so well.

 

[Rroff]

Apparently if you drive past one in a BMW M2 with cruise control set to 77 you do not get a letter in the post.

There is quite an uneven application of enforcement along the A30, not quite sure ins and outs but as a gross generalisation in Dorset they tend to look at driver behaviour first, speed second and while you can't depend on it rarely pull within 10% + 2, Somerset they quite often will pull people at exactly 10% + 2 and Devon tend to be hot on speeding.

 

[tamzzy]

how the tech and platform just work so well.

i wouldn't be so sure..

Can confirm, would buy a Tesla

 

[ChrisD.]

It's such a pity about Musk but I'd liken Tesla to Apple and the iPhone, there are a lot of obvious parallels in terms of how the tech and platform just work so well.

I see comments about Must/Tesla a lot, the way I think of it is if we avoiding buying/renting products from companies whose CEO/leadership are **** wombles we really wouldn't have much stuff at all. Most of us hate Meta, but happily use FB/Instagram etc, same with Microslop, LG, Samsung, Nvidia, Amazon etc.

 

[tamzzy]

I see comments about Must/Tesla a lot, the way I think of it is if we avoiding buying/renting products from companies whose CEO/leadership are **** wombles we really wouldn't have much stuff at all. Most of us hate Meta, but happily use FB/Instagram etc, same with Microslop, LG, Samsung, Nvidia, Amazon etc.

we'd be living out in the sticks tbh, seeing as most stuff nowadays is "made in china"
(and ironically, so are Teslas )

 

[Nabinium]

I do want a BMW i7 though

Those massive front grilles though... horrific.

 

[HoneyBadger]

**** wombles

I'm going to use that in the future, probably soon knowing me!

 

[iwrox]

I'd have a Model Y if it had a higher towing limit and if I could get over the looks. To me it looks as if someone plugged in a pump to a Model 3 and pumped it up to 11, just can't get that thought over my head.

I think the facelift Juniper did solve some of that to be honest, I wasnt a big fan of the old shape either.

 

[Robbo]

I see comments about Must/Tesla a lot, the way I think of it is if we avoiding buying/renting products from companies whose CEO/leadership are **** wombles we really wouldn't have much stuff at all. Most of us hate Meta, but happily use FB/Instagram etc, same with Microslop, LG, Samsung, Nvidia, Amazon etc.

I agree and ultimately that was my rationalisation for getting one, where do you draw the line.

Those massive front grilles though... horrific.

Never! The LCI looks utterly brilliant, Phantom-esque.