EV general discussion

[b0rn2sk8]

Well we're off to the Netherlands in our EV on Saturday, our first long trip in an EV.

We're headed to the east near the german border, and I was set on a two stop strategy but a collegue who works in a dedicated EV part of our business convinced me to do a one stop strategy by using a full charge from home to get to Calais (tunnel) and then taking advantage of the 31p per kWh chargers there.

Got the Electroverse app set up and tested it in a local supermarket car park charger, and it's very simple to use.

So fingers crossed we're all set.

Have a backup plan, the chargers at the chunnel can be deserted, they can also be rammed with cars queuing, particularly in the morning. Fine of you get there in plenty of time, not so much if not.

Also don't bank on using the Tesla chargers if you want a 100% charge and they are at above 50%(?) capacity. They will charge you 50p/min above 80% on top of the energy and you'll only get 70kw from them if you are sharing a pair with another car so it will not be quick.

The non-Tesla chargers are 48p(UK) and 48c (FR) on electroverse.

There is a bank of 250kw Tesla units outside the UK chunnel terminal at the holiday inn hotel, on the French side there is Tesla, Ionity, Carrefour and Plug Inn chargers within 5 mins of the terminal.

Charging in France is cheaper than the UK usually.

EDIT: I've always managed to get charged at the chunnel but I did have to queue once but due to train delays, it didn't matter. Said train delays did mean people were not vacating chargers, hence the congestion.

 

[jpaul]

[tesla being matched in france for charging costs as linked before https://eleport.com/price-report/#France ]
]

BYD Licensed to Kill

The company is investing tens of millions in charging infrastructure and in winning the hearts and minds of British customers. It has hired Daniel Craig, the former James Bond, as its ambassador. “He has the hero spirit,” Li said. “At BYD [our aim is to] make the impossible possible.”

All cars will probably face a 10-minute maximum charge time. This will also help anyone queuing to understand how long it will take to get on a charger, although BYD’s built-in navigation may also include a reserve function

“If we set up the charger on their site, they charge 79p and I charge 50p, they will kill me, right? We will probably offer a special rate for the BYD customers, then we need to match their price for the non-BYD customers.”

 

[chanjy]

There is a bank of 250kw Tesla units outside the UK chunnel terminal at the holiday inn hotel, on the French side there is Tesla, Ionity, Carrefour and Plug Inn chargers within 5 mins of the terminal.

Charging in France is cheaper than the UK usually.

Have charged at the shopping centre nearby too while I got some lunch... Electra was the CPO

On the way home there was Ionity at Folkestone services too but had RFID only no contactless lol

 

[bainbridge]

Where you going?

We're taking bicycles and parking up for a week in Veenendal, near Arnhem, then cycling for six days around the countryside before returning to the car for the trip home.

So the plan is to leave our home in Bristol with a full charge, then charge in Calais, then charge at Veenendal in readiness for the drive back to Calais a week later.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

We're taking bicycles and parking up for a week in Veenendal, near Arnhem, then cycling for six days around the countryside before returning to the car for the trip home.

So the plan is to leave our home in Bristol with a full charge, then charge in Calais, then charge at Veenendal in readiness for the drive back to Calais a week later.

Sounds sensible.

I’d use the chargers at the Chunnel terminal if available as it’s very convenient while you wait for the train but it’s certainly not the end of the world if they aren’t.

There are loads of options in France at sensible prices, outside of France, it creeps up to prices much closer to UK rates.

 

[Diddums]

We're taking bicycles and parking up for a week in Veenendal, near Arnhem, then cycling for six days around the countryside before returning to the car for the trip home.

That sounds lovely, enjoy!

 

[tamzzy]

So I was just playing around Tessie...

Probably the best indicator of temperature affecting efficiency...
During winter I was getting ~248 Wh/mile, once spring hit, my efficiency increased to 203 Wh/mile - an 18% increase...

 

[MOOGLEYS]

I have discovered an option that gives me more power. It heats the battery and bypasses some of the power circuits. This car is bonkers it’s a Kia for godsake.

 

[Penfold101]

So I was just playing around Tessie...

Probably the best indicator of temperature affecting efficiency...
During winter I was getting ~248 Wh/mile, once spring hit, my efficiency increased to 203 Wh/mile - an 18% increase...

This was my Polestar over 2 years and 30k miles with reading taken every 1000 miles:

https://flic.kr/p/2rotbHm

The graph doesn’t lie!

 

[tamzzy]

The graph doesn’t lie!

2.9 miles/kWh!
I don't think I've ever seen that outside of hill climbs (obvs not the hills of Sheffield though )

 

[Penfold101]

2.9 miles/kWh!
I don't think I've ever seen that outside of hill climbs (obvs not the hills of Sheffield though )

Roofbox, full car, rain, wind, cold, (possibly Sheffield!)

 

[shroomz]

So I was just playing around Tessie...

Probably the best indicator of temperature affecting efficiency...
During winter I was getting ~248 Wh/mile, once spring hit, my efficiency increased to 203 Wh/mile - an 18% increase...

It's pretty wild that the average human cycling could provide that kind of power. Not very quickly at only 1mph but you wouldn't think that a car could be towable.
200W sustained output from the average cycling human for an hour = 200Wh/h=1mph.
Not sure if it's much of an insight but something I thought of the other day because of how the tesla presents its consumption data (kia was mi/kwh which is more somehow more specific and arbitrary at the same time)

 

[Penfold101]

It's pretty wild that the average human cycling could provide that kind of power. Not very quickly at only 1mph but you wouldn't think that a car could be towable.
200W sustained output from the average cycling human for an hour = 200Wh/h=1mph.
Not sure if it's much of an insight but something I thought of the other day because of how the tesla presents its consumption data (kia was mi/kwh which is more somehow more specific and arbitrary at the same time)

Humans like small numbers in a form where bigger = better, so miles per kWh makes more sense. When the battery capacity is also measured in kWh, it makes even more sense.

Why you’d choose kWh/100 miles or wh per mile I’ve no idea…

 

[shroomz]

Humans like small numbers in a form where bigger = better, so miles per kWh makes more sense. When the battery capacity is also measured in kWh, it makes even more sense.

Why you’d choose kWh/100 miles or wh per mile I’ve no idea…

Yeah yeah exactly, mi/kwh makes total sense as a unit of measurement same as mpg but it is totally specific to that use and is kind of arbitrary at the same time if you get what I mean. Maybe 'empirical' is more accurate as the adjective.

On an unrelated note, I paid for one month of fsd for a demo but it doesn't seem to have done anything other than the usual autopilot when engaged. I get the parking options now (which i tried on a very tricky parallel park that it failed on but it was a very narrow street, I struggle with that spot too tbh), but on the dual carriageway I still get the two narrow blue lines not the one fat one. It didn't do lane changes or rather when I needed to overtake it switched the cc off and started to brake every time. Wasn't very relaxing tbh. Anyone know if there is a specific fsd button somewhere other than just enabling autosteer beta?

 

[Jonnycoupe]

Guess whatever condition too from your country, that’s it

 

[chanjy]

The graph doesn’t lie!

The axis scaling does though

 

[tamzzy]

Why you’d choose kWh/100 miles or wh per mile I’ve no idea

Agree, a shame that Tesla doesn't allow the user to cycle through the units. I'd much prefer mi/kWh.

Wasn't very relaxing tbh. Anyone know if there is a specific fsd button somewhere other than just enabling autosteer beta?

FSD in UK is pointless at the moment. Sorry to hear you wasted £99
At the moment FSD is basically enhanced autopilot...

 

[b0rn2sk8]

You need to enable navigate on autopilot but yes, waste of £100.

 

[Simon]

It's pretty wild that the average human cycling could provide that kind of power. Not very quickly at only 1mph but you wouldn't think that a car could be towable.
200W sustained output from the average cycling human for an hour = 200Wh/h=1mph.
Not sure if it's much of an insight but something I thought of the other day because of how the tesla presents its consumption data (kia was mi/kwh which is more somehow more specific and arbitrary at the same time)

No average human is holding 200W for an hour. But yes regular rider maybe. Still a rather odd comparison to make as 200Wh/m at 50mph is 10kW which no human is ever doing

 

[shroomz]

You need to enable navigate on autopilot but yes, waste of £100.

Oooh I found it, must have scrolled right past previous. Yeah it's no good for my driving on crappy country roads with potholes and manure patches to dodge. Was good on the motorway but even just the basic ap is fine for long stretches of quiet motorway driving.

Tbf I've just come back from Aberdeen and I'm pretty fresh whereas usually it would be pretty tiring so just the regular old ap autosteer helps a lot even if you have to intervene manually for every overtake.