EV general discussion

FerretBoy · 1 Dec 2023 at 22:08

Honestly if you have decent range and an efficient car then unless you are a taxi driver of using it for work, 60kwh is fine and better for your battery.

Edit: Obviously a Cybertruck will have a big battery and benefit better for faster charging.

bimbleuk · 1 Dec 2023 at 23:51

b0rn2sk8 said:
Allegedly it was a baseball this time. I presume it was meant to be funny/a meme because of what happened last time. They are actually selling smashed window decals you can put on the truck….

The whole event was a re-run of the previous event but with the real truck this time.

As was mentioned previously, the exoskeleton has also gone so you’ll not be hitting it with a sledge hammer either like last time round.

Watch the Hagerty video as they hit it with the same sledge. I like the Cybertruck but the SS panels to layperson like me, seem overly thick and so it's heavier than hoped though similar to it's peers.

The pack size of 123KWH is going to open a few eyes at other manufacturers especially if the range is genuinely near 300 miles on the AWD.

Simon · 2 Dec 2023 at 00:01

bimbleuk said:
Watch the Hagerty video as they hit it with the same sledge. I like the Cybertruck but the SS panels to layperson like me, seem overly thick and so it's heavier than hoped though similar to it's peers.

The pack size of 123KWH is going to open a few eyes at other manufacturers especially if the range is genuinely near 300 miles on the AWD.

What eyes are going to open ? Massive heavy battery in a massive car?

bimbleuk · 2 Dec 2023 at 00:24

Simon said:
What eyes are going to open ? Massive heavy battery in a massive car?

123KWH compared to 200+ in other pickups with similar range. When other manufacturers waste batteries, the most expensive part of an EV. Then complain they can't make a profit.

Jonnycoupe · 2 Dec 2023 at 00:45

Rivian is 129kWh.

F150 lightning has 131kWh

Hummer 212kWh (net)

EPA range id take with a pinch of salt at the mo. The aero of the cyber truck is the win but it’s a compromised row2 headspace

kissenger · 2 Dec 2023 at 08:46

I’m giving serious thought to going electric as my new job has a lease scheme. It starts at £300 for a Leaf but I don’t think that will cut it. What’s the best budget electric on the market for a daily commute (30 miles on motorway).

One thing I’ve wondered about electric cars is in theory a big benefit seems to be the lack/less of a need for servicing. Is it cheaper to maintain an electric car?

pc-guy · 2 Dec 2023 at 09:02

kissenger said:
I’m giving serious thought to going electric as my new job has a lease scheme. It starts at £300 for a Leaf but I don’t think that will cut it. What’s the best budget electric on the market for a daily commute (30 miles on motorway).

One thing I’ve wondered about electric cars is in theory a big benefit seems to be the lack/less of a need for servicing. Is it cheaper to maintain an electric car?

If you got the MG4 there or the EX30/smart #1 or BYD dolphin those might be good value.

Another other brands or cars are too much of a rip off in terms of initial capital cost.

b0rn2sk8 · 2 Dec 2023 at 09:05

Jonnycoupe said:
Rivian is 129kWh.

F150 lightning has 131kWh

Hummer 212kWh (net)

EPA range id take with a pinch of salt at the mo. The aero of the cyber truck is the win but it’s a compromised row2 headspace

This, it’s the same battery as the rivian and F150. The Hummer is basically a double stacked battery.

320 miles EPA should get you ~250 miles on the ‘highway’ at a sensible speed (E.g. 70mph). The AWD, slightly more with its extra 20 miles EPA range.

It’s basically the same EPA range as a Model Y (330 miles).

You are probably looking at 30-40% less when towing a box trailer/caravan, the hit shouldn’t be as bad as something more slippery like a model Y.

Simon · 2 Dec 2023 at 09:10

pc-guy said:
If you got the MG4 there or the EX30/smart #1 or BYD dolphin those might be good value.

Another other brands or cars are too much of a rip off in terms of initial capital cost.

Cupras are the value play on our SS. £510 gross

Penfold101 · 2 Dec 2023 at 09:12

kissenger said:
I’m giving serious thought to going electric as my new job has a lease scheme. It starts at £300 for a Leaf but I don’t think that will cut it. What’s the best budget electric on the market for a daily commute (30 miles on motorway).

One thing I’ve wondered about electric cars is in theory a big benefit seems to be the lack/less of a need for servicing. Is it cheaper to maintain an electric car?

My Polestar went in for a service just after I bought it at 18k miles - they changed the cabin filter, inspected everything and updated the software.

That’s the 18k/24 months service schedule.

kissenger · 2 Dec 2023 at 10:01

Penfold101 said:
My Polestar went in for a service just after I bought it at 18k miles - they changed the cabin filter, inspected everything and updated the software.

That’s the 18k/24 months service schedule.

I can see the point of an inspection, but the other stuff should be doable at home for the average consumer surely?

Penfold101 · 2 Dec 2023 at 10:05

kissenger said:
I can see the point of an inspection, but the other stuff should be doable at home for the average consumer surely?

The software updates OTA anyway, and I could absolutely do the cabin filter. However, it was free as the light came on the day I picked the car up, and also my warranty is also a thing...

Terminal_Boy · 2 Dec 2023 at 10:14

I think Right To Repair is going to be a big issue for EVs as I foresee lots of propriety software tools being required for power train and battery maintenance.

crazyDAJT · 2 Dec 2023 at 10:36

Terminal_Boy said:
I think Right To Repair is going to be a big issue for EVs as I foresee lots of propriety software tools being required for power train and battery maintenance.

The big issues is fixing the battery packs, it’s only a few cells that go bad not the whole pack.

The move to structure battery packs will make this worse. The stories of battery replacement cost (although realistically rare) are one of the reasons mass adoption is struggling.

This approach needs to change.

It’s the first thing people say when I say I’m going EV in 6 months. “Watch out for the £15K bill to change the battery”

I also think there is a lack of transparency over battery recycling. There is no way repair shops are not racking it in selling the “dead” pack on

Penfold101 · 2 Dec 2023 at 10:41

crazyDAJT said:
The big issues is fixing the battery packs, it’s only a few cells that go bad not the whole pack.

The move to structure battery packs will make this worse. The stories of battery replacement cost (although realistically rare) are one of the reasons mass adoption is struggling.

This approach needs to change.

It’s the first thing people say when I say I’m going EV in 6 months. “Watch out for the £15K bill to change the battery”

All manufacturers I've seen have an 8 year 100k warranty on the battery packs (I haven't looked at them all though)

crazyDAJT · 2 Dec 2023 at 11:06

Penfold101 said:
All manufacturers I've seen have an 8 year 100k warranty on the battery packs (I haven't looked at them all though)

This isn’t my point. I don’t believe the packs are as fragile as some believe.

It’s not a buy new or second hand problem it’s a 3rd, 4th… etc problem.

Most people would be happy buying an out of warranty ICE car, but an out of warranty EV? If we are going to get mass adoption this is a big hurdle. As the rest of the car should be easer to maintain.

Battery cell and pack costs are still falling at a pace, in the next 4-5 years it will be economical illiterate to buy an ICE car new.

Terminal_Boy · 2 Dec 2023 at 11:13

The problem with the battery packs is that even the dealers aren’t equipped to repair them even if that’s possible.

I can’t believe that cell from a faulty pack aren’t able to be re-used in other applications.

crazyDAJT · 2 Dec 2023 at 11:22

Terminal_Boy said:
The problem with the battery packs is that even the dealers aren’t equipped to repair them even if that’s possible.

I can’t believe that cell from a faulty pack aren’t able to be re-used in other applications.

This is exactly the problem around lack of capability.

The other problem is the packs or cells will be sold on for application like in home energy storage.

jpaul · 2 Dec 2023 at 11:28

crazyDAJT said:
Battery cell and pack costs are still falling at a pace, in the next 4-5 years it will be economical illiterate to buy an ICE car new.

technology and battery cell formats change too - so manufacturers will need to stockpile older ones, plus, may charge a premium.

b0rn2sk8 · 2 Dec 2023 at 11:36

Or you just bing in a used/remanufactured one like you’d do with an ICE car.

No one’s putting in a brand new battery into a 8+ year old EV. Even under warranty they typically use remanufactured packs.