[Misc] Electric Cars

[Badger]

Chinese manufacturer BYD currently has 10 dealers in the UK, that's about to become 250. A shape of things to come.

I recently discovered The Fully Charged Show on YouTube. Some of these Chinese EVs they review look really impressive. It also looks Europe is way ahead of North America with the number of different EVs available. All we seem to have here is Teslas and the odd Hyundai or KIA.

 

[carlzeiss]

Prices vary, but fast chargers tend to be in the range of between 50p and 78p a kilowatt. The cars with the largest batteries that can do between 300-400 miles per charge tend to have batteries in the 80-90 kilowatt capacity, so that gives you some ballpark figures to play with.

The tech is being refined all the time, so expect newer vehicles (in general) to have better efficiency than the original EVs. (Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe) vehicle weight plays a big part too. Don’t expect a Jaguar iPace to be hugely efficient, it’s concentrating on being hugely powerful.

As with every type of vehicle, more weight = more power required to push it along.

I don't have an EV just an ICE car although have previously owned 2 Toyota Hybrids which would average 67mpg on trips

From what I can gather though 3.5 miles per Kilowatt is a reasonable assumption of the average energy consumption of an EV

Using that figure as a guide and as my most recent petrol purchase was £1.40 per liter or £6.36 per imperial gallon

Then @ 50p per Kilowatt this is approximately equivalent to a petrol vehicle consuming 45 mpg
And @ 78p per Kilowatt this is approximately equivalent to petrol vehicle consuming 28 mpg

Currently then the argument for switching to pure EV is not convincing if one is reliant on using public charging points with the cost of fossil fuels as of this day .

Or have I messed up the maths ?

 

[Audax]

I don't have an EV just an ICE car although have previously owned 2 Toyota Hybrids which would average 67mpg on trips

From what I can gather though 3.5 miles per Kilowatt is a reasonable assumption of the average energy consumption of an EV

Using that figure as a guide and as my most recent petrol purchase was £1.40 per liter or £6.36 per imperial gallon

Then @ 50p per Kilowatt this is approximately equivalent to a petrol vehicle consuming 45 mpg
And @ 78p per Kilowatt this is approximately equivalent to petrol vehicle consuming 28 mpg

Currently then the argument for switching to pure EV is not convincing if one is reliant on using public charging points with the cost of fossil fuels as of this day .

Or have I messed up the maths ?

My Zoe easily manages 4.5 miles per kWh in summer, and I've seen as high as 5.5 when conditions / traffic is perfect. And I know the Zoe isn't the most efficient out there today (although it helps with it being a small car). 3.5 miles per kWh is pretty accurate for winter conditions, though.

Actually, googling suggest you've definitely underestimate EV range. For example, carwow list the top 10 most efficient EVs here and they're all better than 4.35 miles per kWh: https://www.carwow.co.uk/electric-cars/efficient

 

[swindonseagull]

I don't have an EV just an ICE car although have previously owned 2 Toyota Hybrids which would average 67mpg on trips

From what I can gather though 3.5 miles per Kilowatt is a reasonable assumption of the average energy consumption of an EV

Using that figure as a guide and as my most recent petrol purchase was £1.40 per liter or £6.36 per imperial gallon

Then @ 50p per Kilowatt this is approximately equivalent to a petrol vehicle consuming 45 mpg
And @ 78p per Kilowatt this is approximately equivalent to petrol vehicle consuming 28 mpg

Currently then the argument for switching to pure EV is not convincing if one is reliant on using public charging points with the cost of fossil fuels as of this day .

Or have I messed up the maths ?

Charge up @ home 7.5 p per KWh .....

 

[carlzeiss]

My Zoe easily manages 4.5 miles per kWh in summer, and I've seen as high as 5.5 when conditions / traffic is perfect. And I know the Zoe isn't the most efficient out there today (although it helps with it being a small car). 3.5 miles per kWh is pretty accurate for winter conditions, though.

Actually, googling suggest you've definitely underestimate EV range. For example, carwow list the top 10 most efficient EVs here and they're all better than 4.35 miles per kWh: https://www.carwow.co.uk/electric-cars/efficient

The consumption numbers on Car wow are impressive if they are real world results not manufactures figures

If you can get 4.5kWh in your Zoe traveling at motorway speeds that's pretty darn good imo

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Charge up @ home 7.5 p per KWh .....

Exactly - reposting part of my earlier post a couple of pages back

[Misc] - Electric Cars

My e-208 is on charge in the garage at the moment. I’ve started using the Loop Energy app to find the “greenest” times to plug in…

www.northstandchat.com

I have a Tesla Model Y - leased via salary sacrifice through work.

Our energy supplier is Octopus Energy. We switched to their Intelligent Octopus tariff when we got the car.

We paid £700 to install an Ohme charger.

The charger integrates with the tariff, and the car, so I can plug it in and it will only charge at a per kwh price below a certain price OR within certain time windows.

Our tariff is 7.5p / kwh between 23:30 and 05:30 so we have it set to charge to 80% between these hours. The Octopus App does all the number crunching.

When we're doing longer journeys we allow it to charge to 100%.... which means we could fully charge the car to its 75kwh capacity for £5.62 which gives a range of 275-320 miles depending upon weather / driving style etc, which is bloody brilliant.

Additionally I've used Tesla fast charger 3 times in 6 months, each time it's to add a few miles to ensure we get home with some range to spare, twice on trips to Falmouth and back and once coming home from Northampton on the M1. On each occasion the car had filled up enough before I'd has time to go to the toilet and / or get a cup of coffee.

 

[chickens]

I don't have an EV just an ICE car although have previously owned 2 Toyota Hybrids which would average 67mpg on trips

From what I can gather though 3.5 miles per Kilowatt is a reasonable assumption of the average energy consumption of an EV

Using that figure as a guide and as my most recent petrol purchase was £1.40 per liter or £6.36 per imperial gallon

Then @ 50p per Kilowatt this is approximately equivalent to a petrol vehicle consuming 45 mpg
And @ 78p per Kilowatt this is approximately equivalent to petrol vehicle consuming 28 mpg

Currently then the argument for switching to pure EV is not convincing if one is reliant on using public charging points with the cost of fossil fuels as of this day .

Or have I messed up the maths ?

Your maths seems a little pessimistic to me. My Gen1 Nissan Leaf does about 4.5 per kilowatt, the second gen Leaf I’m told does slightly better with 5 miles plus per kilowatt achievable.

This will always be vehicle dependent. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to hear that the bigger heavier vehicles like the iPace have a much lower efficiency, but that’s no different to a V8 Range Rover being way less efficient than a 1.2 Fiesta. Weight, drag, and how the car is configured to both deliver power and regain it through braking also impacts the overall figure.

Not to mention driving style and the road. If all your driving is unobstructed motorway, efficiency will suffer. Any driving that involves a bit of stop and start will get the regenerative braking kicking in and reclaiming energy as the car is slowed down.

 

[Audax]

If you can get 4.5kWh in your Zoe traveling at motorway speeds that's pretty darn good imo

Occasional Uckfield to Uxbridge commute. A22, M25, M4, then in to Uxbridge. Was managing 5.4 on the home leg during summer, but rarely remembered to reset before leaving home for the outward trip. Easily over 4.5 though.

Renault claimed range is pretty accurate for summer. If anything I'd say it's pessimistic.

 

[nicko31]

Exactly - reposting part of my earlier post a couple of pages back

[Misc] - Electric Cars

My e-208 is on charge in the garage at the moment. I’ve started using the Loop Energy app to find the “greenest” times to plug in…

www.northstandchat.com

Additionally I've used Tesla fast charger 3 times in 6 months, each time it's to add a few miles to ensure we get home with some range to spare, twice on trips to Falmouth and back and once coming home from Northampton on the M1. On each occasion the car had filled up enough before I'd has time to go to the toilet and / or get a cup of coffee.

How do you find the Telsa for effiiciency? I have a VW ID3 and I'd say figs are similar to @Audax Renault Zoe...

With circa 250-300 mile range hardly ever use a public charger, luckily i have a 75kw fast charge over the road from me for emergencies, its 75p/kw (10 times home charge cost)

 

[Audax]

How do you find the Telsa for effiiciency? I have a VW ID3 and I'd say figs are similar to @Audax Renault Zoe...

I paid extra to get the Rapid charge version of the Zoe. Regret that decision a little. I've never used a rapid charger (little over 3 years now). The only times it's ever been plugged into a public charger was back when Tesco carpark chargers were free for the 7.5kWh charging, and I would plug in for a cheeky top up while shopping. I'm fortunate to have solar panels and a smart home charger, as well as access to a free charger at work on the days I go in. Being honest, though, that's only because we've not yet used it for a longer trip. We've got the Prius for those - but it's as much about carrying capacity as it is range.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

How do you find the Telsa for effiiciency? I have a VW ID3 and I'd say figs are similar to @Audax Renault Zoe...

With circa 250-300 mile range hardly ever use a public charger, luckily i have a 75kw fast charge over the road from me for emergencies, its 75p/kw (10 times home charge cost)

I haven't delved into the overall data for the Tesla, but the only time I saw a drop off in the excellent range was when we were driving to Bournemouth for a Uni open day and we were running a little late. Driving at 70+ mph for 90 minutes drained the battery pretty fast, but any car will burn through fuel at higher speeds.

I will say that driving a Tesla is both fun, and very relaxing.

 

[AZ Gull]

Chicago-area Tesla charging stations lined with dead cars in freezing cold: 'A bunch of dead robots out here'​

 

[dannyboy]

I recently discovered The Fully Charged Show on YouTube. Some of these Chinese EVs they review look really impressive. It also looks Europe is way ahead of North America with the number of different EVs available. All we seem to have here is Teslas and the odd Hyundai or KIA.

is that Kryten from Red Dwarf?

 

[Badger]

is that Kryten from Red Dwarf?

Yes, it is. He's changed the bulb.

 

[OzMike]

You lot keep buying them, brings the price of diesel for my van down, only $1.67 a litre now.

 

[chickens]

You lot keep buying them, brings the price of diesel for my van down, only $1.67 a litre now.

That’s fine buddy, happy to help. Let’s hope OPEC drop their prices to the point that it’s not such a one-sided argument on running costs.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

You lot keep buying them, brings the price of diesel for my van down, only $1.67 a litre now.

I'm not sure that's how it works. Those sky-high fuel prices in 2023 came at a time when EV registrations and sales were flying!

 

[nicko31]

You lot keep buying them, brings the price of diesel for my van down, only $1.67 a litre now.

Diesel here £1.50 equates to 19p a mile, elec I'm paying 7.5p/kw for green overnight rate equates to 1.9p a mile.

250-300 mile range, Faster, less polluting, quieter, better handling, no ULEZ. No going back....

 

[nicko31]

Not sure if Porsche's nightmare, interior styling be questionable

 

[The Grockle]

First winter of driving electric, I didn't quite realise the impact to range in cold weather. The school run usually uses 2-3% of battery, in minus temp it's around 10%! It's a 14 mile round trip!