11529 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

A decade-old goal to get at least half a million electric cars on Canada’s roads by the end of 2018 appears to have missed the mark by about 400,000.


https://nationalpost...oal-set-in-2009

[SimonH]

How does running air conditioning/heating affect the mileage performance in an electric vehicle. Is it a noticeable or insignificant draw on the battery ?

 

 

This is hilarious!

 

 

Noticeable for sure. AC is not a big load, maybe 400W to keep the car cold even on the hottest days.
Heat depends on whether the car has a heat pump or simply a resistive heater. Resistive heater will draw a few kW when heating the car and perhaps 1kW to keep it warm. Models with heat pumps only use about a third of that.

Basically winter range is likely to be about 80% of summer range for my car. Less if it’s all a bunch of short trips in the cold where it’s often blowing max heat.

Mike you don't think losing 20% of your vehicles range is important ?

[rjag]

https://www.cbc.ca/n...tions-1.4972890

 

Citing low demand, Metrolinx has removed its electric vehicle charging stations at GO station parking lots across the GTHA 

 

 

 

https://driving.ca/a...oal-set-in-2009

 

 

A decade-old goal to get at least half a million electric cars on Canada’s roads by the end of 2018 appears to have missed the mark by more than 400,000.

 

Edited by rjag, 10 January 2019 - 08:57 PM.

[Mike K.]

Some points from the article linked below:

- car sharing has lost its appeal
- 4% of US adult population uses ride sharing on a weekly basis
- subscriptions are growing in popularity
- Millennials twice as likely as boomers to use subscriptions, thereby giving them lots of options and choice in lieu of one vehicle that is purchased

https://driving.ca/a...not-yet-written

[LeoVictoria]

A decade-old goal to get at least half a million electric cars on Canada’s roads by the end of 2018 appears to have missed the mark by about 400,000.


https://nationalpost...oal-set-in-2009

 

Lovely political thing.   Set a goal, then do absolutely nothing to ensure you get there and act surprised when you don't achieve it.

[LeoVictoria]

Car subscriptions are a brilliant idea by the marketers to separate people from their money at a rate even faster than leasing.  https://driving.ca/a...der-the-surface

[nagel]

Sorry to break up the monotony of the debate that occurs in this thread, but I have a serious question for Leo.  

 

My Honda Odyssey loan will be up in under 3 years and I'd like to offload that and get an EV.  After the test drive of the Model 3 my wife is seriously in heat for that car.  But, no hitch.  What do you think the chances are there will be one with a hitch option in that timeframe, or is there some form of nice looking alternative that has one.  I'm not going to drop 110K on a Model X.

 

And yes, I drive.  Secret is out.

[RFS]

 

And yes, I drive.  Secret is out.

 

And borrow money to do so

[nagel]

And borrow money to do so

Yes, no silver spoon here.

[tjv]

Sorry to break up the monotony of the debate that occurs in this thread, but I have a serious question for Leo.  

 

My Honda Odyssey loan will be up in under 3 years and I'd like to offload that and get an EV.  After the test drive of the Model 3 my wife is seriously in heat for that car.  But, no hitch.  What do you think the chances are there will be one with a hitch option in that timeframe, or is there some form of nice looking alternative that has one.  I'm not going to drop 110K on a Model X.

 

And yes, I drive.  Secret is out.

In 3 years every car manufacturer will have several models out.  I wouldn't be surprised you could get an all electric Honda Odyssey then too

 

Also no idea what you will be towing so you have to look at the towing capacity of each vehicle

Edited by tjv, 11 January 2019 - 02:51 PM.

[nagel]

In 3 years every car manufacturer will have several models out

 

Also no idea what you will be towing so you have to look at the towing capacity of each vehicle

Hopefully a small trailer that would allow the smaller car to work in those 3% of situations you need a bigger one, namely being able to take 4 garbage bins with garden waste in them to Saanich public works, and camping gear up island.  I'm not talking quads and boats and travel trailers.

[LeoVictoria]

Sorry to break up the monotony of the debate that occurs in this thread, but I have a serious question for Leo.  

 

My Honda Odyssey loan will be up in under 3 years and I'd like to offload that and get an EV.  After the test drive of the Model 3 my wife is seriously in heat for that car.  But, no hitch.  What do you think the chances are there will be one with a hitch option in that timeframe, or is there some form of nice looking alternative that has one.  I'm not going to drop 110K on a Model X.

 

And yes, I drive.  Secret is out.

 

Honda Odyssey to Model 3?  That is quite the changeup.    No need for the space?   

 

As for the hitch option, you can buy a hitch right now for the Model 3.  As with many cars, it requires some mild trimming of some plastic covers under the car, but nothing too major: https://www.teslarat...y-installation/

 

Will Tesla release an official one?   I wouldn't hold my breath.  There is no official option for the more powerful Model S and it has been out for years now.  No tow rating either.  That said there are many third party options.  Depends if you actually want to tow something or just want bike racks / hitch box.  I'm sure it's fully capable of towing but without a tow rating I wouldn't personally risk it.  

 

For actual towing, only the Model X has a tow rating.  I suspect the new eTron and EQC will also get tow ratings but they will both be closer to $100k as well.  

The only other alternative is the Mitsubishi Outlander plug in hybrid (about 50km of pure electric range) which has a tow rating.  

 

Model Y may also have a tow rating, and it could be in production by 2020 so may be an option for you as well.  Crossover version of the Model 3.

[Mike K.]

Here’s a serious question as well. At an intersection today I hear this ear splitting high pitched tone which I assume is a vehicle with bad brakes slowly rolling forward and the noise is hardly audible, but then I notice that a Leaf has pulled up beside me. As we depart the intersection the high pitched tone starts up again. Is that normal?

[nagel]

Honda Odyssey to Model 3? That is quite the changeup. No need for the space?

As for the hitch option, you can buy a hitch right now for the Model 3. As with many cars, it requires some mild trimming of some plastic covers under the car, but nothing too major: https://www.teslarat...y-installation/

Will Tesla release an official one? I wouldn't hold my breath. There is no official option for the more powerful Model S and it has been out for years now. No tow rating either. That said there are many third party options. Depends if you actually want to tow something or just want bike racks / hitch box. I'm sure it's fully capable of towing but without a tow rating I wouldn't personally risk it.

For actual towing, only the Model X has a tow rating. I suspect the new eTron and EQC will also get tow ratings but they will both be closer to $100k as well.
The only other alternative is the Mitsubishi Outlander plug in hybrid (about 50km of pure electric range) which has a tow rating.

Model Y may also have a tow rating, and it could be in production by 2020 so may be an option for you as well. Crossover version of the Model 3.

Kids will be tight in the back but that’s their problem. Should have thought about that before winning the swim meet.

I saw you could modify to add a hitch but won’t that put me in bad shape if I ever get involved with ICBC?

[Mike K.]

Lol

[rjag]

I saw you could modify to add a hitch but won’t that put me in bad shape if I ever get involved with ICBC?

 

Best to research the tow rates as even the Cayenne hybrid has a zero rating 

 

heres a video discussing it https://youtu.be/Wy-orn2-Bfk

[LeoVictoria]

Kids will be tight in the back but that’s their problem. Should have thought about that before winning the swim meet.

I saw you could modify to add a hitch but won’t that put me in bad shape if I ever get involved with ICBC?

 

Never heard of anyone having a problem but like I said I wouldn't tow anything with a vehicle without a tow rating.   

Low risk to tow a garden trailer, but could work against you if you got in an accident or something.

 

As for the modification to install the tow hitch, it's really nothing.   For comparison, my parent's Jeep Patriot has a tow rating, and to install the tow hitch Canadian Tire actually had to cut a hole directly into the plastic bumper which was much more invasive that what is required on a Tesla S or 3.   My old Elantra Touring also required the plastic at the bottom to be trimmed when they installed the hitch.   There aren't any modifications done to any structural components of the vehicle in order to mount it.  

Edited by LeoVictoria, 11 January 2019 - 05:02 PM.

[LJ]

The Model 3 is not well rated by Consumer Reports, overall IIRC 57 out of 100. Much worse than average for repairs.

Edited by LJ, 12 January 2019 - 08:01 PM.

[Mike K.]

Jesus Christ, you guys. Nagel is a danger to us all on a bike and now he’s being prepped to tow with a sedan that isn’t even rated to tow?

Here’s how you tow items in a vehicle without a tow rating:

You don’t.

You haul on over to the Uhaul, rent a pick-up, fill it full of the garbage you want to “tow,” and $30+1 hour later you’re back in your sedan and not endangering others on the road trying to turn a little car into a truck.

Haven’t IKEA commercials taught us anything?

[tjv]

Just witnessed a model x on the back of a tow truck headed for Vancouver

I guess only minor repairs in victoria? I wonder who pays for the tow because that's not going to be cheap...$2000+?