The future of EVs

[Handloader]

How to get better milage

[Steve51]

PRICELESS!!

Common sense gone wild!

[clovishound]

I just did a quick search and found that a level one charger uses around 1500 watts. An hour of charging at this rate will only get you about 5 miles. You also have to be be careful about the kind of generator you use, as some cars require a very clean current. Inverter style generators are rather expensive, although they also tend to be smaller and more efficient, which would be an advantage for this application.

Level 2 charging requires around 7200 watts. That's a pretty good sized generator. And then there are issues with connections. I looked at a Champion 9000 watt (7250 running watts) inverter style generator. It weighs in at around 150lbs and runs well over $1000. 1/4 power will go for 10 hours on a 4.3 gal tank, my math says it should run 2.5 hours on a full tank at full draw. Of course, level 2 charging will give you more like 40-50 miles per hour of charging.

I can put enough gas in my Camry (not a hybrid) in about 5 minutes to go from mid South Carolina to mid Florida, AND BACK without refilling. Two years ago I drove from Charleston SC to St Augustine FL on 1/3 tank of gas, with the A/C running the whole time.

[Handloader]

Here is the real kicker when people buy an EV they are not told about the cost of a charging station. Typically, the charging stations Level 2 are 240 at 40 amps. In many cases on older homes, they only have a 100-150 ampere panel. Also, the majority of them are maxed out in breakers. So, to add in a 240 vac/40 ampere breaker the entire panel will need to be remover and up graded. Now add the cost of the charger to the upgrades you are looking at about $10,000.00 or more in our area to install the system. Of course, you can use a charger with a 120 vac/ 30 ampere system ant it would take about 18 hours to charge your EV.

[Mags]

Here is the real kicker when people buy an EV they are not told about the cost of a charging station. Typically, the charging stations Level 2 are 240 at 40 amps. In many cases on older homes, they only have a 100-150 ampere panel. Also, the majority of them are maxed out in breakers. So, to add in a 240 vac/40 ampere breaker the entire panel will need to be remover and up graded. Now add the cost of the charger to the upgrades you are looking at about $10,000.00 or more in our area to install the system. Of course, you can use a charger with a 120 vac/ 30 ampere system ant it would take about 18 hours to charge your EV.

Some I've heard run an extension cord from their 220/240 electric dryer plug.

As an errand run around town vehicle I don't think that most of the time the battery is completely run out. So maybe in that usage scenario 110/120 and 220/240 trickle chargers are enough for topping off, when a top off is all that is needed.

[Coach]

That generator wouldn't do much but get you a few miles to get to a charger.

I charge my car about every 7-10 days off of my solar system. Usually from about 65% up to 90% for daily use.

@ 90% charge I get about 220 miles of range. I have a standard range battery. An extended range battery gives you 310 miles on a full charge.

The extended range battery was an additional $7k in price.

EV's are not for most folks. They are not practical if you travel long distances frequently.

I totally get the EV bashing because the government is forcing it on us. If the government wasn't mandating EV's, I don't think the negative attitudes would be so pronounced and amplified as they are now.

All that being said I absolutely enjoy my Mustang EV!

I'm retired and I don't drive very much any more. I've had my car for 6 months and have put 1,850 miles on the Mach. 600 of that just getting it home from where I bought the car.

[daytime dave]

Coach, thank you for your honest assessment of EVs and your personal and actual experience with them. I put plenty of stock in your post here. The car looks great.
I have a brother in law who is contemplating one for just around town driving. I have a sister in law who has a Tesla that seems to go all over the Northeast with it. I've never asked her much about the car, distance she gets or how long she has to charge it. I know at camp, she charges it at the grocery store while she shops. I don't think the grocery store has any more chargers than a couple of years ago, but I know there are more EVs in that town now. I wonder if she has to wait to charge at the store. She also plugs it in at camp.
Me, I guess I own an EV of sorts. I have a DeWalt battery lawn mower that's self propelled. I can cut the pretty small camp lawn with the charge in the (2) 10 amp hour 20v batteries. A few times it's been close, but I've never run out of juice. There isn't much lawn, but the self propelled feature draws down the batteries pretty good. The DeWalt battery weed whacker has two other batteries that I use after mowing the lawn. That always has more juice to spare to run the DeWalt blower to clear the concrete of grass and weed clippings. (At home, I need the power and long lasting run time of gas implements for the same chores)
I often see a fellow with a Ford Lightning going around town when I'm at a part time job. I don't think he goes very far either, just around the immediate area. I'd like to see how he likes it in a year or so.

[Coach]

I will also add that if you have to rely on a portable generator you’re just being stupid.

A reality of EV’s is that you need to plan for charging stops on long trips. Thinking a gas powered generator will save you from being stupid with no planning is well…..Stupid!

All you need to do is put your destination into the navigation system and it routes you from charger to charger along the route.

It only takes a few moments to put in your destination.

You can set your buffer of low battery notifications to 50, 30, 20 miles etc and you will get red warning lights and bells going off. You also have a battery and range read out right on the dash. No guessing like a gas gauge. It’s a digital read out telling you exactly where you stand with distance remaining in the car.

Just FYI

[Sir Henry]

I’m actually thinking of getting a small EV like a GEM. I drove one for years around Lake Chelan State Park and think it would be ideal for my 26 acres.

[Mags]

If'n I was to get an EV it would be a hybrid EV. I like the idea of having an EV with a gasoline engine. I could drive around most of the time in EV mode with the gasoline engine kicking in when the EV battery charge gets low.