EV and short journeys

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EV and short journeys
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Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15993

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 24 7:49 am Post subject:

One thing about tyres. Modern cars tend to have low profile tyres that can allow the wheel itself to be damaged. SUVs tend to have far bigger and larger profile tyres, so are less likely to be wrecked. The big pothole on the way to the woods has already claimed a few cars, but didn't do the tyre on our SUV any harm when we went into it. Am hoping the council will do something about it before a cyclist goes into it, which is what happened with the last bad ones up there. Luckily he wasn't badly hurt.

waerloga

Joined: 11 Sep 2011
Posts: 9

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 24 9:45 am Post subject:

1: with occasional & short use the 12V battery can suffer a solar trickle charger will address this (£30 Amazon). The Leaf was particularly bad a caring for the 12V battery, a solar panel was built in on some models as a simple fix.
2: Main battery; charge to 80% unless about to go on a long trip. Top up back to 80% as needed. The drain when parked varies a lot between models so this could be once a week to once a month or more.
3: EVs usually weigh around 20% more than their ICE equivalents so the tyre life is only marginally affected. Fleet managers have said on first handing over an EV tyre usage goes up as the try the impressive acceleration, then the novelty wears off, EVs encourage smooth driving and tire wear drops.
3a: Impossible to change a flat - total junk ignore anything this person says about EVs and probably anything else.
4: Brakes can rust and stick on in any parked vehicle, if you can chock the wheels and leave the handbrake off that is good. EV brakes tend to rust out rather than wear out because of regenerative braking. Unlike ICE short trips are not bad for EVs, take it 'round the block' even just 1/2 a mile every week or two if not otherwise used.

On the economy front if you are only doing short journeys you may find good value in an EV discounted because of reduced battery capacity.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 24 9:46 am Post subject:

waerloga wrote:

On the economy front if you are only doing short journeys you may find good value in an EV discounted because of reduced battery capacity.

Especially if you charge at home

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 24 9:12 am Post subject:

waerloga wrote:

On the economy front if you are only doing short journeys you may find good value in an EV discounted because of reduced battery capacity.

thanks for your input.
what do you mean by this last bit? do you mean a secondhand EV with low range?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 24 10:31 am Post subject:
I think what he's saying is that if you only do short runs you could get a VERY cheap EV with limited range (say an old Leaf or Zoe) and it'd cost you literally nothing in running costs

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 24 1:54 pm Post subject:
hmmyeh, but like most people who only do short runs, occasionally I need to do a longer run. Bear in mind, the nearest hospitals are all more than 30 miles away. Whilst this doesn't count as a 'long run' it is still beyond some 2nd hand EVs And it never costs literally nothing, does it? but yes, cheaper. food for thought. I wouldnt rush to get a N leaf though.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 24 2:29 pm Post subject:
Not suggesting it works for you, but for some people it really could.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 24 10:03 pm Post subject:
absolutely

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Wed Aug 21, 24 10:27 am Post subject:
If you're needing an EV that can occasionally do long runs, than you're not actually looking for one that is only up to short runs..... It's either one that has battery capacity, fast charging capacity, a combination of those two, or you just need an alternative plan for longer trips. (Sharing or rental agreement within the shorter range? Relocation to driving distance to a transit hub?)

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Wed Aug 21, 24 4:29 pm Post subject:
I think the EV that can only do short runs is a good choice for people with their own parking, the ability to charge, and can have it as a second car for the household, in situations that public or shared transport is not a viable option.

Jam Lady

Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2573
Location: New Jersey, USA

Posted: Thu Aug 22, 24 9:53 pm Post subject:

Himself got a plug-in hybrid in January. Charges in our garage where there's a 240V outlet he installed when we moved here with a smallish generator for power outages. (Now have a whole house generator, propane fueled.) Battery is good for about 30 / 40 miles which takes us shopping, doctor visits, feed & mercantile, etc. That's most of our driving. He's only had to get fuel maybe 4 times since January. He estimates cost is about 6.8 cents/mile. He's started putting stabilizer in the fuel tank since it is so infrequent that it needs more.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15993

Posted: Fri Aug 23, 24 7:40 am Post subject:
We have gone for a non-plug in hybrid. That raises the fuel consumption on the sort of driving we do; a lot of 30 mile or less journeys plus some longer ones from about 40mpg to 70+mpg for an estate car. Next door have a plug in hybrid, but a larger one, and get a lot more, but of course they have to have the power supply.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Fri Aug 23, 24 10:34 am Post subject:
Plug in hybrids don't require a plug in any more than non plug-ins, they just make more sense if you can plug in regularly

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46244
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Aug 24, 24 11:45 pm Post subject:
time to buy?

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28238
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Tue Aug 27, 24 7:44 am Post subject:
I actually think used EV prices might be close to as low as they are going to get. They are a bargain right now because of all the FUD.

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