Split Electric Vehicles (from Twitter idiot)

[Loren Pechtel]

Wyoming, a resolution to recommend residents buy ICE vehicles and phase out the sale of EVs.

They should have written it in crayon.

The Drive article.

Do I need to guess which side of the aisle this legislation came from?

Is Texas still making incandescent light bulbs?

I don't know how many places still make them but there's a definite market: Oven lights.

 

[bilby]

Coasting is dangerous and stupid. Whether or not it's legal depends on your jurisdiction; But just because something isn't illegal doesn't imply that it's a good idea to do it.

It's not illegal to nail your testicles to the ceiling.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Use this https://abetterrouteplanner.com/

Edit: That one should show more than just Tesla chargers.

Edit: Is there a place you know of (other than the one you go to) that the map also shows the same absence of chargers? I'm not a camper so I wouldn't know where to look. I just need a test case so I can try for myself without doxing you.

I don't hide where I am--Las Vegas. I picked the visitor center of Death Valley as my objective--actually it was 35.91215, -116.58582. It's the intersection of Jubilee Pass Road and a dirt track that AFIAK only has a number, not a name. Actually, anywhere within about 2 hours of Las Vegas--the only supercharger I'm aware of lies 2 hours NE of here, St. George, Utah--and I almost never go that way because the travel time gets too high for day hiking.

I'm seeing super charges from every direction to those coordinates. My Model 3 long Range can do 350ish Miles (driving dumb). You can charge a Tesla and get to and back from your destination. I mean, you do plan to leave the car behind and go hiking and not take the car on the hike right? Granted you power the Tesla down you should be able to camp for days without concern for phantom drain (meaning the battery being used while away from the vehicle). I'd use the charger 79 miles away & charge to 90% before heading out. You'd have easily over 100 miles of range left (100 considering the worst scenario, like leaving the car on and hiking for a week) when you get back to that same charger.

Yes, that one is within range. My occasional forays to the far side of the park would be unacceptable, though.

View attachment 41892

A nearly 2 hour detour.

View attachment 41893

Where I started!

View attachment 41894

And an even worse detour.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I will miss being able to put the EV into neutral while it is moving. Yes, I know, some of that "coasting" energy is supposedly recovered according to sources, but it is not very much at all. Why can't someone build an EV that freewheels when you take you foot off the accelerator? That would seem to me to be a way to seriously improve driving range. All the EVs out there require you to apply and hold the brake before being able to place the vehicle into "neutral" to avoid damage such as at a car wash, being towed or being pushed. I would think such a modification would increase driving range by 25%. Just let the car be able to coast.

There's no reason to. An EV doesn't have an appreciable base load of turning over the engine, thus there's virtually nothing to be gained by freewheeling--and the equipment required to permit freewheeling would almost certainly be a net negative because it would add weight.

 

[Ford]

Our autonomous vehicles are based on the Bolt, but as test beds, they're crap when it comes to creature comforts. Yet when I drove our support car - a stock Bolt - I was like "this isn't bad. If they built a slightly larger and nicer version, I'd consider it."

My wife had a Chevy Aveo (became the Sonic). It was quite similar to the Bolt but a bit larger. She absolutely loved that car and it was quite roomy inside. It was also the top of the line for that model so it had all the bells and whistles available.

It was, however, a very bad luck car for us. It was like a target for people to damage it. It was in the body shop at least three times in its short life. The last time it was totaled because an idiot slowed for a stop sign then rolled right through and we t-boned them.

Too bad they didn't choose the Sonic for an EV platform.

The Bolt is roomy for what it is, the gauge cluster is great, and the outward visibility is excellent.

However, I've just watched a video about the new hybrid that Chevy is debuting for the 2024 model year. So my EV aspirations will have to wait.

p.s. does anyone have a hundred grand I can borrow for a hybrid Corvette?

 

[ZiprHead]

The Bolt is roomy for what it is, the gauge cluster is great, and the outward visibility is excellent.

Looks like the '23 Bolt is cheaper than the '22. https://www.chevrolet.com/electric/bolt-ev

However, I've just watched a video about the new hybrid that Chevy is debuting for the 2024 model year. So my EV aspirations will have to wait.

p.s. does anyone have a hundred grand I can borrow for a hybrid Corvette?

If you need a place to drop off your M2 you know where I live.

 

[Ford]

If you need a place to drop off your M2 you know where I live.

Ha! I have the slowest, cheapest 2 series. Though I'm sure it might get mistaken for an M2 in Sagnasty...

 

[Elixir]

Coasting is dangerous and stupid. Whether or not it's legal depends on your jurisdiction; But just because something isn't illegal doesn't imply that it's a good idea to do it.

It's not illegal to nail your testicles to the ceiling.

I remember long ago driving a Saab two stroke car that sounded like a small dirt bike, and would freewheel itself as a feature. You could feel it let go of the drive train, and there was a delay when you step on the gas again.

 

[ZiprHead]

If you need a place to drop off your M2 you know where I live.

Ha! I have the slowest, cheapest 2 series. Though I'm sure it might get mistaken for an M2 in Sagnasty...

Damn. I thought you had an M2. I did see a new M750i today. I peed a little.

BTW, WIOG reverted back to WGER and switched from adult contemporary to alternative and metal. Made me turn the radio on, which I haven't done in quite a while.

 

[ZiprHead]

A Tesla vehicle using “Smart Summon” appears to crash into a $3.5 million private jet

The vehicle didn’t stop after it crashed into the jet.

www.theverge.com

 

[Ford]

If you need a place to drop off your M2 you know where I live.

Ha! I have the slowest, cheapest 2 series. Though I'm sure it might get mistaken for an M2 in Sagnasty...

Damn. I thought you had an M2. I did see a new M750i today. I peed a little.

BTW, WIOG reverted back to WGER and switched from adult contemporary to alternative and metal. Made me turn the radio on, which I haven't done in quite a while.

Wow. I've been out of the loop on the radio business for a few years, and missed that news. I worked there when it was a "rock 40" station that played top 40 and hair metal, and got out before it switched to adult contemporary in 1991(?). Oh well.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

Coasting is dangerous and stupid. Whether or not it's legal depends on your jurisdiction; But just because something isn't illegal doesn't imply that it's a good idea to do it.

It's not illegal to nail your testicles to the ceiling.

I remember long ago driving a Saab two stroke car that sounded like a small dirt bike, and would freewheel itself as a feature. You could feel it let go of the drive train, and there was a delay when you step on the gas again.

Right. I'm surprised no one understands the advantage or has done the maneuver. It's not dangerous at all. It makes perfect sense by removing drag. I've yet to drive an EV so maybe what Loren says makes sense. Supposedly the engine throttles down so the vehicle is still using minimal fuel. But it is still being held back by engine drag, at least for ICE vehicles.

Of course, on a steep enough descent no one wants to coast, you actually want the engine to slow you down, which it does. The FIT is wonderfully designed to downshift nicely to aid in braking.

 

[bilby]

Coasting is dangerous and stupid. Whether or not it's legal depends on your jurisdiction; But just because something isn't illegal doesn't imply that it's a good idea to do it.

It's not illegal to nail your testicles to the ceiling.

I remember long ago driving a Saab two stroke car that sounded like a small dirt bike, and would freewheel itself as a feature. You could feel it let go of the drive train, and there was a delay when you step on the gas again.

Right. I'm surprised no one understands the advantage or has done the maneuver. It's not dangerous at all. It makes perfect sense by removing drag. I've yet to drive an EV so maybe what Loren says makes sense. Supposedly the engine throttles down so the vehicle is still using minimal fuel. But it is still being held back by engine drag, at least for ICE vehicles.

Of course, on a steep enough descent no one wants to coast, you actually want the engine to slow you down, which it does. The FIT is wonderfully designed to downshift nicely to aid in braking.

It's highly dangerous, and the "advantage" is minuscule.

Modern vehicles aren't designed to have the drivetrain decoupled from the engine while in motion. Engine braking is valuable, and occurs with minimal driver input, unless the driver is coasting.

Modern engines with electronic fuel management (ie almost anything less than thirty years old) will burn more fuel when coasting than they would if you let the wheels drive the engine; And coasting increases brake wear and reduces tire traction, making it more likely that you will skid if you need to turn.

Coasting to save fuel is as sensible and reasonable as taking your hands off the steering wheel to save wear on your gloves.

 

[Derec]

Wyoming, a resolution to recommend residents buy ICE vehicles and phase out the sale of EVs.

They should have written it in crayon.

The Drive article.

This is obviously the legislative equivalent of a shitpost, in response to laws like that in California which bans sales of new ICE cars past 2035.
It is similar to the bills Dems are always introducing to ban/restrict Viarga and similar stunts.
Kentucky lawmaker takes aim at anti-abortion law with 'Viagra' bill
Indiana state representative proposed bill to outlaw erectile dysfunction drugs in light of abortion ban
Third female lawmaker introduces bill to limit men’s Viagra access
And many more ...

 

[Derec]

Tesla's market was upscale peole who could afford the price. I doubt the environment was what Musk was thinking about. He created a luxury product for which there was a ready market..

I think he does care about the environment, but also about making money.
As to it being a luxury product - all new technology is expensive at first, and finds its way into the luxury market first.
So Musk's approach was the right one. Putting EV tech into subcompacts and making them so expensive that nobody wants to but them is a bad move.

As to Chinese competition , from reporting American manufacturers are all phasing out mass production of gas cars,
It is illconcieved with probable unintended negative consequences. What happens if powr goes down in an area for week? Emergency vehicles?

What happens if gasoline supplies go out for a week, like what happens occasionally when a hurricane disables Gulf refineries. I still remember the massive gasoline shortages of 2008 around here. It was pretty bad. More recently there were such shortages around Houston and also when the Collonial pipeline was shut down.
As for emergency vehicles, they can have solar panels with storage as well as backup generators at their home base.

State ad federal mandates to end sales of gas cars by a fixed date is irrational. The infrastructure is not there and there is no coherent national plan to address it. The grid will be inadequate.

California seems to be jumping the gun a bit, especially since their grid is hurting already. Technically phasing out new gasoline car sales by 2035 is feasible. But it requires more planning than Sacramento is capable of. Nuclear power plants would help both supply stability by providing reliable baseload and would also reduce carbon emissions.

Biden givng money away for charging staions is not enough, tere has to be a pln. But that is left modus operandi, spend a lot of money in a good cause without any way to measure progress or attainment of goals.

Just throwing money at a problem is never sufficient, right. Otoh, money is needed to push this transition forward.

 

[Derec]

My guess is no.

You can also plunge it down a cliff and survive.
Tesla plunges 250 feet off a California cliff, all 4 occupants survive

 

[Derec]

Does that mean if I'm driving a standard, see a red light ahead and put it in neutral while I coast/brake to a stop I'm breaking the law? Or if I push in the clutch while leaving it in gear I'm breaking the law too? Seems strange.

Why would you do that? Just downshift. Engine braking helps slow the car down, and you are already in a lower gear and can just go if the light changes while you are still moving. Besides, if you are in neutral, the engine still has to turn by itself, burning gas. When the wheels drive the engine, fuel injectors are not injecting, and you are burning no gas.
I also fail to see what advantage coasting in neutral has with EVs either.

My Honda Fit is an automatic because my wife prefers automatics. It gets great average mpg because I can do a lot of coasting.

You take it out of gear while in motion? When do you do that? I hope not when going downhill (you should manually switch into one of the low gears even in an automatic).

 

[Derec]

I remember long ago driving a Saab two stroke car that sounded like a small dirt bike, and would freewheel itself as a feature. You could feel it let go of the drive train, and there was a delay when you step on the gas again.

A Saab two stroke? I can see freewheeling being useful with such engines because oil is mixed with the gasoline.
There is no advantage with modern, 4 stroke, fuel injected engines though.

 

[Derec]

Right. I'm surprised no one understands the advantage or has done the maneuver.

What's the maneuver and the perceived advantage?

It's not dangerous at all. It makes perfect sense by removing drag.

How is it removing drag?

I've yet to drive an EV so maybe what Loren says makes sense. Supposedly the engine throttles down so the vehicle is still using minimal fuel. But it is still being held back by engine drag, at least for ICE vehicles.

Drag is air resistance. Do you mean mechanical friction?

The thing is, in neutral, your car still burns fuel. In gear with no throttle, there is no fuel being burned.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Shouldn't this be in the drag show thread?