Electric Vehicles
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@Machpants said in Electric Vehicles:
I have just got a BYD Atto 3, loving it.
Not so sure about having 'Build Your Dreams' across the back 😂
Rented one of those today ("Mevo") - for a quick blast across the Rimutakas and back, in rain, first time I've driven 4-wheels in a LOOOONG time.
Cars have plenty of fucking shit going on in them nowadays, don't they? Or is that just these 'lectric ones? Bloody big tablet in the middle, which I did NOT expect to turn landscape-to-portrait - even if that's what the button quite clearly showed it would do.
The Adaptive-Cruise-Control was quite nice... I did a BIG chunk of the trip with that turned on, and just letting the car in front dictate the pace. -
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@Machpants said in Electric Vehicles:
@Kruse Yeah electric cars, even base ones, are starting to get a lot of tech. Because you pay more than the equiv petrol, they often have a high base model spec
Basically take the top spec model and add $15-20k to it for the drivetrain. Gets all the toys
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Interesting question
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@MiketheSnow said in Electric Vehicles:
Interesting question
I forgot that petrol and diesel grow on trees.
I imagine an EV on idle is actually pretty economical.
Fact Check: Electric cars not more likely to get stuck in traffic jams
A graphic circulating online has claimed electric cars run out of power in three hours when stuck in traffic jams, leaving people stranded with no heating. However, electric cars use little power when not moving and would likely last longer than petrol cars with the heating on in a traffic jam,...
Perhaps a car with built-in solar?
Hyundai's new electric car has a solar panel roof and can charge other EVs
Meet the new Hyundai Ioniq 5
Apart from national disasters (like say choosing to live in Florida) a big issue for me is recycling EV batteries. Not easy.
The triple threat posed by lithium batteries means electric vehicles risk a major downside
As Australia passes the milestone of 100,000 electric vehicles on our roads, an environmental downside is looming: huge numbers of batteries that could end up in landfill.
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I love electric vehicles – and was an early adopter. But increasingly I feel duped | Rowan Atkinson
Sadly, keeping your old petrol car may be better than buying an EV, says actor Rowan Atkinson
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Yes
solid state batteries could be here this year
people don't throw away EVs within 3 years on the scrapheap (they are sold as second hand cars)
Could this new battery spell the end for EV range anxiety?
The world's largest battery maker says its new battery could power electric aircraft or propel electric vehicles beyond 1,000km on a single charge.
and if Atkinson was worried about the environmental car cost he wouldn't have the cars he owns (or dare to wipe off so much racing them, such as a McLaren F1, twice)
https://www.hotcars.com/what-happened-to-rowan-atkinsons-mclaren-f1/
https://www.hotcars.com/cars-from-mr-beans-garage-facts-about-his-surprisingly-lavish-collection/ -
Been driving a few more of late. Couple of write ups
BMW i4, E40. Proper proper well sorted car. Drives brilliantly, handling dynamics are absolutely on point and has just the right amount of power. Does a good job of taking advantage of the electric positives (instant power, smooth engines) and masking the electric issues (huge weight, complete lack of charisma / soul). The problem is ... the price. I got back to the showroom and the cocky, arrogant sales fella asking my thoughts and I waxed lyrical for a bit then said. It has one massive drawback. He looked confused. I just said the 420d right behind ou is 99% of the car at 75% the price. It's too expensive for what it is. Things have changed a bit since then (BMW has repriced it a bit) and it's now a more compelling argument.
BMW i4 M50. The fast one. And by fuck is it fast. It does lose a bit in driving dynamics though with the 4WD and the addtl weight. And truth be told, the speed differential is noticeable all the way though, but it's really really noticeable above about 60mph. Put the pedal down at 70 and your almost immediately doing 100. It's a seriously seriously impressive machine. But for such a fast car, it just has no soul. It's too perfect. There's no howling noise, there's no thrust as the engine spools up, there's just ... nothing.
I really really struggle to see the point of performance electric cars. Fast as fuck yes, but where's the soul?
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@MajorPom said in Electric Vehicles:
really really struggle to see the point of performance electric cars. Fast as fuck yes, but where's the soul?
People who owned horses felt much the same about the Model T I'm guessing 😜
I understand where you're coming from. I still appreciate a well tuned V8 rolling past.
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So after test driving everything we just ordered …….
A Tesla. Booooooo.
Model 3 performance. Black on black on black.
When push comes to shove it was the best all rounder. Long range, fast as Fuck, amazing technology and a design which makes it very roomy inside with loads of space for the kids shit.
Oh, and got 10k off list with 0% finance too.
And the wife LOVED it. Which immediately makes all other points (good and bad), moot.
It almost became a no brainer.
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@MajorRage said in Electric Vehicles:
And the wife LOVED it. Which immediately makes all other points (good and bad), moot.
Which is why I don't have an EV yet.
While my 2012 X-Trail still works, no car will be good enough to meet her budgetary requirements...
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I can say this tho:
If you are thinking of electric, try them all. No two car companies make similar electric cars. Even the Etron GT and Taycan which are the same platform are very different cars to drive.
I fully expected to buy the I4, but it didn’t happen.
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@MajorRage what do you put that down to? Everyone's sort of new at this, but is it targeting different audiences or the place the OEMs are coming from?
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@NTA good question - varying levels of technology research budgets are my guess.
You can tell where they’ve pigeon holed elec running gear in a gas car (i4, vw cars) against a ground up build. Summary by brand:
Audi will be the German winner. Their cars feel proper premium and getting the e tron out early means they are on gen 2 already snd the new q8 is absolutely superb. Target - premium customers.
BMW seem adamant on elec gear in petrol cars whilst their elec only offering looks hideous. I3 they would have learned a lot tho so next generations should be good. Ix3 pick of the bunch. Target - existing bmw drivers
Mercedes got it right building elec only but their cars look hideous and feel / drive designed for the over 60s. Target - blue rinse brigade.
VW have got it wrong - the cars simply don’t drive well. They are scaling back. Target - VW drivers.
Ford e Mach is brilliant. But the people seem
To disagree …. Not sure why. Spacious, good range, good looking. Maybe a bit pricey. Target- yanks.Kia I didn’t like. Felt like Kia trying to be something they’re not. Sales suggest ppl not with me here either! Target - trying to step up from being a budget car.
Porsche the best, fantastic car. But too expensive. Same as e tron gt. Both are proper sports cars which will appeal to true petrol heads. Target - petrol heads.
Think that’s all I drove
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I've just been reading how changes to fringe tax in Australia for novated leases have really pushed enquiries into EVs (especially Teslas). Not sure how much that translated into direct sales.
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@MajorRage said in Electric Vehicles:
@NTA good question - varying levels of technology research budgets are my guess.
Cheers. Good breakdown.
Here in Oz it is still revolving around lack of incentives and emissions standards, but as @nostrildamus says above: that may be changing in the novated lease market as certain taxes change gears. Pun intended.
I've driven or been in a few of the EVs we have available, mostly in the cheaper end of the market (i3 and Model S the exceptions). Compared to my aged pretend 4WD, very nice in terms of toys, but that would be true of any new car I sit in that has too many fucking alarms and settings.
MG is doing good business here at present, as are BYD, both through private purchase and lease. The Chinese are coming and they don't give a fuck.
I imagine the MG4 will be very popular as an alternative to the more expensive Model 3 in terms of hitting that "2nd car around town" market.
I can get a standard FWD Polestar 2 for around $70k drive away here, but the dual motor and/or long range climb toward $100k with bells and whistles. The Polestar 3 @ $140k? Uh... no thanks....
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I'm not a car person but I walk past a charging station on occasion (when it rains as it's in a covered car park) and am surprised by the number of Kia's I see charging. They seem to be pretty popular in my part of Oz. I've driven a BYD, VW, and Tesla and thought the BYD was the best of the lot.
