The cold hard truth about electric vehicles in winter

[Photon440]

My main concern is safety in extreme cold an hot weather if you are stranded for any period of time due to weather or accidents - these will kill you
Not a hazard I'm willing to subject my passengers or myself to, period!

Being stranded in a gas car won't be a picnic either. A Tesla can keep warm by using the equivalent of seven miles driving range per hour while parked, it's only powering a heater. A gas car has to fire up the engine just to heat the interior, it could run out of gas while the EV still has power.

 

[Sam69sat]

Being stranded in a gas car won't be a picnic either. A Tesla can keep warm by using the equivalent of seven miles driving range per hour while parked, it's only powering a heater. A gas car has to fire up the engine just to heat the interior, it could run out of gas while the EV still has power.

Sure it can Elon. I read a fully charged tesla can go up to 400 miles. So you're telling us you can run the heater for 57 hours while parked? Maybe if your idea of cold is 35C and you want to heat if up to 36.

 

[tonysrt]

The difference right now is a gas station on every block and charging stations far and wide apart. Make sure with you're EV you have a flatbed truck number handy at all times, unless there easier to push then a gas vehicle, but then you'll always have to ride with someone.

 

[Sam69sat]

 

[Sam69sat]

 

[Sam69sat]

 

[joe smith]

 

[Sam69sat]

Elon is still planning on making his teslas hover. Now when your battery runs out because it's cold you can hit the turbo boost hover button and fly away. Sounds legit and it's all gonna be done using compressed cold gas. Doesn't take much of that to lift a 3000 pound vehicle.

https://nypost.com/2021/02/12/elon-musk-says-he-wants-new-tesla-roadster-to-hover/

 

[Photon440]

Sure it can Elon. I read a fully charged tesla can go up to 400 miles. So you're telling us you can run the heater for 57 hours while parked? Maybe if your idea of cold is 35C and you want to heat if up to 36.

I suppose it depends on which model you're talking about. A model S with the long range or performance package has a 90 kWh battery, others are smaller. If you have a heater equivalent to a 1400 watt household model, it would heat the car quite nicely. A 90 kWh battery will power that for about 48 hours with a 10% reserve, but in reality you'd probably be far too hot if you ran it all the time. Other cars that have smaller batteries will have less time, just as cars with smaller gas tanks won't last as long.

Heating the car while driving uses less power than when parked - the electric heater is needed less because the motor and batteries themself require cooling and the glycol is cycled through a cabin heater similar to the heater we're all used to right now as this Tesla patent diagram explains:

By the way, my idea of cold is when there's frost on the window. I don't live where it gets extremely cold like -40 so that part doesn't concern me. My boss has a Tesla (actually it belongs to his wife) which they use to go into the mountains on ski trips, he hasn't had a problem.

 

[Photon440]

Pictures like this are hilarious, makes you wonder if it's staged. After all, the Chevy Volt already has a gasoline engine under the hood - it's a hybrid.

 

[Nate S]

I don’t have a problem with electric vehicles, but I don’t want one either. For that matter I don’t want a new car with no key and a big screen TV built into the dash. The hard “electric” mandates are from people who have no freaking clue. I think a mix with some sort of hybrid is much more likely. That could be an ammonia hybrid (A/C would be great) or gas or whatever but everything electric is fantasy.

 

[Hey-O]

I've been saying lately, I feel like I've been fortunate to live in the heyday of the car, specifically driver-operated musclecars. I have no fondness for "before or after".

I couldn't have said it better!! I'll buy a new car just before it all kicks in and that will take me to the finish line. I've spent my life fighting the fight and this one will have to be for someone else to fight, stick me with a fork, I'm done. Like the horse going by the way of the horseless carriage, let someone else iron out the details. Dust in the wind!

 

[JDmac72chrgr]

The cold, hard truth about EVs in winter.
Article on Axios dated today.

 

[bm02tj]

Electric is not for everyone
My daughter has one with dual motors for awd in snow for her 2.5 hour commute in Ontario to work her 7 to 8 shifts a month
She has one with the heat pump tech that was repaired and now works great
In extreme hot or cold she has to top up charge on her way back home

 

[yella71]

Anyone who thinks electric everything will solve all the worlds issues is just plain stupid. We are living in the time of epic stupidity. Adding electric cars to the mix is fine but they will never take over. Time will show why.

 

[mpgmike]

First, if there is a thread talking about something I'm not interested in, I don't click on that thread. I guess I don't think like some others here.

Second, as pointed out, there once was a VALID argument for the horse & buggy over them danged new-fangled auto cars. They were noisy, stinky, unreliable, and difficult to operate. The carburetor made them more reliable. Electric start enabled women and wimps to drive them. Automatic transmissions added to their allure. On and on to our magical hey-day of muscle cars... and beyond.

Electric cars are finally getting the financial and engineering support the gas engine received a century ago. Batteries are advancing practically by the day. The snag there is getting functioning prototypes to market before they're obsolete. The electric propulsion systems are getting better in innovative ways (Prius uses a Boost Converter to power a 650 volt motor from a 360 volt battery).

I respect the attitude of "...but they're not for me." However, as an engineer in the electronics field, I assure you EVs are not only here to stay, but will shortly eclipse the ICE in performance (which they have already done in some applications), range (one battery manufacturer swapped out the factory Tesla S battery pack for their version -- same physical size -- and went from 300-ish range to 750+ mile range), charge time, and ALL other respects. The weak grid issue is getting more attention than you could possible appreciate.

This is not to say it will be easy, smooth, or without hick-ups. The gasoline powered automobile had its growing pains over the past century.

It would be refreshing if folks could love what they love, and make decisions they feel are best for themselves & family based on that. While folks here are bashing the EV, there are other groups calling us old motor-heads Mother Earth's worst enemy. As an American, I vote for "let me have the freedom to pursue my passions, and I will respect your right to do the same." At the core, there is a common interest that has brought us all here together. Make that the focus that brings us together as a family.

 

[Budnicks]

Anyone who thinks electric everything will solve all the worlds issues is just plain stupid. We are living in the time of epic stupidity. Adding electric cars to the mix is fine but they will never take over. Time will show why.

& the ideological wars started
because those countries 'don't or won't'
have that oil income anymore

look at current events going on right now today, eastern Europe
perfect example

 

[GetX'd]

First, if there is a thread talking about something I'm not interested in, I don't click on that thread. I guess I don't think like some others here.

Second, as pointed out, there once was a VALID argument for the horse & buggy over them danged new-fangled auto cars. They were noisy, stinky, unreliable, and difficult to operate. The carburetor made them more reliable. Electric start enabled women and wimps to drive them. Automatic transmissions added to their allure. On and on to our magical hey-day of muscle cars... and beyond.

Electric cars are finally getting the financial and engineering support the gas engine received a century ago. Batteries are advancing practically by the day. The snag there is getting functioning prototypes to market before they're obsolete. The electric propulsion systems are getting better in innovative ways (Prius uses a Boost Converter to power a 650 volt motor from a 360 volt battery).

I respect the attitude of "...but they're not for me." However, as an engineer in the electronics field, I assure you EVs are not only here to stay, but will shortly eclipse the ICE in performance (which they have already done in some applications), range (one battery manufacturer swapped out the factory Tesla S battery pack for their version -- same physical size -- and went from 300-ish range to 750+ mile range), charge time, and ALL other respects. The weak grid issue is getting more attention than you could possible appreciate.

This is not to say it will be easy, smooth, or without hick-ups. The gasoline powered automobile had its growing pains over the past century.

It would be refreshing if folks could love what they love, and make decisions they feel are best for themselves & family based on that. While folks here are bashing the EV, there are other groups calling us old motor-heads Mother Earth's worst enemy. As an American, I vote for "let me have the freedom to pursue my passions, and I will respect your right to do the same." At the core, there is a common interest that has brought us all here together. Make that the focus that brings us together as a family.

I may be inclined to give you some credit for your thoughts. But on the other hand way to much of this is being brought on by tyrannical govts., weaponized corporations and state media selling lies to the family. I’m far from saying there is no merit - but way over oppressed by where and how it’s coming.

 

[super-bee_ski]

& the ideological wars started
because those countries 'don't or won't'
have that oil income anymore

look at current events going on right now today, eastern Europe
perfect example

Well said Budnicks...

does anyone really think Russia/India/Finland/Mexico are hurrying to switch over and purchase a EV mpgmike?

 

[super-bee_ski]

Heck!
the Steam Car was finally refined in the late 20s and 1930-31!
Doble Steam Motors Co
Automotive manufacturer of United States from 1909 to 1931.

Production Waltham, Massachusetts .Detroit, Michigan. Emeryville, California