Well, I am fully aware that the max. range of the Mini will be 200-230 km.
Before buying an EV, you certainly must understand what EVs are for and what they are not for.
If I am totally honest, my daily driving usually is between 10 km and 100 km.
So for all these normal days, the Zoe and the Mini easily covers it.
Even when we drive to our beloved Country Cafe or the beaches, it'll cover the 75 km country road to there and back without problems.
I could even charge it up there when we are having a walk to go around the expensive parking fees in Timmendorf by simply charging the car in front of City Hall there.
If I need to visit my parents (700km on the Autobahn) - EVs are not for that.
In those rare cases (twice a year), I'll take my petrol car or rent one over the weekend.
Ever wondered why all those Teslas are not driving on the fast lanes on highways?
I can tell you why! Aerodynamics!
Our Zoe usually has a range of 400 km when fully charged. And I can use that range when doing urban driving or on slower Country Roads. When I go on the Autobahn, the Zoe will be limited to 140 km/h so normally I go on the slow lane and let it be with 120km/h.
When you are doing this, you'll see your range dramatically drop!
After 20 minutes, you'll have a 200km range and it will go down quickly.
Reason is, that the air resistance comes to play and it will easily double and more your power consumption on the EVs.
So, driving on the highway for a longer period is no fun and you'll have to look for a charger very soon.
Speaking about numbers:
Our Zoe battery has a capacity of 50 kw/h
When I am staying in town, I can get 11kw/h out of her which leads to a range of over 400 km.
I have charged the Zoe yesterday with 37 kw (gives me a range of over 300 km) and I've paid 11 Euros.
For September, I have an interesting experiment:
I can rent an Audi ETRON for a week, including unlimited free charging.
We will drive down to the French Med (Hamburg to Nice = 1500km) and the ETRON will have a range of around 250 km when I drive her on the Autobahn with 130-140.
ETRON battery has 70kw/h but part of the Audi universe are INNOGY Superchargers (mostly along the big highways) with 350KW/h capacity.
That means, that I can charge the Etron up to 80% in 10 minutes!
So, the plan is going down from Hamburg to Basel, then continue thru Switzerland, Lausanne Geneva and then to France till Grenoble with INNOGY Superchargers.
Fron there we have 400 km on Country Roads with one charge on a slower charger until we reach Nice with a net of Superchargers again.
So it should be possible with some planning and you can do such a 1500 km trip in less than 2 days with an EV.
Will see if that theory is right in September
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,746Chief of Staff
1 liter of petrol equals to 8,4kw/h of energy.
Our Zoe has a capacity of 50kw/h, which equals 6 liters of petrol.
A full battery brings us 400kms away and that shows how efficient EVs really are.
How far brings your traditional you with 6 liters in the tank?
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
I watched a very interesting video by Harry Metcalfe recently (who is always a good watch and a bit of a Bond fan too: he even owned a Defender used in SPECTRE for a while) where it seemed that, in the UK anyway, having any fully EV car other than a Tesla just isn't much of an option right now because of their brilliant charging network. The infrastructure is just a mess right now other than if you use Tesla's infrastructure. Other than if you want a runabout that you don't leave your local area in of course, which is fair enough. But it seems like if you have an EV which isn't a Tesla right now, you need another (conventional or hybrid) car too.
He's not being all silly and pretending to be an idiot like Clarkson does: it just appears that it's not very convenient at the moment. Hopefully they sort it out very soon.
I don't know if a lot has changed: I saw Chris Harris saying the same thing only this week about how the infrastructure still isn't there and Tesla is the option to go for for long distance travelling. I don't buy that it's suddenly been standardised and simplified in just a year, no. I don't know the situation in other countries: hopefully it's better. Certainly the system of having to sign up to various companies to use their chargers seems crazy.
It's quite fascinating that unlike petrol cars using them on the motorway actually reduces their range- I didn't think of that but of course without braking they're not recharging.
Harry is great- he loved that i-Pace too but it's just that the roads didn't really support it yet. They'll get there of course, they have to.
I find the idea of depreciation an interesting one too as the technology is improving so quickly that buying a second hand EV with battery tech which has been improved upon since the car was made will presumably make the values fall. I don't really know.
I have addressed to a lot of pseudo-arguments in the previous posts.
How many of us really use their cars on long-distance more than 5 times/year?
Many of us could charge an EV just on the normal power socket on their homes over night ?
I am currently planning a carport with solar panels so infrastucture ( which is very good here) will be mostly obsolete.
Really, if you look behind most of the naysayers, there is mostly hot air.
Additionally, I am pretty sure that single-car households are becoming less and less, so many have a petrol alternative if really needed. 95% of everything can be done with an EV.
When petrol cars have been introduced, you had to buy it in the pharmacy.
What I want to say - there is a solution for most problems.
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
'Hot air' 'psuedo-arguments'. As per usual it has to be a bitter argument with you. No-one's saying you're wrong to buy one, it's right for you and that's fine. You're quite right that it's a fine solution for many other people too, but they're not as versatile as conventional cars yet. That's all, it's just interesting to look at it. I don't think Harry is full of hot air at all, I think he knows what he's talking about.
There are solutions to the issues yes, they're just not quite here yet. They'll sort it out given time.
Why are you personally offended when I am calling Harris‘ ( whom I respect a lot) pseudo-arguments and many of them by the usual naysayers in the end being filled with a lot of hot air? 🤷🏽♂️
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
I like how my younger sister and her family in Bergen organized their transportation needs. They live near a city tram stop and use it when they can. Because of this they only have to charge their electric car once a week. In the rare occations when their electric car doesn't cut it (really long drives, transporting heavy loads) they are members of a car charming club. They pay an annual sum to the club (much lower than the coast of having a second car) and simply sign up to borrow a car more suitable car for the situation (usually a larger hybrid).
I realize this won't work for everyone, including myself, but I think this is a good solution for the near future.
I don't like this whole electric car thing, I personally think it will be the future diesel scandal, there are still too many unanswered questions, the most carbon neutral car you can own is the one on your drive, repair not replace should be the advice and using more bio fuels.
I use to fill up my old Pajero at Tesco :D when sunflower oil was 32p a ltr and with one bottle of some flavoured oil, so it use to smell like a Chinese Take Away .😁
In a time where most cars look alike this car dares to be very distinctive.
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,843MI6 Agent
I wonder how they're going to overcome the problem of no engine noise from electric cars? When electric cars become the norm will we see an increase in collisions with pedestrians and between vehicles? Perhaps it won't be a problem or they've found a way around this problem and I'm just showing my ignorance here.
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
noise generated by traffic is one of the big problems - governments spent millions to mitigate that - also impact lots of people - electric vehicles should help that - also these cars tend to be more advanced and should help minimized accidents. I think accidents are more associated with distracted drivers and reckless drivers - not so much about the noise of the engines.
In Germany and the EU, EVS are mandated to generate an artificial noise on speeds below 30km/h.
That is mainly to protect blind people.
On speeds above 30km/h, usually the tire noise is louder than engine noises on conventional cars (low revs/high gear) and that tire noise also happens on full EVs.
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Honestly, I don't know - but I see charging stations everywhere - also lots of Tesla running around here, so I don't think it is a problem - I will find out soon :-)
Comments
Before buying an EV, you certainly must understand what EVs are for and what they are not for.
If I am totally honest, my daily driving usually is between 10 km and 100 km.
So for all these normal days, the Zoe and the Mini easily covers it.
Even when we drive to our beloved Country Cafe or the beaches, it'll cover the 75 km country road to there and back without problems.
I could even charge it up there when we are having a walk to go around the expensive parking fees in Timmendorf by simply charging the car in front of City Hall there.
If I need to visit my parents (700km on the Autobahn) - EVs are not for that.
In those rare cases (twice a year), I'll take my petrol car or rent one over the weekend.
Ever wondered why all those Teslas are not driving on the fast lanes on highways?
I can tell you why! Aerodynamics!
Our Zoe usually has a range of 400 km when fully charged. And I can use that range when doing urban driving or on slower Country Roads. When I go on the Autobahn, the Zoe will be limited to 140 km/h so normally I go on the slow lane and let it be with 120km/h.
When you are doing this, you'll see your range dramatically drop!
After 20 minutes, you'll have a 200km range and it will go down quickly.
Reason is, that the air resistance comes to play and it will easily double and more your power consumption on the EVs.
So, driving on the highway for a longer period is no fun and you'll have to look for a charger very soon.
Speaking about numbers:
Our Zoe battery has a capacity of 50 kw/h
When I am staying in town, I can get 11kw/h out of her which leads to a range of over 400 km.
I have charged the Zoe yesterday with 37 kw (gives me a range of over 300 km) and I've paid 11 Euros.
For September, I have an interesting experiment:
I can rent an Audi ETRON for a week, including unlimited free charging.
We will drive down to the French Med (Hamburg to Nice = 1500km) and the ETRON will have a range of around 250 km when I drive her on the Autobahn with 130-140.
ETRON battery has 70kw/h but part of the Audi universe are INNOGY Superchargers (mostly along the big highways) with 350KW/h capacity.
That means, that I can charge the Etron up to 80% in 10 minutes!
So, the plan is going down from Hamburg to Basel, then continue thru Switzerland, Lausanne Geneva and then to France till Grenoble with INNOGY Superchargers.
Fron there we have 400 km on Country Roads with one charge on a slower charger until we reach Nice with a net of Superchargers again.
So it should be possible with some planning and you can do such a 1500 km trip in less than 2 days with an EV.
Will see if that theory is right in September
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
If it has the Union Jack on it then that will be the least of your worries - as you will have parked it in the sea!
We have the Union Flag
https://www.spiegel.de/auto/fahrkultur/motorradlaerm-motorradpolizist-volker-heinen-aeussert-sich-zu-laermdebatte-a-962f7e65-2a00-4ec8-ac6b-991b61c60804
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
1 liter of petrol equals to 8,4kw/h of energy.
Our Zoe has a capacity of 50kw/h, which equals 6 liters of petrol.
A full battery brings us 400kms away and that shows how efficient EVs really are.
How far brings your traditional you with 6 liters in the tank?
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
I'm not sure I've ever drunk that much, but I have staggered home a surprising distance after just a few pints...
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Just realize that I owe you all a pic from our second EV which is with us since November.
The performance is awesome - I love the silent punch that it gives when I want it!
Still so much in love with it!
1st pic with snowtires, 2nd pic right before delivery
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
And just incase someone asks „Snowtires?“
Yes, needed them this year!
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
This is what you must look like driving that...
better than you:
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
I watched a very interesting video by Harry Metcalfe recently (who is always a good watch and a bit of a Bond fan too: he even owned a Defender used in SPECTRE for a while) where it seemed that, in the UK anyway, having any fully EV car other than a Tesla just isn't much of an option right now because of their brilliant charging network. The infrastructure is just a mess right now other than if you use Tesla's infrastructure. Other than if you want a runabout that you don't leave your local area in of course, which is fair enough. But it seems like if you have an EV which isn't a Tesla right now, you need another (conventional or hybrid) car too.
He's not being all silly and pretending to be an idiot like Clarkson does: it just appears that it's not very convenient at the moment. Hopefully they sort it out very soon.
You realize that this review is over 1 year old and a lot has changed since then!
I respect Harry a lot and he recently reviewed a Taycan which he absolutely loved!
Btw, I am recently planning a 1500 km to the french Med with my Mini - so everything can be done with a bit of thought.
Hope that Covid will allow my adventure.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
I don't know if a lot has changed: I saw Chris Harris saying the same thing only this week about how the infrastructure still isn't there and Tesla is the option to go for for long distance travelling. I don't buy that it's suddenly been standardised and simplified in just a year, no. I don't know the situation in other countries: hopefully it's better. Certainly the system of having to sign up to various companies to use their chargers seems crazy.
It's quite fascinating that unlike petrol cars using them on the motorway actually reduces their range- I didn't think of that but of course without braking they're not recharging.
Harry is great- he loved that i-Pace too but it's just that the roads didn't really support it yet. They'll get there of course, they have to.
I find the idea of depreciation an interesting one too as the technology is improving so quickly that buying a second hand EV with battery tech which has been improved upon since the car was made will presumably make the values fall. I don't really know.
I have addressed to a lot of pseudo-arguments in the previous posts.
How many of us really use their cars on long-distance more than 5 times/year?
Many of us could charge an EV just on the normal power socket on their homes over night ?
I am currently planning a carport with solar panels so infrastucture ( which is very good here) will be mostly obsolete.
Really, if you look behind most of the naysayers, there is mostly hot air.
Additionally, I am pretty sure that single-car households are becoming less and less, so many have a petrol alternative if really needed. 95% of everything can be done with an EV.
When petrol cars have been introduced, you had to buy it in the pharmacy.
What I want to say - there is a solution for most problems.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
'Hot air' 'psuedo-arguments'. As per usual it has to be a bitter argument with you. No-one's saying you're wrong to buy one, it's right for you and that's fine. You're quite right that it's a fine solution for many other people too, but they're not as versatile as conventional cars yet. That's all, it's just interesting to look at it. I don't think Harry is full of hot air at all, I think he knows what he's talking about.
There are solutions to the issues yes, they're just not quite here yet. They'll sort it out given time.
Why are you personally offended when I am calling Harris‘ ( whom I respect a lot) pseudo-arguments and many of them by the usual naysayers in the end being filled with a lot of hot air? 🤷🏽♂️
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
I like how my younger sister and her family in Bergen organized their transportation needs. They live near a city tram stop and use it when they can. Because of this they only have to charge their electric car once a week. In the rare occations when their electric car doesn't cut it (really long drives, transporting heavy loads) they are members of a car charming club. They pay an annual sum to the club (much lower than the coast of having a second car) and simply sign up to borrow a car more suitable car for the situation (usually a larger hybrid).
I realize this won't work for everyone, including myself, but I think this is a good solution for the near future.
I don't like this whole electric car thing, I personally think it will be the future diesel scandal, there are still too many unanswered questions, the most carbon neutral car you can own is the one on your drive, repair not replace should be the advice and using more bio fuels.
I use to fill up my old Pajero at Tesco :D when sunflower oil was 32p a ltr and with one bottle of some flavoured oil, so it use to smell like a Chinese Take Away .😁
So I agree, bio fuel.
🤣🤣
I'm wondering if electric car owners ever have to put 50p (or equivalent) in the meter if the power runs out along the road somewhere? 🤔
I am getting my first EV next year ... I think.
I pre-ordered the Tesla Cybertruck the first day it came out.
The truck will be made here in Texas - Austin - about 2+ hours from my house.
The plant should be completed this month and move into production - hopefully I can get mine first thing next year.
In a time where most cars look alike this car dares to be very distinctive.
I wonder how they're going to overcome the problem of no engine noise from electric cars? When electric cars become the norm will we see an increase in collisions with pedestrians and between vehicles? Perhaps it won't be a problem or they've found a way around this problem and I'm just showing my ignorance here.
noise generated by traffic is one of the big problems - governments spent millions to mitigate that - also impact lots of people - electric vehicles should help that - also these cars tend to be more advanced and should help minimized accidents. I think accidents are more associated with distracted drivers and reckless drivers - not so much about the noise of the engines.
Question to Texas007:
How is the infrastructure for electric cars in Texas, and by that I mainly refer to access to loading the batteries?
I just realized it says "car charming club" 🤣
They are members of a car SHARING club. I take no responsibilty for this typo and blame autocorrect instead!
In Germany and the EU, EVS are mandated to generate an artificial noise on speeds below 30km/h.
That is mainly to protect blind people.
On speeds above 30km/h, usually the tire noise is louder than engine noises on conventional cars (low revs/high gear) and that tire noise also happens on full EVs.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Honestly, I don't know - but I see charging stations everywhere - also lots of Tesla running around here, so I don't think it is a problem - I will find out soon :-)