The all things EV chat thread

[PJ87]

I do remember another test test drive when I wished there was manual in the car. Testing a Kia as I turned off a dual carriageway after a very steep hill the engine cut out, I had just enough momentum to get me round the corner and then remembered my mobile was still in my own car. Sat there for about ten minutes trying to ponder what to do, too far to walk back, luckily I just about managed to get it going after the third attempt. I realised it was probably something to do with ECO mode as my revs were very low and almost coasting anyway

Not a lot between the 208 and 2008 in terms of a drive. I did get to test drive a 2008 as well . Already knew I was not going to buy a 208 as it was the 2008s on offer and the 208 did not have the load space I needed, getting in and out was a lot easier with the 2008

I have had a lot of test drives whereby I knew at the end it was not the car for me, not comfortable enough, not liking the pedal travel /distance, poor vision (I hate poor A frames which obscure front side vision) poor rides etc.

Having driven the Corsa and the mokka which are the sister cars of the 208 and 2008 respectively I have to admit I preferred getting in and out the mokka aswell. The Corsa was fine to drive just very small and low.

The SUV cross over genre gets bad press but it's great on the knees just getting in a car rather than having to slightly lower yourself and then almost climb out again afters

 

[jim8flog]

Having driven the Corsa and the mokka which are the sister cars of the 208 and 2008 respectively I have to admit I preferred getting in and out the mokka aswell. The Corsa was fine to drive just very small and low.

The SUV cross over genre gets bad press but it's great on the knees just getting in a car rather than having to slightly lower yourself and then almost climb out again afters

it was close thing the 308 was quite a bit easier to get in and out of.
Still hard to avoid the steering wheel rubbing against my leg getting in (it wears the trousers out).

One of the biggest 'problems' with the 2008 is that if you raise the steering wheel too high it obscures much of the dash, the speedo is obscured with current height , I have to use the navigation screen which moves the speedo to the right of the screen.

 

[PJ87]

it was close thing the 308 was quite a bit easier to get in and out of.
Still hard to avoid the steering wheel rubbing against my leg getting in (it wears the trousers out).

One of the biggest 'problems' with the 2008 is that if you raise the steering wheel too high it obscures much of the dash, the speedo is obscured with current height , I have to use the navigation screen which moves the speedo to the right of the screen.

I really like the "HUD" (head up display) in the Kia for that. So long as I'm not in my sunnies I can see the speed limit, my speed and if using sat nav the directions on the windscreen



So this is part the reason I upgraded to an ohme charger. My home battery is down to 40% due to 2 loads washing and other things this morning and it's not a good solar day

So rather than risk paying the day rate I've requested 20% charge on the wife's car by 15:00 .. at that time I'll tell my powerwall to fill up and all the energy will be charged at the cheap 7.5p a unit

Will help in the winter months this ability to top up if needed

 

[PJ87]

So topping up the wife's car today brought my home charging costs for April to £10.11

Public charging I paid £22 (£17 including the £5 off voucher)

Rest of the time has been free top ups at work and golf

So fuel bill for April £27.11

The Kona has done 73 miles this month (it was only charged today £1.10)

The Kia has done 1159 miles apparently

2p a mile that works out as

Excellent. With public charging aswell I will take that

Defo not regretting the two EV system

 

[Robster59]

Just had a cooling system warning on my Superb iV.
It turns out there is a leak on the high voltage cooling system and I can't drive it till it's fixed. Not all Skoda dealers can do this work and so at the moment the earliest date I can get is 24th April!

Update on this. They cancelled 24th April and went to 7th May. My car has been sat on the drive and I went to get in it today and the entire car is flat. I can't open a door, or open the charging port to charge it up again. I can't even open it with the key as that works via the electrics. So I'll have to call the lease company to arrange a call out to get it fixed. It's only been sat idle for a couple of weeks!

 

[Pants]

A friend's husband has this annoying problem with his Rav4 hybrid. Doesn't use it for a week or two and it's as dead a a dodo.

 

[ColchesterFC]

10 days between my posts? A record? Maybe

Just seen this chart on battery failure of EVs by year

View attachment 52990

According to the article, most of the issues would have been covered by the manufacturer's warranty. The improvements come from learning and more mature technologies, including active liquid battery cooling, new strategies of thermal battery management as well as new battery chemistries. We could probably add many more things, as virtually everything become more advanced with very strict quality control.

.....

Definitely helpful to know for those looking into the second hand market

Just catching up on this thread and would be interested to see the numbers behind this chart to know when things went wrong with the cars. It either shows that the technology behind the batteries is improving (which it almost certainly is) and there are now fewer failures of the battery or it shows that once an EV gets to 9/10 years old the chances of your battery failing shoots up massively which wouldn't be great news for those looking at second hand cars.

 

[bobmac]

Update on this. They cancelled 24th April and went to 7th May. My car has been sat on the drive and I went to get in it today and the entire car is flat. I can't open a door, or open the charging port to charge it up again. I can't even open it with the key as that works via the electrics. So I'll have to call the lease company to arrange a call out to get it fixed. It's only been sat idle for a couple of weeks!

I don't know what car you have but have you tried Youtube?

 

[PJ87]

Just catching up on this thread and would be interested to see the numbers behind this chart to know when things went wrong with the cars. It either shows that the technology behind the batteries is improving (which it almost certainly is) and there are now fewer failures of the battery or it shows that once an EV gets to 9/10 years old the chances of your battery failing shoots up massively which wouldn't be great news for those looking at second hand cars.

Reading the article it was the former not the later

I'll try and find it

Found it

https://insideevs.com/news/717187/ev-battery-replacements-due-failure-study/

 

[doublebogey7]

Update on this. They cancelled 24th April and went to 7th May. My car has been sat on the drive and I went to get in it today and the entire car is flat. I can't open a door, or open the charging port to charge it up again. I can't even open it with the key as that works via the electrics. So I'll have to call the lease company to arrange a call out to get it fixed. It's only been sat idle for a couple of weeks!

Almost certainly the 12v battery, they are used to power all the anciiliary devices just as they do in an ICE except they are more such devices in an EV which leaves the small battery vunerable if parked up for any length of time. At least thats my understanding.

 

[Mudball]

Almost certainly the 12v battery, they are used to power all the anciiliary devices just as they do in an ICE except they are more such devices in an EV which leaves the small battery vunerable if parked up for any length of time. At least thats my understanding.

Can you leave a EV parked at the airport for 3 weeks and still be able to drive it back. I have previously parked my Volvo ICE XC60. When i got back from my tours, not a ml of diesel had evaporated

 

[PJ87]

Can you leave a EV parked at the airport for 3 weeks and still be able to drive it back. I have previously parked my Volvo ICE XC60. When i got back from my tours, not a ml of diesel had evaporated

Yes, one of my bosses left his mg at work for 2 months it was fine

What the advise is don't leave at 100% leave 90% or below

Teslas can lose battery but that's because of sentinel mode being on where the cars cameras are watching over the car . If you turn that off it doesn't

My wife's car is left for weeks at a time doesn't lose battery but it also trickle charges the 12 volt every 4 hours, it's so little energy doesn't take any %

 

[Mudball]

Yes, one of my bosses left his mg at work for 2 months it was fine

What the advise is don't leave at 100% leave 90% or below

Teslas can lose battery but that's because of sentinel mode being on where the cars cameras are watching over the car . If you turn that off it doesn't

My wife's car is left for weeks at a time doesn't lose battery but it also trickle charges the 12 volt every 4 hours, it's so little energy doesn't take any %

my bwm battery calculator is bonkers. Somedays it will say 80% will give me 180miles.... today it says 80% charged, range 158 miles..

 

[jim8flog]

Update on this. They cancelled 24th April and went to 7th May. My car has been sat on the drive and I went to get in it today and the entire car is flat. I can't open a door, or open the charging port to charge it up again. I can't even open it with the key as that works via the electrics. So I'll have to call the lease company to arrange a call out to get it fixed. It's only been sat idle for a couple of weeks!

Having seen my neighbour have this problem my advice would be
If you know you are going to leave it standing for a long period of time leave the bonnet unlatched so you can get at the 12 V battery.

I do not know what car you have but some have a key hidden inside of the fob and you have to do something with the door handle to reveal the where it fits.

 

[PJ87]

my bwm battery calculator is bonkers. Somedays it will say 80% will give me 180miles.... today it says 80% charged, range 158 miles..

You have to completely ignore the GOM (guess o meter) they are constantly doing calculations

IE temperature outside
How fast your previous drives were

The Kona is saying 79% 212 miles
Kia is saying 84% 209 miles

I just go on the average 220 for 100% (even tho I know it's more) so I don't try and push my luck

I mean the Kia used 85% battery in a day this month and I had drove 208 miles so was about right

 

[jim8flog]

Can you leave a EV parked at the airport for 3 weeks and still be able to drive it back. I have previously parked my Volvo ICE XC60. When i got back from my tours, not a ml of diesel had evaporated

I have seen it my neighbours car. Dead battery from no use after just a couple of weeks.

 

[PJ87]

I have seen it my neighbours car. Dead battery from no use after just a couple of weeks.

12 volt tho not the high volt traction battery ?

Having seen my neighbour have this problem my advice would be
If you know you are going to leave it standing for a long period of time leave the bonnet unlatched so you can get at the 12 V battery.

I do not know what car you have but some have a key hidden inside of the fob and you have to do something with the door handle to reveal the where it fits.

All cars have a key in the fob somewhere , you just have to like you say Google how to fit it in the door

 

[Robster59]

I don't know what car you have but have you tried Youtube?

I can't even get in the car.

 

[PJ87]

I can't even get in the car.

The keyfob will have a back up key inside, Google your car model and see where the lock is to get inside

 

[Robster59]

Having seen my neighbour have this problem my advice would be
If you know you are going to leave it standing for a long period of time leave the bonnet unlatched so you can get at the 12 V battery.

I do not know what car you have but some have a key hidden inside of the fob and you have to do something with the door handle to reveal the where it fits.

Normally it's our every day but because it's waiting repair it hasn't moved. But 2 weeks is crazy to go flat. I've tried the key as well but because there's no charge it's not working when it turn it in the lock.