Deciding between a standard or extended range battery

[dbsb3233]

Just an amusing side note to add... $5000 is more than my first new car cost. Paid $4600 for my first brand new car (1977 Chevy Monza). Same color as this one...

Sponsored

 

[timbop]

Just an amusing side note to add... $5000 is more than my first new car cost. Paid $4600 for my first brand new car (1977 Chevy Monza). Same color as this one...

Clearly $4600 wasted!

 

[zhackwyatt]

Lastly, I have to think about major earthquakes. If one happens, whatever gas I have in the tank is what I'm stuck with. My chances of 250 miles or more range in the Mach-E are higher than my Outback's.

I would think a BEV is worse than an ICE in a natural disaster. Easier to truck in fuel than electricity. Our reliance on the grid (increased with BEVs) and the grid's vulnerability deserves thought as well.

 

[JamieGeek]

I would think a BEV is worse than an ICE in a natural disaster. Easier to truck in fuel than electricity. Out reliance on the grid (increased with BEVs) and the grid's vulnerability deserves thought as well.

If you're in an area prone to power outages (not just earthquakes) it is likely that you have a backup generator.

Guess what: You can charge your BEV with a generator (but yeah that kind of defeats the purpose of having the BEV since you're burning gas to charge it up).

It works in a pinch:

Here is my old Focus Electric charging up via our RV's 4kW generator (during winter hence the cover on the RV).

 

[silverelan]

I would think a BEV is worse than an ICE in a natural disaster. Easier to truck in fuel than electricity. Our reliance on the grid (increased with BEVs) and the grid's vulnerability deserves thought as well.

You have to have electricity to run gas pumps. Additionally, stations have to have gas in order to sell it. Both are in short supply before/after natural disasters.

Just look at any news story about hurricanes showing dry gas stations and evacuees running out of gas on clogged freeways while long range EV owners are fine (range increases in slow traffic).

It's an extreme scenario, I know, but it's something I think about having lived thru a couple of major earthquakes (6.X+ on the Richter Scale).

80-90% will be my regular state of charge on the car giving me and my family a highly likely chance of being able to GTFO if we need to.

 

[dbsb3233]

You have to have electricity to run gas pumps. Additionally, stations have to have gas in order to sell it. Both are in short supply before/after natural disasters.

Just look at any news story about hurricanes showing dry gas stations and evacuees running out of gas on clogged freeways while long range EV owners are fine (range increases in slow traffic).

It's an extreme scenario, I know, but it's something I think about having lived thru a couple of major earthquakes (6.X+ on the Richter Scale).

80-90% will be my regular state of charge on the car giving me and my family a highly likely chance of being able to GTFO if we need to.

What a depressing conversation. ?

I guess there's pros and cons to both. When it doubt though, there's always the old gas can and siphon hose!

 

[silverelan]

What a depressing conversation. ?

I guess there's pros and cons to both. When it doubt though, there's always the old gas can and siphon hose!

Yeah, I'm also the guy that actually has emergency kit and a week's worth of food & water stashed to sit tight if need be.

You're right, @dbsb3233, $5k is an obscene amount of money to pour into a battery pack that you won't even take full advantage of. Seems silly to haul around a giant pack if you don't need it.

@LYTMCQ, I gotta agree with you that you can't easily buy more range once the car is built.

$5k settles the "better to have and not need than need and not have" issue. It's up to prospective owners to figure it out themselves.

 

[JamieGeek]

Another way to charge up your EV (provided electricity is around) is to let it regen through a car wash--yeah well ok you won't get much charge back. If you're careful, however, you can do it

 

[dbsb3233]

$5k settles the "better to have and not need than need and not have" issue. It's up to prospective owners to figure it out themselves.

It would if the $5000 ER really solved it. But that's the problem -- it doesn't (for my situation, and most I suspect). The extra 60 miles (45 at high speed) just isn't nearly enough to be the difference-maker in choosing which vehicle in my garage to use on a road trip. It's still the ICE.

But for some people it might make the difference. As you say, prospective owners are going to have to figure it out for their situation.

I initially assumed the same thing - that of course I'd want the most range. It's an EV, after all, and range is everything in EVs. Or so the conventional wisdom goes.

So when I spec'd my reservation I went for maximum range (the 300 mile RWD ER). But after a lot of subsequent research and discussions here, I've realized it's just the opposite (for my situation anyway). Now I'm going with the 210 mile AWD SR. I'm in that no-man's land where the range difference is irrelevant (still plenty for daily use but not enough for road trips).

 

[dbsb3233]

Oh of course. But that doesn't mean upgrading from the SR to the ER solves it. Even WITH the ER there would still be range anxiety.
The key qualifier there being "If you can make it on 300 but can’t make it work on 230". Yes, exactly right (or at least when converted to their real-range equivalents). That's precisely my point. Some people's usage does fall into that window. But mine doesn't, and betcha most people's don't if they really thought it through.

That's a 70 mile window (60 on the AWD). Apply some of the real-world reductions that you described well previously and those real-world differences shrink to maybe 40-45 on the highway (which is where range usually matters). So it's $5000 to buy into that rather narrow window as being the difference between having to recharge mid-drive or not.

How many of one's annual drives fall into that window is up to each buyer to decide. And whether it's worth $5000 to them to avoid however many of those extra recharges they calculate it to be. For me, I expect zero of those (maybe 1 or 2), because the SR covers my daily driving fine, and the ER still isn't enough to do my road trips (I'll just use the ICE on those).

 

[Redundant]

True, but the vehicle is also lighter, which will partially offset that. Some of that extra HP gets used up just to "catch up" and push the extra weight around.

Plus I suspect it'll have more power than I really need anyway.
[/QUO

It would if the $5000 ER really solved it. But that's the problem -- it doesn't (for my situation, and most I suspect). The extra 60 miles (45 at high speed) just isn't nearly enough to be the difference-maker in choosing which vehicle in my garage to use on a road trip. It's still the ICE.

But for some people it might make the difference. As you say, prospective owners are going to have to figure it out for their situation.

I initially assumed the same thing - that of course I'd want the most range. It's an EV, after all, and range is everything in EVs. Or so the conventional wisdom goes.

So when I spec'd my reservation I went for maximum range (the 300 mile RWD ER). But after a lot of subsequent research and discussions here, I've realized it's just the opposite (for my situation anyway). Now I'm going with the 210 mile AWD SR. I'm in that no-man's land where the range difference is irrelevant (still plenty for daily use but not enough for road trips).

same here. And as I’ve said before it would mean $10k in savings here in NJ by staying under $55k. Won’t need the 270 for my daily needs and have ice for trips.

 

[Sweetwater]

When I had my Tesla Roadster I was told by Tesla to NEVER let the batteries
go down to zero miles or completely drained. This will cause the batteries
to now become useless. Yes a "Boat Anchor" Is this true ? Anyone know if
this is what will happen ?

 

[macchiaz-o]

@Sweetwater, not sure about the truth of that, but... the car's battery management system should force you to get a tow before the batteries are able to reach complete zero state.

If you're storing the car for months at a time, the owner's manual has guidance for that situation. I think the main advice was to keep the 12V battery charged, but I can't recall at the moment.

Sponsored