EV and Mach-e Myths and Fallacies

[Mach1E]

Sure, not all is black and white ? And as we seldom need to change using a public charger, we’re not really exposed to any issues, hence what we were told turns out to be true.

That being said, I get the impression that charging in the U.S. is more of a hassle than in Central/Northern Europe: No adapters needed, most chargers working fine (if sometimes rather expensive), even in the rural areas where we usually hand out.

I imagine the use case is different as well. Do you ever take multi-day road trips? I never seem to hear about stories of people “driving across Europe.”

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[vikingman]

I imagine the use case is different as well. Do you ever take multi-day road trips? I never seem to hear about stories of people “driving across Europe.”

Every holiday period or long weekend there is a major migration between Central/Northern Europe and the Mediterranean (summer) or the Alps (winter).. More or less … People do all kinds of road trips ?.
Most Europeans have loads of vacation compared to the U.S., so many people go on road trips several times a year.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

Every holiday period or long weekend there is a major migration between Central/Northern Europe and the Mediterranean (summer) or the Alps (winter).. More or less … People do all kinds of road trips ?.
Most Europeans have loads of vacation compared to the U.S., so many people go on road trips several times a year.

There's a great deal of ignorance floating around this country regarding life and habits of people in other countries. But you already knew that.

 

[Teslaeata]

There's a great deal of ignorance floating around this country regarding life and habits of people in other countries. But you already knew that.

As the saying goes, never assume because it makes an ASS out of U and ME

 

[vikingman]

I imagine the use case is different as well. Do you ever take multi-day road trips? I never seem to hear about stories of people “driving across Europe.”

Here are a few examples - I took the one on the left up to northern Germany in February for a weekend, and we went to Denmark in it for a long weekend a couple of weeks ago. Next Friday we’ll take the one on the right to Norway for three weeks. Plus we’ve done quite a few weekend trips within a three-hour radius from Luxembourg (that doesn’t really count as road trips in my eyes).. And the season is just getting started. We’ll take one of them to the Mediterranean coast later in the season as well, we’re still debating which one…

 

[Mach1E]

There's a great deal of ignorance floating around this country regarding life and habits of people in other countries. But you already knew that.

That’s why we ask questions to learn.

I figured with the great rail systems and cheap flights in Europe (plus things are closer together) that multi day road trips wouldn’t be as popular as they are in the US.

 

[vikingman]

That’s why we ask questions to learn.

I figured with the great rail systems and cheap flights in Europe (plus things are closer together) that multi day road trips wouldn’t be as popular as they are in the US.

Well, it all depends on what you want to do and where you’re going. Business took me to Brussels and Paris this week: Taking the train is a no-brainer, none of the horses ? ? (nor any plane for that matter) would have been able to get me where I want in such comfort at 185 mph, city center to city center. But going on vacation with all the stuff that the family wants to bring calls for a road trip ? Even when it involves the dreaded trip through Germany with its overloaded and crumbling infrastructure.

 

[Mach1E]

Well, it all depends on what you want to do and where you’re going. Business took me to Brussels and Paris this week: Taking the train is a no-brainer, none of the horses ? ? (nor any plane for that matter) would have been able to get me where I want in such comfort at 185 mph, city center to city center. But going on vacation with all the stuff that the family wants to bring calls for a road trip ? Even when it involves the dreaded trip through Germany with its overloaded and crumbling infrastructure.

Your trip to Paris is a day trip.

The question I asked was about “multi-day road trips” and how common those were in Europe.

Meaning it takes multiple days of driving to get there.

For example- people drive from Maine to Florida (1500 miles) in the US.

Even Amsterdam to Rome is only 1000 miles and I’m not sure how often people would drive in that situation.

In Florida we have millions of “snow birds” that drive from up north and stay here for the winter each year. They take 2-3 days to make the drive.

Not suggesting that people in Europe don’t drive long distances.

Just asking the question if they drive as far as often. Especially with the high fuel costs and MUCH better rail and flight options vs the US.

 

[Mach1E]

Just for fun I asked AI- “do europeans road trip as often as americans?”

Result-
While Europeans definitely enjoy road trips, they may not be as prevalent as in the USfor a few reasons, though road trips are popular in Europe. Americans tend to travel further distances in their cars compared to Europeans, and the US has a larger, more car-dependent culture. Europeans often choose to travel within smaller areas, exploring various regions and countries by car, while Americans might take longer, cross-country road trips.

Here's a more detailed look:

• Distance vs. Density:
  The US is vast, making road trips a natural way to explore different regions. Europe, while having a wide variety of landscapes, is more densely populated, and often, Europeans prefer traveling by train or bus to shorter distances.
  
  
• Car Culture:
  The US has a strong car culture, with most people owning and relying on cars. While cars are also important in Europe, the emphasis on public transportation, especially trains, is stronger.
  
  
• Vacation Habits:
  Europeans often take longer vacations, which they use to explore different regions or even countries by car. While Americans might have shorter vacations, they often plan longer road trips to make the most of them.
  
  
• Cost and Convenience:
  Road trips in Europe can be more expensive due to tolls, fuel costs, and the need to navigate different countries and cultures. Public transport, especially high-speed trains, can offer a more convenient and affordable alternative for shorter distances.
  
  
• Cultural Preferences:
  While road trips are enjoyed in Europe, they might not be as ingrained in the culture as they are in the US. European preferences lean towards exploring a smaller area in detail rather than taking long-distance road trips.
  

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

That’s why we ask questions to learn.

I figured with the great rail systems and cheap flights in Europe (plus things are closer together) that multi day road trips wouldn’t be as popular as they are in the US.

The population of the EU alone exceeds that of the USA by more than 100 million. The population of Europe exceeds the USA’s population by more than 400 million. Road tripping is arguably more common there —based upon raw numbers anyway.

Where we exceed the EU is in area. The contiguous states are not quite double the sq miles of the EU, while Europe as a whole is considerably larger. Our road trips would potentially be longer compared to a continental road trip limited to the EU.

 

[Teslaeata]

The population of the EU alone exceeds that of the USA by more than 100 million. The population of Europe exceeds the USA’s population by more than 400 million. Road tripping is arguably more common there —based upon raw numbers anyway.

Where we exceed the EU is in area. The contiguous states are not quite double the sq miles of the EU, while Europe as a whole is considerably larger. Our road trips would potentially be longer compared to a continental road trip limited to the EU.

You counting Canada & Greenland ?

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

You counting Canada & Greenland ?

We don’t need another locked thread.

On a serious and apolitical note, Greenland is not an EU member nor are they part of the European Economic Area (which includes 3 non EU members). Canada has a trade agreement with the EU.

Just on an economy of size basis the EU, even without the UK’s nearly 70 million people, is a very large market and it drives many worldwide business decisions. It’s how US iPhone customers ended up with usb instead of lightning chargers on new phones, for example.

 

[Dana3502]

While I doubt that I will ever be without an EV for the remainder of my driving years, which ain't many I suspect, I also doubt that I will be without at least one vehicle with an ICE under the hood.

I'm long past declaring one the Victor.

I daily the Mach-E
It's absolutely the go-to the vast majority of the time. So convenient in so many ways. None more than it's ready with no concern for "warming up the coolant/oil/tranny fluid"

I traded in a Camaro and a Tacoma on my Mach-E. My thought was that I would rent an ICE vehicle for my rare road trip with the money I'm saving on insuring and licensing two vehicles. After reading posts on this forum about the experiences of others, I think I will skip the rental when I need to drive rather than fly. Another factor is that I'm retired and decided it's finally time to get over the "haul a$$ to get there and haul a$$ home" mentality that was instilled in me by dad at about age 8.

 

[Krabbit]

When I was stationed in GE (Many moons ago) we rarely took the car to go on "trips." The train took us everywhere we wanted to go. Bus/Taxi/walk from the train station at the destination always served us well. Mind you, we didnt have kids and rarely stayed more than one night, but still.

 

[Silver Pony]

I brought my 2021 mach e in for 50,000 mile service including tire rotation. The Ford dealer said I need rear brake pads and rotors. I had them do it, but was surprised as I always use 1 peddle drive mode. I thought the brakes in electric cars were supposed to last a long time. 50,000 miles seems like the time frame for changing brakes in a gas engine car.

Can someone explain this for me?

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