Electric Vehicles: General topics
- Thread starter DT
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@AG_PhamD @cloudflare420
Since you asked, I figured I'd just post here ...
Where I wound up is a funny path. I started converting lawn gear over to battery stuff, initially just a Greenwise blower (Dad's Day gift), then when I saw you could score other tools without the battery making them super inexpensive I was like OK, this makes even more sense, a single pack is easily shared. At some point I needed to mow, no gas, and I was thought, I'd just check out some other options - I hit up Woot.com and they had a Greenworks mower, two packs, another charger for about 60% off (new, free shipping). Got that, and it's glorious - no smell, much less noise, no fluids/mess, and with 3 packs and two chargers, everything can be run anytime. It makes sense.
The wife's DD/RT lease came up, we wanted to try something different, decided we: 1) didn't need 3 rows and 2) that we both always wanted a Wrangler. We wound up buying the lease out at the end and turning right around and selling it to Carvana, paid $30K, sold it for $41K, so that was a pretty sweet score. FWIW, the lease couldn't be bought out directly under 30 days of it ending, and in the time it took to buy it and get the title (~3 weeks) that price actually went up like $2000.
Anyway, the new 4xe Wrangler was just getting released (this was April '21), that as you may know was Jeep's new PHEV, I'm like OK, that's neat, 25-30 miles on battery only, 375HP / 470 ft-lbs TQ, plus all the regular Wrangler features like the removable roof, a killer 4WD. We get one of the first batch, it's discounted $2K, and we get the $7500 Fed Tax credit right up front against the lease! It winds up being $200/month lower than the DD/RT, same out of pocket and it's a $5K more expensive car. Since then the 4xe has gone up several thousand and discounts have pretty much dried up, so our timing was excellent.
The 120v/15a supplied charger is slow, so we get a LEFANEV 32A (N6-50), and in the same order I also pick up an N10-30 to N6-50 adapter cable. It works, we're not driving that much so shuffling between the dryer and charger is __OK__. The EVSE itself is decent, there's a ton of the same sort of price/class chargers that look like this. The cable is 18' so it doesn't reach if I back the Jeep in, so I start thinking about getting a different product, and about that same time start thinking about one with higher output, you know, in case we added another EV that could use more than 32a
We totally love it - and again, it makes so much sense. My original thought was start with a PHEV, but once I had a taste of fast home charging, and a month where we used 2 gallons of gas, my perspective starts to change.
Then I get a 50a circuit installed, replace the 32a charger with a killer unit made my Grizzl-E. It's a beefy product built in Canada, 24' cables, modular power/charge cable, all metal construction/all weather, WiFi/OCPP compatible. Now charging is ultra-simplified, no swapping outlets with the dryer, and now I'm also getting the full 32a (the dryer outlet only allowed for 24a).
The lights really go on in my head so to speak - once you get the difference in how you use/"fuel" an EV vs. an ICE, it's such a "Oh, now I get it" moment.
I install an electric hoist, the top comes off the Wrangler, hahaha, and pretty much stays off. So now we've got two "convertibles", the GT doesn't make a ton of sense as the "extra car". I start thinking about alternatives in terms of features: solid performance, roomy, and something that we could use for road trips or a quick trip in town when it's raining and putting the top back on the Wrangler isn't a quick process.
And I have a 40a charger right in the garage ...
And I'm completely digging on the EV concept ...
I make the decision: a Tesla.
I won't get into the decision process too much in this post, only that my desire for performance, an extensive charging network and tech - significant research - combined with lots of personal insight to the vehicles through owner friends - informed my choice.
I sell the GT convertible, also to Carvana - not the deal like the DD/RT, but the same I paid 2 years ago, so I guess driving for "free" wasn't bad - I also swapped back most of the aftermarket parts, sold them, easily broke even
On June 11, Friday, I place my order: Model 3 Performance, MSM exterior, white premium interior. Saturday I complete all the required paperwork, by Sunday my EDD is moved up weeks - by Monday I'm getting prompted to select a delivery date June 18 - June 21. Seriously, one week from order to 1st available pickup date. I wind up selecting June 20 since that a Sunday and Dad's Day, figured it would fun and semi-quiet for the drive home.
Ours was delivered pretty much perfect: solid paint, no defects, no issues, no janky panels, and zero operational issues. For that matter the 4xe has been pretty perfect too, we took it in for a recall check, no biggie, got all new firmware, no charge, dealer is < 10 miles away.
The Model 3 Performance is quiet, comfortable, roomy, has a spectacular audio system, killer electronics/remote/mobile systems, a stellar AWD system and outstanding visibility.
Best of all, it's super quick while also being inexpensive to operate and super convenient.
About a month after I owned it, I snuck over the test/training area (also where the local A/X runs), nobody around, so I flipped on Track Mode, allows for full F/R bias control, selected the pre-configured "drift", got the rear end loose a couple of times
Interesting.
As for PHEV’s, my theory is just stuck with ICE or go all the way with EV, haha. Having a hybrid system just seems to add unnecessary cost and reliability complexities. I suppose if you’re leasing the reliability issue isn’t as big of deal.
I really do love the new wranglers though and I suppose the hybrid helps address their biggest problem, fuel economy. My sister has a 2019 Sahara V6 and I’ve been quite impressed with the quality compared to the older wrangler models. That said, I had a rental 2021 Wrangler Sport 2.0T… let’s just say the Sahara pack makes a big difference.
Her Jeep was rear ended last year by a Kia and it broke her frame. Shockingly it was not totaled and the insurance spend a month and a half paying for the entire car to be rebuilt.
Although I have numerous quibbles about Teslas quality and service, if you’re going to buy an EV it seems like the most practical product at this point in time.
Believe it or not I am still driving my 2009 535i XDrive w/153,000 miles. I told myself I’ll buy a new car when this one is done or has some major issue. Since then I’ve hardly had any problems, naturally. I put new tires on her last year. Cosmetically she’s great and everything works. Hopefully things hold up until the car market calms down a little bit. Or maybe in 30 years I’ll still be driving this car.
Idk if I told you this but my dad bought a new Range Rover HSE TD6 like a year or so ago. Beautiful car but it’s had a bunch of issues including the USB ports failing and turbo leaking. Pretty disappointing considering his old 2012 RRS had very few problems. It gets 27mpg highway which is awesome for the size of the car. In fact, it’s 1-2mpg than his IS350 AWD “commuter car”. IMO he should have bought a Land Cruiser when he had the chance, but he didn’t want a car “that big” (not sure but I can’t imagine there’s a significant exterior size difference).
The Wrangler 4xe hybrid system - by design - is tuned quite a bit different. It's designed for power augmentation and running in battery only mode.
When both ICE/EV modes are active, it generates 375HP, and 470 ft-lbs/TQ, on the street that translates into a sub 5.5s 0-60, when doing some real "Jeep duty", that 470 ft-lbs/TQ with it switched into low range it would pull 3 BMW X5s out of the mud, or climb an insane incline.
Then, you can switch over into pure EV mode, and tool around 25-30 miles on battery only, which is either cheap "around town" operation ($0.11kWh at my house), or an amazing experience on a trail, at the beach, with almost no noise.
The tuning is not designed around a constant blended use to improve mileage. Again, by design.
Eric
Mama's lil stinker
Would like to get a feel for how many have actually purchased it, seems like most have not and it's hard to justify when I'm not on the road as much now. I take this to mean the subscription will also go up?
diamond.g
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I think EAP was a better value (especially considering all FSD has Added for those folk is Navigate on City Streets).
I think with all the gripes we will see Tesla eventually do what other auto makers are going to do, and have you pay some amount for the hardware then require a subscription to keep it going.
SuperMatt
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All this money spent on not wanting to drive the car that supposedly has such a wonderful driving experience?
I just don’t get it. Driving a car is not that burdensome. Wasting $12K on letting the car drive you, knowing that you’ll have to be paying close attention and prepare to intervene at a moment’s notice to keep yourself from dying makes zero sense to me. I have a family member with a Tesla and we tried the auto-drive for fun. Within 5 minutes, when going around a corner, it drove into the grass and we had to take over... Yeah, I really want to cede control to it on a highway at 60+ MPH...
I love playing with new tech, but I’m not gonna put my life on the line as a beta tester and pay $12 Gs for the privilege.
I just don’t get it. Driving a car is not that burdensome. Wasting $12K on letting the car drive you, knowing that you’ll have to be paying close attention and prepare to intervene at a moment’s notice to keep yourself from dying makes zero sense to me. I have a family member with a Tesla and we tried the auto-drive for fun. Within 5 minutes, when going around a corner, it drove into the grass and we had to take over... Yeah, I really want to cede control to it on a highway at 60+ MPH...
I love playing with new tech, but I’m not gonna put my life on the line as a beta tester and pay $12 Gs for the privilege.
It's too bad they don't alacarte that group of features, I'd take summon for a one time $500
U
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TBF, it's more convenient for me to walk to my car than to worry about damage control if my car hits something, or even worse, someone.It's too bad they don't alacarte that group of features, I'd take summon for a one time $500
I've been meaning to give that app a try too, I'm not totally all in on Tessie just yet - honestly, my main motivation was a Watch App and Siri automations - mostly to open the trunk!
I want a "grocery mode", you set it, it leaves the AC on, but it also keeps the rear cameras running and when you approach the car and kind of wave your arms ... the trunk opens
It uses the 2L turbo 4, it's basically the same engine used in the ICE versions - mated to their ubiquitous (and pretty stellar) 8-speed automatic. There's a high power motor and interestingly, it uses a second, much smaller motor in place of a torque converter, it also doubles as the starter.
We picked up the little G from school in it yesterday (since the Tesla is currently under the weather
), tooled up to the Old City got dinner, all battery, really nice, it's been getting a bit more use in general to kind of balance out Tesla use (and since we put the top back on, it's a little more flexible).
U
User.45
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And turns on the fart mode, but only on your wife's side.I've been meaning to give that app a try too, I'm not totally all in on Tessie just yet - honestly, my main motivation was a Watch App and Siri automations - mostly to open the trunk!
I want a "grocery mode", you set it, it leaves the AC on, but it also keeps the rear cameras running and when you approach the car and kind of wave your arms ... the trunk opens
Fair point. Garages are rare where I live. I cannot see myself living the suburban life.
Farts are funny.
Yeah, we couldn't do like "regular" suburbs, an organized "plan", and HMOs can mostly fuck right off. Beach areas are like their own thing, it's like loose suburban + rural (if that makes sense).
We constantly knock around the idea of a major move, probably towards to the North East ... like Ontario
Eric
Mama's lil stinker
I am like a little kid so this part of the update had me out there laughing my ass off, my wife came out and saw what I was doing then rolled her eyes and went back into the house. We need a mod here that will allow you to play the fart sounds through the megaphone, now THAT is an update I would pay for.Farts are funny.
Yeah, we couldn't do like "regular" suburbs, an organized "plan", and HMOs can mostly fuck right off. Beach areas are like their own thing, it's like loose suburban + rural (if that makes sense).
We constantly knock around the idea of a major move, probably towards to the North East ... like Ontario
Eric
Mama's lil stinker
Tying it to the blinker is comedy gold!
