Any GTAM'ers own an electric vehicle?

[slowbird]

Also, the dealer I got the car from finally got the proper Low Rolling Resistance Tires added to the car this past Wednesday. I seemed to notice (after I pumped the tires up a bit more) the range meter wasn't going down as quickly as usual. However I only had the Wednesday to try them out as these past few days with the rain I can't really tell if I'm getting any better range. but I can say that compared to the non LRR tires they are more quiet and seem to soak up bumps a bit better. Otherwise they still stick and handle like the non LRR tires.

...and these are Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tires. Which, by all online tire reviews, are just ok tires. The Continental TrueContacts and PureContacts are rated much much better.

 

[Plant_W]

Thank you for the tire update slowbird.

 

[PrivatePilot]

Got up this morning and went from home (east of Oshawa) to Ikea in North York and home again. Hoped to get about 2.5 hours or (free) change at Ikea but arrived to find 2 Teslas using the level 2 chargers, so ended up parking with no charger - not a biggie of course, we didn't *need* a charge, but I went out a half hour later to drop off my jacket and one of the spots was open, so I plugged in of course. Got about 1.75 hours or so worth of charge while we finished shopping and ate lunch.

Returned home, made it almost back to whitby on that charge before the ICE started up and got us the rest of the way.

Plugged in at home for about 2 hours, then went out again - dropped wife and daughter off at the Oshawa Center, I did some running around, and then came back and plugged into the EV chargers there - also free. Got 1+ hour of charge, returned home and plugged in again to top off.

Just went out to pickup daughter from work, and back home again - favorite thing about short drives in cool weather in EV mode when no concerns about range impact is putting the HVAC on "Comfort" mode and having hot air blasting out of the vents before I even get to the corner of my street - any other car would be lucky to be blowing lukewarm air 5+ minutes later as the engine comes up to temp - yay for instant electric heat!

Total for today, 144KM, 1.3L of gas burned, for a total fuel economy average of 1.0L/100KM.

Total for the weekend, 293KM driven, 4.8L of gas burned, for a total fuel economy average of 1.6L/100KM.

 

[slowbird]

Awesome! Good work.

Odd to hear the charging stations were full. Everytime I have used them there have been spots to spare

 

[PrivatePilot]

Awesome! Good work.

Odd to hear the charging stations were full. Everytime I have used them there have been spots to spare

They have a mix of them though - 2 J1772 Level 2, 1 CHadEMO, and 3 CCS/DCFC. Since the standard J1772 is the most widely compatible they get used first whereas the other chargers aren't likely to be as populated.

As we were leaving there was a BMW i3 unplugging from one of the CCS fast chargers. I was kinda surprised as it pulled away to notice that it sounded silly - whereas the Volt is pretty much silent except for a barely audible electrical whine sometimes at low speed, the BMW had a loud(ish) vacuum cleaner noise.

On the BMW note, I saw this article pop across my FlipBoard newsfeed today - it seems BMW is playing games with the i3 advertised range. More interestingly, the lease on those things is almost $1000.00 per month? WTF? That's the textbook definition of paying for a nameplate, sheesh.

 

[fastar1]

More interestingly, the lease on those things is almost $1000.00 per month? WTF? That's the textbook definition of paying for a nameplate, sheesh.

Full carbon fiber structures ain't cheap.

 

[LBV]

having hot air blasting out of the vents before I even get to the corner of my street - any other car would be lucky to be blowing lukewarm air 5+ minutes later as the engine comes up to temp - yay for instant electric heat!

In regards to the electric heat, the only issue I've had with the car was when I went to warm it up last fall and I got no electric heat at all (engine heat was fine). It turned out the pump wasn't working ... could be from lack of use over the summer but I'm making a mental note to turn on the electric heat every few weeks over the summer just to hopefully keep it operational.

 

[-D-]

In regards to the electric heat, the only issue I've had with the car was when I went to warm it up last fall and I got no electric heat at all (engine heat was fine). It turned out the pump wasn't working ... could be from lack of use over the summer but I'm making a mental note to turn on the electric heat every few weeks over the summer just to hopefully keep it operational.

put a calendar item in Google calendar to repeat once per month ...car things...heat, brakes, etc...

 

[slowbird]

Yeah I left work yesterday and I didn't get any warm air from the vents for about 5-10 minutes. In EV mode only in regular city traffic.
About the same that I would get from some econoboxes/small displacement N/A motors I have driven.

In regards to the electric heat, the only issue I've had with the car was when I went to warm it up last fall and I got no electric heat at all (engine heat was fine). It turned out the pump wasn't working ... could be from lack of use over the summer but I'm making a mental note to turn on the electric heat every few weeks over the summer just to hopefully keep it operational.

What pump? I thought the heat was electric?

 

[PrivatePilot]

Yeah I left work yesterday and I didn't get any warm air from the vents for about 5-10 minutes. In EV mode only in regular city traffic.
About the same that I would get from some econoboxes/small displacement N/A motors I have driven.

Turn it to comfort mode vs eco mode, and set the temp a few degrees higher. There's a very big difference in how many amps the computer sends to the cabin coolant grid heater - in eco mode it "goes long" - the cabin temperature will increase, but slower, in the interest of battery economy. In comfort mode the computer throws battery consumption to the wind and cranks the grid heater on - watch the difference in the HVAC consumption meter.

I use eco mode if I'm pretty much comfy already but would like a bit of heat. If I've got energy to spare (IE, short drive with a cold car) comfort mode is awesome - crank the temp to 23-24, hit the comfort button, and you'll have tons of heat in no time...but it does kick the battery in the balls pretty good, as expected.

As for how it works, the electric heat mode still heats liquid coolant like the engine would, it just does so in a much smaller circuit, bypassing the engine completely, and rapidly heating the cabin heater core directly.

 

[mimico_polak]

Saw the new PRIUS on the road today with my own eyes....wtf were they thinking? It looks horrible from every angle...

 

[slowbird]

Turn it to comfort mode vs eco mode, and set the temp a few degrees higher.

Uh huh, that's what I did. Comfort mode. Heat set to 27c from main vents only. Took 5-10 minutes to get warm air. Was blowing cold until then.

I'll try again this morning when I leave work. It's supposed to be around 1-3c when I leave.

Saw the new PRIUS on the road today with my own eyes....wtf were they thinking? It looks horrible from every angle...

I know, right? really ugly

 

[PrivatePilot]

Uh huh, that's what I did. Comfort mode. Heat set to 27c from main vents only. Took 5-10 minutes to get warm air. Was blowing cold until then.

Well, that's not normal - I wonder if the cutoff valve that separates the cabin heater coolant loop from the engine coolant loop (when it's running on electric mode) is stuck open perhaps? If so, the electric grid heater would be trying to heat everything under the hood as well (including the engine), not just the small amount of coolant inside the cabin heating loop.

 

[LBV]

put a calendar item in Google calendar to repeat once per month ...car things...heat, brakes, etc...

haha... gotta clarify what seems to be a mis-conception that the brakes are hardly ever used on the Volt. Wrong! They're used every time you need to come to a complete stop. The "L" transmission setting will slow the car down when releasing the brake (like a golf-cart) but does NOT completely stop the car. The brakes are used almost as often as a normal car, just not to the same severity of pedal push if you're driving it in "L" and being smart about smooth stops and not racing to every red light.

 

[HDRod]

I've got a question(s) for the Volt folk. I recently had the opportunity to drive a model S and loved it. One of my favourite bits was the regen braking and one-pedal operation ... also roller coaster-like acceleration, but that's not in my budget. Does the Volt's regen work in the same fashion? Is the paddle behind the steering wheel an on/off-type switch, or does one hold it in to access the regen braking?

Thanks!

 

[LBV]

I've got a question(s) for the Volt folk. I recently had the opportunity to drive a model S and loved it. One of my favourite bits was the regen braking and one-pedal operation ... also roller coaster-like acceleration, but that's not in my budget. Does the Volt's regen work in the same fashion? Is the paddle behind the steering wheel an on/off-type switch, or does one hold it in to access the regen braking?

Thanks!

The Gen2 Volts (2017+) have the paddle yes and AFAIK you hold it in to continue with the regen over-and-above what you'd get from driving it in Low. Visit this place and test drive to your hearts content:

https://plugndrive.ca/electric-vehicle-discovery-centre

 

[oRRange600]

I just ordered my 2017 Ford Focus Electric (w/leather ). With zero down, 0% financing and $14,000 Gov't rebate coming right off the price, plus $1000 Costco rebate, My payment is $144 biweekly taxes in. I pay way more than that in gas..so this as a no brainer.

New Focus electric now has range to 185km. More than enough for my daily commute.

Favourite part is I'm able to ride the HOV as a single rider = Time saved = priceless!

 

[LBV]

I just ordered my 2017 Ford Focus Electric (w/leather ). With zero down, 0% financing and $14,000 Gov't rebate coming right off the price, plus $1000 Costco rebate, My payment is $144 biweekly taxes in. I pay way more than that in gas..so this as a no brainer.

New Focus electric now has range to 185km. More than enough for my daily commute.

Favourite part is I'm able to ride the HOV as a single rider = Time saved = priceless!

Fantastic! Another one seeing the light! Welcome and enjoy it.

 

[oRRange600]

Fantastic! Another one seeing the light! Welcome and enjoy it.

Thanks!! I'm already considering the new Hyundai IONIQ electric for my second one!

 

[PrivatePilot]

haha... gotta clarify what seems to be a mis-conception that the brakes are hardly ever used on the Volt. Wrong! They're used every time you need to come to a complete stop.

Yes, they're used, but barely...and that's the problem with Hybrids/EV's when it comes to brake components getting crusty and problematic - a regular car sees heavy brake use that keeps rotor and pad surfaces fresh, dries off rotors after rain, and basically keeps things exercised. A Hybrid/EV owned by an energy conscious person who tries to recover every ounce of energy possible via regen, well, the friction brakes basically never see heavy use, just a slight pinch while stopped completely. That ends up causing the sorts of problems that are common to all cars in this segment.

I've got a question(s) for the Volt folk. I recently had the opportunity to drive a model S and loved it. One of my favourite bits was the regen braking and one-pedal operation ... also roller coaster-like acceleration, but that's not in my budget. Does the Volt's regen work in the same fashion? Is the paddle behind the steering wheel an on/off-type switch, or does one hold it in to access the regen braking?

As mentioned the first gen has an "L" shifter position that allows one pedal driving - I use it all the time and rarely touch the brake pedal at all except when coming to a complete stop, or I need to decelerate faster than what regen will allow. The regular brake pedal also focuses on regen before friction as well though obviously, but it's not one pedal.

I understand the gen2 Volt has paddles to control regen as well.

Thanks!! I'm already considering the new Hyundai IONIQ electric for my second one!

Congrats on the Ford and welcome to the fold. Walk cautiously towards the Ioniq, the reviews I have read as part of this thread indicates there are still lots of growing pains and lack of refinement on the Ioniq so far.