Who has or is planning to get an electric car / EV Talk

[The-Real-Deal82]

Hate Eletric cars. Just sold me! Cheap build quality, road noise, range limitations. No thanks!

I only have experience of Polestar, BMW, Audi and Kia EV’s and none of those had poor build quality. What one did you own, MG by any chance? You can’t really apply that to all cars as you well know. When you say ‘road noise’ did you mean you prefer road noise and engine noise and EV’s are too quiet?

was an Audi Q4 e Tron No bueno !

That’s the one we are about to get. I was super impressed with the build quality and it was on par with my Audi A4 when I test drove one. I guess very soon I will be able to properly give an informed opinion and I will address all your points again to make sure you didn’t just have your fishing rod out lol.

 

[Brad7]

The FUD brigade is always the strongest in the middle of a transition. Took me a long time to learn that it’s better to smile, nod, and keep doing what we were doing.

 

[Apple fanboy]

The FUD brigade is always the strongest in the middle of a transition. Took me a long time to learn that it’s better to smile, nod, and keep doing what we were doing.

Had to look up FUD.

 

[jz0309]

The FUD brigade is always the strongest in the middle of a transition. Took me a long time to learn that it’s better to smile, nod, and keep doing what we were doing.

yup, and I am very happy with my Bolt EUV, build quality is much better than I expected.
Sure, EVs might not the best choice for every single use case, yet. Technology will evolve and that picture will change ...

 

[Tagbert]

was an Audi Q4 e Tron No bueno !

Are you comparing that to the ICEV Audi Q5?
Is the problem that it is an EV or an Audi?

 

[kp98077]

Are you comparing that to the ICEV Audi Q5?
Is the problem that it is an EV or an Audi?

The problem is EV. Of course nothing is wrong with Audi due to its popularity.
It’s simple - they have to make EVs light weight so that = light and crappy material. Road noise, and range issues. No thanks I actually want to drive somewhere 😂

 

[Tagbert]

The problem is EV. Of course nothing is wrong with Audi due to its popularity.
It’s simple - they have to make EVs light weight so that = light and crappy material. Road noise, and range issues. No thanks I actually want to drive somewhere 😂

OK

 

[Eric5h5]

In countries where there are huge expanses of land and extreme weather, I can't see EV's being viable in the next 10 years

You mean countries like Norway, where already >80% of new vehicles are BEVs (plus a much smaller number of hybrids), and are expecting that to be 100% by 2025.

 

[jerryk]

This will be our second California summer with an EV. Last year we had several days where Tesla and Socal Edison were begging us not to charge our EV. Well, how the heck are we supposed to do that when we need to to go to work? lol. We've already had one AC shutoff day this month and this week we're looking at 100F+ several days. Going to be an interesting year .

But yeah, people don't realize how much of a change this is going to be. Just look at us - my wife goes to work M W F - 52-56 miles one way + a few road trips, we're guzzling 6.6 MW in under a year (600-900kW a month) - ONE EV. According to https://www.statista.com/statistics...of-registered-automobiles-in-the-us-by-state/ there are 14+ million cars in California. The electric grid can't even keep the lights on in the summer time with us running AC... And the cost of electricity has skyrocketed.

Solar and batteries? With have them have largely eliminated our power purchasing here in NorCal (PGE territory). We don't drive nearly as much as you do, but we end up selling/banking a lot of our excess solar production.

We even sold 40 kWh to PGE via Tesla Virtual Power Powerplant (VPP) program during last Fall's power emergency (when they asked us to not charge vehicles until after midnight). We got a check for around $350+ for uploading during the hottest 4 late afternoons .

 

[kp98077]

You mean countries like Norway, where already >80% of new vehicles are BEVs (plus a much smaller number of hybrids), and are expecting that to be 100% by 2025.

That’s strange - EVs do NOT do well in cold weather (Canada). At least a range of 275. moreover, they just don’t handle as well in snow as a traditional Quattro for example in my experience. Sure, if you live in a city - bit not in the mountains or going on a shirt trip. The US just is not prepared to be honest. The other issue with your argument is you cite you cite countries with highest incomes in the world.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

That’s strange - EVs do NOT do well in cold weather (Canada). At least a range of 275. moreover, they just don’t handle as well in snow as a traditional Quattro for example in my experience. Sure, if you live in a city - bit not in the mountains or going on a shirt trip. The US just is not prepared to be honest. The other issue with your argument is you cite you cite countries with highest incomes in the world.

Funny as EV's are rather popular in Scandinavia and even Iceland. They handle just fine in the snow. And a proper quattro hasn't been made for decades, so I'm not sure what your point is.

That the US is not prepared, yes possibly. There are areas where it is excellent. That is not the fault of EVs, that is the fault of you, and everyone else living in those areas, not electing the right representatives with some forward vision and planning. Sadly, there is a huge difference between the US and the rest of the world. One day, the US will follow the rest, naturally picking its own different standards along the way.

 

[Apple fanboy]

That’s strange - EVs do NOT do well in cold weather (Canada). At least a range of 275. moreover, they just don’t handle as well in snow as a traditional Quattro for example in my experience. Sure, if you live in a city - bit not in the mountains or going on a shirt trip. The US just is not prepared to be honest. The other issue with your argument is you cite you cite countries with highest incomes in the world.

The US isn’t ready or you aren’t ready? Surly you don’t speak for the entire nation?

Lightweight doesn’t mean cheap. Usually the opposite. My car is made of carbon fibre and aluminium. Better than steel that rusts.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

The US isn’t ready or you aren’t ready? Surly you don’t speak for the entire nation?

Lightweight doesn’t mean cheap. Usually the opposite. My car is made of carbon fibre and aluminium. Better than steel that rusts.

To be fair and for some balance, the i3 isn't a great example to counter that argument. It is rather plasticky, and runs on what look like bicycle tyres, and is very range limited. Great as a city car, fairly compromised to go inter (member) state.

 

[Eric5h5]

That’s strange - EVs do NOT do well in cold weather (Canada). At least a range of 275. moreover, they just don’t handle as well in snow as a traditional Quattro for example in my experience. Sure, if you live in a city - bit not in the mountains or going on a shirt trip. The US just is not prepared to be honest. The other issue with your argument is you cite you cite countries with highest incomes in the world.

Norway isn't known for being warm, and it has mountains. Indeed, EVs are well-suited for mountains due to regen (on the way down you get back a lot of the energy you used going up) and working just as well at any altitude due to running on electricity rather than burning stuff. They do fine on both long and especially short trips (I assume that's what "shirt trip" was supposed to be). They handle well in the snow, better than ICEVs in general (extra weight, even distribution of weight, and low center of gravity helps with traction, not to mention better torque). The issue with winter is range loss due to heating, not snow handling, though more efficient methods like heat pumps mitigate that to some extent.

Stop derailing the topic with trolling; this is about who has or is getting an EV, not repeatedly-debunked myths and misinformation. If you want to debate EV vs ICEV, there are plenty of other places you can go to do that.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

The problem is EV. Of course nothing is wrong with Audi due to its popularity.
It’s simple - they have to make EVs light weight so that = light and crappy material. Road noise, and range issues. No thanks I actually want to drive somewhere

I’ve seen car reviewers of the Q4 comment that there are harder plastics used lower down in the cabin, but not cheap materials. You’ll find these sorts of plastic used in most EV’s and even the BMW iX3 we had briefly had these sorts of materials used and that’s a £90k car. They are used because they are durable and ABS is ideal for resisting scuffs and knocks.

We opted for the Q4 Black Edition S-Line and the one I test drove was as premium inside as any Audi I’ve sat in before. I can’t comment on North American models though. In terms of road noise I can’t really relate either. Audi have had to add a noise at lower speeds for safety reasons and doing 70mph on a dual carriageway did not highlight any significant noise for me. You can hear tyre friction a bit and other cars engines as you pass them, but on the whole the Q4 is a quiet and pleasant car to drive. I can’t comment on range yet, but my wife’s colleague had his 6 weeks ago and said it’s good for 230-280 miles if doing a lot of motorway and closer to 300 for more local driving. Not bad for an EV IMO.

 

[kp98077]

Funny as EV's are rather popular in Scandinavia and even Iceland. They handle just fine in the snow. And a proper quattro hasn't been made for decades, so I'm not sure what your point is.

That the US is not prepared, yes possibly. There are areas where it is excellent. That is not the fault of EVs, that is the fault of you, and everyone else living in those areas, not electing the right representatives with some forward vision and planning. Sadly, there is a huge difference between the US and the rest of the world. One day, the US will follow the rest, naturally picking its own different standards along the way.

EVs don’t do well in cold. They are for short trips but that’s about all. Very frustrating. Then if you find one it doesn’t when. Range must be > 400 to be series.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

EVs don’t do well in cold. They are for short trips but that’s about all. Very frustrating. Then if you find one it doesn’t when. Range must be > 400 to be series.

They are not just for short trips, been going across 9 countries during the last 26K miles. No problem at all. As long as the range > poronkusema it's just fine.

 

[diamond.g]

EVs don’t do well in cold. They are for short trips but that’s about all. Very frustrating. Then if you find one it doesn’t when. Range must be > 400 to be series.

EV's with heat pumps do better in the cold than you would expect.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

EVs don’t do well in cold. They are for short trips but that’s about all. Very frustrating. Then if you find one it doesn’t when. Range must be > 400 to be series.

When you had you Audi Q4, did you go bottom spec and not add the heat pump? I think my question is rhetorical as you wouldn't be complaining of porr range in the cold if you did.

 

[kp98077]

When you had you Audi Q4, did you go bottom spec and not add the heat pump? I think my question is rhetorical as you wouldn't be complaining of porr range in the cold if you did.

yeah, it was the 40 model so not fully loaded. But a heat pump is not going to significantly going to change the range. a range of say best case 280 miles to me is horrible... that gets you from Seattle to Vancouver, then stuck there trying to figure out where to charge and that IF all the chargers arent taken, even then it takes 8 hours! EV need sto come a LONG way for it's adapted via the masses unless maybe a Tesla?

 

[kp98077]

EV's with heat pumps do better in the cold than you would expect.

and I had RWD which gets way better range than the quatrro...

 

[kp98077]

yeah, it was the 40 model so not fully loaded. But a heat pump is not going to significantly going to change the range. a range of say best case 280 miles to me is horrible... that gets you from Seattle to Vancouver, then stuck there trying to figure out where to charge and that IF all the chargers arent taken, even then it takes 8 hours! EV need sto come a LONG way for it's adapted via the masses unless maybe a Tesla?

I am just really glad to be back to a SQ5!

 

[sunapple]

Sat in the passenger's seat of a Mustang Mach E this weekend, drove it for a short bit myself. Highly addictive all that instant power. Though the owner got it mostly due to tax cuts which are disappearing soon. Also charging was an issue, currently having to park a few streets from his house. Next car will be a plug-in hybrid due to low fuel charge in lease and range. I think if you're buying electric just for environmental reasons you are in the 1% (though I applaud the decision). Curious to see how BEV sales will fair after tax cuts are gone here in The Netherlands.

Personally if ever do get a car for daily driving I would weigh in the 'fun' part over range or practicality. I do have a list of cars I could choose from work and the Abarth 500e is at the top of the list. I cannot move it down however impractical and expensive it may be. Just love the classic 500 too much and always wished to own a modern Abarth (ICE versions not on sale anymore sadly, but electric seems bit more like an all-rounder). That would be my first test drive then.

 

[4sallypat]

Sat in the passenger's seat of a Mustang Mach E this weekend, drove it for a short bit myself. Highly addictive all that instant power. Though the owner got it mostly due to tax cuts which are disappearing soon. Also charging was an issue, currently having to park a few streets from his house. Next car will be a plug-in hybrid due to low fuel charge in lease and range. I think if you're buying electric just for environmental reasons you are in the 1% (though I applaud the decision). Curious to see how BEV sales will fair after tax cuts are gone here in The Netherlands.

Personally if ever do get a car for daily driving I would weigh in the 'fun' part over range or practicality. I do have a list of cars I could choose from work and the Abarth 500e is at the top of the list. I cannot move it down however impractical and expensive it may be. Just love the classic 500 too much and always wished to own a modern Abarth (ICE versions not on sale anymore sadly, but electric seems bit more like an all-rounder). That would be my first test drive then.

I have a month old '23 Mach E and love it.

Third EV and best so far.

Garage has a shared 48A L2 charger that is used for my wife's PHEV and charges in 1.5hrs.

I charge the Mach E once a week on the weekend during off peak times - takes about 6-8 hours.

Subvented interest rate at 2.9% is also excellent to own.

Tax credit is $3750 for filing next year but if you lease, you get a cap cost reduction of $7500 from Ford's RCL.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

yeah, it was the 40 model so not fully loaded. But a heat pump is not going to significantly going to change the range. a range of say best case 280 miles to me is horrible... that gets you from Seattle to Vancouver, then stuck there trying to figure out where to charge and that IF all the chargers arent taken, even then it takes 8 hours! EV need sto come a LONG way for it's adapted via the masses unless maybe a Tesla?

The 40 model is better than the 50 for range and depending on how it’s spec’d, it can be fully loaded. The 50 model Vorsprung is the 4 wheel drive model but has around 30 miles less range and a faster 0-60 time, that’s all.

It sounds to me like you had very little, if any true experience with it if you were shocked by a 280-300 mile range. That’s pretty good for an EV at this point. If you knew you were doing regular long journeys and couldn’t spend 20 mins using a fast charger on routes, you didn’t do your research well enough to begin with. Maybe we are luckier in Europe with better chargers? Who knows but glad you found a solution.

Do you have a photo of your Q4 as I’m interested what is offered over there? Would be cool to see your SQ5 too, lovely cars.