I guess we'll see vinnie. A car that's designed to last a million miles doesn't sound like throw away rubbish to me.
,
Sep 6, 7:15pm
The battery in my Leaf is now 6 years old and still going strong. Here's a link to a Tesla with a 93% battery after 400,000km. much more durable than a Honda 50 motor, which will need a rebuild every 100,000kms or so. Less if you don't look after it.
There's no reason it won't be going strong at 1,000,000km
harm_less,
Sep 6, 8:17pm
Oh, the blinkers and tin foil hat brigade.
serf407,
Sep 12, 10:03pm
Check out 'Tesla Model X towing trailer breakdown/ Bjorn Nyland - Norway' on youtube. The breakdown while driving along, 16.00 min the wait for the 'lift truck' carrying the Kia Rio loaner, drive back to Oslo in heavy rain. I haven't posted link as displeasure at breakdown of Tesla is expressed verbally.
smalltrader2,
Sep 14, 9:19pm
In some city, practicality will count against electric cars. Take Wellington for example, a lot of houses only have off street parking or car port with no wiring. Using an extension cord is simply out f the question. Even some of the million dollars houses only have carport with no wiring due to hilly section or topology. Charging the car simply become an impractical / impossible task.
Before you say "why don't you charge while shopping at super market". The question is how many super market offer charging station and how many charging stations. The infrastructure is simply not there to support electric cars.
For me, the time to buy electric car is when I can get a 2 min full charge at a charging station, just like filling up a tank of petrol or diesel and a full charge can go 700km to 1000km, just like a petrol or diesel ! I am sure it will get there one day . !
tony9,
Sep 14, 9:48pm
Don't hold your breath. A litre of petrol contains the equivalent motive power of about 6 KW/Hrs. To deliver that equivalent of just one litre in 2 minutes would take 180 KW.
harm_less,
Sep 15, 3:53pm
I don't know what unit of "motive power" you are referring to but a litre of petrol contains 9.7 kWh of energy: https://greennav.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/how-much-energy-in%E2%80%A6-cars/ Lets use that to compare two cars with roughly equivalent performance, one ICE (Mazda 3) and an EV (Nissan Leaf). Based on the 9.7 kWh/litre a Mazda 3 has a 51 litre tank which equals 495kWh of energy. Using the EnergyWise published fuel economy of 7.9 litres/100 km that 51 fuel tank will provide a range of 645 km, which when divided by 495 (kWh) gives a return of 1.30 km/kWh.
By comparison a Nissan Leaf has a 24kWh battery. That battery comfortably provides a range of 100 km which equates to 4.17 km/kWh. Therefore a Leaf would require about a 155 kWh battery to provide the same 'tank' range as the Mazda 3, though the point of having a range equivalent to what most NZers would consider 2 days open road journey seems a bit pointless.
Why does the petrol powered car use more than 3x the amount of energy per km? Because the internal combustion engine is only 25-30% efficient so most of that energy is wasted due mainly to wasted heat and frictional losses. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline_gallon_equivalent#Efficiency
And most fast charging stations already offer 40kW or more with Tesla 'Supercharger' facilities providing 120-135kW. To then use the example of the ridiculously over-capacity 155 kWh Leaf battery mentioned above a 40kW charge would be done in less than 4 hours or a Tesla sized charger would take little more than an hour to recharge the Leaf. Both could be done during the night, or even during a long lunch in the case of the Tesla rate. So what's the problem again?!
skiff1,
Sep 15, 5:38pm
while I'm in favour of electrics, 650 kms is often only half a day's drive. Charging needs to a lots faster and in a lot more places before electric will work for me.
metzeler,
Sep 15, 6:28pm
"650 kms is often only half a day's drive."So you can do 1300ks in a day? Got to laugh at this over exaggeration. As its all most impossible in new Zealand to even achieve and average speed of 100 kph that means you drive in excess of 15 hours in one day. Vast majority of kiwis don't fill there cars with fuel and quite a few run around with the fuel light on.Really the need for most people who only ever do short trip electric is the way to go
smalltrader2,
Sep 15, 7:23pm
Simple. Not so much of a problem if you have a garage with wiring and the cost of installing a super charger. The rest of us in Welly with off street parking. Dream on :-)
pookina,
Sep 15, 7:32pm
Driving one now.I've had my Nissan Leaf for just over two years. Bought it new (similar price and size as a VW Golf). I plug it in at night and it charges from midnight when rates are cheap. It's my daily around-Auckland driver. Has a range of about 130km - never need that much. Costs about $7 a week to run. It's very easy to drive - not as much fun as my RX-8 rotary, which was my previous car - and I like knowing that I'm not polluting the air, and that a big chunk of the electricity it runs on comes from renewable sources. I'm looking forward to a fast-charging infrastructure being properly established.
skiff1,
Sep 15, 8:51pm
given I quite often do 15-16 hours in the tractor, I have no problem doing over 1000 km in the ute.
harm_less,
Sep 15, 10:31pm
Super chargers are typically public facilities. The cost of these things is well beyond what most people would consider for their own home.
harm_less,
Sep 15, 10:37pm
1000km is approx. New Plymouth or Napier to Whangarei return. In a day, why ?
metzeler,
Sep 15, 10:41pm
Of course you do.lol. Wish people were more honest in what REAL mileage they need out of their vehicles.
richardmayes,
Sep 15, 10:41pm
They will probably catch on first for people who drive 15 km to work in the morning, and 16km home (via New World) in the evening. If it's slightly cheaper than petrol then for that kind of use it makes perfect sense!
I doubt it will be COMPULSORY to own an electric car, just like it's never been COMPULSORY to own a V8, or a Honda CIvic, or a Prius. people will do what makes sense to them.
I don't understand why people get such big chips on their shoulders about hybrids and electric cars. Don't want one? Don't get one.
richardmayes,
Sep 15, 10:47pm
Oh god. Of course they are. Of course they are. Good on you.
Do you want a medal?
skiff1,
Sep 15, 11:28pm
fielding, gizzy, Rotorua feilding. Work away, get paid mileage but not motel costs. Hate staying away from home. Usually stop for a nap or two on the way home. Even if I just do a quick trip to Rotorua and back, which is very regular, I will pass 10-12 gas stations each way. Five minutes to fill up. So with zero planning, I can do it. Electric is the way of the future, but right now it would take military planning to make it work. When the fuel light comes on in the ranger, I have about 70 km to find a gas station. With electric as it stands, if I can't find a fast charger in 70 km, I'm stuck over night.
skiff1,
Sep 15, 11:31pm
thanks for your input. I guess I must be wasting my money buying RUC, because if you don't think I'm doing 50-60 thousand km a year, I mustn't be.
This is why I prefer my cars to be super computer free. Too much electronic junk in these things.
metzeler,
Sep 16, 1:03am
After doing 15 to 16 hours driving your tractor and traveling 1300 ks in the ute you must be saving big bucks on not having to have a house to live in. Gee the BS alarm is going off big time.
cattleshed,
Sep 16, 5:01am
not with the way manufacturers design a premium product then detune so as to wear out. They will do it. Also the number of electronic sensors and whatever, It is all unneeded. Keep it simple stupid is what IS needed. They know it but complex means more consumables and that is the recipe
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