1997 to 1999 Honda EV Plus

[Vern Padgett]

This car looks to me something like what Tesla is talking about for their Model 2. The Honda sold for $53,000. Only 300 were sold. As far as I know, there was no great conspiracy to keep people from buying it. Anyone know more?
Thanks
Vern

 

[tonybelding]

According to Wikipedia:

Careful driving in economy mode would give it a range of about 80–110 miles (130–180 km).

I think that sums up the widespread lack of enthusiasm for it. $53,000 for a car that can only go about 100 miles per charge just doesn't make right good sense.

 

[Tesla2Go]

I think it's clear autocompanies are sabotaging themselves, trying as much as they can to show that electric cars are not yet practical, take too long to recharge and have a very limited range. I think also Peugeot made an electric vehicle from their 106, basically they just took out the engine and stuck a few batteries in there (not very advanced batteries) and called it an electric vehicle.

And yet a start up car company with 80 employees can make an electric sportscar built for performance rather than range, and they can still get 250 miles out of it, and recharge it fully in 3.5 hours....it's a miracle! :

 

[tonybelding]

I think it's clear autocompanies are sabotaging themselves, trying as much as they can to show that electric cars are not yet practical, take too long to recharge and have a very limited range. I think also Peugeot made an electric vehicle from their 106, basically they just took out the engine and stuck a few batteries in there (not very advanced batteries) and called it an electric vehicle.

And yet a start up car company with 80 employees can make an electric sportscar built for performance rather than range, and they can still get 250 miles out of it, and recharge it fully in 3.5 hours....it's a miracle!  :

I think you're partly right.  I think the big car companies have been half-hearted about EVs, and they certainly resented being told what to make by California when the ZEV mandate was going.  On the other hand, what Tesla have done is a little misleading.  They started with the Lotus Elise which is a very small car.

Incidentally, I'd like to see that guy with the red shirt get in the Elise.  That ought to be fun to watch.  Getting in and out is often compared with a contortionist's act.  (Though Tesla insist they've improved that aspect of things with the Roadster.)

So, they started with the smallest and lightest two-seater sports car that they could find, then they replaced all its fiberglass body panels with carbon-fiber composites (at considerable expense) and then dropped in $20,000 worth of Li-ion batteries.  And the result is fabulous -- I want one!  But, it might create unrealistic expectations about what an affordable four-door family car can do on electricity.

 

[danny]

I"m sure the sedan will have more batteries to improve the range that will be less because of the weight.

 

[Tesla2Go]

Compared to those tanks/"cars", the Tesla looks tiny, but the Peugeot 106 was about the same size, and lighter. Like the saying goes: "Electric cars are not for everybody, they can only meet the needs of 90% of the population".

 

[WarpedOne]

>> But, it might create unrealistic expectations about what an affordable four-door family car can do on electricity.

Exactly, as I pointed it out in another thread. Familly saloon will have to be bigger (heavier), use cheaper materials (heavier), have more air and rolling drag. Just to overcome all this drawbacks and achieve same 250 miles range, they will have to use more and/or better batteries. And also make it chaper. If they can pull this one, that will be a real breakthrough.

 

[Vern Padgett]

Compared to those tanks/"cars", the Tesla looks tiny, but the Peugeot 106 was about the same size, and lighter. Like the saying goes: "Electric cars are not for everybody, they can only meet the needs of 90% of the population."

Ed Begley! In "Who Killed the Electric Car?"! Or did someone else say it before him?

 

[Vern Padgett]

But, it might create unrealistic expectations about what an affordable four-door family car can do on electricity ... Familly saloon will have to be bigger (heavier), use cheaper materials (heavier), have more air and rolling drag.  Just to overcome all this drawbacks and achieve same 250 miles range, they will have to use more and/or better batteries.  And also make it cheaper.  If they can pull this one, that will be a real breakthrough. 

WarpedOne:  Model 2 Tesla.  Steel body, instead of carbon fiber?  Steel frame, not aluminum frame?  Steel is good.  Make it better, make it cheaper.  I could do with zero to 60 miles per hour in more than four seconds. Heck, I don't need to get to 60 mph in 6 or 7 seconds ...
Vern

 

[Vern Padgett]

  According to Wikipedia: 

Careful driving in economy mode would give it a range of about 80–110 miles (130–180 km).

   I think that sums up the widespread lack of enthusiasm for it.  $53,000 for a car that can only go about 100 miles per charge just doesn't make right good sense. 

Tony I think you are right.  Will Tesla sell cars like Honda did not?  How can we get my neighbor, with his 3 giant trucks, to buy an electric car?  He drove his obese a$$ in yesterday morning in his giant truck, with a bagfull of Burger King fast food and 4 drinks.  Should I tell him his teenage boy is less likely to die in Iraq if he buys a Tesla? 

 

[WarpedOne]

WarpedOne:  Model 2 Tesla.  Steel body, instead of carbon fiber?  Steel frame, not aluminum frame?  Steel is good.  Make it better, make it cheaper.  I could do with zero to 60 miles per hour in more than four seconds.  Heck, I don't need to get to 60 mph in 6 or 7 seconds ...
Vern

Vern, those performance numbers are primarly a function of engine power and *not* battery charge. Tesla said stronger electromotor is actualy more efficient then a weaker one - it gives you longer range for a given range and constraints.

A steel body and frame will make a heavier car with more drag. It will have a powerfull electromotor to provide better eficiency - longer range. Good performance will be side-effect

 

[Tesla2Go]

So we can have a family sedan capable of doing 0 to 60 in 6 seconds? ;D

 

[david_42]

I've seen exactly one of these. The owner said 50 miles commuting was more realistic. And it was a real slug.