Final trip

[pdk42]

I've been running a Model 3 since Aug 2019. In the main it's been a painless experience and I've done some big journeys - Germany (with a trailer), Norway, Scotland, Lake District, Northumberland, Wales (OK, so that last one was a challenge). I was nervous in 2019 about charger availability but I got through. I assumed by now it would be a different story, but I reckon it's getting worse. And of course the costs have gone through the roof this past year. I want to stick with EVs for environmental reasons, but I must say there are times when an ICE does appeal.

 

[FastLaneJB]

I do average miles. I can count the out of range DC charger journeys i do per year on the fingers of one hand. As such I get all the benefits of an EV with none of the downside (including 2% BiK). There must still be plenty of people like me for whom the EV dream is still alive.

Yeah of course, charge at home and never really go beyond the cars range then it's easy and a great choice. That's more convenient than having an ICE. Always got a full (Or close if looking after battery) car, can pre-heat it ready for you. That's better than ICE experience. I also like the way EV's drive as do I imagine many of you.

Public charging in some parts of the country also not as bad as others. However, the stats are as a whole more EVs are being sold than charging points installed. Iif you need public charging it's going to get worse, not better until they sort that out. In this case, experience is worse than having an ICE.

Honestly I think 1 EV and 1 PHEV (When I next change my car) will be fine. I also do plenty of trips that would easily be covered by a real world 40 - 50 mile range and then just have ICE for those long trips. Yeah they are complex with some compromises but for the moment think they are best of both worlds when done right. Not ones where you get a massive lump of battery in the boot but like new Range Rover where it's designed for it and battery has no impact on space.

 

[Jason71]

I've been running a Model 3 since Aug 2019. In the main it's been a painless experience and I've done some big journeys - Germany (with a trailer), Norway, Scotland, Lake District, Northumberland, Wales (OK, so that last one was a challenge). I was nervous in 2019 about charger availability but I got through. I assumed by now it would be a different story, but I reckon it's getting worse. And of course the costs have gone through the roof this past year. I want to stick with EVs for environmental reasons, but I must say there are times when an ICE does appeal.

It depends. Its better now in the extremities like Wales and Cornwall which used to have nothing. In 2019 there was one SuC in Wales and zero in Cornwall and not much else either. But in the main there are lots more chargers but they are busier. You used to have to figure out where to stop now its where and when. And it's definitely getting worse before it gets better.

 

[Js1977]

I do average miles. I can count the out of range DC charger journeys i do per year on the fingers of one hand. As such I get all the benefits of an EV with none of the downside (including 2% BiK). There must still be plenty of people like me for whom the EV dream is still alive.

The average mileage per a person does daily is there abouts to 30 miles. I do 12 miles round trip to work and cant remember ever doing more that 20 in my lifetime. The Mrs basically drives for a living during the course of her work and does about 30 miles per day. Its her own car and she gets about £240 (before we claim the rest from HMRC) for mileage and that is the electric bill for the whole house these days (£110 pre price rise) for the whole house including 4 EV's in the house. Imho this is living the dream.

 

[The_Cable_Guy]

my usage in this weather is between 300-400W so i feel his pain.

luckily i dont do long trip but i dont think its a viable option for anyone that does anything over 10k a year with the charging network now getting to overload point.

It just become an added inconviene adding an hour or so to a journey when all you want to do is get home after a hours of driving.

 

[ACarneiro]

I do nearly 20k miles per year (100 mile round trip commute) and it works perfectly fine for me.
It’s not about the yearly mileage, it’s about how often you do long trips.
200 miles is not amazing but I find it’s more than sufficient for my needs, even if it does occasionally mean the odd trip to a DC charger (they really are eye-watering at the moment, aren’t they?)

 

[Jason71]

my usage in this weather is between 300-400W so i feel his pain.

luckily i dont do long trip but i dont think its a viable option for anyone that does anything over 10k a year with the charging network now getting to overload point.

It just become an added inconviene adding an hour or so to a journey when all you want to do is get home after a hours of driving.

Part of that usage is BECAUSE you don't do long trips. Short trips in cold weather are always very inefficient due to the initial warmup penalty in any car including ICE. If you do longer trips it will be much lower. I have done regular long journeys in winter in an M3 LR (without the heat pump yours has) at less than 300wh/m

 

[mjwojtukiewicz]

Tell me about it. I never filled my car at home either, had less range and cant recall the whole song and dance taking less than 10 minutes either. I suppose we will just have to keep guessing since he dropped the turd on our doorstep and done a runner...Im sure @PITA gets sick and tired of getting collared on these matters

I'm looking at the supercharger map for the UK. You guys in Ireland have it rough but I assume they will increase the supercharger locations soon. Yeah it's tough if you live in those flats (which I assume are apartments) it's tough to install a lvl2charger. Maybe they'll do what they do here. They make a deal with
shopping centers/malls and put up chargers. My local supermarket recently put in 2 Volta SC and it's NOT a huge lot.

 

[FastLaneJB]

There's chargers at supermarkets and lots of other places. They are just normally slow chargers, not enough of them and too often broken.

The rollout speed at least here of chargers is slower than the sales of EV cars. I expect that gap to increase, not close.

 

[DeejUK]

Different strokes for different folks, but I don't think I'd be complaining about range if I was going over the speed limit when drag is the square of velocity. Ever since having an EV, I've been pleased that there's a new way to 'win' at driving - instead of getting there sooner, getting there using the least practical amount of energy. Maybe I'm the only one who gets fixated on not wasting energy with excess speed

 

[s7gpt]

doing over 12k miles per year, living in Leeds I can go to either east or west coast and back home easily on 90% charge and charge from home at7.5p pkwh. Used fast chargers a couple of times when doing the London airports but no big deal so far and still cheaper total trip than my old ICE. compared to my previous landrover recon saving at least £150 per month on fuel - super happy and the car drives itself on motorways and is always at the right temperature when I get in it. So far no complaints...

 

[Sean.]

Different strokes for different folks, but I don't think I'd be complaining about range if I was going over the speed limit when drag is the square of velocity. Ever since having an EV, I've been pleased that there's a new way to 'win' at driving - instead of getting there sooner, getting there using the least practical amount of energy. Maybe I'm the only one who gets fixated on not wasting energy with excess speed

Where shall I post the pipe and slippers

 

[pgkevet]

Different strokes for different folks, but I don't think I'd be complaining about range if I was going over the speed limit when drag is the square of velocity. Ever since having an EV, I've been pleased that there's a new way to 'win' at driving - instead of getting there sooner, getting there using the least practical amount of energy. Maybe I'm the only one who gets fixated on not wasting energy with excess speed

Absolutely no point rushing when you'll be joining a 30 min queue for a 20 min top up....

 

[Chanser]

 

[boombap]

I no longer have a Model 3 neither, replaced with a petrol car. Range isn't the issue for me, it's the worsening charger availability worries. Those that are working are in constant use. If, like me, you rely on public charging due to living in a flat then EVs are too difficul to live with and too expensive to run. It was fine up to about a year ago but I don't see any signs of network expansion in alignment with EV sales. I include Tesla in that. They are more reliable and easier to use but just as under capacity as every other network these days.

Hard disagree on that. Live in a flat with no home charging, when I got my 3 in 2020 there were 2 superchargers nearby one with 2 stalls and one with 4 stalls.

2 years later there are 3 locations within 10 minutes and 6 within 30 minutes each with at least 12 stalls. The network has been expanding massively and there is another 12 stall location planned 3 minute from my house.

Still never had to wait to charge on any journey.

Also worth mentioning my new Y with heatpump sips the battery at literally half the rate the 3 with resistive heating did In winter.

 

[WannabeOwner]

instead of getting there sooner, getting there using the least practical amount of energy. Maybe I'm the only one who gets fixated on not wasting energy with excess speed

Did that "hypermiling" with ICE seeing what I could get the MPG up to - country roads, select neutral and coast to bends, became an art on the school run - there and back was 4x a day so plenty of practice opportunity. Saved me about 1/3rd on fuel and made a boring repetitive journey more interesting ... well, to me at least

That mode is the norm with regen in EV of course (although a neutral coast may be more frugal, but I can't be bothered now, except on downhill stretches). On a few occasions when range was touch-and-go I've driven at (safe distance and) 50 MPH behind a lorry on motorway to conserve battery - the drafting may or may not have helped, but it prevented me getting carried away and pressing on!

 

[DeejUK]

Where shall I post the pipe and slippers

Haha, well, I've always said that if I ever need glasses that I'll get a monocle to go with the moustache

My exception is when pulling away from lights. That's quite often foot-to-the-floor territory, even if there are non-linear inefficiencies in sudden acceleration. As I keep reminding the other half, if we've got a £108k vehicle with supercar performance, we should be making the most of it!

 

[Jason71]

Haha, well, I've always said that if I ever need glasses that I'll get a monocle to go with the moustache

My exception is when pulling away from lights. That's quite often foot-to-the-floor territory, even if there are non-linear inefficiencies in sudden acceleration. As I keep reminding the other half, if we've got a £108k vehicle with supercar performance, we should be making the most of it!

it is hard to resist when you happen to be at the front of traffic lights on the left and someone pulls into the right lane

or if you are in the right lane

or if there is only one lane

or if there is litterally no one else there