Traffic: 120 miles in 5 hours. Passed a dozen+ out-of-gas ICE vehicles.

[WarpedOne]

With an ICE all roadside assistance has to do is to fill in a couple of litres of fuel, how about the BEV?

They burn a couple of litres of fuel.

 

[wk057]

Right, and how would a supercharger have coped with such an onslaught, e.g. after traffic was stuck because of heavy snowfall? Do you believe that the people who manage to run out of gas with an ICE won't be doing the same with a BEV?
With an ICE all roadside assistance has to do is to fill in a couple of litres of fuel, how about the BEV?

I think you miss the point. The point is that the Model S uses much less power in these situations to the point where it might as well be negligible vs the amount of fuel an ICE would use in the same situation.

 

[abasile]

Right, and how would a supercharger have coped with such an onslaught, e.g. after traffic was stuck because of heavy snowfall? Do you believe that the people who manage to run out of gas with an ICE won't be doing the same with a BEV?
With an ICE all roadside assistance has to do is to fill in a couple of litres of fuel, how about the BEV?

I think you miss the point. The point is that the Model S uses much less power in these situations to the point where it might as well be negligible vs the amount of fuel an ICE would use in the same situation.

Exactly. There is unlikely to be an onslaught of BEV drivers in desperate need of a charge here. I've experienced traffic jams in my LEAF with only a minor overall hit to range. Plus, given that BEV drivers are more likely starting each day with plenty of charge, they are less likely to be "driving on fumes" in the first place. Long distance BEV drivers might be lower on charge, but then again, the overwhelming majority of drivers on most roads are less than, say, 50 miles from home.

That said, I agree that heavy snowstorms, for instance, present more of a challenge because of the need for heat in the BEV. Keeping the cabin toasty warm might involve an average draw of ~4 kW in sub-freezing cold. This equates to maybe 15 miles of range per hour. Of course, if especially low on range, one can cut back on the use of heat if needed. Generally you'll have a winter coat with you. And anyone driving any car in winter conditions should be carrying a couple of extra blankets in case of emergency anyway.

 

[Just a Reader]

I think you miss the point. The point is that the Model S uses much less power in these situations to the point where it might as well be negligible vs the amount of fuel an ICE would use in the same situation.

No, I don't. Just make it a snowstorm situation and the situation looks quite differently. Add to this that many BEV drivers calculate with significantly fewer "remaining miles" to arrive at a charger than ICE drivers tend to do for refueling and you have a very similar situation.
The kind of people who don't simply lower the windows and switch off the the engine when running low on fuel in a traffic jam on a hot day will also manage to get stranded with a BEV, rest assured of that.

 

[Khatsalano]

I wonder if the Toyota Mirai drivers will laugh at us when we run to 0% SOC on the side of roads. I mean, they can fill up in less than 5 minutes at any of the 12 hydrogen stations within the continental United States. For $50.

Let me know if any Mirai reservation holders need some Aloe after that one. Thanks.

- K