Zero-emission vehicles, their batteries & subsidies/rebates for them.- No politics regarding the subsidies!

[Head_Unit]

The power company each spring asks for volunteers to a program where they install a switch on your AC. One which allows them to turn it off for I think up to 45 minutes when they are trying to manage peak power demands.

And #$%&'ed it up-my A/C got damaged, wouldn't turn on, had to have a guy come out and my house was HOT, screw that baloney. Had them disconnect the box ASAP. Never again.

 

[Head_Unit]

ou must pay attention to the coolant temperature at all time.

Huh I had a BMW 540, driving along, all of a sudden vapor billowing from under the hood. Temp gauge had spiked almost instantly. Driving later LA ---> Phoenix with a BMW antenna engineer, testing satellite radio. "Oh, that gauge is fake. The computer looks at the actual temperature and outside temperature and the load on the engine. If it seems normal it just sets the gauge to the middle" and then you cannot see it climbing up until the computer freaks out and pegs it. That was one of the beginnings of my disillusion with BMW, others being how all their sound systems sound like hollow dog poop, and their turn signals don't turn off after a lane change (which even a cheap Hyundai can manage).

 

[EJ3]

In Calgary people have been found dead from electrocution when they where attempting to steal copper from underground service vaults. Like duH!

Well, since there was no power & they had already stolen the fuel from the generators (presumably to put into their 4 cylinder, 4 wheel drive trucks ([since the max speed limit on the island is 45 MPH, the trucks can be geared very low for pulling & still be quite useful on the road]). They weren't worried about the power working. They then used the trucks to pull the incredible amounts of wire & sold it to the Chinese Black Marketer's who were running ocean going tug boats & barges.

 

[Laserjock]

Well, since there was no power & they had already stolen the fuel from the generators (presumably to put into their 4 cylinder, 4 wheel drive trucks ([since the max speed limit on the island is 45 MPH, the trucks can be geared very low for pulling & still be quite useful on the road]). They weren't worried about the power working. They then used the trucks to pull the incredible amounts of wire & sold it to the Chinese Black Marketer's who were running ocean going tug boats & barges.

Sounds like a place to get the heck out of

 

[Blumlein 88]

Huh I had a BMW 540, driving along, all of a sudden vapor billowing from under the hood. Temp gauge had spiked almost instantly. Driving later LA ---> Phoenix with a BMW antenna engineer, testing satellite radio. "Oh, that gauge is fake. The computer looks at the actual temperature and outside temperature and the load on the engine. If it seems normal it just sets the gauge to the middle" and then you cannot see it climbing up until the computer freaks out and pegs it. That was one of the beginnings of my disillusion with BMW, others being how all their sound systems sound like hollow dog poop, and their turn signals don't turn off after a lane change (which even a cheap Hyundai can manage).

They aren't the only ones doing that. Oil pressure gauge on my Miata is that way. As long as oil is topped up and the right viscosity it calculates quite accurately what the pressure would be and displays it. But should it drop too low it blinks a light and if it drops to zero it illuminates the light and a warning. There is no variable sensor on the oil system. The gauge is fake. I think the temp gauge is the same. Will show everything fine until it shows hot by going full over all at once.

Now one in a Hyundai is semi-fake. It is a real temp gauge, and it reads accurately until something like 130 degrees where it just rises up showing what would be around 180 degrees. But it shows that same value between 130 and 190 degrees. If it goes above that it again reads accurately and will eventually also show overheating. I don't get having an actual temp sensor and letting a computer take that value and lie to you about the value part of the time. For what purpose?

 

[EJ3]

Sounds like a place to get the heck out of

I arrived there on Oct 1 2003. I liked the climate (in the Guinness book of World Records for the least amount of average daily temperature change [8 degrees F]), the temp doesn't go below 75 F or over 96 F, sunny most of the time, when you drop an anchor into 100 FT of water, you can see it hit the bottom. The max tax rate was 11% (if you were making millions). In 45 days I became a resident. 1 & 1/2 years later, at the age of 48, I got married (something I had not done before). I figured that would last 6 or 7 years. It has now been 18 years & we are still together.

 

[ENG]

Here in Denmark we normally pay for 3 cars, when we buy one. For the time being the state is lowering the charges on electrical cars, both recharge and PHEV. I bought a Volvo XC40 PHEV as we are 44.000 citizens in my part of Copenhagen sharing four electric charging stands. The electrical infrastructure in all the bigger cities is insufficient. I think it's the case worldwide.

 

[Spocko]

Here in Denmark we normally pay for 3 cars, when we buy one. For the time being the state is lowering the charges on electrical cars, both recharge and PHEV. I bought a Volvo XC40 PHEV as we are 44.000 citizens in my part of Copenhagen sharing four electric charging stands. The electrical infrastructure in all the bigger cities is insufficient. I think it's the case worldwide.

I don't know how effective solar panels are up there but in the sun belt states in the USA (especially Nevada, Arizona and California), solar panels plus battery storage for individual homes can easily take the load off the grid altogether during peak hours.

 

[Suffolkhifinut]

I think many who are electing to buy EVs were already intending to spend the $50K to $65K on a car anyway and have instead chosen to go EV - so for this market, they are not more expensive at all - just finding inventory and paying a "fair price" in the face of gouging is the biggest challenge

Think on this particular website the post is amusing. We read post after post castigating people for over spending on HiFi equipment. Pointing out it’s stupid to pay more for something that is no better or worse than a cheaper alternative. So if I said my DAC cost £3k and tested no better than one costing £100 would you think I made a rational choice?

 

[Suffolkhifinut]

Thank You.

That's funny.
One thing I discovered when we had blackouts: the city water did not work (the pumping stations are powered by electricity). When we had the 4 month blackout, the government put generators at the pumping stations. I would have never guessed that would prompt people to go steel the fuel out of the generators. Then someone had an epiphany and realized that there was a lot of copper wire involved in generators & pumping stations. So then people started pulling large copper wire, sometimes 1/4 mile of it & selling it on the black market. It would disapear from the island via barges run by the Black Marketers. Another reason that it took 4 months to get the power back on.

We had the same thing with railway network cables caused chaos to commuters all over the UK. It stopped when a couple of them got electrocuted.

 

[Ken1951]

We have solar panels that were installed about 7 or so years ago as part of a program here called Solarize Blacksburg. Two local installation companies were involved and the prices were lower thanks to quantity buys. We get a 1-to-1 credit per kW hour here, and the credits accrue. For example, for the past 15 days there has been only one day where we used more than we generated, and that was a grand total of 1 kW hour. In those same 15 days we have sent back into the grid somewhere in the neighborhood of 175 kW hours. This time of year our usual bill is the minimum for being part of the grid; about $10. We also get to sell our credits on SREC market, which currently is around $35 or so per 1,000 kW hours. We are lucky to live in an area that does not get all that hot for that many days. We're at 2,000 ft elevation, have reasonably low humidity, and live in a house we designed to have good cross ventilation. We also manage our windows. Opening them up at night and closing in the morning except for a few on the top floor which are open a little at the top to allow heat out. House stays very comfortable and we only have to use the A/C occasionally for part of the day. We won't need to replace our main vehicle for quite a few years, and will likely look to a PEHV.

 

[Head_Unit]

I don't get having an actual temp sensor and letting a computer take that value and lie to you about the value part of the time. For what purpose?

"So that owners don't get anxious (= worried = complain)" said the BMW engineer to me.

 

[Head_Unit]

Think on this particular website the post is amusing. We read post after post castigating people for over spending on HiFi equipment. Pointing out it’s stupid to pay more for something that is no better or worse than a cheaper alternative. So if I said my DAC cost £3k and tested no better than one costing £100 would you think I made a rational choice?

The typical answer to that is "testing does not capture the entire sound" and the $3k is indeed better than the $100, and this goes on and on because it is time-consuming and difficult to do blind testing...plus those who have spent more are likely reluctant to put themselves to the test. But how does your post relate back to the electric cars? I don't get that part.

 

[Suffolkhifinut]

The typical answer to that is "testing does not capture the entire sound" and the $3k is indeed better than the $100, and this goes on and on because it is time-consuming and difficult to do blind testing...plus those who have spent more are likely reluctant to put themselves to the test. But how does your post relate back to the electric cars? I don't get that part.

Because the two justifications for buying an EV are better for the environment and saving money, the first is true the second isn’t. As I pointed out in the UK a Toyota hybrid would be around 50% of the price of a Tesla model Y. To put the cost on perspective had a Saab 95 for work and had it converted to run on propane. Refuelling with propane worked out at half the cost of using petrol, at the mileage I was doing it took three years to recover the £1,300 spent on the installation. Using a vehicle powered by propane is far better for the environment than with petrol. How long will it take anyone to recover the extra cost in buying an EV? In my opinion never!

 

[Inner Space]

Because the two justifications for buying an EV are better for the environment and saving money ...

Those two are the most often quoted, but my own top-line reason was an EV's absolutely superior drivetrain, absolutely superior power and torque delivery, quiet running, and most of all avoidance of cold-start, short-trip wear and tear. The environment and the lower running costs were happy collateral accidents.

 

[Old Listener]

Think on this particular website the post is amusing. We read post after post castigating people for over spending on HiFi equipment. Pointing out it’s stupid to pay more for something that is no better or worse than a cheaper alternative. So if I said my DAC cost £3k and tested no better than one costing £100 would you think I made a rational choice?

The big takeaway for me from Amir's and other DAC reviews is that there are no audible differences in performance between good $ 200 DACs and $ 10000 audiophile DACs.

If you think a BMW 3 series or an Audio A4 provides no difference in features, performance or feel that matter to you compared to a Toyota Corolla, then buy the Corolla. However, those differences do exist and they matter to some customers.


Tesla made a business decision to start with an EV that competed with BMW 5 series, Audi A6 and the Mercedes and Lexus equivalents. That allowed them to offer a EV with >200 mile range and very competitive performance. Then they introduced a cheaper EV targeted at the BMW 3 series. Then SUV EVs. I'd say it worked.

Part of Tesla's strategy was to address range and re-charging concerns. Their network of Supercharger stations and in-vehicle s/w to identify nearby stations seems to have worked very well to reassure consumers.

Other companies are now offering their own competitive >200 mile range EVs at lower than Tesla prices. Those EVs can appeal to less well off consumers than the BMW/Audi crowd.

 

[Suffolkhifinut]

The big takeaway for me from Amir's and other DAC reviews is that there are no audible differences in performance between good $ 200 DACs and $ 10000 audiophile DACs.

If you think a BMW 3 series or an Audio A4 provides no difference in features, performance or feel that matter to you compared to a Toyota Corolla, then buy the Corolla. However, those differences do exist and they matter to some customers.


Tesla made a business decision to start with an EV that competed with BMW 5 series, Audi A6 and the Mercedes and Lexus equivalents. That allowed them to offer a EV with >200 mile range and very competitive performance. Then they introduced a cheaper EV targeted at the BMW 3 series. Then SUV EVs. I'd say it worked.

Part of Tesla's strategy was to address range and re-charging concerns. Their network of Supercharger stations and in-vehicle s/w to identify nearby stations seems to have worked very well to reassure consumers.

Other companies are now offering their own competitive >200 mile range EVs at lower than Tesla prices. Those EVs can appeal to less well off consumers than the BMW/Audi crowd.

As a fully paid up member of the BMW club can appreciate anyone buying a car because it makes the driving experience more enjoyable. Does a 4 door sedan need to accelerate as fast as the Tesla model Y? Looked into buying one and over here they are insurance group 50 ouch!

 

[Old Listener]

As a fully paid up member of the BMW club can appreciate anyone buying a car because it makes the driving experience more enjoyable. Does a 4 door sedan need to accelerate as fast as the Tesla model Y? Looked into buying one and over here they are insurance group 50 ouch!

I see lots of BMW m5s and m3s and the equivalent MB AMGs around here. Similar SUVs too. So, why not performance oriented EVs?

We have two cars: a 2001 BMW M roadster and a 2011 VW GTi. The difference between an M Roadster and a BMW Z3 was very real and mattered to us. The difference between the GTi and a plain Golf mattered a lot to us too. We make our own choices and you can too. No need for a one size fits all hair shirt.

 

[Suffolkhifinut]

I see lots of BMW m5s and m3s and the equivalent MB AMGs around here. Similar SUVs too. So, why not performance oriented EVs?

We have two cars: a 2001 BMW M roadster and a 2011 VW GTi. The difference between an M Roadster and a BMW Z3 was very real and mattered to us. The difference between the GTi and a plain Golf mattered a lot to us too. We make our own choices and you can too. No need for a one size fits all hair shirt.

Totally agree! A car must drive well and look good, looking at the Tesla model Y performance yes, looks no. Got two neighbours with EVs a model Y and a Jaguar iPace this meets both of my criteria.

 

[Ron Texas]

There is over a year wait for a Tesla Model 3. The Cadillac Lyric is sold out. A Florida dealer is asking double MSRP for a Ford F150 EV. GM just lost its EV tax credits because it made enough EV's. Their response was to cut prices on the Chevy Bolt $6300. This does not sound like a world which needs to subsidize EV's.

The landscape has changed a lot lately. Gas prices have nearly doubled. However, Texas residential electricity rates have gone up by 55% (not including the 5.5 cent grid fee) for new fixed price contracts. Expect this to carry through at the chargers.

Beware of the numbers. EV range is calculated without AC or heat running. Manufacturers say don't go below 20% or battery life will be shortened. While there may appear to be chargers all over the place most are level 2 which take 8 hours to charge a large battery. Very few hotels in the US have chargers which is a great inconvenience.

Some relief with charging is on the way as manufacturers intend to adopt an 800V charging standard.