What do you guys think of electric cars (like the bolt)?

[ksa8907]

I had way too much fun driving a fast car, the problem was there is generally too much traffic to make use of any of the power.

I guess we should all drive 400hp full size trucks for simple commuting, clearly the best option we have.

[hayden55]

100% its limited because it will thermal throttle over 90 mph. Prius had inverter heat issues so i assume its the same for most ev's as well since they are designed for efficiency not racing (so far). But that whole horsepower thing is relative. My 2010 prius doesnt have 150hp and this car will do 120 mph and ive maintained 100 mph for three hours going across empty Arkansas Interstates. (Fayetteville to Jonesboro; 3 bours vs 4.5 hr) I think speed averaged was closer to 90 mph and it averaged 31 mpg.

[UFO]

It's never been about the economics for me. It's all about reducing fossil fuel use and demand. That's why I started driving diesels and making biodiesel back in 2003, and what do you know? It was cheaper than fueling a gasoline or diesel car.

I'm grown up now though, or maybe electric technology is, and I'm ready to get a Bolt myself (or a Leaf). I have further reduced my energy use by moving closer to my workplace (from 21 miles to 5), so the reduced range of an electric does not affect my driving at all.

Electric is the optimistic future and I embrace it.

[NeilBlanchard]

Want to drive fast? Reserve a Model 3. Unless 140MPH is enough for ya'. Then you should get the Roadster 2 - 250MPH+

[JSH]

Originally Posted by hayden55

Chevy limited all the output on their EVs because the batteries typically get really warm with high amperage outputs so no high speeds homies, and people complained that the cars ate tires since they had too much torque *see the laughable 2011 Chevy Spark with 400lb-ft of torque lol*

I have one of those "laughable" Spark EVs (Made from 2014 to 2016) Yes, it has 400 lb-ft of torque at 0 RPM and will spin the tires at will. It is the hot hatch of the EV world. I was attempting to merge this week and was spinning the tires at 45 mph at partial throttle. That said it isn't the tire spinning that kills the tires on the Spark it is the absolutely horrible tires GM chose to install. I was down to the wear limits on all 4 tires in 6000 miles. Today I have performance all-season which help with the tire spin and lack of grip but knocked 10% off the range. 6K miles later the new tires still look practically new.

All in all it is a fantastic car for my use. I drive it 50 miles round trip to work and around town (Dinner, shopping, etc). Even at only 82 miles of EPA range that it works fine for my daily use. When we go out of town hiking, backpacking, skiing, etc we take my wife's Prius.

Charging at work (free) or home is very convenient. It doesn't matter that it takes hours to charge because I'm either working or sleeping. There is no maintenance besides changing the cabin air filter every 30K miles and changing the coolant at 120K miles.

Economics. The lease ($0 down 39 months) is $100 a month. Insurance is $600 per year ($100 more than a 10 year old Prius). If I had to pay for the electricity it would cost about 2.6 cents per mile. (Gas for the Prius is 5.6 cents per mile.) So running costs are half the cost of driving a Prius but the Spark is fun to drive while the Prius is not)

Battery replacement: It's a lease so I don't care. That said, I wouldn't buy my Spark because it was a compliance car that GM built 2000 a year to fulfill the CARB EV mandate. I don't expect to have parts available in the future and a replacement battery pack is more than $20K. On the flip side Nissan has sold hundreds of thousands of LEAFs and an upgraded battery pack is only $5500. I suspect in 10 to 15 years if Chevy Bolts need battery packs they will also be reasonable. I also suspect the aftermarket will have remanufactured packs available like those offered for the Prius.

To sum it up, EVs make sense for city dwellers that can charge at home or work and have more than one car. The good news is that is most of the US population.

[ProDigit]

Originally Posted by hayden55

100% its limited because it will thermal throttle over 90 mph. Prius had inverter heat issues so i assume its the same for most ev's as well since they are designed for efficiency not racing (so far). But that whole horsepower thing is relative. My 2010 prius doesnt have 150hp and this car will do 120 mph and ive maintained 100 mph for three hours going across empty Arkansas Interstates. (Fayetteville to Jonesboro; 3 bours vs 4.5 hr) I think speed averaged was closer to 90 mph and it averaged 31 mpg.

Because an ev doesn't have drivetrain and gearing losses.
Whatever the motor produces, is pretty much whatever is at the wheels,minus rolling resistance (like from deflated tires).

A 4 stroke of 150HP usually only gives 135HPmax at the wheels, times the gear ratio.
Eg: if you have an overdrive gear ratio of 0,97:1 as 4th gear, being closest to a direction drive, and 134HP at the wheels with a direction drive, your car is only getting the performance of a 130HP at best. In 6th gear, if your gear ratio is 0.75:1, you're essentially only getting 97.5 HP in final gear, from a car which engine gives 150HP.

[hayden55]

Originally Posted by ProDigit

Because an ev doesn't have drivetrain and gearing losses.
Whatever the motor produces, is pretty much whatever is at the wheels,minus rolling resistance (like from deflated tires).

A 4 stroke of 150HP usually only gives 135HPmax at the wheels, times the gear ratio.
Eg: if you have an overdrive gear ratio of 0,97:1 as 4th gear, being closest to a direction drive, and 134HP at the wheels with a direction drive, your car is only getting the performance of a 130HP at best. In 6th gear, if your gear ratio is 0.75:1, you're essentially only getting 97.5 HP in final gear, from a car which engine gives 150HP.

Yes I understand the concept of what you mean as I'm engineering (gear reduction and efficiency), but your not gonna need more than 20-30 hp to maintain 70. Horsepower to overcome drag at 80 mph would be around 40% more which still would only be like 1/3 throttle.
Also EVs still have gear loss its just minimized since they only have a final drive system forgoing the transmission unit. So no free cake here.

[hayden55]

Originally Posted by JSH

I have one of those "laughable" Spark EVs (Made from 2014 to 2016) Yes, it has 400 lb-ft of torque at 0 RPM and will spin the tires at will. It is the hot hatch of the EV world. I was attempting to merge...

Yeah laughable in more of a holy crap Chevy did a hot little setup on that car versus the standard lmao. Hilarious that it has 400lb-ft. I actually have a friend who runs a shop in Texas with a customer who bought a wrecked low mileage Spark EV he got for 3 grand and they are going to make a little time attack car out of the motor and batteries.

[MetroMPG]

I know THREE people locally who have bought Bolts. (I socialize above my pay grade )

And they're supply-limited around here. People are complaining they can't get them.

One bought a low kms trade-in; the other bought the first one an out-of-town dealer got without even driving it; the most recent buyer ordered his and had to wait 6 months for it to arrive.

I got a chance to drive one of them:




We went out for an eco-driving lesson. (Estimated remaining range increased during my demonstration drive. )

My thoughts on the car: I understand why people are interested: the incentives are hard to resist (around $10k in Ontario, I think); tons of range; the body style offers good utility; the performance is eye-opening. (You can hear the tires breaking grip when you mat the accelerator at 25 mph.)

I'll get a chance to drive one again in a few weeks - the 3rd buyer wants an eco-driving lesson too.

[ProDigit]

The bolt (or just about any EV) doesn't really work for me, just because:

1. I don't have a clear path from my home to where my car is parked, to charge; and,
2. I mainly drive highway miles. That means, half a battery a day, is quite taxing on such a car.