Range anxiety is overrated

[NeilBlanchard]

An Alternative Way To Charge a LEAF: By Getting Towed | PluginCars.com

So, all the Chicken Little stuff about EV's is misguided.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by RedDevil

...an unattentive driver may slack the line and even hit the tow vehicle.

There's the real problem with having a commercial tow service try to recharge your EV by towing. If you're being towed by a friend, sure, you'll be in the car and can do it. Commercial tow services just plain don't allow people in the vehicles they tow.

Similarly with braking for an RV-towed vehicle: sure, you can buy a setup to do that, just as you can have electric braking on any trailer. But are most people (or manufacturers) going to go to the extra expense of installing that equipment on a vehicle they don't regularly tow?

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by RedDevil

He never (not even once) had to recharge on the go for the 23,000 km he already put on it; but then few destinations in the Netherlands are further away than 200 km from Gouda.

Sure, but that's the Netherlands. Ever driven in the US west, between the Mississippi and the Sierra/Cascades? Few destinations are closer than 200 km :-) It's also quite possible for the most direct route to be unexpectedly closed by storms or fires, adding 20+ miles of mountain driving to your trip.

[oil pan 4]

Too bad pulling a car with a rope is illegal some places, only allowed over short distances in others and generally bad idea everywhere.
This is why tow companies use a roll back or trailer and not a string and a second person to move a vehicle.

I also noticed this is not a Nissan publication.

[RedDevil]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Sure, but that's the Netherlands. Ever driven in the US west, between the Mississippi and the Sierra/Cascades? Few destinations are closer than 200 km :-) It's also quite possible for the most direct route to be unexpectedly closed by storms or fires, adding 20+ miles of mountain driving to your trip.

Yes, I have, and no, currently the EV infrastructure there is not what we are used to.
But that can change. Where there is access to power lines there's the possibility for a charging station.
There are no environmental or public safety issues with charging stations; there are with gas stations, and we see them disappear in builtup areas. My favorite gas station is severely under threat because it is too close to an appartment building...

Where there are roads and parking places there will be charging points.
Even in the west. It may take some time, but it is going to happen.
It happened here almost overnight. It will anywhere.

[Fat Charlie]

It is hard to say we don't have the infrastructure when we've got electricity everywhere.

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by Fat Charlie

It is hard to say we don't have the infrastructure when we've got electricity everywhere.

I often wonder that my self.

[gone-ot]

It's the EV-equivalent of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner's" "...water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink...", ie: sure there's electricity everywhere, but 99.9999% of the time it's of the wrong VOLTAGE, AMPERAGE and PLUG connections!

In short, NO infrastructure!

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Fat Charlie

It is hard to say we don't have the infrastructure when we've got electricity everywhere.

You really think so? Lots of my favorite places hereabouts are anywhere from 10 to 40 miles or more from electric power lines.

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

, but 99.9999% of the time it's of the wrong VOLTAGE, AMPERAGE and PLUG connections!

Yeah, I could take you out along the route of the Pacific DC Intertie east of here. LOTS of electricity running through those lines, but do you really think you're going to tap into it?

[oil pan 4]

Then you buy or build an adapter cord.
Most of the high power home chargers I have seen use a 6-50 plug. 6-50 can be adapted from any other common 50 amp receptacle.

For example my 17,500w generator and most mid level and up welding machines have a 14-50 plug or "full KVA" receptacle. Newer construction homes also use the 14-50 for the electric range.

If you are going to regularly be 40 miles away from electric power then you may want to consider adding a diesel truck in front of and car trailer under your electric vehicle.