The Unexpected - aka EVs vs The Real World

[robchalmers]

I was stuck for 3.5-4hrs last week and i must admit My mind did wonder what the hell I'd be doing if I was in and EV. It was dark, -6C and io was between two closed slip roads....
Luckily Chug's heater is BIBLICAL in its output! you can almost feel your eye balls drying out!

[320touring]

I got really annoyed at the idiots idling stationary in front of me in the snow.

I ran the car when I moved it, and gave it about 30sec after stopping before switching off-kept the cabin toasty warm.


Regarding the EV's- I'd be somewhat wary about their capacity in the -18 cel that we had last week..

Certainly a small onboard generator or somesuch to top up whilst in the jam would be good.

[robchalmers]

little honda GX160 genny sat in the boot?!!

[NeilBlanchard]

It is easy to implement traction control on an EV, so until the snow gets close to 2 feet deep, you won't get stuck. And four winters tires get you through almost anything. I live on a steep hill in New England, and I have never gotten stuck. It's the four wheel drives that are over confident that I see in the bushes and in the ditch...

Get some Nokian Hakka R or 5, or Michelin X-Ice 2, and in front wheel drive, learn how to drive in snow, and you'll be fine. Traction / stability control makes it virtually impossible to get stuck.

Insulating the vehicle makes a LOT of sense, both for cold and hot weather -- you get much better efficiency in all conditions by having an insulated vehicle.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

It is easy to implement traction control on an EV, so until the snow gets close to 2 feet deep, you won't get stuck.

It's not you getting stuck that's the problem, though. It's the several miles of cars stuck in front of you :-)

[NeilBlanchard]

True, James, true. But I don't think that an EV is particularly affected by this; any more than any vehicle.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

Not sure. On my SG it shows .2 GPH and my tank has a capacity of 12 gallons. Even if I only had 4 gallons in it would run for 20 hours. But I wouldn't run it all of the time if I was stuck.
.

My dodge uses up to 1gph when its very cold out as do many larger/older motors.

My buick used a 1/2 gph when it was cold idling.

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

True, James, true. But I don't think that an EV is particularly affected by this; any more than any vehicle.

One word. Heater.

[Ryland]

Heated seats are really the way to go, at 75 watts each even my electric car with it's small battery pack could sit with heated seats keep you warm for 60 hours if you started out with a full pack, you heat what needs to be heated, using the correct tool for the task, that is something that a gas car is not going to be able to do well because the battery on gas cars is small enough that in the winter you shouldn't really run anything without the engine running.

[Arragonis]

I'd like to add heated seats to Helga and if that is all it takes to power them it seems a worthwhile investment. Do you have a link ?