Posted on 02/15/2023 1:35:02 AM PST by Libloather
Taking an electric car on a road trip can be a stressful experience - at least according to a couple who took their Kia EV6 on a cross-country trip from Michigan to Florida.
Axios reporter Joann Muller said her husband took the electric car on a 1,500 mile road trip - she joined him part-way through - to see if the US is truly ready for mass EV adoption. While electric cars are becoming more prevalent, charging infrastructure isn't quite what it should be, Muller wrote.
"We were constantly thinking about where to charge next," Muller wrote of her experience during the trip. "It occupied our minds more than where to eat or spend the night."
They stopped 12 times to recharge the car, which has an estimated battery range of 274 miles, over the course of the 1,500 mile, four-day journey, and that charging times were between 20 to 55 minutes.
The reporter said that while they were never afraid of getting stranded, the trip took a lot more planning than it would have with a traditional combustion-engine vehicle. The couple had to juggle "route-planning apps and billing accounts with various charging companies, which can get confusing," as well as dealing with "glitchy" chargers.
Muller said her husband drove the car alone from Detroit to Washington DC, where they met up to head to Florida. During his solo portion of the trip, he said he was so "anxious" about the drain cold temperatures would have on the battery that he didn't use the cabin heat, choosing instead to rely on the heated steering wheel and seats.
While EV range continues to improve, charging infrastructure still poses a major hurdle for electric-vehicle adoption.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Post of the day! And it’s still early. Consider it stolen.
My wife and I enjoyed our Nevada trek. From Las Vegas, we headed up US 95 to Tonopah, then went on the “Extraterrestrial Highway” to Rachel, where they have a monument for the movie “Independence Day”. Had lunch at the Little A’Le’Inn, then checked out the mailbox by the entrance to Area 51.
The most exciting time was when we took US 93 back to Vegas. All of a sudden, my wife yelled “Oh my GOD!” and the car shook. I looked out my window and saw an Air Force jet climbing away from us. Later on, a friend told us that the guys at Nellis Air Force Base get a kick out of buzzing cars on the highway.
Of course the ad was in a Colliers magazine from 1902
Can hardly wait for the EV remake of “The Cannonball Run” - will make the feminist remake of “Ghostbusters” look like high art.
That should be on the bumpers of ICE vehicles everywhere.
Yes, officer! While we were recharging our EV, we were attacked by sloths!
The DIMs want us riding bicycles, wearing masks and eating bugs.
They didn’t check to see that both were open.
They made it to the second one, but thought they’d be stranded.
...We were constantly thinking...
Should’ve done that before buying an EV
“They stopped 12 times to recharge the car, which has an estimated battery range of 274 miles, over the course of the 1,500 mile, four-day journey, and that charging times were between 20 to 55 minutes.”
Let’s see, with my car I get about 350 miles between gasoline stops during highway driving - can’t say that I’ve worried about no gas being available, at least for the past 40+ years. So, my stops would have been at 350, 700, 1050, and 1400 miles - so 4 stops, each being 10 minutes, so 40 minutes of down-time. Maybe another 30 minutes for rest areas if I bring others, so 70 minutes total...just over an hour.
For the above, figure 35 minutes each stop, and 12 stops - so 420 minutes - 7 hours*.
Yea, I know, I can’t Virtue Signal with my gasoline car, though.
*try the same on a holiday travel day, and you’ll be waiting 2 hours just to get started with the charging, so figure 31 hours for holidays.
they will be staffed with bars, restaurants and overnight accommodation. I can see a pirate rescue service of diesel generators charging extortionate prices to provide emergency charging services.
“Anyone notice that the cost of each recharge wasn’t mentioned. How much is a “fill-up”?”
At high speed charging stations, the last I looked, the per-mile cost is roughly the same as for gasoline cars. But EVs are cheaper if you charge at home.
“They tell you to make damn sure your car’s tank is full before taking the trek. Trying it with an EV? No thanks.”
And even if there are charging stations on that route, and even if they’re not broken when you leave, who says they won’t be broken when you arrive to charge up, or that your app has update information?
It took four days from Michigan to Florida? I think I could do it in 1 day (with Mrs Deplorable and my driving legal age kids). My brother and his wife took their Corvette from Hartford to Ft Myers in 27 hours, stopping for gas and restrooms.
The deep state does not want common people to be able to take extended trips via private transport. The government wants the people dependent on public transportation which it can control.
Tagline.
Darwin nominees.
“It takes a special kind of stupid to think you can take a 1500 mile trip in a car that needs recharged every 200-250 miles. Then add recharge time. Anyone notice that the cost of each recharge wasn’t mentioned. How much is a “fill-up”?”
Some guy and his gf posted a thing on twatter about their journey in an electric car. For a partial fill-up, increasing their range to just over 60 miles, they paid $20 and it took them about an hour of charging time. The guy was laughing his butt off: “What a SCAM this is!”
The range of travel is reduced if you use your air conditioner, headlights, etc, since everything including the motor is draining the battery.
Electric vehicles are a great idea if you just want to travel - slowly - around town. They are a terrible idea otherwise.
Having electric cars be mandated by government?
Every person needs to do whatever is within his capabilities to eliminate electoral fraud. And socialism. It’s only been THREE YEARS since socialism took over here in the US. I kinda don’t want to see what it’ll be like in another three years, ya know? If we don’t fix our damaged electoral process, we’ll be scrounging out of dumpsters by then.
Also, hold on to your old gas-powered vehicle, even if it’s kind of a clunker. Things are going to get worse before they get better.
A few years back I took a BMW EV (i3) on an overnight test drive. To say I was profoundly unimpressed would be an understatement.
What was un impressive about it?
Just curious.
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