Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Hottest Electric Vehicles Leave Winter Drivers Out in the Cold
The Daily Caller ^ | 12/14/13 | Giuseppe Macri

Posted on 12/14/2013 3:59:04 PM PST by chiller

Engineering breakthroughs like the Tesla Model S may be burning up the electric car market (figuratively and literally), but they’re leaving drivers cold and under-powered in the face of Old Man Winter.

Cold temperatures have adverse effects on batteries, slowing down the incoming and outgoing flow of energy and inevitably losing some in the process. The 250-mile average range of an electric car in normal climate conditions can see its performance reduced by 70-miles on a single charge in average winter conditions. The colder it gets, the shorter than range.

Not only that, the average winter driver tends to turn up the heat — a function that also puts a draw on the battery uncommon during other seasons.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailycaller.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government
KEYWORDS: electricvehicles
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 321-340 next last
To: chiller

The Tesla, like most electric cars, is a rich person’s toy.

As for the Tesla being attractive and fast, there are a lot of beautiful and fast sedans once that $100,000 neighborhood is reached. The Porsche Panamera is about the same size and price.


21 posted on 12/14/2013 4:24:00 PM PST by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: chiller
What is resistance heating ?

You take a coil of bare wire (like a small spring) and run electricity through it, it gets red hot.

You blow air over it to extract the heat.

22 posted on 12/14/2013 4:26:30 PM PST by ROCKLOBSTER (Celebrate "Republicans Freed the Slaves" Month.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: chiller

I suppose they could always carry a gasolene heater
with them of course a wood stove would be greener.


23 posted on 12/14/2013 4:27:02 PM PST by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steven Tyler

pallet of hand warmers....? They’d weigh too much, drain the battery.


24 posted on 12/14/2013 4:27:22 PM PST by chiller (NBCNews et al is in the tank and should be embarrassed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: chiller

I own an 85 kwh Tesla Model S.

I can get up to 300 miles of range.

20% reduction if it is really cold if you preheat the car while it is plugged in.

Worst case scenario is 230 miles of range if it below freezing and you have to warm the car on the road.

Norway has the highest per capital Tesla ownership in the world.

Money to fuel my car does not bolster the international price of oil and get filtered to Iran, Russia, Venezuela, and Al Qaeda.


25 posted on 12/14/2013 4:28:21 PM PST by Reaganez
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: chiller
Not only that, the average winter driver tends to turn up the heat — a function that also puts a draw on the battery uncommon during other seasons.

I'm not defending electric vehicles, but this line is bull. The average summer driver tends to turn up the air conditioning - a function that also puts a draw on the battery uncommon during other seasons.

26 posted on 12/14/2013 4:28:43 PM PST by Yo-Yo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: McGruff

Until the late 1930’s, most cars did not have a factory-installed heater unit. Those that did have any kind of “heating” for the driver and passengers relied upon a sleeve that wrapped around the exhaust manifold, and directed a flow of this heated air into the cabin. It would either asphyxiate the occupants (through leaking carbon monoxide from a failing exhaust gasket), or scorch them pretty thoroughly, as there was not much modulation of the heat levels delivered. Mostly, you wrapped in a steerhide robe and put a warming stone beside your feet, or you stayed home when it was cold.

It was probably only about 1935 or so that a small version of a radiator, that was attached as an aftermarket accessory, with a shroud having doors that could be opened and closed, and a fan, became readily available.

I believe this was sold under the trade name “South Wind”.

Even as late as 1950, the most inexpensive Ford line still had a heater as “optional equipment”. The more expensive lines had the heater as “standard equipment”.


27 posted on 12/14/2013 4:29:16 PM PST by alloysteel (Those who deny natural climate change are forever doomed to stupidity. AGW is a LIE.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: ROCKLOBSTER

Thanks for the explanation. I never knew....never thought about it actually. And never knew that’s called resistance heating.


28 posted on 12/14/2013 4:30:38 PM PST by chiller (NBCNews et al is in the tank and should be embarrassed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: carriage_hill; chiller

>> “Why would a vehicle which is 10-15% battery, run-down so fast?” <<

.
Electric resistance heating, the only source of heat in an electric car, is the most inefficient use of energy there is.

Electric cars are a solution in search of a problem, and introduce 100s of problems of their own.


29 posted on 12/14/2013 4:30:50 PM PST by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: chiller

Cold drains batteries. The Pope is Catholic. Bears crap in the woods.


30 posted on 12/14/2013 4:31:25 PM PST by Darren McCarty (Abortion - legalized murder for convenience)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: chiller
In January of '11 I drove my diesel up to northern Quebec (well north of Montreal) and spent the night.When I arrived at 7PM it was -10F and when I started out at 8AM next morning it was -31F.The thing started like a champ and after about 15 minutes on the road I started to get some heat (diesels warm up more slowly than gas engines).Soon after you wouldn't know there was anything unusual going on...the thing ran like a top.

My guess is that a Tesla wouldn't have done nearly as well.

31 posted on 12/14/2013 4:31:43 PM PST by Gay State Conservative (Osama Obama Care: A Religion That Will Have You On Your Knees!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: McGruff
Ever driven a VW bug? Lol.
32 posted on 12/14/2013 4:32:02 PM PST by dhs12345
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Yo-Yo

True, Yo-Yo, but cold weather drain is considerably worse than summer.


33 posted on 12/14/2013 4:33:55 PM PST by chiller (NBCNews et al is in the tank and should be embarrassed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: chiller
Well, the article provides a simple solution:

If drivers can carefully plan their charge times and stops, the problem can largely be avoided.

It only means that instead of getting into your car and driving to the store where you need to buy a certain item, you need to fire up your computer first, start Google Earth, and schedule your trip in great detail. You have to check the temperature along the route, and all possible detours that you may be forced to take, and all possible traffic problems (current or future.) You must also account for the time of the day because headlights need power too. The state of the road surface also matters - is it dry, wet, icy, or has snow on it. Finally, you need to calculate the temperature of the battery pack along the route; specifically, account for the time that you spend at the store because the car will cool down. (Make sure there are no lines to the cash registers.)

This can't possibly take more than an hour or two of your time. But certainly "Saving the Planet" is worth it. Once you are armed with all that knowledge you can then figure out if your luxury car can make it there or not. If it can't, stay at home. Tell yourself that you didn't really want to go anyway. If it can, go to your destination, and hope that nothing ever goes wrong. Have a phone number of a friendly towing service at hand.

34 posted on 12/14/2013 4:35:59 PM PST by Greysard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jjotto

The Model S starts at $70k while the Panamera starts at $78K.

Models S made in America while Panamera in Germany.

Model S runs on American natural gas, coal, nuclear, solar, hydro,and wind electricity whose price is determined by American supply and demand.

Half of America’s oil is imported. The price of oil is determined by international supply and demand. And marginal international supply is largely determined by the Saudis which means they have an oversized influence on price.

And a large amount of the international flow of petro dollars goes from Western Countries to the enemies of the West.


35 posted on 12/14/2013 4:36:08 PM PST by Reaganez
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: chiller

Summer driving in hot states will produce similar results.

Air conditioners will drain the batteries & hot batteries can explode.


36 posted on 12/14/2013 4:36:40 PM PST by Mister Da (The mark of a wise man is not what he knows, but what he knows he doesn't know!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: alloysteel
Even as late as 1950, the most inexpensive Ford line still had a heater as “optional equipment”.

During the 50's my family once went down to Florida during the winter.We had a Ford rental (I remember that well) that didn't have a heater.We hit at least a bit of unusually cold weather while there and I remember my mother complaining bitterly about no heat in the car.

37 posted on 12/14/2013 4:37:00 PM PST by Gay State Conservative (Osama Obama Care: A Religion That Will Have You On Your Knees!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Reaganez

Which strip of California are you ?


38 posted on 12/14/2013 4:37:21 PM PST by chiller (NBCNews et al is in the tank and should be embarrassed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: chiller

The specialized wire has a high electrical resistance to the passage of electrons...like a light bulb filament.


39 posted on 12/14/2013 4:37:22 PM PST by ROCKLOBSTER (Celebrate "Republicans Freed the Slaves" Month.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Reaganez
Money to fuel my car does not bolster the international price of oil and get filtered to Iran, Russia, Venezuela, and Al Qaeda.

Really? So, what fuels the electric power generators where you live?

40 posted on 12/14/2013 4:38:46 PM PST by Covenantor ("Men are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern." Chesterton)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 321-340 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson