Electric Cars (Page 21): Not the charger. It was on both Fox News and the CBS evening news interviewing multiple people and showing EVs being towed off. Batteries become less efficient...

bikinkawboy Loc: north central Missouri

rcarol wrote:

I would be suspect of the charger.

Not the charger. It was on both Fox News and the CBS evening news interviewing multiple people and showing EVs being towed off.

Batteries become less efficient at producing current as they get colder. That’s why they talk about in really cold weather carrying extra camera batteries in your pocket to keep them warm. When the cold one fizzles out you swap in a warm one and warm up the cold one to swap again when the other one gets too cold.

bikinkawboy Loc: north central Missouri

Dikdik wrote:

It might be the climate... weather is only short t... (show quote)

Don’t forget that often times the weather stations are in town where acres and acres of land have been paved over with asphalt and concrete. Large block or metal buildings will also continue to radiate heat into the evening.

Anyone who has ever ridden a motorcycle in hot weather will agree that there is a substantial difference between in town and out of town temperatures in late day and evening. Especially in more urbanized areas, the increased temperatures are no doubt associated with the removal of all of the vegetation by highways, parking lots, buildings, roofs on houses and so on.

Again, motorcyclists are aware of the difference in temperatures between desert or drought afflicted areas and when you go past an irrigated crop field. Much cooler.

So I bet a lot of warming temperatures in urban areas are caused more by man made structures than by man made greenhouse gases.

Haenzel Loc: South Holland, The Netherlands

bikinkawboy wrote:

Not the charger. It was on both Fox News and the CBS evening news interviewing multiple people and showing EVs being towed off.

Batteries become less efficient at producing current as they get colder. That’s why they talk about in really cold weather carrying extra camera batteries in your pocket to keep them warm. When the cold one fizzles out you swap in a warm one and warm up the cold one to swap again when the other one gets too cold.

EV's normally have a possibility to automatically warm up the batteries just before fast charging. Use the sat nav and the batteries will be warmed up prior to charging.

Mr. SONY Loc: LI, NY

Again, motorcyclists are aware of the difference in temperatures between desert or drought afflicted areas and when you go past an irrigated crop field. Much cooler.

I could feel the difference in temperature riding down a local street.
More so than riding down a highway.

Dikdik Loc: Winnipeg, Canada

EVs are in their infancy... and there will be changes it the future to 'iron out the wrinkles'. With the reduction of the carbon footprint, EVs and renewable power will likely be the way of the future.

Blaster34 Loc: Florida Treasure Coast

bikinkawboy wrote:

Don’t forget that often times the weather stations... (show quote)

Yep, there's a term for that called the 'Heat Island" where the cities are far warmer than the surrounding areas because of manmade structures.

Dikdik Loc: Winnipeg, Canada

warmer...

Mr. SONY Loc: LI, NY

Sirsnapalot wrote:

They should be taxed at the charging stations, including their home car chargers, equivalent to fuel taxes on non EV cars.

The problem with that is,
Level one and two chargers are portable and can be plugged in wherever there is a 110 or 200 volt outlet.
How do you tax them?

National Park

Jimmy T wrote:

"I never had any interest in buying an EV, bu... (show quote)

I've had an electric hybrid (Prius Prime) for 3+ years and absolutely love it. Electric hybrids are the way to go! It's the best of both worlds.

bikinkawboy Loc: north central Missouri

Haenzel wrote:

EV's normally have a possibility to automatically warm up the batteries just before fast charging. Use the sat nav and the batteries will be warmed up prior to charging.

I read about that being a feature to warm the battery up before charging. That sounds like a great idea except…

If your battery has enough charge left to warm itself up enough to accept a charge, then it probably doesn’t need a charge. If the battery is too cold to make the car go, then it’s probably too cold to warm itself up. That battery warmer sounds like a feature that works great when you don’t need it but doesn’t work when you do need it. Am I missing something here?

Wyantry Loc: SW Colorado

bikinkawboy wrote:

I read about that being a feature to warm the battery up before charging. That sounds like a great idea except…

If your battery has enough charge left to warm itself up enough to accept a charge, then it probably doesn’t need a charge. If the battery is too cold to make the car go, then it’s probably too cold to warm itself up. That battery warmer sounds like a feature that works great when you don’t need it but doesn’t work when you do need it. Am I missing something here?

Sounds like you nailed it to me.

Wyantry Loc: SW Colorado

National Park wrote:

I've had an electric hybrid (Prius Prime) for 3+ years and absolutely love it. Electric hybrids are the way to go! It's the best of both worlds.

I agree the idea of a plug-in HYBRID is the best current option.

For short trips — no gasoline engine & thus no pollution. For longer travels — the accustomed convenience of long-distances between refuelings and numerous fueling locations.

As well as proven reliability and no cold weather concerns.

SteveFranz Loc: Durham, NC

bikinkawboy wrote:

I read about that being a feature to warm the battery up before charging. That sounds like a great idea except…

If your battery has enough charge left to warm itself up enough to accept a charge, then it probably doesn’t need a charge. If the battery is too cold to make the car go, then it’s probably too cold to warm itself up. That battery warmer sounds like a feature that works great when you don’t need it but doesn’t work when you do need it. Am I missing something here?

Going back a few years - actually many years - in cold weather areas cars would get aftermarket block heaters. These would plug into electric outlets and keep the engine block just warm enough to keep the motor oil from solidifying. Many town had outlets on the parking meters, motels advertised outdoor outlets. Going retro might be the answer to the EV cold battery problem.

Retina Loc: Near Charleston,SC

SteveFranz wrote:

Going back a few years - actually many years - in cold weather areas cars would get aftermarket block heaters. These would plug into electric outlets and keep the engine block just warm enough to keep the motor oil from solidifying. Many town had outlets on the parking meters, motels advertised outdoor outlets. Going retro might be the answer to the EV cold battery problem.

I recall my dad putting a dipstick heater in his '58 Chevy Nomad even with the car in an enclosed, attached garage.

Wyantry Loc: SW Colorado

SteveFranz wrote:

Going back a few years - actually many years - in cold weather areas cars would get aftermarket block heaters. These would plug into electric outlets and keep the engine block just warm enough to keep the motor oil from solidifying. Many town had outlets on the parking meters, motels advertised outdoor outlets. Going retro might be the answer to the EV cold battery problem.

The “plug in” outlets are still a feature in Northern areas. AK, MT, ND, WY that I know of. Probably many other cold weather locations.