Electric Vehicles: General topics

[Eric]

Is the NACS charge handle button opening the port a NACS feature or a Tesla one? I'm not aware of any NACS vehicles that support opening the charge port with the button.

Chances are having a manual charge port door is better for reliability anyways. But I see you point.

I personally don't mind it in my I4 at all, in fact I'll take any of the basic manual features over all this touch screen stuff these days. Also, since we're only using the I4 for in town travel anymore we can charge at home all the time anyway so it's no big deal.

I've hijacked my wife's new X5 for most of my road trips now, mostly because it has all the auto drive features which are really nice and simple compared to Tesla. The other day I was filling it up with gas and reminded that in less than 5 minutes I get a full tank as opposed to hours of charging and pre-planning.

Driving an EV is a lifestyle change that I've come to accept to a certain extent but faces so many challenges when it comes to being a primary vehicle with the charging factor.

 

[Nycturne]

Is the NACS charge handle button opening the port a NACS feature or a Tesla one? I'm not aware of any NACS vehicles that support opening the charge port with the button.

Chances are having a manual charge port door is better for reliability anyways. But I see you point.

The button is definitely a Tesla thing, not NACS.

Reminds me that when the CCS vs NACS (before it was called NACS) stuff was raging in EV forums, one of the arguments was around the ergonomics. Specifically on how unwieldy EA cables are vs Supercharger. Even if I pointed out that the ergonomics of a network’s cables had nothing to do with the ergonomics of the connector itself, and everything to do with the specific implementation, it’d get dismissed. There are some more ergonomic plugs for CCS that are sadly uncommon in the US (but common in EU), and there are definitely ways you can make NACS unergonomic.

Now that NACS has won, we get to see some rather hilarious implementations of NACS like this one (timestamp set to the relevant point):

 

[Eric]

The button is definitely a Tesla thing, not NACS.

Reminds me that when the CCS vs NACS (before it was called NACS) stuff was raging in EV forums, one of the arguments was around the ergonomics. Specifically on how unwieldy EA cables are vs Supercharger. Even if I pointed out that the ergonomics of a network’s cables had nothing to do with the ergonomics of the connector itself, and everything to do with the specific implementation, it’d get dismissed. There are some more ergonomic plugs for CCS that are sadly uncommon in the US (but common in EU), and there are definitely ways you can make NACS unergonomic.

Now that NACS has won, we get to see some rather hilarious implementations of NACS like this one (timestamp set to the relevant point):

I'll just say that in my experience EV road trips suck even with Tesla. You have to basically plan your trip around charging, you'll spend hours both seeking out and sitting in stations. It was a one time thing for me that I'll never do again.

 

[diamond.g]

I personally don't mind it in my I4 at all, in fact I'll take any of the basic manual features over all this touch screen stuff these days. Also, since we're only using the I4 for in town travel anymore we can charge at home all the time anyway so it's no big deal.

I've hijacked my wife's new X5 for most of my road trips now, mostly because it has all the auto drive features which are really nice and simple compared to Tesla. The other day I was filling it up with gas and reminded that in less than 5 minutes I get a full tank as opposed to hours of charging and pre-planning.

Driving an EV is a lifestyle change that I've come to accept to a certain extent but faces so many challenges when it comes to being a primary vehicle with the charging factor.

I would love to get a non-tesla sedan with the performance of my Model 3 P, but to do so means I spend easily double what I paid for my vehicle. Which doesn't seem that appealing to me. I think that when my kids are adults I can switch to a 2 seater, I've been eying a 718 Cayman (assuming my line is still around in 8 years).

 

[Eric]

I would love to get a non-tesla sedan with the performance of my Model 3 P, but to do so means I spend easily double what I paid for my vehicle. Which doesn't seem that appealing to me. I think that when my kids are adults I can switch to a 2 seater, I've been eying a 718 Cayman (assuming my line is still around in 8 years).

The BMW I4 is not that much more than the Tesla Model 3, depending on options of course. I have a lot of experience with both now and regardless of personal feelings about Musk I can say the BMW is a far better car in nearly every way IMO.

The way I see it is that BMW has been making actual cars for more than 100 years so they know how to design them for comfort in and out, adding an EV just swaps out a power source is all. Tesla basically strapped a chassis onto a battery and added their own proprietary OS which initially had appeal but it's simply no comparison when it comes to comfort and build quality.

 

[cbum]

You have to basically plan your trip around charging

Which is why I like my 45mi - ICE-free PHEV... (with a 20mi commute).

 

[Citysnaps]

My wife and I are still loving our hybrid cars. They suit our lifestyle best. 13 gallon tank with a 500+ mile range for combined, city, and freeway. We gas up our cars around once a month or so, taking just a few minutes.

 

[diamond.g]

The BMW I4 is not that much more than the Tesla Model 3, depending on options of course. I have a lot of experience with both now and regardless of personal feelings about Musk I can say the BMW is a far better car in nearly every way IMO.

The way I see it is that BMW has been making actual cars for more than 100 years so they know how to design them for comfort in and out, adding an EV just swaps out a power source is all. Tesla basically strapped a chassis onto a battery and added their own proprietary OS which initially had appeal but it's simply no comparison when it comes to comfort and build quality.

The i4 doesn't match the M3/4 though. Which the Performance 3 does. The M3/4 is almost double the price of the Model 3 Performance.

 

[Eric]

The i4 doesn't match the M3/4 though. Which the Performance 3 does. The M3/4 is almost double the price of the Model 3 Performance.

I can't speak for the M4 but speaking for the M3 vs the I4, the I4 is hands down far superior by nearly every measure. Not sure where this info is coming from?

 

[Eric]

My wife and I are still loving our hybrid cars. They suit our lifestyle best. 13 gallon tank with a 500+ mile range for combined, city, and freeway. We gas up our cars around once a month or so, taking just a few minutes.

This is the way.

 

[Cmaier]

The i4 doesn't match the M3/4 though. Which the Performance 3 does. The M3/4 is almost double the price of the Model 3 Performance.

my last few cars were an eagle talon, porsche boxster, and tesla model s. My wife’s i4 is plenty fast enough for me. And whatever it gives up in pure speed it makes up for in driving, comfort, and features.

 

[Eric]

my last few cars were an eagle talon, porsche boxster, and tesla model s. My wife’s i4 is plenty fast enough for me. And whatever it gives up in pure speed it makes up for in driving, comfort, and features.

Yeah, maybe the Tesla has a little more juice coming from smashing the pedal? I wouldn't know because I just don't care about an extra second or two, I just want to get to the store, not win a race.

 

[Cmaier]

This is the way.

The engineer in me says “no!” just because of the inelegance. But, in reality, my next car may very well be a PHEV as long as it can go at least 65-70 miles on battery.

 

[Cmaier]

Yeah, maybe the Tesla has a little more juice coming from smashing the pedal? I wouldn't know because I just don't care about an extra second or two, I just want to get to the store, not win a race.

I drive “aggressively” but smashing the pedal isn’t worth it, at least in the model s. The tires melt pretty quickly. I go through a set a year as it is.

 

[diamond.g]

I can't speak for the M4 but speaking for the M3 vs the I4, the I4 is hands down far superior by nearly every measure. Not sure where this info is coming from?

Track times

my last few cars were an eagle talon, porsche boxster, and tesla model s. My wife’s i4 is plenty fast enough for me. And whatever it gives up in pure speed it makes up for in driving, comfort, and features.

I drive “aggressively” but smashing the pedal isn’t worth it, at least in the model s. The tires melt pretty quickly. I go through a set a year as it is.

It could be that I am much younger than you guys so speed is still novel to me. Before I had kids I used to drive like an absolute maniac. Could make it from Virginia Beach to DC in 2-3 hours in a beater, that poor car. I even bought a new motor to be built up for it, but sold the car before I could install it. I've since mellowed.

 

[Eric]

Track times

Which means very little in the real world, but great for tracks I guess.

 

[Citysnaps]

This is the way.

Probably not for everyone… but was surprised on how well it worked for us.

Initially I was skeptical.

 

[Cmaier]

It could be that I am much younger than you guys so speed is still novel to me. Before I had kids I used to drive like an absolute maniac. Could make it from Virginia Beach to DC in 2 hours in a beater, that poor car. I even bought a new motor to be built up for it, but sold the car before I could install it. I've since mellowed.

My last speeding ticket was in 1996. I was driving a Geo Metro from SFO to my apartment in fremont. I had rented the Metro when I first moved to California, in order to learn to drive stick on it. It didn’t have a tachometer, and was so small I could literally adjust the right mirror from the driver’s seat by putting my arm out the window. The CHP officer was so amused I managed to get the piece of junk to 85 MPH that he promised he wouldn’t show up in court as long as my driving record was clean (given that I had only gotten a California driver’s license days before, it was).

Anyway, yeah, driving like a maniac has lost its allure for me. I accelerate and decelerate hard (I learned to drive in NY, and my dad - a former NYC cabbie - taught me), but I don’t speed by much. Really not much opportunity here, anyway. Last time I drove >100 was taking the boxster down route 5 from silicon valley to LA.

Also why I chose the xdrive 60 version of the ix this time instead of the m70. I only get 536 HP instead of 650 HP, but I get 360 miles range instead of 300. 0-60 in 4.4 seconds is plenty good enough for me. Didn’t make sense paying all that extra money to get 0-60 down to 3.6 seconds and give up 60 miles range.

 

[diamond.g]

Which means very little in the real world, but great for tracks I guess.

That could be true.

 

[diamond.g]

My last speeding ticket was in 1996. I was driving a Geo Metro from SFO to my apartment in fremont. I had rented the Metro when I first moved to California, in order to learn to drive stick on it. It didn’t have a tachometer, and was so small I could literally adjust the right mirror from the driver’s seat by putting my arm out the window. The CHP officer was so amused I managed to get the piece of junk to 85 MPH that he promised he wouldn’t show up in court as long as my driving record was clean (given that I had only gotten a California driver’s license days before, it was).

Anyway, yeah, driving like a maniac has lost its allure for me. I accelerate and decelerate hard (I learned to drive in NY, and my dad - a former NYC cabbie - taught me), but I don’t speed by much. Really not much opportunity here, anyway. Last time I drove >100 was taking the boxster down route 5 from silicon valley to LA.

Also why I chose the xdrive 60 version of the ix this time instead of the m70. I only get 536 HP instead of 650 HP, but I get 360 miles range instead of 300. 0-60 in 4.4 seconds is plenty good enough for me. Didn’t make sense paying all that extra money to get 0-60 down to 3.6 seconds and give up 60 miles range.

I just started highschool in 1996...