EV and advice from any users please!

GeoffCapes

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also read real world account of guy in North America who crosses that state in fewest charges / lowest cost. He only ever charges to 80% so maybe this is a universal optimum?

What effect does that have on the battery if not fully charged every time?

I seem to recall that when you get a new iPhone they advise you to fully charge it as opposed to part charges to prolong the life of the battery.
 

RodTungsten

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What effect does that have on the battery if not fully charged every time?

I seem to recall that when you get a new iPhone they advise you to fully charge it as opposed to part charges to prolong the life of the battery.
It is also a speed thing. 20-80% is optimal but 80-100% can be quite slow.
 

Ewan

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also read real world account of guy in North America who crosses that state in fewest charges / lowest cost. He only ever charges to 80% so maybe this is a universal optimum?
Correct. Cost-wise it's best to only charge to 80%. To fully charge the battery takes a lot more time (and therefore cost) than just the apparent extra 20%.
Hence it is very rare that we fully charge ours. Indeed, we usually have our car set to only charge up to 80% capacity.
 

Ewan

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In most 100% displayed in not 100% charged, so in theory if you only go to 80% displayed you have only done 80% of 80 or so %
On our E-Tron, 80% charged is actually 80% charged. So, in real-World driving, we get (approximately) 220 miles from a full charge, and 180 miles from an 80% charge.
 

lozcb

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The Fred Flintstone at the back of my mind has thus far kept me in the dark as far as EV or hybrids are concerned ............my gut feeling is were being lead down another Sony beta versus VHS road all over again with Hydrogen being the purest and truest green way forward so ive deliberately held back , but just spied a 2021 Kuga hybrid that could be my next project .....................anyone got any views or experience on them
 

RodTungsten

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On our E-Tron, 80% charged is actually 80% charged. So, in real-World driving, we get (approximately) 220 miles from a full charge, and 180 miles from an 80% charge.

(It is said that…..) when Renault leased the EV batteries some kWh were ‘hidden’ by the battery management system BMS so that when visible capacity fell below the replacement threshold then the BMS added in the hidden kWh to avoid replacement.
 

davy83

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(It is said that…..) when Renault leased the EV batteries some kWh were ‘hidden’ by the battery management system BMS so that when visible capacity fell below the replacement threshold then the BMS added in the hidden kWh to avoid replacement.
I believe all the battery capacities contain a certain amount of hidden capacity. They never completely charge the batteries so 100% must be below the max or you would never reach it, which would probably seem annoying. I think adding a little later in life when the capacity degrades is definitely on the cards, and also provides some safety margin with these high power chargers.
 

safrane

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So an interesting couple of days in Dorking and Sutton whist I am away for a few days.

Sutton network of lampposts based chargers were useless. Either blocked by residents not charging or just blocked with normal cars.

Tesco was in use with 4 cars non of which moved for the 20 mins I waited and then I got fed up of said waiting.

BP and Shell rapid chargers had a queue and so did the ones at Asda and Morrisons.

The only ones that were free were in a carpark that had a 30min limit!!!

We have some way to go before batteries can take over... pleased I had petrol to fall back on.

Only a rapid charger in the outskirts of Dorking which I used last night for a hour much to the disgust of a Zoe driver... at least she was nice to look at despite her sulks.
 

ScottH

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I think I read comments from Elon musk a while ago saying 80% is optimal for battery life and anything over that takes disproportionately longer / almost detrimental anyway… but who knows whether he’d been smoking anything that day
 

RodTungsten

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London and surroundings Epsom, Sutton, Cheam are a nightmare for charge congestion. It had to happen as EV cars race ahead of charging services. Those Siemens lamppost chargers are a joke - special lead needed, probably <3kWh and no dedicated parking.
Thankfully offspring there have off street chargers for their own EV’s and they don’t ask for payment (yet) :)
 

rockits

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Sold my work Outlander PHEV Commercial now as is less relevent or useful than it was 3 years ago. Have to pay CC now and can get I to London on battery but can't get out again.

Just replaced it with a 2005 Cayenne Petrol for the moment until I've decided on how to replace it.
Never driven a Cayenne before and amazed how well, flat and roll free it negotiates corners.
 

rockits

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Wife's MG ZS EV is still doing a great cost effective job at the local/school/kids stuff.

We just charge at home on a charger here and never use any public chargers luckily.
 

Felonious Crud

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Sold my work Outlander PHEV Commercial now as is less relevent or useful than it was 3 years ago. Have to pay CC now and can get I to London on battery but can't get out again.

Just replaced it with a 2005 Cayenne Petrol for the moment until I've decided on how to replace it.
Never driven a Cayenne before and amazed how well, flat and roll free it negotiates corners.
That's a good switch, Dean!
 

safrane

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Wife's MG ZS EV is still doing a great cost effective job at the local/school/kids stuff.

We just charge at home on a charger here and never use any public chargers luckily.

Indeed... that's what I do 99% of the time... but when away from home for a few days...
 

rockits

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Do
Just don't look at the average mpg
LOL....never a great idea!

The XJ doesn't seem so bad as average 24mpg and don't do many long journeys so always surprised me. Even 30mpg on a run. Not sure any Maserati I've had ever achieved this but that would be kind of missing the point really. I'd not have it any other way either.
 

rockits

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Indeed... that's what I do 99% of the time... but when away from home for a few days...
As you say most of the time it is fine but still seems to you need an ICE option to compliment the EV. Trouble is unless they grow the infrastructure faster than the EV growth it will continue to be an issue.
 

safrane

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As you say most of the time it is fine but still seems to you need an ICE option to compliment the EV. Trouble is unless they grow the infrastructure faster than the EV growth it will continue to be an issue.

Home now...

Back in 2019 there were 11 EVs for each public charger. In 2020 that grew to 16 per public charger. 2021 saw a significant increase in EVs so I suspect its c20 now.

As you say, still need other options for now.