The Joys of Driving an EV

[Ridgeratt]

The Joys of Driving an EV



Guess I won't buy an electric car. 

 

Interesting story

 

From an anonymous State Trooper:

I’m not a fan of all electric vehicles. Too many variables affecting battery consumption. Definitely not suited for cold climates. The following experience just cements my distaste for EV’s, especially Tesla's.

 

I get sent to a motorist assist the other day, at the start of our snow storm. Tesla on the side of the interstate, dead battery. So I arrive on scene and the occupants have the right-front door open. They tell me that they can’t open any other doors, because the battery is dead. Sure enough. Can’t open the doors from inside or outside.

 

The driver also can’t get her license out of the glove box where she put it during their trip. Because the glovebox opens electronically… and the battery is dead. You actually have to use the computer in the center of the dash to open the glovebox.

 

They said they had 10% battery left, should’ve been plenty to get from that location to the charging station nearby. Then all of a sudden the whole car shut off and they coasted to the shoulder.

 

So now I have to find them a tow. No one wants to tow EV’s. Finally found one company to do it. 8 mile trip to the charging station in Tomah. $1,000! Normal vehicle on the flatbed would’ve been $150.

 

So now we’re at the Tesla superchargers. Guess what. Can’t open the f’n charging port because the battery is dead!!! The ports open, you guessed it, electronically!!!  <https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t1/1/16/1f926_1f3fc_200d_2642.png>  <https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t82/1/16/1f92c.png> . And we also can’t open the doors now (had to close the one open door when it was loaded onto the wrecker). The owners manual is in the on board computer, but the battery is dead.

 

I got the occupants to a store where they’d be warm while calling the rental company to figure out how to charge this POS, so I’m not sure of the outcome. I had to leave for a crash report.

 

I’ll stick with my dinosaur burner.

 

(Just my little add-on - anyone who buys an electric car deserves it!!!!!)

 

[trophyhunt]

Do EV vehicles comes with superman capes??  I wonder if the people that buy them see themselves as hero's ?  Not knowing they are terrible for our planet.....

[7mmfan]

The fact that you cannot manually override things like a glovebox and charging port is ridiculous, but these are all parts of the car that the customer should be familiar with and aware of. Just like most products out there, they all have limitations and common sense should play some roll in understanding those limitations. I.E.: Batteries die faster in the cold. These guys apparently thought 10% battery lift was plenty to get to the charging station, but that probably isn't the case when it's a blizzard and single digits outside. If I was in that position, I wouldn't have risked it. So many of the problems people seem to run into today with technology stem from a basic misunderstanding of how that technology works and it's limitations.

[huntnphool]

 Hard to believe the manufacturers don’t have something worked out for these types of situations.

[Angry Perch]

You can manually open doors. Also, my understanding is than none of this works off the main power battery. It runs off a separate 12V battery that would (should) still have plenty of power if the driver battery is toast. There are also jump lugs so you can hook up jumper cables and power all of that stuff. that being said, no thanks on the EV for me.

[baker5150]

You can manually open doors. Also, my understanding is than none of this works off the main power battery. It runs off a separate 12V battery that would (should) still have plenty of power if the driver battery is toast. There are also jump lugs so you can hook up jumper cables and power all of that stuff. that being said, no thanks on the EV for me.

 

Separate power source and manual operation.  (On tesla, not sure on others)

Anyone ever had a key fob battery die on a push-to-start vehicle?
How do you start the car?

Ever had a battery go dead on a late model Ford Explorer?  If you have, you know the pain.

People are just too lazy or too stupid to educate themselves on what do in an adverse situation.  That, or owners manuals are too hard to read.

[CP]

[HntnFsh]

You can manually open doors. Also, my understanding is than none of this works off the main power battery. It runs off a separate 12V battery that would (should) still have plenty of power if the driver battery is toast. There are also jump lugs so you can hook up jumper cables and power all of that stuff. that being said, no thanks on the EV for me.

 

Separate power source and manual operation.  (On tesla, not sure on others)

Anyone ever had a key fob battery die on a push-to-start vehicle?
How do you start the car?

Ever had a battery go dead on a late model Ford Explorer?  If you have, you know the pain.

People are just too lazy or too stupid to educate themselves on what do in an adverse situation.  That, or owners manuals are too hard to read.

Most if not all cars with a push button start have a spot to place your fob if the fob batter is weak or dead. usually in the center console.

[jackelope]

Lots of this doesn’t make sense.

Why does it cost almost 7x more to tow an electric car which is the same size as any other car? Where’s the logic in that?

The EV battery died and the 12v battery died too? Mysteriously at the same time?

I’m not buying any electric cars anytime soon, but if we’re going to be criticizing these things, understand how they work first so you can tell fact from fiction.

[jackelope]

There’s a 12v power connection to jump the 12v battery (which runs all the electric stuff that this story claims no longer works once the EV battery goes dead) in the front bumper fascia. So if it does actually all go dead, you just hook some jumper cables or a jump box to that and everything that doesn’t work in this story will work.

Come on, people!!

[Iveexcaped3]

Just bought a diesel to make up for 5 teslas.

[haftard]

Lots of this doesn’t make sense.

Why does it cost almost 7x more to tow an electric car which is the same size as any other car? Where’s the logic in that?

The EV battery died and the 12v battery died too? Mysteriously at the same time?

I’m not buying any electric cars anytime soon, but if we’re going to be criticizing these things, understand how they work first so you can tell fact from fiction.

I’m pretty sure it’s due to the regenerative breaking systems in the car. Just pushing or trying to roll the car can mess it up and do a lot of damage.

[broadhead]

Just bought a diesel to make up for 5 teslas.

[Stein]

Good story, interesting that people are so bent out of shape over what their neighbor drives they feel the need to make up stuff.  Drive whatever you want.

[jackelope]

Lots of this doesn’t make sense.

Why does it cost almost 7x more to tow an electric car which is the same size as any other car? Where’s the logic in that?

The EV battery died and the 12v battery died too? Mysteriously at the same time?

I’m not buying any electric cars anytime soon, but if we’re going to be criticizing these things, understand how they work first so you can tell fact from fiction.

I’m pretty sure it’s due to the regenerative breaking systems in the car. Just pushing or trying to roll the car can mess it up and do a lot of damage.

Tow trucks come in here every day. I’ll ask next time I see one. Also tow trucks come in here with AWD cars on dollies all the time too which would eliminate any concern for pushing or rolling. Also we push hybrids with regenerative brake systems all the time without issue.

[Platensek-po]

Could it be because of the weight? I was told EVs weigh a lot more than a standard vehicle of the same size due to the batteries. It’s part of why they are expensive to register cause the state charges by weight of the vehicle.

[CP]

Here's something that a standard ICE powered car can't do, at least not for very long:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TffjPTYfqkk

[jackelope]

Could it be because of the weight? I was told EVs weigh a lot more than a standard vehicle of the same size due to the batteries. It’s part of why they are expensive to register cause the state charges by weight of the vehicle.

Same truck tows them all.

[baldopepper]

My biggest problem with the EV"s is how quiet they are. I walk 4-5 miles every morning and with no sidewalks I'm on the edge of the road.  Those ev's sneak up on me and the dog and we both jump about 3" in the air when they whose past from behind us. LOL

[Jpmiller]

I have to have quite a few vehicles towed that park in temporary construction no parking zones. Haven't had any tow truck drivers complain or treat EVs and different.

I had the key fob die on our backup diesel a few months back, that is as a huge headache and that is as just to try and get around the stupid ignition shutoff.