Cont: Electric Vehicles II

[arthwollipot]

How fast are you driving? We drive 5 mph over the posted speed limit which means there are long stretches with the cruise set to 90 mph. Would these speeds impact your range?

That is dangerously illegal in this country. Top speed permitted on Australian freeways is 110kph, which I think is about 65mph. If you're going 145kph, you're going to be pulled over and you'll get a VERY big fine and probably your license will be revoked.

I believe there's still one short stretch of outback SA where there's no posted speed limit, but apart from that you're done, son.

 

[427 Cobra]

Given your handle, you remind me of a bit like my friend. He used to purchase a new Corvette every two years.

Our daily driver is a Lincoln Nautilus hybrid. The Cobra will beat you to death in a hundred miles.

We find ourselves driving to the east coast at least twice a year. For example, this year we have the Daytona 500 in February and the NASCAR championships in Homestead, FL, in November. We are also considering a trip to visit my sister in North Virginia in May.

We have the Lincoln, a Cobra, and a 1930 Model A Fordor. We have looked at EVs, but we just don't think they would be practical for us.

 

[acbytesla]

This raises a few questions for me.

How long does your 20 minute stop really take, including exiting the freeway, finding the charger, charging, and getting back on the freeway?

How fast are you driving? We drive 5 mph over the posted speed limit which means there are long stretches with the cruise set to 90 mph. Would these speeds impact your range?

Is it advisable to drain the batteries to 20% in an unknown area? In many parts of western USA the towns are more than 100 miles apart.

I am reminded of the guy that blew up a Tesla Truck at the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. He rented the truck in Colorado (Boulder, IIRC), and it took him three days to make the drive. The direct route is 750 miles, an easy day's drive. To keep the truck charged, he took the long way through Albuquerque, 1050 miles. Did it take him three days because he was a slacker?

The guy is an idiot. If you really want to know check out that YouTube link. https://youtube.com/@outofspecmotoring?si=XBP7vwXFwNYfTX_N

That channel and its associated channels is all about real world EV motoring. And they don't sugarcoat it. They hold regular long distance EV races involving different brands and models. Not really races as they limit speeds. It's more about the range of the car models and speed of charging. Which I'm afraid is all over the map.

Alternatively, rent one and find out for yourself.

 

[427 Cobra]

That is dangerously illegal in this country. Top speed permitted on Australian freeways is 110kph, which I think is about 65mph. If you're going 145kph, you're going to be pulled over and you'll get a VERY big fine and probably your license will be revoked.

Most of the freeways west of the Mississippi river and east of California are posted at 80 mph, except in major cities.

We never thought of 85 mph as dangerous. Judging by the rate that some people pass us, apparently others don't think it is dangerous, either.

 

[arthwollipot]

Most of the freeways west of the Mississippi river and east of California are posted at 80 mph, except in major cities.

We never thought of 85 mph as dangerous. Judging by the rate that some people pass us, apparently others don't think it is dangerous, either.

The faster you drive, the higher the probability of an accident being fatal. You will not survive a collision at that speed. How much do you trust other drivers?

 

[acbytesla]

Our daily driver is a Lincoln Nautilus hybrid. The Cobra will beat you to death in a hundred miles.

Yea, but you very well could die in the Cobra. That's a hell of a powerful machine that is a handful to drive.

We find ourselves driving to the east coast at least twice a year. For example, this year we have the Daytona 500 in February and the NASCAR championships in Homestead, FL, in November. We are also considering a trip to visit my sister in North Virginia in May.

Totally Cool. My friend is also a pilot and he drives annually to the Air Races in Reno as well as to family in San Diego.

We have the Lincoln, a Cobra, and a 1930 Model A Fordor. We have looked at EVs, but we just don't think they would be practical for us.

I bet you would absolutely love it. Get yourself a Model S Plaid. It will blow the doors off even your Cobra. And it is safer. But it might not fit your long distance travel desires.

 

[Dabop]

This raises a few questions for me.

How long does your 20 minute stop really take, including exiting the freeway, finding the charger, charging, and getting back on the freeway?

How fast are you driving? We drive 5 mph over the posted speed limit which means there are long stretches with the cruise set to 90 mph. Would these speeds impact your range?

Is it advisable to drain the batteries to 20% in an unknown area? In many parts of western USA the towns are more than 100 miles apart.

I am reminded of the guy that blew up a Tesla Truck at the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. He rented the truck in Colorado (Boulder, IIRC), and it took him three days to make the drive. The direct route is 750 miles, an easy day's drive. To keep the truck charged, he took the long way through Albuquerque, 1050 miles. Did it take him three days because he was a slacker?

Sighs- you seem determined that EVs are 'far too hard' when the opposite is true- chargers are readily found (in most countries) simply by looking up the nearest on your app on the phone or on the EVs dash screen.... it even gives you directions and distance lol- almost all EVs these days will warn you on the dash display if you are 'short of power' and helpfully tell you where the nearest charger on your route is even...

20% is what most use as the 'time to recharge point' there's nothing sacred about it lol- some prefer to use 25% or even 30% as their recharge point instead...

We KNOW yanks like to speed- they tell us regularly that they hate our 'nanny state' has speed cameras- which is why the US has the highest death rate per mileage pretty much in the world... and a third higher than the Australian death rate per 100000km driven...
Here the speed limit throughout most of the country is 110kmh/68mph although many rural roads are only 100kph/62mph- exceed the speed limit by less than 10kph/6mph and each time you do it, its 1 demerit point and a $287 fine... exceed it by more than 10kmh but less than 20kph and its $483 and 3 demerit points...if you exceed the speed limit by more than 20 km/h but not more than 30 km/h, the fine is $725 and you will get 4 demerit points. If you exceed the limit by more than 40 km/h, the fine increases to $1,780, and you will get 8 demerit points along with a automatic six-month licence suspension.
If you get more than 12 demerit points in three years, you again lose your licence- mandatory 3 months minimum, park the car and start walking lol (and DON'T think about driving unlicenced- a first time 'no/suspended licence' is a fine of up to $4400 or jail for up to one year for a first-time offender. If you are already disqualified/suspended and keep driving, its even worse, with fines reaching up to $6000 or 18 months in jail....)

It sounds more like the US simply can't get its ◊◊◊◊ together and has done its usual half assed job of doing anything.... Australia is almost exactly the same size as the US, and yet EV sales here are skyrocketing year by year, chargers are readily available so much so that people can drive right around Australia towing caravans in EVs and driving halfway across the country in one is 'just jump in and drive- and let the charge apps take care of your charging needs'

 

[acbytesla]

Sighs- you seem determined that EVs are 'far too hard' when the opposite is true- chargers are readily found (in most countries) simply by looking up the nearest on your app on the phone or on the EVs dash screen.... it even gives you directions and distance lol- almost all EVs these days will warn you on the dash display if you are 'short of power' and helpfully tell you where the nearest charger on your route is even...

20% is what most use as the 'time to recharge point' there's nothing sacred about it lol- some prefer to use 25% or even 30% as their recharge point instead...

We KNOW yanks like to speed- they tell us regularly that they hate our 'nanny state' has speed cameras- which is why the US has the highest death rate per mileage pretty much in the world... and a third higher than the Australian death rate per 100000km driven...
Here the speed limit throughout most of the country is 110kmh/68mph although many rural roads are only 100kph/62mph- exceed the speed limit by less than 10kph/6mph and each time you do it, its 1 demerit point and a $287 fine... exceed it by more than 10kmh but less than 20kph and its $483 and 3 demerit points...if you exceed the speed limit by more than 20 km/h but not more than 30 km/h, the fine is $725 and you will get 4 demerit points. If you exceed the limit by more than 40 km/h, the fine increases to $1,780, and you will get 8 demerit points along with a automatic six-month licence suspension.
If you get more than 12 demerit points in three years, you again lose your licence- mandatory 3 months minimum, park the car and start walking lol (and DON'T think about driving unlicenced- a first time 'no/suspended licence' is a fine of up to $4400 or jail for up to one year for a first-time offender. If you are already disqualified/suspended and keep driving, its even worse, with fines reaching up to $6000 or 18 months in jail....)

It sounds more like the US simply can't get its ◊◊◊◊ together and has done its usual half assed job of doing anything.... Australia is almost exactly the same size as the US, and yet EV sales here are skyrocketing year by year, chargers are readily available so much so that people can drive right around Australia towing caravans in EVs and driving halfway across the country in one is 'just jump in and drive- and let the charge apps take care of your charging needs'

Most of the Interstate Highways in the western part of the US have 70 or 80 mph limits. Except in the big cities where they might lower it to 65 or 60mph. Some of those highways used to be like the autobahn in Germany with no speed limit at all. In the 1970s the gas shortage caused the government to implement a 55 mile mph nationwide speed limit. Thus the famous song by Sammy Hagar. But even if you got a ticket in Montana for driving say 90 mph. It wouldn't be for speeding. It would be a $25 ticket for failing to conserve. And it wouldn't affect your insurance at all.
They dumped the nationwide limit about 30 years ago.

 

[Dabop]

Most of the Interstate Highways in the western part of the US have 70 or 80 mph limits. Except in the big cities where they might lower it to 65 or 60mph. Some of those highways used to be like the autobahn in Germany with no speed limit at all. In the 1970s the gas shortage caused the government to implement a 55 mile mph nationwide speed limit. Thus the famous song by Sammy Hagar. But even if you got a ticket in Montana for driving say 90 mph. It wouldn't be for speeding. It would be a $25 ticket for failing to conserve. And it wouldn't affect your insurance at all.
They dumped the nationwide limit about 30 years ago.

90mph is 144kph- on a 110kph road, thats 34kph over...

Exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 km/h but not more than 40 km/h results in a fine of approximately $1,161 and incurs 6 demerit points

Do that on a 'double demerits' holiday period, and thats your licence suspended on the spot if caught by a cop in person, or within the week you will be notified if caught by camera...
No driving for you for the next three months...


If you were caught doing it on a 100kph road, thats 44 over...

If you exceed the speed limit by more than 40 km/h, the fine increases to about $1,780, and you face an automatic 6-month license suspension.

 

[EHocking]

Frankly, most roads in australia aren't compatible with 140km+ speeds, whereas a number of EU countries and the USA do have roads that support such driving. It is really not a big deal when you are driving there. Maybe a little daunting to some that are not used to it, but otherwise "safe". In fact it is safer to go with the flow that to drive "sensibly". Do anything else and you are likely the one to cause an accident with another car.
Obs the car needs to be capable/safe as well.

(Oh, also, driven similar speeds legally in NT/SA and Japan.)

 

[acbytesla]

90mph is 144kph- on a 110kph road, thats 34kph over...

Do that on a 'double demerits' holiday period, and thats your licence suspended on the spot if caught by a cop in person, or within the week you will be notified if caught by camera...
No driving for you for the next three months...
View attachment 67455

If you were caught doing it on a 100kph road, thats 44 over...

I don't know what the roads are like in Australia. But most of those roads with 70 and 80 mph limits in the US are multi-lane divided highways with limited access. They're a lot safer to drive than you realize. The places where there are a lot more fatalities are roads with oncoming traffic. Where a two foot mistake is a head on collision.

I have been driving for 50 years. I have never been in an accident. I have received 1 speeding ticket for driving 35 in a 25 when I was 18. Still think it was a Mickey Mouse ticket. I don't know where your traffic stats come from. But traffic fatalities are on average around 30 percent of what they were in the 1960s.

There are definitely crazy things about the US. This is the least of them.

Ninja'd by E Hocking.

 

[Dabop]

Most of the suburban areas are likewise 2,3,4 or more multilane divided freeways- usually 100 or 110kph... with about 80% of the Australian public driving on one like that daily....
This for example is just a couple of kilometres from me atm (I'm at my sisters for chrissy)

Only in the more remote rural roads do you get the non divided 110kph roads (this ones not far from where I live for example- well relatively- its an hours drive to get to it lol)


This one on the other hand is the main road past my place into town- still 100kph, and not even two lanes wide.... (and you are sharing it with doubles and triples roadtrains...)

 

[427 Cobra]

We KNOW yanks like to speed- they tell us regularly that they hate our 'nanny state' has speed cameras- which is why the US has the highest death rate per mileage pretty much in the world... and a third higher than the Australian death rate per 100000km driven...

Gee, you wouldn't like US 95 which is frequently cited as one of the most dangerous roads in America. Between Las Vegas and Carson City, much of the road is two lanes with a 70 MPH speed limit - and no barrier between the lanes. The road is also straight, flat, and boring. Most feel driving 70 MPH on US 95 is dangerous - you are likely to be run over from behind by someone that is really moving.

Coincidentally, Route 95 also has some of the longest wait times for emergency services, with some sections averaging over 20 minutes AFTER the accident is first reported.

 

[Dabop]

Gee, you wouldn't like US 95 which is frequently cited as one of the most dangerous roads in America. Between Las Vegas and Carson City, much of the road is two lanes with a 70 MPH speed limit - and no barrier between the lanes. The road is also straight, flat, and boring. Most feel driving 70 MPH on US 95 is dangerous - you are likely to be run over from behind by someone that is really moving.

Coincidentally, Route 95 also has some of the longest wait times for emergency services, with some sections averaging over 20 minutes AFTER the accident is first reported.

Look at the post I made just before yours- the 110kph/68mph nondivided is one I drive a couple of times a week usually, the 'single lane wide' is 100kph/62mph and if you meet oncoming traffic you both drop the lhs wheels into the dirt... oh and you are likely to meet a 'double' or 'triple' train coming at you on that road with a closing speed of 200kph (124mph) between you!!!!

Thats one of these...(doubles have two trailers, triples have three obviously)

 

[427 Cobra]

Sighs- you seem determined that EVs are 'far too hard' when the opposite is true- chargers are readily found (in most countries) simply by looking up the nearest on your app on the phone or on the EVs dash screen.... it even gives you directions and distance lol- almost all EVs these days will warn you on the dash display if you are 'short of power' and helpfully tell you where the nearest charger on your route is even...

No, my concern is that an EV would appreciably impact the duration of a long trip. I have yet to have anyone provide sound data on how much longer I should budget for a trip from Las Vegas to Daytona Beach, via EV.

In some of the references that have been provided, someone mentioned that it typically takes 20% longer to travel long distances by EV. This 20% seems to be consistent with the "race" videos that have been posted.

At this time I can't see spending another day on a cross country trip, just to own an EV.

 

[acbytesla]

Most of the suburban areas are likewise 2,3,4 or more multilane divided freeways- usually 100 or 110kph... with about 80% of the Australian public driving on one like that daily....
This for example is just a couple of kilometres from me atm (I'm at my sisters for chrissy)
View attachment 67456
Only in the more remote rural roads do you get the non divided 110kph roads (this ones not far from where I live for example- well relatively- its an hours drive to get to it lol)

The Interstate Highways are all like this image. To qualify for the Interstate designation. They have to be two lanes in each direction, limited access, and with a median and/or barrier. These are some of the safest roads to drive regardless of the mistake.

The ones to worry about are like roads Cobra mentioned. Some of those old lonely highways in the middle of nowhere that are flat, straight and featureless. Easy to get bored and make a mistake. And if you do get in an accident, you're dead or close to it before emergency services get to you.

 

[427 Cobra]

It sounds more like the US simply can't get its ◊◊◊◊ together and has done its usual half assed job of doing anything.... Australia is almost exactly the same size as the US, and yet EV sales here are skyrocketing year by year, chargers are readily available so much so that people can drive right around Australia towing caravans in EVs and driving halfway across the country in one is 'just jump in and drive- and let the charge apps take care of your charging needs'

My understanding is that most Australians (over 90%) live within 50 miles of the coast. Hence, Australia does not have a large freeway network much beyond the coast.

In the USA, we have large cities in most states, and interstates that connect them. When I go to my ancestral home in the People's Republic of Massachusetts, I can take several (more than three) routes that are 100% divided highway and are all about 2,700 miles in length.

How much longer would it take me to drive the 2,700 miles in an EV?

 

[427 Cobra]

Get yourself a Model S Plaid. It will blow the doors off even your Cobra.

I find that hard to believe. It is powered by a 427 aluminum FE engine that made 538 BHP on the dyno, with over 500 ft lbs of torque from 2,000 to red line. After the dyno pull we replaced the dual quads with fuel injectors so it should be making a little more horsepower, but may have lost some torque below 3,000 rpms.

Due in part to the aluminum block, the car weighs just over 2,400 lbs with gas in the tank.

From a dead start, all we would learn is that I have to find a new Jaguar rear axle to replace the remaining pieces. However, numerous Cobras set up for drag racing, with similar engines, are running in the 9's.

From a rolling start, I suspect the Model S Plaid would be in for a fight. And, on a road, course, it would be no competition.

I can't resist, here is the FE with EFI:

 

[Dabop]

No, my concern is that an EV would appreciably impact the duration of a long trip. I have yet to have anyone provide sound data on how much longer I should budget for a trip from Las Vegas to Daytona Beach, via EV.

In some of the references that have been provided, someone mentioned that it typically takes 20% longer to travel long distances by EV. This 20% seems to be consistent with the "race" videos that have been posted.

At this time I can't see spending another day on a cross country trip, just to own an EV.

And I've shown that in Australia at least, there is practically no difference at all....
Unless you plan on driving in a nappy and ◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊ and peeing in your car- the difference is practically negligible- one slow truck/caravan would be more of a factor in delaying you that 'oh nos its an EV!!!!!!!'

The times quoted by the local I test drove the Atto in (and remembering this is one of the older designs and the second cheapest BYD EV available in Australia) had to stop for a whole 20 mins every 3 1/2 hours- the car could keep that up indefinitely- as it turns out, longer than the driver could keep doing it!!!! (the newer ones can do that same 20-80% in under 14 minutes now!!!)
After a ridiculous 18hr driving day (which could see you with a fatigued driving fine here) thats 4 charging stops doing 1800km, with an added 80 minutes for charging, meaning your ICE driver would (if they were driving that van from the Cannonball Run that was just one big fuel tank and didnt stop once) would arrive 1 hr 20 mins before you- but sitting in a dirty diaper lol
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/a...unhinged-road-trip-across-america/ar-AA1Fl36p
Your average ICE vehicle with a 500-600km range before needing to stop and refuel, would have made 3 refueling stops, each averaging at least 3-5 mins so would still be on the road as well, and still be 20-25km behind the diaper wearer... and only 100km ahead of the EV...

So yes theres a small delay, but its not a HUGE delay- certainly not 'days behind' as many antiEV people like to claim- after driving for 18 hours, using an EV would add an extra hour...

 

[acbytesla]

No, my concern is that an EV would appreciably impact the duration of a long trip. I have yet to have anyone provide sound data on how much longer I should budget for a trip from Las Vegas to Daytona Beach, via EV.

In some of the references that have been provided, someone mentioned that it typically takes 20% longer to travel long distances by EV. This 20% seems to be consistent with the "race" videos that have been posted.

At this time I can't see spending another day on a cross country trip, just to own an EV.

. This was from 6 years ago.

Tesla Model X from NC to LA. Two years ago.

Ioniiq 5. Coast to Coast. One year ago.

But seriously, go to Out of Spec Motoring. They are fanatics about traveling long distances in an EV.

Out of Spec Motoring

Adventure through EVs

youtube.com

Watch a video, ask questions in the comments sections or contact them with your questions.