[OHV_44]

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

…not a BMW thing

Typically EU.
For example, we cannot switch off this ISA (Intelligent speed assistance) permanently, but deactivate it every time we drive by pressing the SET button on the steering wheel for 3 seconds.
Crazy.




https://road-safety-charter.ec.europ...ndatory-across

[wusl]

Bjørn Nyland did a 1000 km Challenge

[RichardInCA]

I will now forever contemplate what to do with the butt plug when DC fast charging.

[Blue Angel]

1000 km is a “challenge”? 1000 km in my 535d is less than one tank on the highway. Such is progress, I guess.

[Deho]

Originally Posted by Blue Angel

1000 km is a “challenge”? 1000 km in my 535d is less than one tank on the highway. Such is progress, I guess.

It's not that a 1000km is in itself a challenge; he's comparing different cars on a similar trip to compare recharge times.

Of course you'll say that you don't have to worry about charging with your diesel car but we all know that. He's doing that for people interested in EVs.

[footie]

Originally Posted by Roberto71

Safe to say, Harry hates it.

I have lost all faith in Harry with his continued negativity towards EVs, he complains about its weight claiming hybrid would be better and yet the 550e weighs as much, likewise the new M5 is going to be as much if not more. It's too expensive and yet says the price could be justified if it had had a high revving engine.

Complains about range and yet the vast majority of UK customers average 7500 miles per year.

I have read most of the reviews about this car and both Joe and Harry are the only two to post real negativity towards it.

As someone who has lived with the i4M50 for over 2 years now I can put hand on my heart and say I can't ever see myself going back to a petrol/diesel car, the whole driving experience is in another league IMO and this is someone who's last car was an M5 Competition.

BTW I have an i5M60 on order.

[footie]

Originally Posted by Blue Angel

1000 km is a “challenge”? 1000 km in my 535d is less than one tank on the highway. Such is progress, I guess.

Nothing competes with diesel for mileage from a single tank, it's why it's the choice of most reps on the road but it's a completely different driving experience to an EV, especially a high powered one. There are advantages of an EV for most people in that you can charge at home so never having to go out of your way to fill up like you do with an ICE car and if you so desire can have a full tank every morning you leave the house, also home charging is a fraction of the price of regular fuel so again huge saving to be had.

I wouldn't recommend an EV to anyone who regularly drives a couple of hundred miles in a day, even if that is only once a fortnight, until the battery technology and infrastructure has reached a level that such journeys are only the equivalent to stopping at a filling station to top up which we are currently a long way from.

[Blue Angel]

Originally Posted by footie

Nothing competes with diesel for mileage from a single tank, it's why it's the choice of most reps on the road but it's a completely different driving experience to an EV, especially a high powered one. There are advantages of an EV for most people in that you can charge at home so never having to go out of your way to fill up like you do with an ICE car and if you so desire can have a full tank every morning you leave the house, also home charging is a fraction of the price of regular fuel so again huge saving to be had.

I wouldn't recommend an EV to anyone who regularly drives a couple of hundred miles in a day, even if that is only once a fortnight, until the battery technology and infrastructure has reached a level that such journeys are only the equivalent to stopping at a filling station to top up which we are currently a long way from.

I agree with everything you’ve said there. I’ve driven lots of EVs, including the original Tesla Roadster when it came out. The EV drivetrain is awesome in many ways that make a fantastic daily driver.

My cheeky comment was more or less just poking fun at those who are (usually) unintentionally pointing out the shortcomings of EVs.

I just got back from doing an Ottawa to Halifax round trip (~3000km/1860mi) in a Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid which is not a good long distance cruiser for many reasons, one of which is range. With winter tires and temps comfortably above freezing it has a range of about 500km/310mi.

Even though there are gas stations everywhere, when traveling long distances through sparsely populated areas they can be far enough between that by 1/8-1/4 tank you’re stopping at the next one, meaning you’re stopping every 400km/250mi or so.

That’s a burden. In an EV where charging stations are generally much less available, that burden becomes a necessary planning session and a lengthy stop for charging. A 16hr trip in an ICE car could easily turn into 20-25hrs, especially if charging stops are not conveniently ligning up with mealtimes.

I do realize how rare trips like that are for most people, but I couldn’t help thinking about it while watching the needle plummet so quickly in that Toyota. It is an efficient car but it has a laughably small tank, likely to make room for the hybrid system battery.

Anyway, EVs will get better and I do believe they will eventually replace gasoline ICEs. I do not believe mandating them by 2035 is practical, as my ridiculous government is attempting to do, for many reasons.

[Scrapula]

I did a lot of driving yesterday with my husband going to the hospital for a knee replacement. It’s not close by, but there are free level 2 chargers in the parking garage with a 3 hour max, which is nice. There were loads of chargers around the area, but I never used a fast charger with all the miles. Got home, plugged in. Did some chores. Back to the hospital, plugged in then back home. Last night, I charged to 90%. While I was out, I saw gasoline was back up to $4.65 for regular at Arco. The prices are only low in winter.

Never once did I have range anxiety. Plus, it was nice to be able to quickly get away from the crazy drivers late at night. Barely touch the accelerator and I am gone.

[Blue Angel]

Here’s an EXCELLENT take on EVs from James May. I’m not a wealthy person with multiple homes and a fleet of vehicles, but I feel exactly the same way and agree with this entire 6 min video, just published yesterday:

https://youtu.be/vQY-VeA87cM?si=KkQh6jCWvDaBVsdS

[RichardInCA]

Originally Posted by Blue Angel

Here’s an EXCELLENT take on EVs from James May. I’m not a wealthy person with multiple homes and a fleet of vehicles, but I feel exactly the same way and agree with this entire 6 min video, just published yesterday:

https://youtu.be/vQY-VeA87cM?si=KkQh6jCWvDaBVsdS

Agreed - especially the take on the evangelist perspective on both ends of the debate.

I’ve put a little over 3,000miles on my i5 now, and completely agree that range anxiety is not really a thing, it is recharging anxiety, and that is the combination of battery capacity and ease of being able to charge up when you need it. That last part is further split by whether you need DC fast charging for longer trips (where infrastructure has to catch up with adoption rates - and is very localized in terms of user experience) and predictable commute style driving where home or office L2 charging can take care of it all (I’ve not used a DC fast charger in 2 1/2 months for this reason).

Would love to hear more thoughtful discussion like this. In terms of adoption curve, I’m no early adopter but possibly in the early majority - it makes sense for me, but I think developments like the Neue Klasse architecture will be key for longer term improvement.

[Scrapula]

I agree, especially with the last part. I drive an EV because the motor makes more sense to me. I am 67 and thought cars should work off of magnets since the age of 12. The earth is magnetic. I felt we should be able to propel vehicles down roads without using fuel. We only use lithium ions to create the magnetic field on the vehicle. It’s a much more elegant solution than burning fuel to create energy and a good chunk of that energy is lost. With the i5, energy is recaptured by coasting. Magnetize the highways, and you only need to charge when driving on country roads.

I use a home charger and I haven’t had the need of a fast charger. In the US, it makes more sense to fly than to drive a long distance. When I lived in England, it made more sense to take a train.

My last few vacations were last year driving to Canada. Got there on a single charge. Charged at a park before driving home. Year before was a cruise. Took a limo to the port. Year before that Los Angeles. Took the train from Seattle and rented a car.

It definitely works for my area of the US and based on the large numbers of EVs I see every day, my guess is the people who live near me have the same driving needs. If I lived in a rural area where a grocery store is a long trip once a week, then no EV would be practical.