Quote:
Originally Posted by Porfiry
I don't get that. Yes, it does depend on which EV you get and your budget, but right now you can buy a Tesla that gets nearly 600km at highway speeds. That's better range than my gas-burning SUV. Also, unlike an internal combustion engine, electric motors don't degrade in performance at altitude. My SUV does struggle up parts of the Coq. Finally, EVs regenerate power when descending, so you do actually gain back some power when you come down the mountain pass.
One thing working greatly in favor of EVs in BC: cheap, clean electricity.
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Are you sure you can? Even on Tesla's site if you play with the tool and put it at 120km/h at at 20 degrees outside you get 406 km for the 90D, the 70D gets you 323 km (turn on the AC and its 385, 316).
Throw in some hills, and the occasional slowdown to 60km/h because a truck is passing a truck up hill, then accellerate back to 120 uphill, and then what is your range like?
The Tesla should make it. According to this site
http://www.jurassictest.ch/GR/
It can just make it between Hope and Kelowna but with under 20% charge remaining (that's cutting it a bit close for my taste).
And that is for a Tesla. I would hope spending $100,000 on a car means I can take it places.
But most of us don't have that much money to spend on a car. If I buy a fuel efficient regular car for $25,000, my capital and operating costs will never come close to the cost of owning a Model S.
Every other car I checked on that site that's available in Canada wouldn't make it between Hope and Merrit at the posted speed limit, and only a couple would start to reach Merrit if I dropped the speed down to bellow 80km/h. Most won't even make it from Surrey to Hope at the posted speed limit.
And it's all fine and dandy to compare a Tesla to a "gas guzzling SUV", but what about a midsize or compact? My Altima with a CVT can climb the Coq at 120 km/h at a steady 3000rpm. I have made the trip from Surrey to Kelowna and back on a single tank (but typically I stop in Abbotsford, top up, then stop in Abbotsford on the way back to top up for cheap).
If I do stop for gas once, that's a five minute stop. How many times do you have to stop to charge up a even a Tesla on the same trip, and how much time do you spend charging? And what about something like a Leaf or Focus? You would have to charge before getting to Hope, at Hope, maybe make it to the summit and charge from a wall plug at Zopkios, charge in Merrit, and maybe make Kelowna if I drive bellow 80km/h? How long does my usual 3:40 minute drive take? And how long if I can't find a level 2 charger?
That's what I mean by BC isn't great for electric cars, at least not yet. Vancouver yeah. If you can live your driving life entirely in Vancouver, an EV is awesome (as long as you have regular access to charging). If you have a very regular commute then an EV is probably perfect. But a Tesla model S is out of reach for most of us (even the Model 3 when you factor in exchange, taxes and necessary upgrades to get the right amount of battery).