Thanks: 40
Likes: 163
Needs Pictures: 2
Picture(s) thanks: 12
Results 76 to 90 of 201
Thread: Personal EV journey.
-
6th July 2023, 05:38 PM #76Senior Member
- Join Date
- Sep 2016
- Location
- Bentleigh East
- Age
- 50
- Posts
- 399
If you have a place to change tyres and break pads it's entirely possible you might not see an actual mechanic during the life of the car. You can change the cabin filter, top up washer & brake fluids yourself, what else is there? Nothing.
Hugely attractive proposition if you think about it.
-
6th July 2023, 08:03 PM #77.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 24,746
Brakes use?? what brake use?? - I drove 48 km through city traffic and used the brakes precisely twice.
Tyre use is interesting.
Some of the hype around the need for using super special tyres for EVs is just tyre companies trying to sell more than you need.
Like any vehicle tyre use is more about use than vehicle weight although like any vehicle the tyre should be rated for the weight of the vehicle..
A vehicle like a Camry weighs about 1500kg which is only 30% less than a Tesla Model Y but if a proper weight rated tyres are used on both vehicles and both are driven sensibly its unlikely that tyres would experience 30% greater wear on a Model Y.
The sorts of figures I am hearing from EV owners is about 10% greater wear.
And if you want to go crazy with the cheese wizz a heavier vehicle should experience less wheel spin, and modern suspension systems are marvellous at holding the car onto the road.
My Tesla connects daily to the house WIFI and uploads its driving data and downloads its software update more or less automatically. One annoyance is it wont charge while its communicating with home base.
-
6th July 2023, 08:28 PM #78.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 24,746
The Tesla Manual describes how to "Jump start" an EV vehicle with a dead or faulty 12V Battery using another 12V battery so no mechanical key is needed. Thi means the car control systems will work and the The newer low V batteries are now 16V Li ion, but the vehicle can still be jump started with a standard 12V battery.
-
6th July 2023, 10:57 PM #79
Bob,
I agree that rim/tyre sizing is very much a matter of tyre company hype.
However, when comparing your Tesla with the Camry, comparing the tyre wear using vehicle mass alone is more than a bit misleading.
Your Tesla is fitted with 21" diameter rims fitted with 275/35 rubber (what I'd describe as rubber bands because, with a 96mm high side wall, that is what they look like), while
the Camry comes with 17" diameter rims fitted with 215/55 rubber. Not quite chalk and cheese, but close to.
The contact area -- where the tyre sits on the road -- will be different, but perhaps more importantly, the rubber compound will also be different leading to different rates of wear between the two vehicles, regardless of weight.
Based on my experience -- I typically travel 75 to 80 thousand km per annum mostly on freeway -- tyres wear most when you go around tight corners at speed or need to brake heavily.
If you can avoid these two situations, you should be fine tyre wear wise -- though I'm still concerned about the ride comfort of your /35 profile tyres when you drive out to Wyalkatchemregards from Alberta, Canada
ian
-
6th July 2023, 11:13 PM #80
I'll admit to being confused.
If you locked the Tesla when you left it, does the Tesla auto-unlock when the auxiliary battery goes flat? Seems odd because if it does the vehicle's interior is then available to miscreants.
If a flat auxiliary battery doesn't lead to the vehicle unlocking, how does an owner access the vehicle to "jump start" the electronics without a physical key?regards from Alberta, Canada
ian
-
7th July 2023, 12:55 AM #81GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jun 2005
- Location
- Helensburgh
- Posts
- 6,891
Not using the brakes has caused some major issues due to corrosion etc on the rotors. I saw one Volvo where the pad was literally ripped out of the calliper because the brakes had not been used often enough. As for problems I can assure anyone who thinks that is the case that they are wrong. How about a car that had to have a new electric harness put in and the entire interior had to be removed to do the job. That took over twenty hours and everyone crossed their fingers hoping the harness fixed the problem. Hyundais are suffering random total steering loss and Teslas have been losing road wheels in the US. OTA updates are being affected in BYD's by owners side loading apps but even without that some OTA's create unseen problems. Volvo trucks have been using OTA updates and actively monitoring trucks for problems and tracking servicing requirements for some years so cars are a long way behind.
CHRIS
-
7th July 2023, 09:26 AM #82.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 24,746
It's not that the brake rotors on a EV are never used. Some days I do use them more than others and the car itself will also use the rotors to slow down if it needs to. Teslas have been around for more than a decade and there does not appear to be any issues with lack of rotor use not being used. Some EV drivers will also still need to replace their pads depending on how they drive.
As for problems I can assure anyone who thinks that is the case that they are wrong. How about a car that had to have a new electric harness put in and the entire interior had to be removed to do the job. That took over twenty hours and everyone crossed their fingers hoping the harness fixed the problem.
Hyundais are suffering random total steering loss and Teslas have been losing road wheels in the US. OTA updates are being affected in BYD's by owners side loading apps but even without that some OTA's create unseen problems. Volvo trucks have been using OTA updates and actively monitoring trucks for problems and tracking servicing requirements for some years so cars are a long way behind.
In this article the author reviews OTA for EV manufacturers and rates them for their use of OTA.
Tesla Smashes Competition In Over-The-Air Updates
Screenshot 2023-07-07 at 6.07.14 am.jpg
Most people who purchase vehicles understandably look at the mechanical/comfort/performance/safety aspects of vehicles but don't realize that when they buy an EV the vehicle, the software system represents a substantial component/contributor to these aspects. Buying into a system that is able to update and fix problems, and even improve these aspects over the life of the vehicle is worth paying for.
I'm not saying that these things are not trouble free - there are always some hiccups. One Tesla updates I heard about completely locked users out of the car's audio system until the next update.
-
7th July 2023, 10:11 AM #83.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 24,746
Correct - vehicles remain s lock - to gin access to the flat 12V batter the locked "Frunk" (bonnet or hood) has to be opened.
Here's how
To gain access to the car's 12V battery you need entry to the car. Each model is slightly different and the procedure is shown in your car's manual. The car's 12V battery is accessible in the frunk of the car and so to gain access you need to open the frunk. If course with a flat battery you can't just open the frunk as normal and you have to follow the emergency frunk opening procedure. Most Teslas have a pair of electrical cables behind the front towing eye cover. Removing the cover and see if there are two wires that can be pulled forward. Connecting another 12v battery to these will energise the frunk lock.
1) There is no paper manual - besides, even if there was one, it's probably in the locked car. The digital manual is accessible inside the car but that is locked too. Im not sure if the manual is accessible by phone but that won't help if you are out of range. I therefore pays to know how to do this for your vehicle before it happens. Mine has the two wires behind the toying eye cover.
2) If you cannot open the Frunk you also cannot get at the towing eye bolt that has to be attached through the towing eye cover! This also means you also cannot tow the vehicle because it MUST be put into towing mode before put the vehicle is towed.
3) Those cables only work if the car's 12V battery is flat. If thieves try to open the frunk with a 12V battery and the cars 12V battery has charge this will also trigger the car alarm and thieves will be fully captured on camera . There is a risk that comes when the 12V battery is flat, whereby that thieves with their own 12V could open the frunk, but they still cannot open the car with the drivers phone or credit card keys. If they have wither of these keys the car will automatically be tracked.
4) From 2022, many Teslas come with a Lithium Ion Low Voltage battery pack. This has some benefits but can also be more difficult to deal with if it runs flat. This battery typically has a voltage above 12V and as a result a normal car battery charger may not work. If you get a flat battery with these cars then roadside assistance may be the only option.
Rates of car thievery - this old (2016?) data but it is still interesting.
Vehicle size/type frequency (100 = average)
BMW 3-series 4-door Midsize luxury car 4
Tesla Model S 4WD Large luxury car 11
Tesla Model X 4WD Large luxury SUV 12
Chev Equinox 4WD Small SUV 15
Buick Encore 4WD Small luxury SUV 15
Subaru Legacy Midsize 4-door car 17
GMC Acadia Midsize SUV 19
Subaru Forester Small SUV 20
GMC Acadia 4WD Midsize SUV 20
VW New Beetle Small 2-door car 21
BMW 3 s4-door 4WD Midsize luxury car 21
Subaru Outback Midsize station wagon 22
BMW X5 Midsize luxury SUV 22
Subaru Crosstrek Small station wagon 25
Chevrolet Traverse Midsize SUV 26
Subaru Crosstrek Small station wagon 26
Lexus RX 450h 4WD Midsize luxury SUV 28
Honda Odyssey Minivan 28
Mazda MX-5 Miata Mini sports car 30
Cadillac XT5 Midsize luxury SUV 30
Teslas have a 9X lower rate of car theft than average but more importantly have the highest rate of recovery (98%) in the US - not quite as good in Europe where hacker type thieves prey on all vehicles with increasing levels of sophisticated gear and access to more/better markets for stolen vehicles are available.
-
7th July 2023, 11:55 AM #84GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jun 2005
- Location
- Helensburgh
- Posts
- 6,891
That has nothing to do with electric vehicles, I am relating some issues BEV's are experiencing. As for OTA's we all know the history and any Tesla owner will gladly trot out all the positive stuff about the brand. I drive multiple brands on occasion and they are all good and for better or worse I see the service and repair side of owners and car problems every day through my son and he has many stories of what is going on in three different brands.
CHRIS
-
7th July 2023, 12:11 PM #85.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 24,746
I raised it more as an issue that involve electric harnesses. There are all sorts of ways electric harnesses can cause problems in any vehicle let alone EVs.
I am relating some issues BEV's are experiencing. As for OTA's we all know the history and any Tesla owner will gladly trot out all the positive stuff about the brand. I drive multiple brands on occasion and they are all good and for better or worse I see the service and repair side of owners and car problems every day through my son and he has many stories of what is going on in three different brands.
-
7th July 2023, 12:44 PM #86.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 24,746
Following the advice of my 3 Tesla owning brothers I joined the Tesla Owners club of WA (TOCWA) as it only cost $20 PA and they have a library of spare wheels and cables etc that can be borrowed at no charge.
Every Wednesday night TOCWA also host as "Ask us anything" forum on Zoom and receive reports from various experts (like the people installing public chargers etc). The sessions go for between 90 and 150 minutes and yes there is a lot of chit chat and hype but many of the questions and answers are generally useful - mainly about Teslas and the WA EV network of course. Some of the organisers have owned Teslas and other EVs for a decade or more and their experience is invaluable especially in relation to the advanced autopilots etc. After each session they also post a video of the session to YouTube. they are up to episode 147 which is close to 3 years worth of vids.
Here is the link to their website
Ask Us Anything – Tesla Owners Club Western Australia
If you want to go straight to the youtube here is the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMGDktt3Egc&feature=youtu.be
There is also a Tesla Owners Club of Australia, TOCa that does similar things although membership is $50 PA.
Tesla Owners Club of Australia
If other makes have similar clubs It would be worth posting links in this thread.
-
7th July 2023, 01:10 PM #87Senior Member
- Join Date
- Sep 2016
- Location
- Bentleigh East
- Age
- 50
- Posts
- 399
I don't know, they have a few pages with their methodology in their study.
BTW they didn't test with a Tesla, they used a Kona because they are in Korea and over there they can find the exact same vehicle in EV, petrol and Diesel versions.
Personally I wouldn't consider either, the perfect shape and size vehicle for my lifestyle and driving style is the Golf or Huyndai i30 (they're pretty much identical for all practical purposes). I avoid aerodynamic-looking cars because it tends to minimise visibility, boot space and head room (for the same exterior dimensions). I prefer small and boxy. if bigger is needed then it's definitely an estate for me. And there's really no good EV options for those type of cars out there, the Tesla is good but it's just not the shape I prefer.
And I would never consider an SUV, I have no idea why someone who only drives on covered city roads would own something like that. But that's all they seem to want to make these days... all the best deals and R&D goes into SUVs it seems, I don't want an SUV dammit
-
7th July 2023, 02:18 PM #88GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jun 2005
- Location
- Helensburgh
- Posts
- 6,891
-
7th July 2023, 04:03 PM #89.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 24,746
A Boxy design is going cost any EV significant battery losses.
Although the Y is called an SUV it's much more of large hatchback than an SUV.
I reckon the SUV label is just hype as it is on most SUVs.
Of course people will buy what suits them but here are some comparisons and my preferences..
Dimensional differences;
Y: H=1624mm, W=1978mm, L=4750mm
i30: H= 1415mmm W=1825mm L=4675 mm
I love the extra width for someone like me with wide shoulder so's I don't feel like I'm sitting top of the front seat passenger although It does make it a bit harder to get into tight parking spaces.
Also like the extra height which makes it feel significantly less claustrophobic than most mid size cars.
Ground Clearance is 135 for the i30, versus 167 mm for the Y.
The Tesla Model 3 is 140 mm and that is way too low for me.
Even my fit and athletic BIL reckons the Y height above ground makes getting in and out of the car much easier.
Even though the Y has a sloped rear there is heaps of room for my dogs.
It doesn't look like it but the curve of the rear window in the hatch door (both across and along) easily accommodates the dogs standing up in the back.
TeslaDogs.jpg
Side visibility on the Y is no different than most other cars, but I agree about the very limited rear mirror visibility but it does have a fantastic rear and side cameras that can be left on while driving ie not just in reverse. After a while you learn how to meld all three images to get unprecedented vision around the back and sides of the vehicle.
RearCamera1.jpg
RearCamera2.jpg
-
7th July 2023, 09:37 PM #90
I didn't look very hard but I did find this Model Y Owner's Manual (tesla.com)
regards from Alberta, Canada
ian