Electric Vehicle (EV) Tripping Data - 1st Trip, Real World Use

[Gamma1214]

FWIW, many State Parks & State Forests in PA now have charging stations. I've looked and cannot see anyplace that a credit card can be inserted so I'm assuming that the taxpayer is buying the electricity while DCNR says the stations were funded by a Volkswagen settlement.

 

[Keeled Over]

I was open to the idea of an EV but like many, want to wait for the infrastructure to develop. I could live with a mild hybrid now, and I think this is a good logical next step as they phase out my car. This mainly started as I was using my 4x4 as my daily driver. However I purchased a Corolla due to heavy road work and that has changed my attitude.

The Corolla gets 38 mpg all the time. Even more on occasion. It's roomy, the AC blows cold and it has the Toyota quality - it rarely breaks. This dimmed my outlook on EV's, especially since years on the road have taught me I hate waiting - traffic jams, bridges, stupid people all drive me insane. I would rather be driving a longer distance to keep moving then sit still in traffic. If I had to wait in line to charge my car I would die.

Even if the EV saved me money I would still have to do the waiting for the charging. Filling the tiny tank in the Corolla is a joy compared to the price for my Silverado, so I pretty much think things are fine the way they are now.

They will be mandated shortly as we know, just don't touch my 5 speed.

 

[memaquay]

Our Canadian government has declared that by 2035 all vehicles sold in Canada will have to be electric. I'm hoping they come to their senses before then. Northern Ontario represents a very small percentage of the population, but every single vehicle that needs to cross Canada must come through here.

At the moment, the stretch from Hearst to Longlac, around 130 miles, has no gas available, let alone electric vehicle chargers. Geraldton to Nipigon, a hundred mile stretch, is the same. There is one charger in our town.

I like the idea of hybrids, I'm wondering what the maintenance records are like on them, and if Joe Smoe, the town mechanic is able to fix them.

 

[scoutergriz]

Our Canadian government has declared that by 2035 all vehicles sold in Canada will have to be electric. I'm hoping they come to their senses before then. Northern Ontario represents a very small percentage of the population, but every single vehicle that needs to cross Canada must come through here.

At the moment, the stretch from Hearst to Longlac, around 130 miles, has no gas available, let alone electric vehicle chargers. Geraldton to Nipigon, a hundred mile stretch, is the same. There is one charger in our town.

I like the idea of hybrids, I'm wondering what the maintenance records are like on them, and if Joe Smoe, the town mechanic is able to fix them.

Yup, I visit a friend that lives off grid far down a logging road 3 1/2 hours from the nearest gas station (2 hours in 4wd), A full tank (600km highway) gets me in and out with a 1/4 tank reserve, it's just not possible to do with an electric- even that last gas station uses wind and solar to operate because the grid is unreliable more times than not

 

[Gamma1214]

They will be mandated shortly as we know

The only mandate is for new cars sold so I'll keep buying used. I probably only have a couple more years on the '94 Ranger (currently at 318K miles) so I've started looking for another (maybe upgrade to a low(ish) mileage '98). I'm open to a hybrid but I'd rather find an old Escort Pony. My brother had an '83 that, with a 5 speed, got about 50 mpg before all the computers to increase efficiency.

I like the idea of hybrids, I'm wondering what the maintenance records are like on them, and if Joe Smoe, the town mechanic is able to fix them.

A good friend is the used car manager at the local Toyota dealership. A girl that I was dating was looking for a Prius and Stan told me that they hold up well but (dog lovers take note here) be sure to keep the battery air intake clear. The battery will overheat and fail if the air intake gets packed with dog hair or other debris.

(BTW Joe's probably a pretty sharp cookie and he'll figure 'em out. If not, some kid that grew up a tech weenie will start wrenching in the area)

 

[Pseudonym]

I'm not trying to advocate for EVs on this forum by any means. I'm only posting in the context of how it effects canoeists, and specifically those who go on canoe trips.

My conclusion so far is that modest canoe trips are eminently feasible. So far, I've done trips to the Racquette River in the Adirondacks and the Upper James River, in Virginia. Neither are too remote, nor too far afield. Some of my favorite tripping locations in remote parts of Maine aren't yet feasible. For instance, I wouldn't want to take my electric truck to Allagash, Maine... yet.

For me, canoe trips are an extreme use case: I'm lucky if I get to go on one or two good trips a year because I have a young family. I can plan out my charging for that relatively unusual circumstance and not be hassled too much in the process. The reason I'm willing to do so is that the electric truck is a better tool in my daily life (and work life) than a gas powered truck. But that fit is personal to me and my own circumstances. Given that personal fit, its not worth outlining my perceived benefits here because everyone needs to do their own calculus.

 

[Pseudonym]

I've wondered about the position forward and aft. This is something that could probably be tested over a couple long trips. You've got more flexibility than most people since you can go back farther.

I've also wandered how much the canoe funnels the air through it, and how that relates to drag. I would guess that a Yellowstone nested in a tripper would be very similar to a giant center airbag left in there. Would be an interesting to see if side by side was better or worse.

This stuff is fairly difficult to test properly, requiring good note taking and some repetition.

Rooftop canoe positioning: I'm going to play around with this during my next opportunity. The truck automatically logs a lot of useful data, so I'll try and drive a couple of similar highway stretches on cruise control and see what I can glean.

A lightweight trailer like @ppine's would be a worthy test too. I know that trailers have an adverse effect on EV range, but I've more often heard the weight cited as the primary detriment than the air-drag. For my use case, a trailer doesn't work because I live on an island and every trip starts with the purchase of a ferry ticket, charged by the length. Therefore a canoe on top of my truck is free and a canoe on a trailer behind the truck costs nearly double than the truck alone.

Relative to trailers and charging: It isn't easy to charge a vehicle and trailer without getting in someone else's way. Almost all the current charging infrastructure is set up in front of a row of single-space, nose-in parking spots.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I'm not trying to advocate for EVs on this forum by any means. I'm only posting in the context of how it effects canoeists, and specifically those who go on canoe trips.

And you're doing a very good and informative job with your focused discussion on performance and travel facts.

I also appreciate, very much, that everyone else who has participated in this potentially controversial topic has similarly limited the focus of their comments and have not strayed into political or global ramifications, even though we all may have our opinions on those policy assumptions and ramifications.

Reminder: "The talk rules here are simple: Be civil and polite. You may disagree with a posted opinion but may not be disagreeable toward the poster. No personal attacks. No trolling. No commercial spam. No profanity, even mild. No religion. No culturally divisive subjects. Absolutely no politics."

 

[Sweetfancymoses]

Reminder: "The talk rules here are simple

Simple? Yes, but numerous. I needed all ten fingers.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Simple? Yes, but numerous. I needed all ten fingers.

There are more that are less simple and beyond anyone's digit capacity, but they apply less frequently:

"For the site's legal Terms and Rules and its Privacy Policy, click the links for them at the bottom of this page."

Every software platform for discussion sites and social media has standard legal terms and conditions, and some sites have site-specific rules in addition. On some sites the administrators don't have a presence and/or don't enforce the rules. I do, and I do.

But I only rarely have to. You all are the best.

 

[ppine]

A friend of mine just bought a Cadillac EV. But he can't take it across Wyoming because there are not enough charging stations. So he is taking his old gasoline powered car. This is telling.

 

[jdeerfoot]

My SIL has a Tesla Y model (I think it is) and he takes out of town overnight trips and reports that other than a few waits he has always traveled successfully with charges available as needed.

For me, I would be interested in electric but I still need a vehicle I can take into distant and remote areas of Canada with no chargers available. Maybe when I have aged out of tripping and need a car only for trips to the drug store, doctor and grocery store will electric make sense for me.