What about reduction in CO2 from people taking train instead of flying from Dallas to Houston? They are saying the trip would be less than 90 minutes compared with a 1 hour flight
We’ve had our VW ID4 for nearly six months. Based on that time period, we are driving, per annum -
7000 highway (long-distance) miles using fast-charging
9000 local miles using home-charging
We have 3 years of free fast-charging (saving us about $1,153 a year) so as to compare like with like, here’s the rough calculation for when that no longer applies (using today’s rates):-
- Energy loss from charger is 11% at Electrify America fast charger (based on personal usage).
- Using 11% loss for home charging but don’t know the real amount.
- Range is an all-season average, assuming that winter is 20% less than summer.
- Useable battery capacity is 77kwH.
Highway Range 198 miles, $0.405 ($0.36/0.89) a kwH.
Full battery charge = 77 * .405 = $31.25
Number of full battery charges = 7000/198 = 35.3.
Total = $31.25 * 35.3 = $1,105. Add $48 for Electrify America membership = $1,153
Local Range 252 miles, $0.097 ($0.086/0.89) a kwH.
Full battery charge = 77 * .097 = $7.47
Number of full battery charges = 9000/252 = 35.7.
Total = $7.47 * 35.7 = $267
Total = $1,420
Driving the same in our previous car (Prius, although a smaller vehicle) at $4 a gallon and 45mpg (all season average) would cost 16000 * 4/ 45.
Total = $1,422 .
So, with our high percentage of fast-charging miles, very similar costs.
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Not Electric, but this is what I look for in a car:
Consumer Reports list of cars that are most likely yo hit 200,000 miles:
Spoiler: mostly Toyotas, and most of the Toyotas. I’ve got two in my driveway right now with over 200K.
ifyq
My 4Runner had about 260k on it when I let it go.
Currently have 3 Hondas but none with >200k yet - we just don’t drive that much!
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I hit 200K on my Toyota in 2017 (it was 15 years old at the time). Now at 230K. I’ve really cut back. Thanks, COVID!
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I had around 150,000 on my Honda and it was in really great shape when I sold it. Easily could’ve gotten another 50,000 miles out of it but I’d had it for 16 years and I was ready for something new.
How do they define the list? % of cars that reach 200k or some measure of repair costs during that time? It seems there could be a lot of selection bias in the list.
Well, they said so, so it must be so. Question a claim on the internet??
Yes, I’m guessing that there are a lot of assumptions based on past year’s estimates that were also based on assumptions. Could use an actuary’s touch of mortality table expertise, maybe. Guessing there is credible data out there.
It could be something like # of cars based on used cars sales data in the 27 states that publish mileage statistics for car sales, which would be pretty much meaningless.
But I was also thinking that high mileage cars need to be driven a lot of miles in a short period of time, which means lots of highway miles, mostly by people who knew they were going to drive a lot of miles, and looked at some sort of list 7-10 years ago when they bought the car, where that list was based on 7-10 year old cars at the time.
I don’t really know how those things might tell me what car I should buy if I drive 7k miles a year.
Interesting question… when cars are totaled or sent to the junk yard does that get recorded somewhere? A mortality table for cars?
How good are dealer records on car ownership? Titles must be transferred when cars are sold, so maybe pretty good even if the addresses aren’t.
My understanding is that annual car registrations are sometimes used as longevity study “x% still on the road” info. Doesn’t have mileage info like title transfers do.
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2019 Honda Accord, 50 months => 50k miles. Maybe 2036 => 200k. 
Same, I’m at about 6k or so miles per year. Which changes, I think, the calculus on reliability. Because lots of cars will get you past 100k with minimal hassle (maybe not Kia, lol). I thought a bit about it when I got my Tesla, if I keep it 15 years it’ll likely still be under 100k miles, and I’ve seen enough Teslas go 100k that I think I’ll manage.
My family car will be about 20 years old when it hits 100k and my fun car will be about 30 years old at current rates.
Could also go in the news that makes you say WTF
Tesla is going to sell versions of multiple models with shorter ranges and cheaper prices. The WTF is 2 fold. First, these are the exact same cars as “models will have the same battery and motors as the dual motor variants that cost $10,000 more, but their performance and range will be limited by software”. Second, Tesla already inflates their ranges significantly compared to some other manufacturers.
Maybe starting now to allow time for orders to be fulfilled for Q3? Tesla always gets aggressive at quarter-end, even more than I think other companies are.
I don’t like the idea of limiting hardware with software, but I think we’re on the cusp of things like this being the new normal. In this particular case, it’s just wasteful, using lithium you don’t need and adding extra weight to the car. I get it, that’s what the manufacturing lines are set up to make. I suppose the flipside might be: if these cars are only using ~80% of the usable capacity, perhaps battery degradation will be zero since they could just unlock an extra 5-10% as it degrades (Chevy did this in the Volt, btw).
For this reason, I think plug in hybrids are a great option for many given current technology. A small battery that can cover the vast majority of daily trips for many drivers, coupled with the gas engine for road trips. Don’t need to be hauling a giant battery if most of your driving is <30 miles.
I’m glad they are making a comeback, honestly. The Volt was never popular, at the time maybe people didn’t get it. But now there are lots of plug in hybrids.
I don’t know that they save much on weight, you’re not hauling a 1,400lb battery, but my Volt has a 400lb battery plus an engine. It’s a 3,600lb (I think) compact car.
At any rate. It’s great in terms of cutting emissions and having zero sacrifice for road trips. I burned about 50-60 gallons per year in my Volt. Zero emissions most days and 38mpg highway is pretty darn clean.
That’s still wasteful. Carting around a full gas engine that you hardly ever use. It’s like towing around a trailer for every single trip that you only use every 20th trip. You’re better off getting a full EV with a small battery for local trips and renting/borrowing a big car for your long, but rare, trips.
I think for most people trips over 30 miles aren’t rare, just not daily activity. That’s certainly true for me. I think thats part of the reason early EVs with limited range never got widespread adoption.