Love that last para (and Plan D)! Sounds like a wonderful adventure. And congrats on the convincing win by the Jets! Am increasingly sceptical about timeframe of forecast EV and renewable energy penetration rates. The inadequacy of charging infrastructure and the cost and time required to do grid upgrades seem to be significant.
Something I think of all the time, living in the West and knowing what it's like even to play gas chicken. What do you do if you need to drive to The Pas? or Flin Flon? At this point, I see the value in hybrids, but as for pure electrics, need more info on battery pollution and how to make them work in our north. (And I laughed at Plan D. But cheers if you can make it happen.) Signed, the Grumpy Old Lady.
Three years ago I looked at, then discounted the Leaf because of its range. I discounted any TESLA, because Elon Musk is a terrible, terrible human. I mean, I’m assuming he’s human. Also all quality control issues, deaths and a company that doesn’t care about its workers or whether it’s customers are burned alive in a car that couldn’t be opened from the inside when the electrical system fails. I went with a Hyundai Kona EV which had a claimed range then of about 430km. I’ve hit over 500 in ideal conditions. Certainly not the ones you’re encountering. But clearly the charging network is the weak link in all this. Give it time. I dare say by 2050 you’ll have a harder time finding a gas station than a plug-in
Thanks, really enjoying your masochist updates and perspective on long distance EV travel. I'd like to get an EV, but will hold off until I can get one that'll drive 500-600 km in the dead of a Prairie winter and be able fully recharge in the time it takes to grab a quick bite. Because, I too am a masochist, in that typical roads trips often involve driving 10-14 hours or sometimes longer in a day with my wife.
First, I, too, had trouble finding that charger in Dryden! (Also, the worst McDonald's I've been to, but that's another story).
I think your comment about Plans A, B, and C points to the current tension with long distance EV journeys. Charging is most efficient if you make the fewest stops, *but* then you're risking not having enough range to get to the next high speed charger, and there are a lot of stretches where they're few and far between. So, I often find myself taking the longer, safer, slower route, never letting the battery get too low lest a charger be out of order, and I find myself unable to get to another charger.
I'm hopeful that this is still a growing pains type of issue, but it's definitely not fun for those (in my case) rare long haul trips.
Um : ) ... next time at a charger at a Marks and Canadian Tire with a pressing need?
Canadian Tire stores have wonderful restrooms.
Besides affordability, my thought is until they have actually installed a fully reliable network of charging stations I wouldn't dream of being so brave but then I would paddle down an R1 and R2 rapids river. Tongue in cheek.
But what happens if/when many more people are on trips say this summer, how long will the wait times be to plug in. Too many 'impondérables', unknowns.
I gather one could not venture into any remote areas.
Seems it is still in its infancy. I hate to say but at my age I'm beginning to think I'll never own an EV.
I laughed out loud at Plan D 😅
Useful advice. Thanks.
Love that last para (and Plan D)! Sounds like a wonderful adventure. And congrats on the convincing win by the Jets! Am increasingly sceptical about timeframe of forecast EV and renewable energy penetration rates. The inadequacy of charging infrastructure and the cost and time required to do grid upgrades seem to be significant.
Something I think of all the time, living in the West and knowing what it's like even to play gas chicken. What do you do if you need to drive to The Pas? or Flin Flon? At this point, I see the value in hybrids, but as for pure electrics, need more info on battery pollution and how to make them work in our north. (And I laughed at Plan D. But cheers if you can make it happen.) Signed, the Grumpy Old Lady.
Three years ago I looked at, then discounted the Leaf because of its range. I discounted any TESLA, because Elon Musk is a terrible, terrible human. I mean, I’m assuming he’s human. Also all quality control issues, deaths and a company that doesn’t care about its workers or whether it’s customers are burned alive in a car that couldn’t be opened from the inside when the electrical system fails. I went with a Hyundai Kona EV which had a claimed range then of about 430km. I’ve hit over 500 in ideal conditions. Certainly not the ones you’re encountering. But clearly the charging network is the weak link in all this. Give it time. I dare say by 2050 you’ll have a harder time finding a gas station than a plug-in
Thanks, really enjoying your masochist updates and perspective on long distance EV travel. I'd like to get an EV, but will hold off until I can get one that'll drive 500-600 km in the dead of a Prairie winter and be able fully recharge in the time it takes to grab a quick bite. Because, I too am a masochist, in that typical roads trips often involve driving 10-14 hours or sometimes longer in a day with my wife.
First, I, too, had trouble finding that charger in Dryden! (Also, the worst McDonald's I've been to, but that's another story).
I think your comment about Plans A, B, and C points to the current tension with long distance EV journeys. Charging is most efficient if you make the fewest stops, *but* then you're risking not having enough range to get to the next high speed charger, and there are a lot of stretches where they're few and far between. So, I often find myself taking the longer, safer, slower route, never letting the battery get too low lest a charger be out of order, and I find myself unable to get to another charger.
I'm hopeful that this is still a growing pains type of issue, but it's definitely not fun for those (in my case) rare long haul trips.
Um : ) ... next time at a charger at a Marks and Canadian Tire with a pressing need?
Canadian Tire stores have wonderful restrooms.
Besides affordability, my thought is until they have actually installed a fully reliable network of charging stations I wouldn't dream of being so brave but then I would paddle down an R1 and R2 rapids river. Tongue in cheek.
But what happens if/when many more people are on trips say this summer, how long will the wait times be to plug in. Too many 'impondérables', unknowns.
I gather one could not venture into any remote areas.
Seems it is still in its infancy. I hate to say but at my age I'm beginning to think I'll never own an EV.
'Drive safe'
Thanks Paul!
-Big Oil