If you have it, you do actually save electricity by using the higher-voltage connector. Just to toss some numbers out, ~85% charging efficiency at L1, ~95% using L2. FWIW.

https://www.chevybolt.org/threads/110v-vs-240v-which-is-more...

Same for me. I have 240v mains in my garage, but I’ve never bother to get it wired up because the 120v receptacle has been good enough for my 20mi/day driving pattern. I’ll eventually get a dedicated 50amp circuit installed, but currently I can plug in every 2-3 nights and never think twice about range. Tesla Model Y. I’ve popped into a supercharger a couple times to “catch up” to go from 20% to 60% in ~20 minutes, if I’ve forgotten to plug in several nights in a row, very handy option to have as a back stop.

I don’t think the cable is the problem for the cars today. At a supercharger, I get throttled back from 150kw lrettt quickly, and it seems to settle in at 60kw.

If the cable really is the problem, why not just use a busbar with a couple hinges?

Highway range is the bugaboo that needs to be resolved though. Supercharging gets thermal throttling too quick.

Your typo has me smiling thinking of a Model 3 powered by a small 12V wall-wart :)

This is where somebody pipes up and says unless it can drive 3,000 miles on one charge with 16 kids in the back whilst towing a 60 foot boat then it is useless for everybody.

30% charge will not work if you are traveling across country through desert and remote areas.

The Tesla truck, the only model that made sense of you do any back country/rural driving was the three engine 550mi (if I remember right) version. Even then, I would think a generator would need to be carried (and fuel).

Rural areas don’t have chargers for the most part. That said, I’ve seen some chargers along 395 in rural NV that surprised me.

Until range becomes less of a concern, I’m not getting rid of my Tacoma.

This is why I think the by hybrid market will still win for now. Tesla makes sense for people driving short distances but not really long distance trips.

The hybrid 2022 Tundra is expected to get 20-25/gal which is great for a truck that size. And it was on the radar before my Subaru was totaled - I’ll stick to my Tacoma (paid off).

I see no real solution to the CA no fossil fuel engines post 2030. Our infrastructure can’t handle it. The majority of the state is suburban to rural. I cringe when I see a friend’s posts driving from Seattle to Truckee in their Tesla. The added time for charging.

The start to my recent road trip - Truckee - Ashland; Ashland - port Townsend; the first leg cost the same as the second in fuel prices due to CA gas taxes; but the whole route would have taken 2-3x as long if we had to charge an EV.

I was curious because this seems exaggerated.

GMaps gives me 12hr non-stop from Seattle to Truckee. Add 1hr total stops and it’s 13hr total (I’d stop much more frequently on a long trip like that, prob 15h total).

Using the Tesla planner you need ~5 stops at 20-30m each. Total time is 16 hours. Looks like it would only be slightly longer than gas for myself.

Interesting- I cringe whenever I hear of Toyota's lobbying efforts against EVs (and therefore climate change)

>Toyota's lobbying efforts against EVs (and therefore climate change)

Doesn't Toyota advocate for green hydrogen produced from renewables over battery EV?

Any day now the new battery technology will come to market. Right?

Well, switch to LFP is in progress right now to reduce battery fires.

Stock Rivian performing well at Moab. Tesla are a marketing hype company and a major distraction IMO. https://youtu.be/Yeth5v_5dPM

Regarding the 'could' article about potentially charging batteries faster: the plumbing analogy of a wider pipe/charging cable has to also take into consideration battery design and heat issues, a major BEV problem.

I think we are ~15 years away from safe and viable 100% BEV's before we break out of the affluent local transport virtue signaling markets.