Electric Vans - Range

[PaulieN]

Most i3 owners will be stranded at the side of the road or at home when the 12v battery fails.

Back at the BMW workshop they will install the BMW recommended battery and perform the reset of the monitoring software.

Most i3 owners won't have the means of doing that.

All that will be, as I said, very expensive.

My PHEV battery doesn't need any software reset.

Yes they are about £200 but last at least double the time.

Best not to dwell on running costs as an Outlander PHEV owner, lol!! I used to own one, annual servicing costs are ludicrously high.

 

[binky]

Best not to dwell on running costs as an Outlander PHEV owner, lol!! I used to own one, annual servicing costs are ludicrously high.

Worst of both worlds with engine and batteries .

One of my customers pointed this out to me some time ago, having opted for electic only Nissan leaf. Still seems a good compromise to me if you do higher mileage?

 

[johnb2713]

Worst of both worlds with engine and batteries .

One of my customers pointed this out to me some time ago, having opted for electic only Nissan leaf. Still seems a good compromise to me if you do higher mileage?

We got an Outlander PHEV for my wife because it fits her usage pattern really well. Her return trip to work is 6miles per day, she goes dancing 2 nights per week at around 12 miles round trip and then once per month further afield with her 3 friends 110 miles round trip.

Except for once per month trip, it can do it all electric, the longer trip it obviously runs the engine.

It is a relatively comfortable car, it does feel very 'tinny' compared to the German cars we've had previously. That said from rust perspective it's way better than my Range Rover that I had, very little surface rust underneath, the Range Rover had corroded through the front subframe in 6 years, brake pipes in 7 years, the Outlander exhibits none of this.

If you regularly do journeys above 30 miles, it's not worth it and completely ignore Mitsubishi's outlandish claims of 160 mpg, I complained to the ASA in 2014, my complaint was upheld and Mitsubishi had to withdraw their advertising.

 

[binky]

If you regularly do journeys above 30 miles, it's not worth it and completely ignore Mitsubishi's outlandish claims of 160 mpg, I complained to the ASA in 2014, my complaint was upheld and Mitsubishi had to withdraw their advertising.

So what did you get to the gallon on a run?

 

[johnb2713]

So what did you get to the gallon on a run?

The longest drive I've done in it was Gainsborough to Frome, that was circa 250 miles each way and we averaged 53mpg at motorway speeds. Considering it's a heavy(ish) 4wd petrol I thought it was pretty good. We started each end of the journey with a full battery.

 

[michael8554]

"the monitoring software only records the date".

Not so.

"The capacity and state of health of the 12v battery is tracked so when the battery is replaced you have to reset the capacity tracking in the computer"

You have avoided the situation most i3 owners will find themselves in.

Paying the stealership a shedload of money.

 

[johnb2713]

"the monitoring software only records the date".

Not so.

"The capacity and state of health of the 12v battery is tracked so when the battery is replaced you have to reset the capacity tracking in the computer"

You have avoided the situation most i3 owners will find themselves in.

Paying the stealership a shedload of money.

I'm assured by a BMW senior tech that on the i3 it does not have charging profiles as per alternator equipped vehicles, it has a DC to DC charger like an intelligent home charger and doesnt need to know about the replacement. I have changed 3 batteries on i3's none of them been a problem, none of them recorded.
The iCarSoft software can record the battery change, thats relatively cheap with a suitable ODBII adapter.

 

[Chrisbee]

Maybe a glimpse of the future?

 

[binky]

Maybe a glimpse of the future?

interesting concept, scaling it up will be hard.

 

[johnb2713]

interesting concept, scaling it up will be hard.

Major complications with this. It would have to be manufacturer specific or all manufacturers use a standard battery. What about if you swap to a knackered battery? Many cars have active heating and cooling for the battery, this doesn’t feature in the video. The list goes on…….

 

[Sharpend]

Yes!! Finally found something with EV’s that John doesn’t like………….

 

[Chrisbee]

I think there are plenty of potential issues. But the concept is interesting.
Looks like you have the option to buy the battery with the car, not use swapping and charge it as any other ev. Or pay far less for the car and lease the battery. Swapping gives the option to switch to a light battery for general (local) use or a bigger one for long trips as and when it suits.

A removable battery gives them much easier access for maintenance/cell swapping as it gets older, and with the lease option - battery degradation is their issue.

All have the option of more conventional methods of EV charging too.

It would be quite something if multiple manufacturers agreed a common standard. But I can't see that happening.

 

[johnb2713]

Yes!! Finally found something with EV’s that John doesn’t like………….

Where, what is it?

 

[johnb2713]

I think there are plenty of potential issues. But the concept is interesting.

The concept has been around for a good few years, it featured on fully charged show a while back, their system could cater for a range of cars.

Looks like you have the option to buy the battery with the car, not use swapping and charge it as any other ev. Or pay far less for the car and lease the battery. Swapping gives the option to switch to a light battery for general (local) use or a bigger one for long trips as and when it suits.

That has possibilities for sure.

A removable battery gives them much easier access for maintenance/cell swapping as it gets older, and with the lease option - battery degradation is their issue.

It's not their issue if youve picked one up expecting 300 miles range only to finds youre out of power after 150 miles?

All have the option of more conventional methods of EV charging too.

Thats a function of the car not the battery?

It would be quite something if multiple manufacturers agreed a common standard. But I can't see that happening.

It was talked about years ago so that you use a GM engine with a VW gearbox bolted into a Ford bodyshell. It really would have been a good move if manufacturers adopted it.

 

[michael8554]

"I'm assured by a BMW senior tech that on the i3 it does not have charging profiles as per alternator equipped vehicles, it has a DC to DC charger like an intelligent home charger and doesnt need to know about the replacement."

So fake news from BMW dealers, to convince owners that only dealers can change the aux battery ?

 

[johnb2713]

"I'm assured by a BMW senior tech that on the i3 it does not have charging profiles as per alternator equipped vehicles, it has a DC to DC charger like an intelligent home charger and doesnt need to know about the replacement."

So fake news from BMW dealers, to convince owners that only dealers can change the aux battery ?

Make of it what you will.

BMW tell you to only use BMW screenwash, if you don't as I found, most other screen washes turn the BMW screenwash to a Gel which blocks the filters and jets. Remove the pump and bottle thoroughly clean it out, clean the jets and flush with water, re-assemble and it's then fine. Why BMW use this screenwash defeats me, I always leave note in the car and have attached a label to the bottle NOT to use BMW screenwash so when it's serviced etc they dont top it up. BMW charge £150 to clear the blockage from non BMW screenwash.

 

[PaulieN]

Make of it what you will.

BMW tell you to only use BMW screenwash, if you don't as I found, most other screen washes turn the BMW screenwash to a Gel which blocks the filters and jets. Remove the pump and bottle thoroughly clean it out, clean the jets and flush with water, re-assemble and it's then fine. Why BMW use this screenwash defeats me, I always leave note in the car and have attached a label to the bottle NOT to use BMW screenwash so when it's serviced etc they dont top it up. BMW charge £150 to clear the blockage from non BMW screenwash.

If I was a cynic, I'd think they formulated a screenwash that goes to gel on purpose when mixed with any other brand! Either locks you in to overpriced BMW fluid, or blocks up the system meaning a nice little earner for them, it's almost like a protection racket!

 

[johnb2713]

If I was a cynic, I'd think they formulated a screenwash that goes to gel on purpose when mixed with any other brand! Either locks you in to overpriced BMW fluid, or blocks up the system meaning a nice little earner for them, it's almost like a protection racket!

My thoughts exactly, £12 litre last time I looked at the BMW stuff. I buy Carplan screen was in 25 litre drums at about £28.

 

[yozhughes170]

Just to get this thread back to the original op

this video gives a good idea why electric vans aren’t viable at mo

 

[johnb2713]

Just to get this thread back to the original op

this video gives a good idea why electric vans aren’t viable at mo

To be fair, he demonstrated his incompetence with the vehicle, he did nothing to show the viability or otherwise.

I do think Electric Vans need to be carefully assessed relative to the work you do. If its 30 - 50 miles around your location, they're fine, if it's doing 300 miles per day up and down motorways, it's not for you.