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Electric vehicles and snow

JohnM20 replied on 02/03/2018 08:23

JohnM20 profile picture Member

JohnM20

Caravanner from Derbyshire

Posted on 02/03/2018 08:23

Has anyone on here any experience of driving in the snow and very cold weather with an electric car? Are they better, worse or no different to a conventional engine? My thoughts, and it is purely a guess, is that they will not perform that well. I believe that if any battery gets very cold it's performance drops off and what about heating for the inside of the car? Imagine being stuck in the snow for hours on end as many vehicles are at the moment with a battery that rapidly becomes flat. I know that weather like this is not common but if the scientists are correct then we can expect more of these sorts of extremes. It is interesting to note that 4 x 4 vehicle owners have been asked by the authorities to come to their rescue to get staff and medical supplies around the country. I don't think an electric vehicle would be much use for this.

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Milothedog replied on 02/03/2018 12:13

Milothedog profile picture Member

Milothedog

Caravanner
Posted on 02/03/2018 12:07 by Navigateur

. . . . with electric parking brakes that need a good rev of the engine to get them to release automatically.

Posted on 02/03/2018 12:13

Not in my last two cars. VW Tiguan and Freelander 2  the lightest of touches of the throttle pedal releases the EPB.

Randomcamper replied on 02/03/2018 14:03

Randomcamper profile picture Member

Randomcamper

Motorhomer
Posted on 02/03/2018 13:59 by Navigateur

 As it is only the sale of new vehicles that can be banned, I see a growing industry in refurbishing existing petrol and diesel vehicles.

 

 

Posted on 02/03/2018 14:03

Like the big industry in refurbishing VHS video recorders and record players perhaps................??

 

 

wink

KenofKent replied on 02/03/2018 15:35

KenofKent profile picture Member

KenofKent

Caravanner
Posted on 02/03/2018 11:50 by Navigateur

I wear warm clothes, hat & if need be gloves and take a hot flask of coffee with me. You have to keep the fan sucking cold air in to prevent the windows steaming up. It gets very cold.

Ah, the memories!  Takes me back to my Series One Land Rover in the 1950s. A small piece of perspex sheet to keep scraping the ice off the inside of the windows (no credit cards in those days !!)

Posted on 02/03/2018 15:35

Yes, isn’t progress wonderfulwink

Ken

scratchgolfer replied on 02/03/2018 19:20

scratchgolfer profile picture

scratchgolfer

Caravanner

Posted on 02/03/2018 19:20

It has a timer to preheat the cabin whilst still attached to the mains. However once unplugged we do not use the heater as it would drain the battery too quickly to get back to base. (I've never tried turning the heater on whilst en-route as I don't fancy the walk back to camp!). I wear warm clothes, hat & if need be gloves and take a hot flask of coffee with me. You have to keep the fan sucking cold air in to prevent the windows steaming up. It gets very cold. This is the one downside of EV's at the moment. Whilst I am being paid In work I am happy to suffer, but my OH would not tolerate this in a family vehicle.

 

His name was Ernie, and he drove the fastest milk cart in the land, oops will get my tin hat on😜

 

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