The Canadian Electric Vehicle thread

[Truenorth00]

The idea that Canadian buyers are any more discerning than Australian or Italian or German or Norwegian buyers seems strange to me. The Chinese OEMs did alright in those markets. We should expect similar here.

They also aren't morons. They won't compete in markets where they know they have no shot. Like pickup trucks. They'll make hay with SUVs, CUVs and sedans. There's really not that many people that buy a RAV4 or CR-V or Escape because they're exceptionally passionate about those brands or models. It's also much easier to compete against ICE in the SUV and CUV markets.

[theman23]

I know you're right, but I hope you're not. Get me some EV sedans and wagons to choose from please.

[Truenorth00]

Heck, I hope I'm wrong. I care about our industrial base and the people who make wages that support their families. I fear that I'm more right than wrong.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Is there a choice? What Canadian (or even American) made devices are out there to 'type on'? Or 'other stuff' to fill your house? Next up, no choice on where your new car is made either.

At least you get a win on an internet forum (the guys monitoring this site from China are loving it). Enjoy!

Just pointing out hypocrisy that's all. In my house we do make active choices on where things come from that we purchase. Of course we are fortunate that we don't have to go for the cheapest option either.

[Truenorth00]

It's always nuts to me how much people will grab on to edge cases. And then escalate commitment. How many times do you see someone desperately trying to jam something into their SUV at Home Depot instead of just renting a proper truck for the job? People will pay more in gas all year round just to have the hope they have the space necessary to move something once or twice a year.

If you're incredibly worried about about driving hundreds of km on a -40°C day, just rent an ICEV for that day. You've been saving enough gas the rest of the year to pay for that extreme edge case.

[lio45]

Yeah, at -40C “having only half my usual range” wouldn’t be anywhere near a top worry (dwarfed by stuff like “let’s make sure my copper pipes don’t explode”).

I’d even say if you’re 100% sure your vehicle will “start” (be usable, for an EV) and the tradeoff is half the range, that’s an upgrade over an ICEV, which might not start!

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

If you're incredibly worried about about driving hundreds of km on a -40°C day, just rent an ICEV for that day. You've been saving enough gas the rest of the year to pay for that extreme edge case.

Yep, but don't park it outside without a plug either or you're in trouble.

[Rollerstud98]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Yep, but don't park it outside without a plug either or you're in trouble.

You’re talking about both now, correct?

Recently drove to Montreal, spent 2.5 days there and then drove back home. 9 days total trip. Not possible in an electric yet and electric wouldn’t have had capacity for the job either. Best we did was 1500kms on a single tank of diesel. Filled up for another 1500kms in 10 minutes.

The torque is fun and wouldn’t mind a secondary vehicle as an electric but for my work van and primary personal vehicle they don’t meet my requirements yet. There are a lot of people in the same situation as me.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by Rollerstud98

You’re talking about both now, correct?

Recently drove to Montreal, spent 2.5 days there and then drove back home. 9 days total trip. Not possible in an electric yet and electric wouldn’t have had capacity for the job either. Best we did was 1500kms on a single tank of diesel. Filled up for another 1500kms in 10 minutes.

Unless you're towing something heavy, I'm not really sure why you believe an EV can't do a roadtrip where you're driving 1000 km/day. That's possible with fast charging and would probably only take you 1-2 hrs per day more than driving an ICEV would with charging breaks and charging overnight at a hotel.

Here's an entire playlist of Norwegian YouTuber Bjorn Nyland doing 1000 km in various EVs. And here's his list of results:



If you're one of those people who thinks it's perfectly normal to drive 1500+ km per day and risk killing others on the road because of fatigue, then sure EVs can't do that. And personally I'm not sure that's a bad limitation to have.

[ssiguy]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Yes the same prejudice will exist that Japanese cars faced. This time the quality should be better straight out of the gate so acceptance will come faster.

No similarities at all.

When Japan starting selling in NA, it was not a military gov't that was engaging in genocide of it's ethnic minorities, throwing people in jail for political expediency, torturing prisoners, curtailing all human rights, kidnapping foreign nationals, engaging in actions to undermine other countries democratic institutions, and disregarding labour and environmental standards.

In short Japan was, and still is, a strong democracy while China is ruled by a blood thirsty military dictatorship. How you could put Japan and China even in the same sentence is truly beyond me.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Unless you're towing something heavy, I'm not really sure why you believe an EV can't do a roadtrip where you're driving 1000 km/day. That's possible with fast charging and would probably only take you 1-2 hrs per day more than driving an ICEV would with charging breaks and charging overnight at a hotel.

Here's an entire playlist of Norwegian YouTuber Bjorn Nyland doing 1000 km in various EVs. And here's his list of results:



If you're one of those people who thinks it's perfectly normal to drive 1500+ km per day and risk killing others on the road because of fatigue, then sure EVs can't do that. And personally I'm not sure that's a bad limitation to have.

1500km in a day with 1 driver is a lot - but you often aren’t driving that far alone.

Me and my wife did Savannah to Hamilton in 1 day last year, with us taking 3 hour shifts each. I did 3 shifts, about 8-9 hours total, and she did 2, about 6 hours, 1,500km. With a 500km range EV, we would probably have needed 4-5 recharge stops vs. The 3 gas stops we made, so likely would have ended up around 1 hour longer of a drive. So yea, not end of the world. Especially when you consider how much cheaper it is to operate an EV day to day and how you never waste time getting gas outside of long road trips.

It would be too much to do alone.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Rollerstud98

You’re talking about both now, correct?

Recently drove to Montreal, spent 2.5 days there and then drove back home. 9 days total trip. Not possible in an electric yet and electric wouldn’t have had capacity for the job either. Best we did was 1500kms on a single tank of diesel. Filled up for another 1500kms in 10 minutes.

The torque is fun and wouldn’t mind a secondary vehicle as an electric but for my work van and primary personal vehicle they don’t meet my requirements yet. There are a lot of people in the same situation as me.

What are you driving with that kind of range and what's the mileage like?

Of course you can do that trip with an EV. I don't understand what would stop you.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

1500km in a day with 1 driver is a lot - but you often aren’t driving that far alone.

Me and my wife did Savannah to Hamilton in 1 day last year, with us taking 3 hour shifts each. I did 3 shifts, about 8-9 hours total, and she did 2, about 6 hours, 1,500km. With a 500km range EV, we would probably have needed 4-5 recharge stops vs. The 3 gas stops we made, so likely would have ended up around 1 hour longer of a drive. So yea, not end of the world. Especially when you consider how much cheaper it is to operate an EV day to day and how you never waste time getting gas outside of long road trips.

I don't know how old you are or what your situation is, but I have to wonder why people do these types of trips. I'd just take a hotel break in the middle and get a nice sleep. But maybe I would have driven straight through (with friends) when I was young.

It's like asking friends to help move vs. just hiring movers. A few dollars well spent, and it's cheesy when you're over 35.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Just pointing out hypocrisy that's all. In my house we do make active choices on where things come from that we purchase. Of course we are fortunate that we don't have to go for the cheapest option either.

Sure, I'm just not sold on the idea that it's hypocrisy when the choices are limited to none. Moot point, I suppose, as eventually the same will probably be true for the auto industry, if our government doesn't find a way to counter it.

...or if the EVs from China turn out to be complete duds that nobody wants to buy, which likely isn't the case, as has been discussed (over-discussed).

[Rollerstud98]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

What are you driving with that kind of range and what's the mileage like?

Of course you can do that trip with an EV. I don't understand what would stop you.

F350, mileage under 11l/100kms. Time constraints due to work and load coming back with are the main reasons oh and route taken. Left Airdrie, fuelled in Winnipeg, fuelled in Hearst to be safe as it was late in northern Ontario and the fuelled at our destination in Sorel. Lots of seat time to be sure but that trip would not work with current ev’s in the way we took it. We did get in to watch the Flames beat the Habs so that was cool.

[Rollerstud98]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

I don't know how old you are or what your situation is, but I have to wonder why people do these types of trips. I'd just take a hotel break in the middle and get a nice sleep. But maybe I would have driven straight through (with friends) when I was young.

It's like asking friends to help move vs. just hiring movers. A few dollars well spent, and it's cheesy when you're over 35.

That’s why it works for you. If I’m going somewhere we drive to get there. Taking a couple extra days on a 6 day drive is not my idea of time well spent.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by Rollerstud98

That’s why it works for you. If I’m going somewhere we drive to get there. Taking a couple extra days on a 6 day drive is not my idea of time well spent.

y
Yup. If I’m driving to Florida for a vacation, I don’t want to spend half of it getting there and back.

For that trip, we spent a night on the way down about halfway after driving for 8 hours after work. On the way back we drove 4hrs to Savannah in the evening, woke up, and drove home.

[urbandreamer]

In those 1-2 hours per day of charging time, I'd rather be exploring small towns and farms on B/C/D roads. An EV is great if you're a typical boring commuter who takes the same route everyday, prefers watching movies and eating chain food vs actually seeing this country and hiking etc.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

I don't know how old you are or what your situation is, but I have to wonder why people do these types of trips. I'd just take a hotel break in the middle and get a nice sleep. But maybe I would have driven straight through (with friends) when I was young.

It's like asking friends to help move vs. just hiring movers. A few dollars well spent, and it's cheesy when you're over 35.

My sis and I did Vancouver to Sherbrooke without any stops other than fuel/food/bathrooms, taking turns at the wheel. I did many such trips with either my dad or my gf, again taking turns at the wheel. It’s worth it to make sure you have a comfortable sleeping arrangement in the car; you have a good night’s worth of sleep and when you wake up you’re magically much closer to your destination. (Usually the driver likes to make the sleeper guess in which state we are now, at wake up time )

On my own road trips, I find it’s not worth it at all to pay for a hotel/motel; I’ll just stop in a rest area whenever I feel it’s time to stop for the day, and I’ll have a great uninterrupted 8 hours of sleep, as good as if I were in my bed. In winter it’s no problem when you’re dressed enough, the only times it can be less comfy is on very hot summer nights. Even then, the flexibility of stopping right there in a rest area, and resuming driving the next morning, is worth it, IMO.

I see I’m not alone in liking the driver change / sleeping co-pilot vs spending the night not moving …

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

1500km in a day with 1 driver is a lot - but you often aren’t driving that far alone.

Me and my wife did Savannah to Hamilton in 1 day last year, with us taking 3 hour shifts each. I did 3 shifts, about 8-9 hours total, and she did 2, about 6 hours, 1,500km. With a 500km range EV, we would probably have needed 4-5 recharge stops vs. The 3 gas stops we made, so likely would have ended up around 1 hour longer of a drive. So yea, not end of the world. Especially when you consider how much cheaper it is to operate an EV day to day and how you never waste time getting gas outside of long road trips.

It would be too much to do alone.

It is going to be a lot more than an hour extra Unless you are already making long meal stops you can combine with charging which of course is possible. It will be a lot less possible with 25X as many EVs but there is lots of land near reststops so you could have 100s of meters of parking if needed. You'll also lose some range at higher speeds. You also burn more gas depending on the vehicle but that is irrelevant.

It's definitely less convenient and will probably take longer than it would have even in the 70s (ignoring more traffic and better highways just top speed and mileage.) Now you will save money though most of the savings is really road taxes so that is probably coming back anyway.

Anybody do most of their miles on the road and do an EV? A friend goes to Montreal almost every weekend and doesn't drive much besides that but that's a short trip so it's actually nice to not have to get gas at all and he can plug in for near free in MTL.