The Canadian Electric Vehicle thread

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Tesla is getting big subsidies for this. If the Government of Canada offered similar subsidies I'm sure they would.

3rd party fast charging seems relatively unreliable and frustrating for users. Tesla could easily become the defacto fast charging provider for all EVs if they wanted to make this kind of move.

The Biden admin is spending the infrastructure bill money that Congress authorized. The US is (finally) acknowledging that Tesla (1) exists; (2) has built out a wildly superior fast charging infrastructure at a national scale; (3) has developed a wildly superior fast charging user experience than competitors; (4) Tesla repaid its Federal-backed loan in full and ahead of schedule, demonstrating that it has the competency to fulfill its obligations in an EV-sector expansion scheme; and (5) Tesla is solvent, profitable, and no longer a vulnerable upstart that might not make it through the year, much less be a reliable long-term partner to grow the EV sector.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I think it varies from region to region.

I have no complaints about Hydro-Québec's Circuit Électrique network.

Expansion overall would be good and even essential but even today it is pretty widespread and dependable.

Thinking about this further and doing a bit of research and Circuit Électrique has fast chargers roughly every 50-75-100 km along all major and secondary highways.

[homebucket]

Anyone got a reservation down for a new Ariya?

• Video Link

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by homebucket

Anyone got a reservation down for a new Ariya?

The Autogefühl review called it out for its bizarre seating position. Any one over 5'10" would find it very cramped. Sounds like they let the battery pack eat into all the headroom. Shame because the topline interior is very well done.

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by whatnext

The Autogefühl review called it out for its bizarre seating position. Any one over 5'10" would find it very cramped. Sounds like they let the battery pack eat into all the headroom. Shame because the topline interior is very well done.

Inside EVs commented about this as well, although it seems like the reason might be just because the seats don't go low enough, not necessarily because of the battery compartment taking up room, as the floor space is actually quite spacious. Seems like a problem that could be fixed with switching to a new seat manufacturer come the next model year if there's enough taller people that complain enough or cite it as a reason for not buying. A much simpler and easier fix than having to redesign and re-engineer the whole platform.

We found the Ariya's interior to be one of its strongest aspects compared to its prime competitors. The EV dedicated CMF-EV platform allows for a completely flat floor and Nissan also moved the heating and cooling equipment as well as other modules usually located behind the dashboard forward into the traditional engine compartment.

In doing so the Ariya has more front passenger space and larger, more airy footwells. On the downside, by moving all that equipment upfront, there's no room left over for any front storage space, therefore, there is no frunk. Nissan isn't the only EV manufacturer to sacrifice a frunk so there could be more front passenger space. Cadillac (Lyriq) and BMW (iX & i4) both recently told us that was the reason their upcoming EVs don't have a frunk, and Volkswagen also offered that explanation when the ID.4 first launched.

...

One niggle I had with the front seating position was that the front seats don't seem to lower far enough for tall passengers to have adequate headroom. I'm only 5'8" and there was plenty of headroom for me, but even with the seat in its lowest position, I didn't have as much headroom as I usually have or like to see. If you're a 6'+ in height you should definitely sit in an Ariya and make sure you have enough headroom - but that should go without saying.

https://insideevs.com/reviews/575951...-drive-review/

[homebucket]

Interestingly, Doug is 6'3" (190 cm) and doesn't actually comment on the lack of headroom when he's driving it. I'm guessing if it was super noticeable he would've mentioned it. Perhaps its more of an issue for people with long torsos more so than just being tall.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by homebucket

Interestingly, Doug is 6'3" (190 cm) and doesn't actually comment on the lack of headroom when he's driving it. I'm guessing if it was super noticeable he would've mentioned it. Perhaps its more of an issue for people with long torsos more so than just being tall.

Looks like DeMuro had a lower trim, maybe the seats are different. He also seems to have a shorter torso. You could see he almost touched the rear headliner though.

The interior of the Autogefühl model is fantastic for a non-luxury car.

• Video Link

[whatnext]

Holy boomerang Batman!

Tesla HQ to return to California, Musk announces
by: Travis Schlepp
Posted: Feb 22, 2023

Tesla is returning to California.

Elon Musk announced during a joint press conference with California Gov. Gavin Newsom that Tesla would be opening a global engineering headquarters to California, two years after a dramatic exit that saw the electric car company leave the Golden State for a facility in Austin, Texas.

Tesla will open up shop in the former home of Hewlett Packard in Palo Alto, Musk said. The facility will serve as the company’s engineering headquarters while the corporate headquarters remains in Austin.

The move returns Tesla to the world’s center of technology and innovation, and puts Musk in closer proximity to the headquarters of Twitter, which the billionaire tech entrepreneur purchased last year in a massive social media shakeup.

Musk called the move into HP’s old building a “poetic transition from the company that founded Silicon Valley to Tesla.”...

https://ktla.com/news/california/tes...usk-announces/

[Jaws]

I put a deposit on one of these this week.
https://www.genesis.com/ca/en/models...ighlights.html

The others in the running were a Model Y (wife didn't like it after two test drives. One of the drives at -20 = rough and squeaky) and Audi Q8 Etron (a bit too big and too expensive and subject to the luxury tax when configured the way we wanted it).

The car will be home charged 95% of the time so charging infrastructure isn't a consideration.

Delivery TBA

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Holy boomerang Batman!

Tesla HQ to return to California, Musk announces
by: Travis Schlepp
Posted: Feb 22, 2023

Tesla is returning to California.

Elon Musk announced during a joint press conference with California Gov. Gavin Newsom that Tesla would be opening a global engineering headquarters to California, two years after a dramatic exit that saw the electric car company leave the Golden State for a facility in Austin, Texas.

Tesla will open up shop in the former home of Hewlett Packard in Palo Alto, Musk said. The facility will serve as the company’s engineering headquarters while the corporate headquarters remains in Austin.

The move returns Tesla to the world’s center of technology and innovation, and puts Musk in closer proximity to the headquarters of Twitter, which the billionaire tech entrepreneur purchased last year in a massive social media shakeup.

Musk called the move into HP’s old building a “poetic transition from the company that founded Silicon Valley to Tesla.”...

https://ktla.com/news/california/tes...usk-announces/

Nice to see Newsom and Musk make up. I think it's pretty clear that Tesla needs CA (I don't think any of the engineering talent ever left for TX; the move was purely for tax friendly purposes) and CA needs Tesla (for economic benefits and to maintain its position as a, if not the, leader of technological innovation). A win win situation for both parties.

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by Jaws

I put a deposit on one of these this week.
https://www.genesis.com/ca/en/models...ighlights.html

The others in the running were a Model Y (wife didn't like it after two test drives. One of the drives at -20 = rough and squeaky) and Audi Q8 Etron (a bit too big and too expensive and subject to the luxury tax when configured the way we wanted it).

The car will be home charged 95% of the time so charging infrastructure isn't a consideration.

Delivery TBA

Did you guys consider one of the GV60/EV6/Ioniq 5 products?

These have been getting excellent reviews as well.

[WarrenC12]

Tesla isn't returning to California. News headlines are pretty pathetic. It's their engineering (R&D) HQ, and always has been to my knowledge. It's expanding.

Yes, Musk is mending bridges with Newsom there, but it's not a flip flop. That's where the software talent is.

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Tesla isn't returning to California. News headlines are pretty pathetic. It's their engineering (R&D) HQ, and always has been to my knowledge. It's expanding.

Yes, Musk is mending bridges with Newsom there, but it's not a flip flop. That's where the software talent is.

Yeah it seems more ceremonial more than anything else. But also signaling more expansion.

I'm more curious about the motivation behind such a public announcement as I'm sure it's something that could've been done quietly, especially if Musk wanted to save face.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by homebucket

Yeah it seems more ceremonial more than anything else. But also signaling more expansion.

I'm more curious about the motivation behind such a public announcement as I'm sure it's something that could've been done quietly, especially if Musk wanted to save face.

Musk wanting to save face?

The government might have proposed it, it's a win story for them.

[Jaws]

Originally Posted by homebucket

Did you guys consider one of the GV60/EV6/Ioniq 5 products?

These have been getting excellent reviews as well.

Yes, we originally had a deposit on the GV60 and test drove it and liked it but there were a few annoyances: Sunroof that doesn't open, no rear wiper, poor rear visibility with a spoiler that bisects the rear window, a preference for 20" wheels over 21" wheels, and exterior styling that we couldn't warm up to. The EV6 was not really a consideration as the seat height is a bit lower than the GV60 which is as low as my wife wanted to go. I like the I5 design but my wife does not.

The drivetrain (motors/battery) in the GV70 is the same as the GV60 Performance. I don't expect much in the way of range, probably 300 km in summer and 225-250 in the winter @ 80% SOC, but it will suffice.

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Musk wanting to save face?

The government might have proposed it, it's a win story for them.

Well, yeah. He has publicly clashed with many local government officials including Newsom, and made a huge deal about leaving for Texas for a tax friendly environment, and now he's holding a joint press conference announcing that he's making Palo Alto its new global engineering headquarters.

You would think that given the way he left, he'd want to return quietly.

Either way, like I said, it's a win win for both parties. Musk gets to keep his main HQ in Texas where taxes are low, and he gets to keep/expand his engineering talent base in Silicon Valley, while Newsom gets to brag about how innovative and influential California is.

[Truenorth00]

Just two years ago, people thought the Japanese automakers were geniuses for their electrification skepticism:

Originally Posted by accord1999

The Japanese Big 2 of Honda/Toyota have been more deliberate about models and dates, with timeframes far enough into the future to allow for reversals once the subsidies eventually go away and show that the total addressable market for EVs is smaller than what optimists currently believe. Meanwhile they continue their development cadence of new vehicles that people currently want, like Honda with their new Civic, HR-V and CR-V which will probably sell 125K/year combined in Canada and 800K in the US. And what the marketplace has really shown is that it can't get enough crossovers and SUVs, no matter the size.

Now, Toyota is changing CEOs and after tearing down a Tesla Model Y, called it a "work of art".

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Just two years ago, people thought the Japanese automakers were geniuses for their electrification skepticism:

In all fairness, accord1999 was always super-bullish on the AB tarsands (and by extension, the ICE's prospects) so not exactly a representative sample.

Most SSPers back then were of the opinion the Japanese (fully spelled! ) automakers were wrong then; it's even more obvious now.

[Wigs]

What do you guys think about Hyundai's IONIQ 6?

It has an EPA estimated range between 270-361 miles (434-581km). 361 mile (~581km) range for ~$46k USD
https://www.motortrend.com/news/2023...-6-price-msrp/
• Video Link

Car & Driver overview
https://www.caranddriver.com/hyundai/ioniq-6

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by lio45

In all fairness, accord1999 was always super-bullish on the AB tarsands (and by extension, the ICE's prospects) so not exactly a representative sample.

Most SSPers back then were of the opinion the Japanese (fully spelled! ) automakers were wrong then; it's even more obvious now.

I took a raft of shit back then, from this lot, with suggestions that my bullish stance in EVs was delusional. And that was when I suggested 30% BEV marketshare by 2030 was attainable (the "30 by 30" campaign). We're already pushing 10% globally. Add in plug in hybrids and it's 15%. Looks like I was conservative.