So I bought an Electric Car...

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Dan Szwarc
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Re: So I bought an Electric Car...

Post by Dan Szwarc »

Linmk56 wrote:Congrats on your purchase Dan. I do have a few questions:

Are you getting the range you were expecting? Any loss of range at night due to headlights etc?

I've wondered how the HVAC system works, is it sort of a Heat Pump like device with an electric compressor?

How long does it take to charge at your home?
Haven't owned it long enough to answer those questions. It doesn't have a heat pump, but rather a conventional AC compressor (I think), but it looks like it has a dedicated coolant system for heat and that is heated electrically.

The car comes with a pathetic AC charger rated to 12 amps. It will add a whopping 4 miles per hour of range to the car and about 40 miles overnight. I've been sick at home so the car has been topped off. Now, I have nowhere to go in it until i feel better.

I can install a charger at home that would use 32 amps at 240V AC and charge the car about 20-25 miles per hour or full in about 8 hours.
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Re: So I bought an Electric Car...

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LINC400 wrote:One thing that is never discussed with electric cars is how it affects your electric bill. When you turn on the air conditioning or put up lots of Christmas lights, your electric bill skyrockets here. I would think charging a car every night would do the same.
Yeah. My electric bill is going up. But I don't buy gas anymore. No more spilling gas. No more smelly, dirty stations.

It also costs less to operate. About 40% less to operate than my 37-42 mpg Mini did. That's ideal, so figure it will be about 30% less. If I drove a Lincoln all the time, I'd save enough to buy a Tesla!

Also, my solar panels generated about a 2.5 megawatt-hour surplus last year, saved as a credit by my local utility. My math says I'll be tapping into that surplus so it won't cost me an extra penny.
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Re: So I bought an Electric Car...

Post by John Mc »

Congrats Dan, may I ask what the net of credits cost was?

I'll be eager to see it next time I'm there.
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Re: So I bought an Electric Car...

Post by mr.niftie »

Cool congrats.
Not quite the same, Mrs. Niftie has an MKZ Hybrid and loves it. Nice and snotty and wayyyyy better than the Camry Hybrid we had before in every way.
Enjoy,
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Re: So I bought an Electric Car...

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John Mc wrote:Congrats Dan, may I ask what the net of credits cost was?

I'll be eager to see it next time I'm there.
Federal Tax credit on a qualifying EV is $7500.
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Re: So I bought an Electric Car...

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mr.niftie wrote:Cool congrats.
Not quite the same, Mrs. Niftie has an MKZ Hybrid and loves it. Nice and snotty and wayyyyy better than the Camry Hybrid we had before in every way.
Enjoy,
Michael
My wife has a 2014 Prius C. We've been phasing out gas for three years, now. I think she averages 45-50mpg.

I'll rely on her car for really big trips IF we can't plan around chargers.
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Re: So I bought an Electric Car...

Post by TonyC »

Good thing a friend of mine in Germany doesn't know of this forum. If she read that, she'd go ballistic--she's as much a fanatic for Minis as I am for Lincolns. :o

But hers is a '01 or '02 model, the first of the 21st-Century Minis...and since it's manual-shift, she has no worries with the LiquaMatic-type of semi-autos that were the bane of the Minis of that time.

---Tony
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Re: So I bought an Electric Car...

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TonyC wrote:Good thing a friend of mine in Germany doesn't know of this forum. If she read that, she'd go ballistic--she's as much a fanatic for Minis as I am for Lincolns. :o

---Tony
I was disappointed with the MINI. The expensive repairs, the poor quality trim, the shitty XM radio, but mostly, the piss poor dealership service. That thing ate tires. It was economical on gas, though (which is why I bought it).

The only service my Bolt will need over the next two years is a tire rotation and an "inspection" each year.
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Re: So I bought an Electric Car...

Post by Castrosua »

See, being on your own grid so to speak, makes a fully electric car worth it. Basically free fuel. I may look into this once I get my own place (Im eyeying some cheap land in SD, in the boonies, as long as a VA hospital is reasonably close).

I am curioous how it does with you, because of all the full electrics, Id buy a GM one myself. (Now, if they made a Camaro electric...id be on that in a heartbeat. You have a Volt, a Bolt, call that one the Shock :lol: )

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Re: So I bought an Electric Car...

Post by Dan Szwarc »

Well, two weeks and no issues except a crappy, buggy infotainment system. I fried a GFI circuit in the garage because it was a cheap, chinese outlet (it tripped and won't reset).

I'm sitting on the fence regarding spending the $500-800 for a quick charger. As much as I'd like to be able to put 25 miles of range in a single hour instead of 4, it's quite adequate for my use, right now. I haven't used a third party charger yet because I 'm always able to get home before I run out.

The experiment continues and will for several years.
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Re: So I bought an Electric Car...

Post by larrys 62 53A »

I brought my 62 a few weeks ago to Curt's garage on 11 Mile Road after the Concours of America. Many vacuum leaks, accelerator pump was done, intake manifold gaskets were leaking. 3 days it took. But, they let me use a Prius at no cost and that was fascinating. On the gas engine, off the gas engine and on batteries. Totally intriguing. Also, Curt's services electric cars; there were Volts there in for service and he told me they don't take much. Real nice guys.
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Re: So I bought an Electric Car...

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I'm two months in and I still love driving the car. Weather is still very summer-like, but mild and I've only used the AC twice. I basically only have to charge it on the weekend and try to do it when it is sunny so I am basically charging on solar energy (I also have a 7.6kw solar panel, grid-tied system). I'm still accumulating energy credits so fuel costs are still zero.

It does not cost me a penny to operate my Bolt. My Solar panel investment is covering it, nicely.

I'm planning on getting winter tires as the all-seasons are pretty non-grippy due to being "energy efficient" tires. Although, I'm not expecting much snow in Michigan thanks to climate change, but extreme weather messes with that.
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Re: So I bought an Electric Car...

Post by Stuart M. Cohen »

David sent me this; anyone interested? :lol:
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Re: So I bought an Electric Car...

Post by papawayne »

I Love it! My wife is working on her 2nd Prius...she loves it for short trips around town, and has even driven it from ME to CT to visit with her family. My experience with both Prii (is that the plural?) is that they are very uncomfortable, after anything more than an hour drive. I'd rather bounce around in my 84 Ranger pickup. My question, Dan, if it hasn't already been answered, is how comfortable is your electric car to ride in? Wayne
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Re: So I bought an Electric Car...

Post by Stuart M. Cohen »

I can tell you it's comfortable for me. I drove it in June when I was out there last month.
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