On Tue, May 23, 2023 at 6:51 PM Lee Hart via EV <ev@lists.evdl.org> wrote: > > Bob Bath via EV wrote: > > I’d read an article about women being more concerned about being stranded > > without a charge. > > Is that fear an unfounded rumor, or does it really happen? > > EV batteries don't suddenly go dead, like an ICE running out of gas. > Every EV I've ever owned or driven provides plenty of warning when it's > running low on charge; far more than an ICE "low fuel" light. And, it > never really stops; it just keeps getting slower and slower. It may shed > loads like the heater or A/C, and limit your speed and acceleration. But > it will still get you home or to the next charger. It will never die on > the railroad tracks like an ICE that's out of gas.
One time my wife drove our 2018 Kia Soul EV 124 miles to work and back without charging at work. That car had ~100 mile range but would increase if she got stuck in traffic. We live up a hill with ~500' of elevation climb so when she was almost home the car quit. She barely got off the road. I drove the 1/2 mile to tow her home and the car was so dead it wouldn't disengage the automatic parking brake! The manual method of disengaging them was to disconnect the 12V power and manually retract each caliper! I ended up taking my portable generator down to charge it up for a while and after 30-45 minutes of charging at ~1kW there was barely enough charge to tow it to our driveway. Unfortunately she didn't let it roll as she came up the driveway so it quit again and I had to string 150' of extension cord down the driveway to charge it so I could finally get it to the house and unblock the driveway. So yes, when they run out of power, they can and do just quit. My wife learned that her saving of a 10 minute stop cost me two hours of time. I think/hope she learned her lesson to not push it so far. At least I can program our 2020 & 2023 Niro EVs to not set the parking brake when the car shuts off, if I want. -- David D. Nelson _______________________________________________ Address messages to ev@lists.evdl.org No other addresses in TO and CC fields HELP: http://www.evdl.org/help/
