EV Driving Questions and Tips

[Cyker]

I think it's reasonable to assume that if you can afford an EV you'll at least have a contactless credit or debit card. I agree that having a smartphone should not be a requirement tho'.

It would be difficult to make cash payment an option given they're all unmanned, and the only other alternative is having an account and the accompanying token, but you'd need one for all the different chargers so I think requiring contactless as the lowest common denominator is the least awful option...

 

[swoop5511]

On 11/3/2022 at 9:01 PM, Malop said:

New topic for the EV tips section: One Pedal driving.

I’m a big fan and really love full one pedal where the car comes to a full stop when you lift off the accelerator. I am hoping Toyota bring out a software update that enables it but lots of other manufacturers seem to be going with the Partial Pedal driving with brakes required to full stop (read a theory somewhere that this is to keep the brakes in use as some cars in the past had the brakes rust due to lack of use). 
Disappointed that it’s a button press in the BZ4X rather than a software option you can turn on and off. I’m not sure if the car remembers the last setting each time or if you have to turn it on for every trip. I find this frustrating enough with the auto hold after driving a RAV4 for a couple of years. Honestly believe both should be software switches. 
I know the theory behind one pedal is to regen into the battery but I actually prefer it as a driving experience, regen is just a bonus. 
Anyone seen any stats on how much regen braking actually adds to a battery on a “typical” trip.

 

Spend a bit more time on this and basically you got 2 "settings". Default setting is "off" on the switch and a light regen and on roads I know well i figured out pretty quickly when to take foot of the gas and "regen" into a roundabout for example without having to use the breaks at all. Pushing the regen button to "on" puts the regen level on high and compared to "off" its high and you slow quite hard. Useful for in town with frequent start stops. That one took a bit more time to get used too, but I now feel comfortable switching between the modes. 

As stated its not full one pedal driving. You need to do the very last bit of break. Using the "Hold" button will keep the car stop - once stopped. And you stay in that modus until you switch it back off. 

 

[Malop]

1 hour ago, swoop5511 said:

feel comfortable switching between the modes.

Do you think you’ll switch between modes often or just stick with one?

[swoop5511]

12 minutes ago, Malop said:

Do you think you’ll switch between modes often or just stick with one?

Basically anything 30 and below is "hard regen" and anything above "light regen".

[Mister Mike]

55 minutes ago, Malop said:

Do you think you’ll switch between modes often or just stick with one?

When I went on a test drive, the showroom chap pressed the switch to enable one-foot driving. I hated it straight away, as it felt like I was braking when I eased off on the accelerator. I asked him to turn it off immediately and was much happier.

[swoop5511]

20 minutes ago, Mister Mike said:

When I went on a test drive, the showroom chap pressed the switch to enable one-foot driving. I hated it straight away, as it felt like I was braking when I eased off on the accelerator. I asked him to turn it off immediately and was much happier.

ya, it will def not be everyone's cup of tea. My wife does not want it on at all. Standard / light regen is fine for her. 

[Rajavina]

On 11/2/2022 at 10:52 PM, lightboxcar said:

Looking here https://instavolt.co.uk/rates/

the rate is £0.66/Kw, seems quite a bit more than home electric cost

Is that fairly typical of what we can expect to pay for public chargers ?

Instavolt has hiked their rate to 75p per kWh from Nov 2022.

[ernieb]

47 minutes ago, Rajavina said:

Instavolt has hiked their rate to 75p per kWh from Nov 2022.

Wow, that’s a big hike but I guess to be expected given the current energy crisis.

[Cyker]

I have to say it's pretty rubbish how quickly EVs stopped being cheaper  to 'fuel' than ICE. I thought they'd have a good few more years than that!

I think now the only way it's still cheaper is if you can charge at home or at work, which not everyone will be able to do, particularly in cities where the majority park on the street or live in flats.

It doesn't help that most of the new ones only seem to get around 3miles/kWh, which is also pretty rubbish. I don't get how they're messing this up so much when the Kona/Niro EVs were getting 4-5kWh when they first came out!

That said, with the trend of increasingly big cars, they'll soon be so gigantic you'll be able to fit enough solar panels on the roof to charge them  

 

[Mister Mike]

It is widely believed that the Budget on 17 November may introduce road tax for EV cars as well as bringing in a £335 premium supplement. I paid a deposit for my BZ4X months ago, but still waiting for it to be prepped at the dealership. I wonder if I'd get stung for the supplement if the dealership gives me the car after 17 November...

[Mister Mike]

I'm starting to worry now. There are reports in the press that - as of this coming Thursday - EVs may be subject to vehicle excise duty. But, worse than that, the annual premium levy might be introduced for expensive EVs (currently exempt). Those two things together could add £500 to the annual running cost of a BZ4X 

[Cyker]

I've only seen this suggestion from the tabloid press; Everyone else says 2025 at least before that happens.

I think it's right that EVs pay the same tax as everyone else, but the premium tax should be waived as the threshold is far too low for EVs; They practically start at 40k for one worth having!

 

[bZ4X]

1 minute ago, Cyker said:

I've only seen this suggestion from the tabloid press; Everyone else says 2025 at least before that happens.

I think it's right that EVs pay the same tax as everyone else, but the premium tax should be waived as the threshold is far too low for EVs; They practically start at 40k for one worth having!

 

How does it affect us then? 

[Mister Mike]

57 minutes ago, bZ4X said:

How does it affect us then? 

Well, I for one will be paying strict attention to the Chancellor’s speech on Thursday. Then we will know for sure. Remember, it’s not so long ago that they removed a purchase tax break for EVs and that came into effect the very same day it was announced!

As bZ4X says above, an annual premium tax would be a major disincentive for people to buy any half-decent EV, at a time when the government wants people to move to EVs.

[swoop5511]

On 11/7/2022 at 6:44 PM, Malop said:

Do you think you’ll switch between modes often or just stick with one?

@Malop I now use the heavy regen exclusively and never want to go back. Pair that with the hold feature in town and you're almost at 1 pedal driving. 

[Malop]

Another tip is the 12 volt Battery. Most people don’t realise there is one in an EV and that it can run flat despite the main Battery being full. There are plenty of examples online of owners of other EVs needing rescue or having to charge the 12 volt Battery before being able to start the car (made worst in some EVs where the battery is well hidden). 
Anyone know about the 12 volt on the BZ4X, what it powers and how it charges?

[philip42h]

1 hour ago, Malop said:

Another tip is the 12 volt battery. Most people don’t realise there is one in an EV and that it can run flat despite the main battery being full. There are plenty of examples online of owners of other EVs needing rescue or having to charge the 12 volt battery before being able to start the car (made worst in some EVs where the battery is well hidden). 
Anyone know about the 12 volt on the BZ4X, what it powers and how it charges?

At least in the bZ4X the auxiliary Battery is located in the motor compartment - i.e. under the bonnet where it can be both seen and accessed.

See also: https://www.toyota-industries.com/news/2022/04/13/005312/ and https://www.toyota-tech.eu/HYBRID/HVDM/EN/bZ4X hvdm.pdf (PDF)

[dab1054]

Quote

2 hours ago, Malop said:

Another tip is the 12 volt battery. Most people don’t realise there is one in an EV and that it can run flat despite the main battery being full.

 

Been there had this problem with my Prius. Best solution I found was to buy a small rechargeable 12V Li-ion Battery pack- not too expensive. This can be kept charged by plugging into a USB socket in the car. It gives enough power to kick the system into action if the 12V Battery has failed. Probably not such an issue with the bZ4X since leaving the lights on (usually the problem with the Prius) should not happen with the various levels of warnings/protections. Make sure you buy a 12V pack not the standard 5V USB.

[Malop]

Latest charging network prices from Zap Map

https://www.zap-map.com/rapid-charging-prices/

[Mister Mike]

That reminds me, if you turn up at a random Tesla charging point, can you use it to power your BZ4X? I seem to recall that Tesla restricted use of their infrastructure to Tesla vehicles at one time.

[Malop]

12 minutes ago, Mister Mike said:

turn up at a random Tesla charging

Almost but not quite there yet. Tesla have opened their network to other drivers but only some locations. They also rotate locations and times. I’m sure I read somewhere that they always ensure space for Tesla drivers so can take a site away for other drivers if it starts getting full. 
You need to download the Tesla app and setup an account. You then select charge my Non Tesla car in the app and it shows you available locations. 

[Mister Mike]

7 minutes ago, Malop said:

Almost but not quite there yet. Tesla have opened their network to other drivers but only some locations. They also rotate locations and times. I’m sure I read somewhere that they always ensure space for Tesla drivers so can take a site away for other drivers if it starts getting full. 
You need to download the Tesla app and setup an account. You then select charge my Non Tesla car in the app and it shows you available locations. 

Thanks. What an inconvenience. The sooner someone legislates against this kind of discrimination, the better. I wouldn’t like to see Toyota set up a bunch of charging stations across the country where you can only charge Toyotas, for example. That would smack of protectionism. I’m hopeful that as the public charging infrastructure improves, proper competition will kick in and you can just turn up anywhere you like with a debit card (or contactless), as you can with regular petrol stations.

[Malop]

For anyone new to EVs or considering them but concerned about charging this is a great intro video. EV Man has done a number of videos about how moving to EV means changing your mentality from run empty then fill up to fill up just enough. 
 

 

[Cyker]

Yeah, this is the unintuitive thing about EVs on longer trips - It's generally faster to do shorter hops and more charges than it is to charge to 100% and do longer runs, because of the massive slowdown above 80-ish%.

It's also why I won't go near one until it can do 300+miles at 70mph in winter, because whatever the maximum range figure is, you need to knock at least 20% off because you've only access to 80% of the charge except for the initial leg (And even less if you're a paranoid driver like me and not one of these irresponsible people that run down to <5% charge!)

 

[DavidN57]

On 11/3/2022 at 9:01 PM, Malop said:

New topic for the EV tips section: One Pedal driving.

I’m a big fan and really love full one pedal where the car comes to a full stop when you lift off the accelerator. I am hoping Toyota bring out a software update that enables it but lots of other manufacturers seem to be going with the Partial Pedal driving with brakes required to full stop (read a theory somewhere that this is to keep the brakes in use as some cars in the past had the brakes rust due to lack of use). 
Disappointed that it’s a button press in the BZ4X rather than a software option you can turn on and off. I’m not sure if the car remembers the last setting each time or if you have to turn it on for every trip. I find this frustrating enough with the auto hold after driving a RAV4 for a couple of years. Honestly believe both should be software switches. 
I know the theory behind one pedal is to regen into the Battery but I actually prefer it as a driving experience, regen is just a bonus. 
Anyone seen any stats on how much regen braking actually adds to a Battery on a “typical” trip.

 

I like the one foot driving but I cannot find an answer to the question 'when you lift your foot off the pedal and the car slows, as if it were braking, does it illuminate the rear brake lights to warn following drivers you are slowing?'