What happens when an electric car runs out of power on the road?

[brush]

Do the road service companies have quick-charger apparatus to get you started and back on the road to a full charging station?

Curious as my next car will probably be electric.

No joke answers pls. This is a serious question.

[rickford66]

1. Maybe get one of those jump starters you plug into the cigarette lighter socket.

[elleng]

12. Oh right, because cigarette lighter sockets still available!

[Deminpenn]

36. The plugs are still there, just not the pull out coil

that was used to light cigarettes.

[randr]

2. Get a longer cord

[Bullfeathers]

50. LOL (nt)

[FlyingPiggy]

69. 😂

[Bucky]

3. One new business opportunity is for a company to sell portable jump batteries

Keep your portable jumper recharged. I assume EverReady is gonna be all over this

[Midnight Writer]

37. Yeah, I don't see why you couldn't carry a "spare" to jump your primary.

[fescuerescue]

71. The batteries in cars are already as portable as they can be

And they still weigh 1200lbs.

While one could certainly carry a jump pack. Those weigh about 30 lbs. It's not going to get you very far. Maybe another mile or 2 down the road. (which could in theory get you to safety or an electrical outlet)

It's not like jumping a ICE car where you need a little electricity and then gas takes over to recharge. in an electric, you need electric full stop.

[marybourg]

4. Tow to nearest charging station.

[dalton99a]

8. And it has to be a flatbed tow truck

[dweller]

5. Onboard gasoline generator ?

Plus it’ll sound like a go-cart 😁

✌🏻

[Rosco T.]

43. Actusally that is an option on the Lightning F150

small gas generator for extra long trips

[MissB]

6. Get it towed to a charging station.

My car starts looking for charging stations if I approach 20% charge.

Personally my car is for in town trips. In a pinch I could use it for a road trip but that isn’t why I bought it.

It is still new enough that range anxiety is still present. I say “hey Google, how many miles are left” and it’ll tell me how many miles are left on the current charge. Silly when I only go a few miles but it’s also fun to say.

[Demsrule86]

7. GM cars like the volt have a back up engine.

[IbogaProject]

17. Had

GM stopped making that combo one. I was interested in it.

[Silent3]

26. I'm glad I got the last model year.

Of course, it's more expensive to build a car that's both gas powered and electric at the same time, so I guess that's why they discontinued the Volt, but for me it's the best of both worlds, and I can only hope when it's time to buy a new car again I'm as happy with the options available.

[caraher]

79. There's another thread on a BMW that has that functionality

The poster got it used for like $19k

[JCMach1]

87. Exactly, Volt or other PHEV owners don't worry about this issue...

If you don't have more than a 20-40 commute, all you need is a PHEV.

Used Volts are one of the least inexpensive ways to go electric.

[Ninga]

9. As with gas car, EV's have 12 volt batteries as well.

As with gas cars, if 12 volt dies, car is un drivable.
However, there is absolutely no reason to run out of energy with an EV.
I drive a Tesla and have taken long trips. The navigation monitors usage and tells me when, where and for how long to Supercharge. I have charged overnight at hotels, and plugged into my sister’s clothes dryer outlet when visiting. Never ever had any range anxiety. I would say EV drivers who take a risk of not charging amount to the same number of drivers who run out of gas

[Midnight Writer]

38. Have you stopped at charging stations on the road? How much do they cost?

Is the price pretty steady?

I'm just being curious.

[tinrobot]

45. Pricing varies, depending on the station/location.

Some are free. Some cost money, but not that expensive. Usually cheaper than gas.

[Ninga]

54. Yes, recently drove a 380 mile round trip and

the navigation suggested one of two stops to charge. Charged for 13 minutes at cost of $3.75. Arrived home with 17% charge remaining and plugged in
And charged overnight…range on
Car is 350

[Midnight Writer]

83. Thanks. I've wondered how that works.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

10. Not sure if they still do this but Nissan was offering free flatbed as part of the warranty.

My buddy’s neighbor worked for one of the car magazines when the Leaf came out. She had a demonstrator car and gave us a test drive and the low down.

But that was when electric cars were new and they were overcoming objections a fear.

We are on our third plug in hybrid so we don’t have that worry.

[MerryHolidays]

11. It also depends on where you live

Places like the Bay Area have chargers all over the place. I am not sure about other places.

Get a PHEV (or a plug-in hybrid EV) that allows you the best of both worlds. It is not a pure EV, but you don't have to worry about finding a place to charge so long as you can find a gas station.

Not perfect, but it's adequate if you're particular part of the world doesn't have large amounts of EV charging stations in the places you want to go to ensure you don't run out.

[brush]

16. A hybrid might be the way to go. When running on gas does it recharge the battery...

like gasoline powered cars do? I mean the power source battery not the starter battery.

[ShazzieB]

18. Yes.

My daughter has a Toyota Prius Hybrid, and she is crazy about it.

[brush]

21. Now that's a great feature.

[redstateblues]

40. I've got a Hybrid RAV4- Had a Prius before that. Both great cars

[MerryHolidays]

28. There is something call regenerative braking on my PHEV...this helps charge the EV part

First and foremost, at least with my PHEV, you do not need to charge the car to use it. However, if you do, you will get significantly better MPG (or whatever is the correct terminology) between EV and gas. Given the options on my dash, I can see my car charging when (a) I brake properly and (b) when the car is moving and I am not pressing the accelerator. I rarely plug in my car for charging since my home doesn't really allow it.

I guess each PHEV is different, but I am seeing a far greater number of PHEVs by essentially all manufacturers. I do not want to get a Tesla for a number of reasons, but the PHEV has given me a number of options, and it allows me to travel long distances without fretting about an EV charging station being around and the time it takes to charge. It's not good when you have to wait hours at an EV charging station to get home because you didn't calculate your drive time properly! Remember that everything in your car takes up energy (e.g., AC, etc), so you have to be careful. If there were quick charging EV stations everywhere that gave you the same ubiquity and freedom as a gas station, I would definitely go that route. I am not sure that's the case, though.

Until pure EVs give you the same range as a PHEV if you travel long distances, that's the safest course. I would also consider leasing rather than buying...the technology is changing so much that I wouldn't want to be saddled with "old" technology on the EV side. Having a PHEV for three years or so on a lease is good enough, and then it's on to the next one. I'm not too sentimental about cars.

There are now TONS of options for EVs and PHEVs. If you just drive short distances locally and have a reliable place to charge your EV car, that's a good option. If, like me, you may travel 120 miles in a day, I want to have the mix of EV and gas for the timebeing. That being said, I will switch to an EV in a heartbeat the moment that EVs (besides Tesla) can give me range of around 400 miles between charges and are reasonably priced.

[Ninga]

55. The Tesla navigation and A Better Route Planner app

suggest when to stop and charge up primarily to get you to your destination. I stop and charge not because the percentage of charge is low but because to make sure the percentage of charge available when I reach m final destination is not less than 10%.
Most definitely need to plan when you take a long distance trip. In all my travels the longest time Ive spent at a Tesla supercharger station is 23 minutes.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

31. Braking regenerates the battery. So does coasting down hills.

It pays to feather the brake pedal to optimize regen.

Ours has a regen brake paddle on the steering wheel.

[Hoyt]

13. Don't have an EV, but definitely thinking about one. Good thread and responses.

[brush]

22. Thank you. Just gathering info. DU is great for that.

[ProfessorGAC]

51. Same Situation Here

I've got a few years on my ragtop, and my wife's car only has 108,000 miles, but it's a 2006.
She's a prime candidate for an EV. 90% of her trips are 5 miles or less.
Good to hear the experiences of those that went electric.

[Drum]

14. I would definitely encourage you to see this...posted shortly after your OP

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215476029

[brush]

20. Thank you. Very helpful.

[Shellback Squid]

15. you never plan a trip without knowing the charging route

[Auggie]

19. You really expect American drivers to act responsibly?

[MerryHolidays]

41. If you travel non-locally, that's a bit of a pain

My long distance travel is usually time sensitive, and, when I am on such trips (e.g., 120 miles or more r/t), I REALLY don't want to be spending hours waiting for my car to charge.

That's why a PHEV gives you a decent mix of both EV and gas. I have had PHEVs for years and have been very happy with them. That being said, if possible, lease rather than buy so you are not stuck with old tech. Things are moving very quickly in the EV/PHEV space.

[tinrobot]

47. You don't spend hours waiting to charge anymore.

These days, the fastest charging cars can charge in under 20 minutes.

[brush]

75. Good point on leasing.

[sprinkleeninow]

23. A hybrid.

[napi21]

24. Same thing that happens when your car runs our of gas. I suspect there are warnings re: low

power left. The drivers just need to pay attention to remaining power & refuel in the same way we pay attention to remaining gas in our tank.

[MerryHolidays]

42. Not exactly.

It can take hours to charge your car. With gas, you are ready to go instantly in the few minutes it takes to fill your tank.

If you have the time to do charge, then yes. Realistically speaking, many of us don't.

When I was looking at pure EVs a few years ago, it was clear that Tesla was the only real option for long-range EV driving. But, it is an expensive vehicle. At least a few years ago, and as far as I am aware today, there are no other comparable EVs to Tesla for range. For local trips, there are tons of options.

It all depends on what you will use your car for. The PHEV was, without a doubt, the best of all worlds, and MUCH cheaper than a Tesla.

[tinrobot]

46. It usually takes about 20-40 minutes at a fast charger.

The hours-long charges are a thing of the past (except for home charging, where you charge overnight)

[MerryHolidays]

57. I don't have an EV, but I have a PHEV

This indicates that a 20-40 minute charge at a fast charger is by no means average: https://www.kbb.com/car-advice/how-long-does-take-charge-electric-car. There aren't that many fast chargers spread throughout the US, and especially between cities. It takes far longer at non-fast chargers. Even at 20-40 minutes at a fast charger, that's added commute time, and those aren't all that prevalent.

Like I said, I think an EV is great for local driving, but I tend to do both local and long-range. The minimum long-range r/t I would do in a day would be around 120 miles or so. When I first started looking at new technology cars, nothing except a Tesla had this range. Dealers of other EVs would tell me, well, just time your trip to hang out near a charging station for awhile and then you can use the EV, but that wasn't really a solution.

The PHEV is the best solution for me. It was far better priced than a Tesla, and, like I said, it go me the best of both worlds. But, the fear of running out of charge was what drove me (so to speak!) to a PHEV over an EV.

[tinrobot]

63. Things are develping very quickly, both for cars and charging.

I'm sure PHEVs are good for you now, they're a good compromise. However, BEVs will be quite practical if/when you decide to upgrade.

Most newer EVs have longer ranges. They're also adopting faster charging. The new Hyundai EV can charge in 18 minutes and has a 250-300 mile range. Others are following this lead.

https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1132367_2022-hyundai-ioniq-5-300-mile-electric-car-will-offer-18-minute-fast-charging-in-us-spec

Fast charging networks are also expanding quickly. In late 2019, I did Los Angeles to Las Vegas in my old 100 mile EV. On the long stretch across the desert, there were exactly two fast charge sites. That was rather nerve-wracking.

Today, that same stretch has over a dozen fast charge sites, and my new EV has over twice the range. That trip is now totally easy. Infrastructure is developing very quickly, and not just in California.

[MerryHolidays]

68. Agreed. I am on my second PHEV

and things have changed rapidly.

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

25. If you run out of power in California while evacuating from a wildfire, you burn

Glad to help

[liberal_mama]

27. My husband and I like to take really long road trips and drive straight through

His family lives in Louisiana and we live in New York, so I'm not sure how long it would take to stop and charge it up if it ran out of power on the road trip.

[localroger]

29. Unless there is a significant advance, you will need gas

Batteries aren't good for long road trips and there's no infrastructure to help you when they crap out on you in a bad place.

[Sgent]

33. I know multiple people

who drive Tesla's between New Orleans and Houston regularly (about 8 hr trip), and there are multiple superchargers on the interstate. If your driving off the interstate it could be a bigger issue.

[MerryHolidays]

34. If you can afford a Tesla, that's fine

It is a VERY expensive car.

Until other manufacturers get the EV range of a Tesla and charging stations are more prevalent and quicker, I would urge folks who do non-local/long distance travel to consider a PHEV.

On the other hand, if you want to help Elon to sell regulatory credits to other manufacturers for a huge profit at taxpayer expense (and I don't), which is the ONLY reason Tesla is profitable, have at it!

[Rstrstx]

48. AAAANND how are dying legacy auto makers profitable?

Oh that’s right, by selling customers vastly overpriced gas-guzzling giant-ass trucks and SUVs, which require regular expensive maintenance at their shops (the ONLY way they’re profitable). Plus they keep the government subsidized petroleum industry going full throttle while it keeps choking the planet. So hey if that’s your thing, have at it!

Sorry for being a bit sarcastic, but Tesla on the whole has done way more good than harm by shaking up the auto industry, and their prices for the 3 and Y are very much in line with other new EVs with similar specs. Otherwise the auto industry would be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century if they didn’t have any real competition (many companies like Fiat and some Japanese auto makers are still acting like if they just close their eyes this will all just go away, just crank out a few token compliance cars to keep California and Europe happy).

[MerryHolidays]

61. Why precisely is Tesla making the profit from selling regulatory credits?

These could have been purchased directly from the federal government, rather than Tesla being in the middle. You do understand that the regulatory credits are what has caused Tesla's stock price to go through the roof, right? I am not sure enriching Tesla and its shareholders is what the regulatory credit scheme was about. But, to Tesla's financial acumen, they exploited this loophole to the hilt. Again, why didn't the government charge the offending companies directly and pocket the money.

I also didn't realize how much energy Tesla consumed with respect to bitcoin: https://www.autoweek.com/news/green-cars/a36266393/tesla-made-more-money-selling-credits-and-bitcoin-than-cars/ . See also this: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/13/why-elon-musk-is-worried-about-bitcoin-environmental-impact.html#:~:text=Elon%20Musk%20said%20Tesla%20has,and%20Malaysia%2C%20according%20to%20researchers. Tesla was far from environmentally friendly.

When I first started looking at alternative fuel vehicles, a Tesla lease was several hundred dollars per month higher than a PHEV lease. The only EV I would have seriously considered was a Tesla because of its range. However, the cost differential, even for a Tesla 3 model and a PHEV was considerable, and I believe still is.

Please take a look at many other manufacturers. Many of them are phasing out their pure gas vehicles. Just in the last few years there are far more PHEV and EV options by many of the manufacturers. Did Telsa contribute that. I am sure it did, and perhaps that's the essential point. I just don't understand why US taxpayers apparently subsidized Tesla when there were other ways to do it.

[MissB]

59. I didn't consider buying a Tesla

It wasn’t the EV for me. I bought the Volvo EV - their only model currently is the XC40.

Volvos still qualify for the $7500 federal tax credit, since the manufacturer hasn’t sold 200,000 units in the US. Plus my state offers at least $2500 (and an additional $2500 of low/moderate income).

I lucked out and sold my previous car in this ridiculously hot used car market. Considering the used car $, the tax credit and state rebate, my overall cost is about $25k, which is quite reasonable for a new car- really equivalent to buying a new Honda Accord. Actual cost for me is $35k, just for full disclosure since we’re talking about a tax credit from the feds and a refund from the state.

I realize that’s too high of a cost for many folks.

[Poiuyt]

30. If you're looking at a Tesla, it will plan your route and tell you where the charging stations are

There's some guy on Youtube who has several videos about his cross country road trips in a Tesla 3. He documents all the good and bad things about the car, but to address your question, he describes how the car's computer will tell you where all the charging stations are on your route and calculates how long before you need to get recharged. He really makes it look like fun!

[farmbo]

32. Tesla has an 800 number for roadside service throughout the USA.

I’ve never had to take advantage of the service, but understand it includes a partial re- charge... enough to get you to the next charging station.

[brush]

35. Thanks. That the answer I was looking for.

[GulfCoast66]

39. Excellent question and some good, meaningful answers.

But posting a question on DU and asking for no joke answers? Big ask!

I look forward to an electric truck that can pull our boat 400 miles. Still a ways off but I see it happening.

[brush]

78. I added the "no jokes please" because the first two responses were just that.

But after that a lot of good information came in from drivers with experience with EVs and PHEVs. They're helping me make my decision on my next car.

[tinrobot]

44. Are you in the habit of running out of gas?

Probably not. Personally, I can't remember the last time I ran out of gas.

Same goes for electric cars. When it gets low, you fill up. Fast chargers allow you to do that fairly quickly.

The great thing about EVs is that, when you charge at home, you leave the house every morning with a full "tank". I've been driving electric for 10 years. Even with a 100 mile battery, I've never run out.

[brush]

80. Having a charging station at home is great, but who has a gas station at home?

I have run out of gas from being rushed ans stressed, forgot to notice the gauge. Had to call AAA, which is why I asked if road service companies have developed a quick-charging device to get you off to a full charging station/

It happens, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

[tinrobot]

95. An EV will tell you multiple times if your battery is running low.

The warnings are way more obvious than a gas car. Hard to ignore.

But, if you actually do manage to run the battery to zero, you're looking at a tow. If you can't handle that possibility, stick to gasoline.

Looking into the future, the new F150 EV will have a big enough battery to actually charge another car. Others will follow. In a few yars, that technology might be a way to get around a tow.

[malaise]

49. If as folks here posted, F150s or other vehicles were able to provide power for homes

during that horrific Texas event, then they can do the same here.

[lanlady]

52. I have a Chevy Volt

And I love it - gets 60 miles per charge but it also has a gas engine. I usually switch to gas on the highway, or when the battery has less than 10 miles. Other than that, I drive it on electric to go to work and get around town.

Unfortunately, I believe Chevy stopped making the Volt and will be producing only all-electric models, so I can't recommend it unless you can find a used one.

That said, if you get an all-electric car you will definitely know when your battery is about to die - no way you'll ever get caught by surprise unless you never look at your dashboard! Unfortunately, most of the free charging stations you find out there are excruciatingly slow to charge a battery. When I shop at Whole Foods or Wegmans I plug in my car at one of their stations but am lucky to get 2 or 3 miles in the course of a shopping trip. That's one reason I bought the Volt; right now, the infrastructure isn't there to support charging-on-demand. But it will come, it will be there soon.

I charge my Volt overnight in my garage. If you have that capability, and if your daily mileage is well within the car battery's limits, I say go for it! But if not, or you do a lot of highway driving, I'd advise waiting until there is better infrastructure and faster charging stations available to electric car drivers.

[mopinko]

53. i've been waiting for someone to put a solar panel on the roof.

if not solar paint/film.
at least you arent totally stranded.

iirc, one little maker is doing it.

[caraher]

81. Trouble is, that's a trickle

I think it's a Swedish company working on that.

That would definitely somewhat un-strand you, if it's sunny. But there's just not enough power density in sunlight, especially combined with solar panel efficiency, to match the rate at which the car uses power. Sunlight is about 1 kW per square meter and 20% efficiency is on the high end, so at best you're talking a few hundred watts. Driving down the highway draws basically ten times that power, so you need to sit and charge roughly 10 minutes for every minute of driving.

[fescuerescue]

85. Solar has a LOOOOOONG way to go

before a panel that size can recharge a Tesla.

Several orders of magnitude difference between the panel output and the battery capacity

You need about 93,000 Watts or 93kwh to recharge a Tesla from empty to full. You can get a 200 watth solar charger to fit on top of a car.

It would take about 20 weeks to charge a Tesla from 0 to full with a Solar rooftop.

It can trickle charge. Which is free energy of course. But it makes a difference in feet. Not Miles.

[ananda]

56. I'm still going with a hybrid.

I'm not quite ready for electric.

[Koch Ebola]

58. What happens when your car runs out of Gas?

All these arguments against the electric car are fossil fuel company talking points. You can't stop progress but the oil companies are trying their best. I am looking forward to the day when petropolitics just vanishes. So when your electric car runs out of juice, do what I do, CALL The Auto Club.




Check this video

[MerryHolidays]

62. No...they are my own talking points from my own experience

I drive local and long-range from time to time (somewhat frequently, at least before the pandemic). The range of the car was critical to my decision. For my long-range trips (minimum 120 miles r/t) which I would take twice a week, the only EV that could do that was the Tesla.

For all other EVs, I would be spending time charging the car, in addition to work and driving. That's just not what I want to do, especially in the Bay Area where your departure time can make all the difference between a 45 minute commute and a 2 hour commute because of traffic.

The cost differential between the Tesla and a decent PHEV which I eventually got was considerable.

These were my real world considerations.

[brush]

74. I asked if the road service companies have developed a quici-charge device...

to get you started and back on the road to a full charge station. I'm asking because, as I said, my next car is likely to be an EV. The scenario I'm envisioning is on the road far from a charging station as things can happen where you forget to recharge or can't recharge.

[Maxheader]

60. If a car battery completely looses charge while running.

It will stay running until the ignition is switched off, i think.

An electric car won't?...?

[pwb]

64. Just like gas vehicles. Check your gages.

At the start and during your drive.

[Voltaire2]

65. three years with my M3 - never even come close.

You do have to pay attention to how much battery is left, but the same is true for gas cars, you have to pay attention to that thing called a 'gas gauge'.

If you are on a road trip, you have to plan your route with the navigation software. If you are just driving around, outside of rural areas, charging stations are easy to find, but I do all my charging overnight at home.

Just curious: when was the last time you ran your car out of gas?

The answer for me to that question is 'not in the last 40 years at least'.

It is sort of a non issue.

[brush]

67. I'm learning a lot from the reponses, including yours. I was curious about...

being on the road far from a charging station but from your post and others I've learned that one has to plan your route to know where charging stations are, and to pay attention to the power gauge.

My concern was that charging stations aren't as plentiful yet on the interstates and secondary roads as gas stations are. Hopefully Joe Biden's infrastructure plan will include them as EVs seem to be our future.

Oh, and the last time I ran out of gas, not paying attention, was as I was about to get on an on-ramp to the freeway. I was able to pull over and call AAA and they brought me some gas in about 30 minutes. That's why I asked if the road service companies have developed a quick-charge device yet because knowing people, someone stressed out with a busy schedule will forget and get stranded.

[beaglelover]

66. You pay for a tow to either home or a charging station.

[beaglelover]

70. I have a Tesla Model 3 with a range of 300 miles when fully charged.

We went to Palm Springs for a few days last week which is about 120 miles away from where we live. We rented a house out there but there was no charging port at the house, so we had to supercharge using the Tesla network when we were in the desert.

The first time we supercharged in down town Palm Springs. Tesla has around 12 chargers in the parking garage for the PS art museum. At home when I charge the rate is 30 miles per hour. At this supercharger, the rate was 265 miles per hour. So, we plugged in the car and walked down to the main drag in PS and had lunch. Once we were done with lunch, the car was fully charged.

The day before we drove home, we went for a longish drive along 111 through the various desert cities. Then on the way back to our rental house, we stopped at the Tesla supercharger in Rancho Mirage. It's located at an outdoor mall that has shopping, a couple restaurants with bars, etc. We plugged in and went to get some Ben and Jerry's ice cream. The car still had about 10 minutes left to fully charge by the time we came back to it, so we just sat in it for those final minutes. During that time a Tesla service rep drove into the charging station and offered to top up our windshield wiper fluid and check and adjust our tire pressures. For free, of course. I thought that was pretty cool.

I just checked my credit card and the first charge was $18 and the second charge was $15, so MUCH cheaper than gas.

I've had my Tesla almost a year and it is definitely the best car I've ever owned. Around town, I'm usually able to drive using only 1 pedal due to the regenerative braking feature. I hardly ever use my actual brake pedal, so that will help with wear and tear on the brake pads, etc. I love getting over the air updates to my car periodically that turn on new features of the car. I would recommend a Tesla Model 3 to everyone!

[brush]

72. Good info. Pls go into thr regenerative breaking system more and how you hardly have...

to use the brake pedal. It almost sounds like downshifting in a standard shift car to slow it down.

[beaglelover]

84. Well, in a ICE car, when you take your foot off of the gas pedal, the car will coast until you apply

the brakes. In the Tesla, when you take your foot off the accelerator, or even decrease the amount of pressure you have on the accelerator, the car will begin to stop as though you have applied the brakes a little bit. It does not coast. So, over a very short amount of time, you get used to how much to take your foot off of the accelerator to make the car come to a complete stop without ever using the brake pedal. It really does not take that long to get used to it, and if you really hate the regenerative braking system, you can deactivate it in the car settings. The other thing the Tesla does is when it comes to a complete stop, it goes into 'hold' mode, so again you don't have to have your foot on the brake pedal to keep the car still. You can also change this in the car settings if you don't like it.

The absolute best thing about driving a Tesla or any EV is the instant torque. Just stomp on the accelerator and the car goes massively fast! There is no grinding of gears or waiting for the turbos to spool up like in an ICE car. The EV just goes. It's kind of fun to play with when you first get the car on a deserted street, but it also helps you avoid trouble in real world driving by helping you get out of sticky situations FAST, like when you're merging onto the freeway or passing a car on the freeway. Gives me lots of confidence in the car I'm driving.

[brush]

90. Kool stuff. So if you deactivate the regenerative brake system...

the car will coast as if in neutral on a gas car?

[beaglelover]

91. Yes exactly.

[Poiuyt]

92. We were looking into getting a Tesla 3, but I was worried about all the controls being in the screen

Sometimes, you just like to have real buttons.

Has that been an issue for you?

[beaglelover]

93. I was a little worried about that but it has not

Been an issue at all. Most controls you really only set once. And the car has a great voice command system so you can turn on or off any control by just pushing a button on the right side of the steering wheel and telling the car what to change. My husband is 12 years older than me and not tech savvy at all and even he thinks the control screen is very intuitive and easy to use. He’s bonkers about the Tesla as well.

[lame54]

73. Check your trunk for a kite and a key

[Towlie]

76. It stops.

 
←

I can't believe I'm the first to say that. DUers just don't seem to have much of a sense of humor.

[Buns_of_Fire]

77. Thank you. I'd typed that same thing five times, but each time

I erased it before posting. No guts, no glory.

[brush]

82. Jokes are nice. But sometimes you want information on EVs to help in a buying decision.

[Towlie]

96. You shouldn't complain because every post, regardless of content, bumps your thread to the top.

 
←

See? I just bumped it again.

[JCMach1]

86. I found this post funny, it's no different than running out of gas... watch your gauges

and don't do it.

If anything, there are many more warnings in your electric as you are winding down your range.

[brush]

89. To me it's a reasonable question if you've never had an EV.

If one somehow runs of gas it's a given that you call AAA or another road service company and they bring you some gas. Running out of gas, though rare, sometimes happens from inattentiveness or whatever.

I'm considering an EV so that's why I asked if the road service industry has developed a quick-charge device for people on the road. All this feedback is good info for people who haven't yet owned an EV. Which when you think about it, is most drivers. And with Ford and the other manufacturers phasing out gasoline-powered cars, it's good to do some research because EVs are in most peoples' future.

My compliments on being an early adapter.

[Disaffected]

88. "What happens when an electric car runs out of power on the road?"

Hitchhike

[Generic Brad]

94. Great OP!

I appreciate the advice. I've been driving a Prius for the last 7 years - just waiting for something better to come along that will allow me to take long, interstate trips. It sounds like we may be nearly there.

[brush]

97. Thanks. There's a lot of good info here. DUers always come through.