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[BigPoppa]

The Mach-E can do roadtrips as easily as the Tesla.  There are more CCS locations than Tesla.  And the Mach-E can charge almost as fast, and almost as often.  But... CCS is... more flakey than the Supercharger network.  So you might roll the dice and lose some time to that.  Just like if you rolled into town in your ICE vehicle only to find a gas station out of juice.  (Which has happened to me.)

While I'll agree that you *can* road trip in a Mach-E, I disagree that it's as easy as in a Tesla. Here's a Car&Driver test of various EVs over a 1000 mile trip. The three Teslas finished first with the Mach-E coming in 4th. The Mach-E was 2.5 hours behind the slowest Tesla and a little over 3 hours behind the fastest Tesla. Keep in mind, this wasn't a performance race, rather how easy it is to charge up over the course of a long road trip. Overall, the test highlighted the shortcomings of the current CCS network when compared to Tesla's Supercharger network when you're road tripping.

My own personal experiences with both CCS EVs and Teslas backs up the article. Until CCS networks improve in proper density/quantity, payment/authorization, and reliability the Tesla Supercharger network is still the biggest differentiator for long road trips.

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a36877585/ev-1000-11-electric-cars-long-distance-race/

[DonTom]

While I'll agree that you *can* road trip in a Mach-E, I disagree that it's as easy as in a Tesla.

Not much of a concern to me. All the range I need will be between here in Auburn, 99.0 miles of hills door to door.


Even fast DC charging is no or very little  concern. I will probably never need a charge on the road.


For longer trips, well I have been considering buying one of these to pollute  the air with as it doesn't look like E-RVs will be practical in the USA any time soon. But I am a bit concerned with that small engine size.




-Don- Reno, NV

[Sklith]

When big RVs go fully electric, we'll know for sure that the EV revolution's pretty much complete, at least for wheeled transportation. Next is ships, and who knows how long until we have transcontinental electric flights.

[Bobolovac]

 Transcontinental electric flights, it's still sci-fi . .

[Crissa]

  Permanent magnet motors always produce current when they rotate.

The capacity, yes, but if there is no load, there is no current. So there should be a lot less load on the regen if there is no connection to anything during regen.

Yes, one way to reduce this is to just physically disconnect the motor from the motor controller.  Then you're not generating current at that point, just the potential.

I don't know anyone who does that.

Here's a Car&Driver test of various EVs over a 1000 mile trip...

Where they proved that the Mach-E can road-trip about as well as the Tesla.  Tesla is clearly better, but that doesn't mean the Mach-E was difficult in any way.

-Crissa

[Richard230]

BTW, as I was reading the latest posts on this forum, I heard about the Monterey Car Show (in CA) which is being held this weekend. One of the cars they are displaying is a 16-cylinder ICE Bugatti sedan, which is priced at $4 million. Get yours now as they are only going to make 16 (or was it 64?) available for sale worldwide. No mention of any electric vehicles, other than one hybrid model. So expensive high-power ICE vehicles apparently are still all the rage at car shows and are what news reporters believe that their listeners want to hear about. 

[DonTom]

I just came up with an idea.


I am having  a 10K$ TuffShed built in my backyard here in Reno.  But they cannot start to built it until late OCT. They are overloaded with orders here in Reno.


Then I will be able to clear a lot of junk out of my garage, perhaps even move a motorcycle or two to Auburn. I should then have room here in Reno for my Tesla, AWD, to be garaged.


In Auburn, I have NO need for AWD. So I can consider a 2 WD EV cage to leave there and have the Tesla for Reno. I should be able to garage it as well.  I think I have the room for all ten motor cycles and two cars in my six garages (3 gar garage at each house).


But I will have to wait until late OCT. when I can clear out my garage here of a lot of junk.


So I have until then to decide what  EV to buy.


I will also see if I can find a good place for a large shed in Auburn. If I had nothing but vehicles in each garage, I should have plenty of room.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[BigPoppa]

Here's a Car&Driver test of various EVs over a 1000 mile trip...

Where they proved that the Mach-E can road-trip about as well as the Tesla.  Tesla is clearly better, but that doesn't mean the Mach-E was difficult in any way.

I guess our definitions of difficult differ so I'll just agree to disagree. Like I said before, until I see the improvements in the CCS network I pointed out earlier, there's no way I would take my Bolt or Energica on any kind of long distance road trip unless I had no choice.

[DonTom]

I guess our definitions of difficult differ so I'll just agree to disagree. Like I said before, until I see the improvements in the CCS network I pointed out earlier, there's no way I would take my Bolt or Energica on any kind of long distance road trip unless I had no choice.

Some areas need improvement, some areas do not and CCS is fast improving.


But I thought at first every Wall*Mart will have CCS. Far from it, and where needed the most, they do NOT have it (such as the SusanVille, CA Wal*Mart.  I wonder who makes these decisions.  They certainly don't need any more CCS on I-80 in CA.


BTW, the only CCS chargers at Wal*Mart I have trouble with are the ones you and I used in Elk Grove. And those are still a problem. But the same type of chargers are at the Wal*Mart in Fernley, NV and they always work perfectly, first try, every time. Never an issue.


BTW, they just now installed new CCS at the Safeway, in Lovelock, NV. That is a very much needed location. I-80 in NV needs more CCS, but not there in CA.


Anyway, I could easily get by with only L2 charging in cars. It's much more of an issue on my SS9, but I can still go on 300 mile trips to many areas with it.


My cages are mainly used for local stuff, so on the road charging with them isn't much of an issue to me. The 99 miles between here and my Auburn place is all the range I need. I really don't even need that, considering there are free CCS chargers at the Donner Rest Stops (50 miles). But the east bound is still broken. Nobody ever seems to be in a hurry to fix CCS, and that is a problem.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

The is from the place that let me charge up my Energica in Yerington-- even though I have no Chevy. See here on Plugshare.


That Chevy Bolt could be my choice.



Notice a Tesla charged there after me.


They were so nice to non-Chevy owners I want to give them my business.



I think that Bolt could be my pick. But I still have plenty of time to decide.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[ultrarnr]

I think whether or not you can road trip in a Non-Tesla EV all depends on where you live, where you are trying to go and your definition of fast. I live in NC and have went to Ohio and Illinois this year in my M3, both of which took me through West Virginia. There are no CCS chargers in West Virginia along the route so I would have had to completely avoid West Virginia if I had a non-Tesla EV. I have property on the NC coast north of Wilmington. Wallace, NC has a single 62.5kw CCS charger which is right next to a 8 stall Tesla SC. There is very little else for CCS charging on the NC coast right now. I don't doubt at all that if you are on the west coast coast road tripping in a non-Tesla EV is no problem at all. But on the east coast it isn't that simple. Yes, I-95 is covered by EA stations but that brings all of the head aches hoping you get one that works. There are several Charge Point CCS chargers that are planned for NC along major routes. 62.5 kw is the fastest, only 1-2 chargers per location. I talked with a guy at a SC in Ohio whose company was installing Charge Point DCFC and none of those being planned and installed were faster than 62.5kw. That is pretty sad. From where I sit the CCS charging network has a long way to go from a reliability, density and speed perspective before I would ever consider a non-Tesla EV as a primary vehicle.

[Crissa]

I don't think charger access in West Virginia (which also sucks for hospital access) is particularly relevant to Don's Sierras stomping ground where there's CCS or NEMA 14-50 outlets anywhere there's gasoline.

-Crissa

[DonTom]

I just purchased this today.   It probably won't show there by sometime  tomorrow, as it is now in my driveway. But I purchased the red Chevy Bolt Hatchback in Yerington, NV today (in case not shown by the time you read above).


The OTD price was more than  $41,000.  So don't let those BS prices fool you.


I would give the amount to the penny, but I just now realized I do not have a copy of the contract.


The exact same thing happened when I purchased my Energica. 


I should learn to make sure I have it before I leave, since this is the 2nd time in a row for me.


 I just sent Wild West Chevy a note about not having a copy.


I cannot even register the car without the contract because I need the EDRS (Electronic Dealer Registration System)  number.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[Crissa]

I suppose this is a bad time to note that a six month old Bolt just went up in flames without a determined cause today... So one outside the recall period.

-Crissa

[DonTom]

I suppose this is a bad time to note that a six month old Bolt just went up in flames without a determined cause today... So one outside the recall period.

-Crissa

Do you have a link to that?  Was the car just sitting there doing nothing, or was it being charged or what?


Like you have said before, any type of energy can be dangerous. And I agree.


I wonder how many ICE  vehicles went up in flames today . . .


IAC, I am glad I now have my new shinny red Bolt parked outside!


BTW, I think this Bolt is more confusing than my Tesla.


-Don-  Reno, NV