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Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

it appears to be priced against the ID.4 but is worse in every way other than perhaps the badge, what am I missing here?

Maybe priced against the ID4 but with that tiny trunk it looks more ID3 sized.

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Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

CannonFodder posted:

From what I've heard everyone who buys a PHEV really wants to make the jump to BEV. There are of course the extenuating circumstances, like how you can't have a level 2 charger at your apartment, but if they can make it work they go BEV.

Yeah, a PHEV feels like a "can't / won't go BEV because of xyz" choice.

On the fence here myself. Sweden put in some regulations a year or so back that heavily penalizes (tax wise) new cars that exceed I think 90 g co2/km, leading to a lot of vehicles seeing fairly significant tax increases (200-300% or more in some cases). This has lead to a high demand for nicer used vehicles that still have the "old" tax, so my BMW 330D would sell today for about what I paid for it 2.5 years ago.

At the same time, they are offering 60k SEK (to be raised to 70k SEK this year) bonus for electric vehicles. And a smaller bonus for PHEVs.

So it's almost the "perfect storm" for moving out of my current vehicle as I can get very good money for it and a significant discount on a new electric/PHEV.

However, I need/want the following:
Room for 5 people (I have three kids). Not american SUV room, just 5 actual seats.
Decent luggage capacity (we do a lot of outdoors and scout stuff and have to carry a bunch of poo poo)
350+ km _actual_ range if electric. Preferably over 400.
Tow hook optional but would be nice. Our Passat GTE has one so can tow our trailer with it for now though.
Roof rack a must since I carry kayaks.

Been test driving and checking out various options over the past year.

The Model 3 is obviously high on the list. However there are no nearby service centers, the price even on used one is pretty steep here, and poo poo like the windows and door handles freezing during lovely winters (we get a lot of near-0 temps and freezing rain here) is something I really don't want to have to gently caress with. But it's no doubt the best EV drivetrain on the market. Wish it had a hatch instead of a sedan trunk though.

ID3 felt too small and for some reason can't accept a roof rack (what the gently caress VW? Skiboxes on cars are basically standard here.)

ID4 I got to sit in but not drive when one was at a local dealer. It felt mostly OK but the interior did not appeal in the least and it really did not feel like something I'd want to sink that kind of money into. But it gets a tow hook as standard equipment and works with roof racks. Great range.

Drove an e-Niro recently. Surprised the heck out of me with how nice it felt quality wise, with good seats and a pretty decent interior. Nice power but wish it was RWD or AWD as the front wheels struggled to deal with the electric motor torque. Roomy for the whole family. No tow hook but can handle roof racks. Solid range, people here are reporting an actual 430+ km during the summer and 350+ even in winter temps.

Looking at the past few years I do a handful of longer trips a year so it's rare that I would need to charge outside home. But Tesla is obviously king here with their well established network.

Then there's the PHEV vehicles. Lots more to choose from there. We have been very happy with the Passat; my wife got gas for the first time 5 months after we bought it so the small battery is really working out for us there. But I dislike the complexity of the drivetrain and worry that a fossil fuel ban or similar is coming sooner rather than later and at that point the used market will crater. But perhaps it'd be an option for a year or two while the electric market matures a bit.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Mr Newsman posted:

I live in an apartment in Boston and don't see myself buying a house in the area anytime soon. Mass has gone along with California's phase out of ICE sales in 10 years, so charging infrastructure will hopefully start making more sense and being more available to non home-owners.

Feel like it's best (conceptually) to just rip the band-aid off and go full electric rather than deal with a dual drivetrain vehicle. Not sure how true this is.

Excited to see what starts hitting the market this year though.

I generally think that all else being equal I'd happily pay $10-20k more for an equivalent BEV over a PHEV.

But with a PHEV here I can get e.g. a good size vehicle with AWD capable of towing and short of going to one of the _really_ expensive BEV options there's really not much available. I could get a two year old Outlander PHEV (boring but capable) for like 250k SEK and get 40-45km range on battery alone as well as the ability to tow a decent load. With the driving I do I could be on battery probably 75% of the time. And some argue that a PHEV driven shorter ranges as actually a better choice environmentally than a pure BEV, though I have not dug into that particularly deeply.

Ideally I'd be able to wait a couple of years. But the new tax penalty only applies for the first 3 or 4 years (for a new car) so in 2022/2023 a lot of the currently expensive to own (it's an annual tax) vehicles will drop down to more "normal" levels, and then the market for cars like mine will crater.

So I need to move on something, and the question is whether I should get a PHEV just to tide me over for a couple of years, a used BEV until something better is available, or just jump into the most suitable new BEV option with the intent of keeping it for 5+ years.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Indiana_Krom posted:

The general consensus online is that one should avoid test driving a Model 3/Y unless you are ready, willing, and able to buy one right there. Though TBH the same would apply if you were test driving a Mach-E or Taycan or basically any of the other higher tier BEVs, they are all generally just *that good* compared to the typical ICE vehicle.


Mmmm, not really sure I agree. My current ICE vehicle is a BMW 330D xDrive with M Power installed. It does 0-60 in well under 5 seconds and the build quality and interior is excellent. I drove a friend's Model 3 LR AWD and while it's an impressive piece of tech as well as pretty quick the overall quality feel and the interior felt like a solid step down from my BMW. The drive left me more feeling that "yeah, this could be an option" than "I have to buy one now".

But if you're coming from a Camry or Civic or something then yes, I could see it being quite the experience.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

sanchez posted:

The 3 series is one of the most common cars traded for Model 3 in the US. I had 2 (a 2011 and a 2016, both 328i) before my Model 3 AWD. It's in a different league in terms of performance and the steering is better which was a real issue with the newer 3 series. I drove the Model 3 shortly after they got demo models at the local showroom and was grinning like an idiot the whole time. I ordered the car a week later. The 328 sat unused for 6 months until the lease was up.

The interior is chintzy for sure, the attention to detail and fit/finish of BMW is not there. But it's worth the tradeoff for many people. Model 3 AWD is an honest 300kw/400hp at the wheels car that costs about the same as a 330i and has the operating costs of a Prius, it's a sweet deal.

Hey, everyone's entitled to their opinion. Keep in mind that the car I have has nearly double the torque of an F30 328i so the "kick in the back" thing from the Tesla torque might not have left quite the same impression.

But it was a quick and fun car to drive, no doubt. Just wish it didn't come with the cheapish feeling interior and I really have to question some of the design choices (door handles, frameless windows (I know they aren't alone in this, have some Audi driving friends dealing with similar problems), no lip above the trunk lid so snow and poo poo dumps into the trunk if you aren't careful).

Killer tech and drivetrain for sure. Just not sure the rest of it is worth the $70k or so they cost here, at least for me.

On another note, the Ioniq 5 is being revealed in a week or so. Leaked specs so far indicate 313hp, dual motors, AWD, large trunk (600 liter capacity being tossed about which would be impressive) and decent (450km WLTP) range. If those specs are correct and price lands somewhere reasonable that might be worth signing up for.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

bird with big dick posted:

The gear selector is inside the left rear speaker cavity next to the emergency rear door release.

The emergency release has been disrupted and you will now need to use the touch screen to get out of the burning vehicle.

Tesla sure does act like it's some weird Apple cargo cult at times.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Humerus posted:

When is the big Kia electric car event? I saw their "teaser" a few weeks ago and the full reveal is in February but nothing actually says when...It looked like one of the cars was a compact hatch and I'm very interested in that.

Hyundai was supposed to have revealed the Ioniq 5 this morning but it seems to have been pushed to mid-February. I imagine the Kia will be around the same time, seeing as the CV5 appears to be a "twin" of the Ioniq 5.

Been keeping my eye on the 5 since the leaked specs are pretty interesting. (313hp, AWD, decent range, large trunk)

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Bandire posted:

I hadn't seen much on the Ioniq 5 yet, but that's pretty intriguing. I'm kinda digging the look in this stalker video that showed up yesterday.

https://insideevs.com/news/483433/tesla-owner-panel-gaps-hyundai-ioniq-5/

All I want is door handles that work in the winter, is that too much to ask?

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Orvin posted:

I ended up getting a call yesterday morning that the Mach-E at the dealership was not ready/available for a test drive. The salesperson didn’t go into detail about what the reason was, so no idea if or when they will have a demo vehicle available for test drives. I am not in a particular rush, but I definitely want to sit in one to see how I fit before I consider ordering one.

They're probably busy fixing the inevitable rust spots.

(Not bitter.)

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Charles posted:

Also sorta on topic, I got recommended a YouTube video on a company called Witricity claiming 91-93% wireless charging efficiency using a form of resonant inductive coupling. Reading Wikipedia, they weren't even able to successfully market a laptop charger, so I'm calling total BS. Still, would be cool if I'm wrong.

Will it be compatible with the zero point energy generator?

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Looking forward to see what the new Ioniq brand reveals on Tuesday. The "5" is supposed to be announced, and the Kia twin "CV5" should be close behind.

Right now waffling between picking up an ID4 1st (there are still some left at dealers here), the much better equipped but smaller and ICE car based e-Niro (ventilated seats!), or hold out for a little while longer.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

gwrtheyrn posted:

:same:

Are they actually doing a thing tuesday? I haven't seen anything about that--the only thing I've seen for dates for reveal were the video where they had a date that they pulled down and replaced with a much more vague time

Someone on a German forum found a presentation stating the 16th, but a Korean forum is saying the 23rd so who knows?

Really leaning towards the ID4 right now, some minor nuisances on the 1st like lack of proper keyless entry but I think it'll hold its value pretty well so probably will not be expensive to own for a year or two.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Well, got tired of waiting for the perfect car (seems to be 18 months out always) so went ahead and ordered the one that ticked the most boxes for me. Hopefully arriving in April.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

MrOnBicycle posted:

Nice! Which trim?

Edit: Looking through the base model equipment it seems pretty decent. I find it pretty "cool" in a way that regen braking is so good that they are fitting drum brakes to heavy rear end cars to save some money (I guess this is the reason)? The ID4 looks more like a "normal" car than the ID3 as well which probably is a big bonus for many people.

It's the "1st Edition" which at least here comes with a reasonable set of equipment, including the much desired tow hook (only good for 1000kg, but I just need to haul a 750kg trailer). I am glad it comes with a normal color steering wheel; the one I saw demo'd had white leather and some white-ish plastics which was a bit garish. The interior in the actual production vehicle is a little more laid back (below). The drum brakes aren't to save money according to VW but to reduce drag (disc brakes tend to drag a tiny bit) and they supposedly work better when used infrequently which will be the case with a RWD electric.



Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

knox_harrington posted:

That's a really nice interior. Is your car going to be white bodywork as in your first pic? The blue with black roof is a nice colour combo.

I debated for a while what to get color wise, but settled on the white since the 1st ed has a black roof and other black details which I really liked. The blue was a very close runner up. I also like the yellow a lot but the mrs might inherit the car in a few years and used her veto power on that one...

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

gwrtheyrn posted:

Isn't the white interior one of the distinguishing features of the 1st edition id.xs, or is that not the case everywhere?

I asked about it and the dealer swears up and down that it will be delivered with a black steering wheel and trim. I have in in writing so if that doesn't turn out to be the case we'll have to deal with it.

edit: On my documents it says the dash and trim is "black / platinum grey" which seems to agree with the below from the brochure:

Clayton Bigsby fucked around with this message at 20:07 on Feb 16, 2021

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

gwrtheyrn posted:

Guess you just get more options then. Basically the only options we got here were exterior color for 1sts

That was basically it too. That brochure I copied the image from is from Ireland. Looks like the French market only gets the white stuff. And presumably we only get the black here in Sweden.

You guys get the tow hook as part of the 1st? Figured that might be a northern Europe type thing since people here value that (as well as a roof rack, which makes me wonder WTF VW was thinking with the ID.3) quite highly.

Clayton Bigsby fucked around with this message at 20:35 on Feb 16, 2021

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Nfcknblvbl posted:

Everyone's favorite Youtube EV tester Bjorn Nyland is driving round in a Mach-E, lookin' forward to hearing what he has to say about it.

I kind of like the Mach-E despite hating Ford, but it's just so drat expensive here.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

YOLOsubmarine posted:

Buy the Tesla if it makes the most sense for your needs and you don’t mind the possible issues that you’ve already researched. Don’t buy it because you think it’s “the future of driving.” It’s just another car.

Man, I know some people who have bought Models 3s claiming they will keep it for 30 years since it's futureproof and nothing on it will wear out.

I think they _may_ be a tad optimistic.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Getting word that some dealers have demo ID4s here (Sweden) now and a handful of people have posted comments after driving then. So far very positive, one guy thought the display still felt "slow" so the software likely needs some more work (not sure if this car had the 2.1 release they are supposedly waiting on before releasing the cars to buyers). Apparently very comfortable seats (VW usually does well here) and the car reported under 0.2kWh/km despite "spirited" test driving.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

gwrtheyrn posted:

:same:

If I can get by without a car until then, the ioniq looks great, but I need to make a decision soon on whether to pass on the id.4

The ID4s are trickling in at dealers here (Sweden). Checked out one today and while I didn't have time to drive it the interior and overall quality feel impressed. Tons of backseat room too. They also had a yellow one sitting on the lot waiting to be delivered.

According to the dealer customers here will start receiving their vehicles around mid-March. They are starting to update ID3s to software 2.1 starting next week so that's apparently done now.

My ID4 is scheduled to be built early March with delivery first week of April.

Here's the one I saw today:



Clayton Bigsby fucked around with this message at 18:39 on Mar 1, 2021

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Franco Caution posted:

But then unless the only reason was wanting an electric, why would anyone get ID4 vs those?
I just can't get excited about 'perfectly fine' numbers.
The last few days have been exciting for new EV news, and the ID4 just doesn't excite. And the slow infotainment is embarrassing for such a new vehicle.

Speaking for myself having an ID4 on order right now... we've had a PHEV (Passat GTE) for a couple of years and have managed to mostly run that one on electric. It's nice and quiet, you don't need to go to gas stations, and if you have charging options at home you always start the day off with a "full tank". The environmental aspect of it is nice too. And honestly, I think the second hand market for fossil fuel vehicles here in Sweden will crater within a not too distant future so I would not want to sink money into a new one today.

The ID4 simply appears to do everything I need "well enough". It's not Tesla quick but no slouch. It holds a ton of poo poo. All the kids fit in it nicely. I can haul my small trailer and throw my kayak on top as well. Range is enough that I will have to charge elsewhere maybe twice a year.

So unless the reason was cost alone, why would I NOT get this car vs the fossil fuel equivalents?

As for the infotainment, he likely drove a car with the 2.0 or older software. It's pretty bad. _Allegedly_ the 2.1 release coming out in the next few weeks will be a vast improvement (it's getting installed in ID3s here starting next week and all the ID4s will have it before the customers get the cars). I think VW better deliver the goods on this one or we'll see some order cancellations. Not sure if VW failed to mention the software version and planned update or if Doug neglected to mention it; several other reviewers have specifically stated that they were on 2.0 still and the next release should make a big difference.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Nfcknblvbl posted:

The longer you can hold off the better, really. The one shining light on these ID4 issues seems likely to be solvable with software updates. But that car doesn't look like it was intended to be stacked up against other EVs.

Well, if you are to believe VW it really wasn't, sort of. The idea was to grab market share not from other EVs but from conventional ICE crossovers.

The software issue isn't great but having driven a couple of ID3s I think it _might_ be a tad overblown or I've just been fortunate not to have anything particularly bad happen. But we'll see how 2.1 works out, if that's a dud then I think VW will be in trouble since people are expecting it to address a lot of issues.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

YOLOsubmarine posted:

Regarding range, the ID.4 hit 190 miles on Car and Drivers 75mph highway range test vs 220 miles for the Model Y Long Range. That’s not a substantial difference to me. Neither car comes close to their EPA rated range when driven at what are fairly normal highway speeds, least in the US. There’s nothing that 220 miles will get me to without stopping that 190 won’t.

The Model Y was tested when the temp was 75, the ID4 when it was 40.

Here's a Model 3 range comparison in different temps:
https://insideevs.com/news/448961/tesla-model-3-range-hot-cold-temps/
" The January test took place in colder conditions, often below 10 degrees Centigrade (50 Fahrenheit). The October one, on the other hand, took place with clear skies and “spring” temperatures, over 20 Centigrade degrees (68 degrees Fahrenheit)"

They saw about a 23% increase in energy use when it got a little colder. So that 220 mile range of the Model Y would probably be significantly less at 40 degrees, possibly less than the ID4 even.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Battery Life channel doing a livestream of the 2.1 software in an ID3. Seems a bit quicker and definitely more stable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAxtnttfKRE

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

YOLOsubmarine posted:

I think the capacitive steering wheel buttons are much worse in that respect. I spend way more time messing with that stuff than the rear windows. I can’t think of a single reason to do it that isn’t hilariously cheap, but it’s only a very minor annoyance vs the steady creep towards everything being controlled through a touch screen. People will look back on this fondly in five years when the only way to roll down your window in a new car is six menus deep in a touch screen or gesture based controls.

Hell, in five years the car AI will just decide when the windows need to be rolled down and do it for you.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irm8xMZQr0w

234 miles on a single charge at 70mph and ~40 degree weather. Should be able to exceed the 250 mile EPA rating at highway speeds in warmer temps. Not bad!

Charging speed seems good too.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

The Gunslinger posted:

I totally missed all of the Ioniq 5 stuff, it looks...really good? Good amount of range, solid aesthetics, great use of space for cabin and cargo, infotainment looks decent and supposedly will use the SK batteries. This is the first other EV I've seen that makes me want to get rid of my Model 3 and go with that instead. It would be a big step up in several departments without the big price jump of the Y. Anyways really interested in it! I don't know what the price will be but I imagine I could probably swap cars without any cash involved and the writeoffs on this one will have eaten the depreciation for me. Looks like a better deal than the ID4 to me.

It does look pretty good so far (though the design of the rear doesn't really do it for me, looks too angular and way too much plastic). Question is when it will be available for delivery and what the pricing will be. ID4s are being delivered to customers in two weeks here in Sweden, and so far we have no clue what the pricing is or when you'll even be able to order an Ioniq 5. So the main advantage of the ID4 is that you can actually buy one, I suppose. :D

But on paper the Ioniq looks better spec wise.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Bone Crimes posted:

I also don't understand why there aren't small cargo evs worth anything. I mean like if gm made that old school pickup from bolt drivetrain components, even if it only went like 150miles it would sell hugely. Is it a safety thing? Or just that they don't want to compete with their cash cows?

While they aren't pickups, we have a plethora of small cargo EVs here in Sweden. Thanks to the climate these are more practical year round than a pickup. Dacia's tiny "Spring" will apparently be available in a baby cargo van config as well, should land under 20k EUR.


Maxus "e-Deliver". 52kWh battery and up to around 300km range.



There's also the EV80, around 200km range but decent load capacity.



There's the Nissan e-NV200:



The Renault Kangoo ZE:



Opel Vivaro-E:



Mercedes e-Vito:



VW e-Caddy:



VW e-Crafter:



VW e-Transporter:

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

mobby_6kl posted:

These make a lot of sense IMO as they'd tend cover a few hundred km per day around cities, delivering lighter stuff like flowers or food, mot bricks.

I see local contractors using them too. They can carry around 1000kg / 2200 lbs which is enough for most.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

mobby_6kl posted:

Yeah the capacity is fine, I think the issue for a wider audience is that the range would go down the drain quickly with weight. Which again realistically probably isn't an issue for most people who'd just get some materials from the nearby hardware store. But I'm sure the typical truck buyer will insist that they have to tow their 1 ton boat for 10 hours straight every week or something.

It'd make a lot more sense for people to accept that they might need to rent a vehicle very occasionally in order to haul something bigger. Renting a trailer once every month or so, or maybe even an entire van to haul some big furniture, is a small expense and lets you drive a more reasonably sized vehicle the rest of the time.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

RZA Encryption posted:

Yeah I live like <5min from a Lowes, there's a U-haul in the same parking lot. Rented a truck for $20/hr, bought big heavy thing at Lowes, took it home, took it back, didn't bother putting any gas in it. $20 and an extra half hour of time (filling out rental paperwork and drop off) for a once a year event is no big deal. And even then it's just because I'm antisocial and don't want to bother my neighbors to either let me borrow theirs or give me a ride.

That said I'd absolutely buy a 90s ranger/s-10 sized EV truck. After I ride the spark into the ground, I think the right thing to do is to have one respectable, functional EV and one silly, less practical EV. So a sedan/SUV EV with 300+ mi range and like a converted suzuki samurai or the cheapest thing possible, but with like a bunch of pumpkins on a vinyl full car wrap or a nice 80s brown macco paint job with blinding chrome hubcaps.

I'm going for the ID4 practical vehicle + Miata ICE car combo myself.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

mobby_6kl posted:

Cheap new EVs aren't going to be a thing for a while of course.

The Dacia Spring is going to land around 12k EUR after tax credits etc in France. I think that's pretty cheap. Sure, limited range (140-180 miles) and a small vehicle but really all you need for most city dwellers.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

mobby_6kl posted:


Unfortunately charging is an issue in cities since you usually can't charge at home. And without subsidies it's twice as much as a Sandero with more limited utility to the general public, so it'll probably sell but not really take off IMO.

It'll be interesting to see how charging for city dwellers is addressed in the future. I imagine it'll have to be either an awful lot of smaller chargers everywhere, or getting car to fast charge quick enough that a 5 minute stop a day is sufficient. My brother lives in a townhouse where they have a big common parking lot and there are no plans for chargers there as of yet which I think is a drat shame. Gotta get that poo poo rolled out so more people will consider EVs.

But I'd say that (relatively!) cheap EVs _do_ exist. Subsidies or not, it's what you end up paying in the end that people care about.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

RZA Encryption posted:

There's a company that's using ~*AI*~ to load balance charging needs in multifamily housing. I forget the name or where I read about it. Despite my eye-rolls at AI tech startups, I think there could be some promise there. The idea is that:
  • It is too expensive/too onerous for apartment companies or condo associations to put in charging infrastructure for every spot
  • Not everyone has the same charging needs/driving habits
  • If you could charge cars intermittently over night, you could have many cars share the same power source

So given a simple example of 10 charging spots, ordinarily you might put in a 50 amp breaker for each spot. That's 50A x 10 spots == 500A service that needs to be added onto whatever their current power needs are. If you load balanced, say 5 cars on the same breaker, you only need 50A x (10 / 5 = 2) load balancers = 100A service to be added (or may already be available!).

A simple way to split the charging timeshare would be to round-robin it, each plugged in car gets rotated through, one car per hour. If all cars are plugged in, after 5 hours each car has charged for 1 hour. If 3 of the 5 are plugged in, each car got to charge for 1h40m.

If the load balancer was able to know SoC for each car, you could optimize further. Not everyone is charging from empty. Scenario: 5 cars are plugged in, 4 are above 70%, 1 is around 20%, the load balancer prioritizes the car with the lower SoC with the target to have all cars around 80% by morning.

A system like this could catch you by surprise if all 5 cars arrive late at night with a near empty battery, but this + a nearby fast charger for those situations could accommodate most needs.

The company that makes the charging box I bought (Ctek) allows you to load balance a number of units grouped together this way. They aren't touting some AI capabilities though so maybe it flies under the radar. But they offer a version that not only load balances the boxes based on a certain amp feed but can hook into a larger system and feed the boxes whatever's left over based on what the main fuses for e.g. the entire building can handle.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Phuzun posted:

The VW dealership in town has gotten there ID.4 demo vehicle. Drive by yesterday to give it a glance, had no intention of getting in or talking to the salesman though, was sweaty from my run. Looked nice, minimal interior with being to simple. Could not see how big the hatch was because the rear window is like 5% tint, seemed as large as my Leaf. This dealer also does Porsche, Audi, and Mercedes. They've had a few Taycans as well as one of those older Q7 e-trons.

The trunk is _quite_ a bit bigger than on the Leaf. By Euro standards the Leaf is something like 420 liter, the ID4 around 543.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Shamino posted:

I did the ID4 demo experience today.

Drove over in the E-tron and the staff were very interested in how it compared. I think the iD4 may actually be a legitimate threat to Tesla model 3\Y it you absolutely don't need 300+ miles. It rides a bit stiff, even compared to the model Y.

Looks like it might not be too far off in real world range. Car and Driver made it seem like the ID4 was way behind but they barely mentioned that the ID4 test was done in 40F weather while the MY was done in 75F. That makes a huge difference. It ended up with the ID4 doing 190 miles and the MY 220 miles. Worth noting is that some other tests have gotten 230+ miles at 70mph out of the ID4.

Of course, too few tests and data points to determine exactly where things land, but it points towards the ID4 being pretty close to the MY in normal driving.

How DID it compare to the E-tron? I have an ID4 1st on order and drove one the other day, didn't quite hit the spot but I don't know if it was just the "foreign" feeling of an EV compared to my daily driver.

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

VideoGameVet posted:

I'd love to compare the total cost of ownership for these two automobiles at the 250k mile mark :-)

I worked with some Audi owners and used to joke about everything costing multiples of $600 to fix. Window switch died? $600. New front brakes? $1200

Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

Bandire posted:

That GT version sounds like a lot of fun, and I like Kia's styling more than the Ioniq. Looking forward to seeing more detailed specs and pricing.

We got pricing here in Sweden. It appears we get the big battery in three different versions:
RWD, 229hp 570k SEK
AWD, 325hp 675k SEK
GT AWD, 584hp, 750k SEK

For comparison a base 77kWh ID4 RWD costs around 510k SEK.

I imagine the Kia has a better base spec though.

I think the GT version is reasonably priced (although they will have a hard time selling a Kia anything for that much) compared to the competition. But gently caress it's a lot of money.

On another EV note, my ID4 (RWD, 1st Ed, Glacier White) was born on the 24th this month and is currently sitting in a German harbor waiting for a ride here. So hopefully will have it in my driveway in 2-3 weeks.

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Clayton Bigsby
Apr 17, 2005

priznat posted:

750k SEK is about 85k USD? drat will that be the most expensive kia ever or was the cadenza or k900 more?

Still for that kind of specs it is up against audi and potentially even porsche. (Driving handling TBD)

Well, cars are generally a fair bit more expensive here. Just look at the relative #s compared to some known entity like the ID4. I imagine the GT will land around 60k or so over there. But I doubt you can get one before 2023.

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