Electric car thread

[kgwilson]

1 hour ago, nomadpete said:

I do find websearching to find real world experience of EV ownership very frustrating.

 

Reading forums brand and blogs, well they all seem to rave about long term greatness. Then you find out that for most people, two years is long term!

I realise these cars haven't been around very long, but most people seem to only keep cars a couple of years. 

 

My present cars are 18 -19yr and circa 300,000k. Not worn out yet!

Most people have only owned them for a few years as the uptake was very slow to start with. In the MG forum there are lots of owners of MG4s who have owned them since they came out in 2022. I got mine new in 2023 & intend to keep it for at least 10 years so long as I live that long.

[facthunter]

When you think you want/need  something just Imagine you have Just Bought it and Now have to pay it off. Do you REALLY NEED it at all.? It has worked for Me.. You don't HAVE to keep UP with anyone OR be a slave to fashion. . THINK for yourself. Don't be Manipulated. Nev

[kgwilson]

2 hours ago, Marty_d said:

Thanks for the info @kgwilson.

Yes we're leaning towards the MG5 62 Essence. It's $14k more than the Urban, but can tow 750kg and a more solid feel on the road, not to mention a bit higher which is better as we age.

If we get that we can sell the Santa Fe. If we got the Urban we'd have to keep the Santa Fe for towing (no rubbish pick up here).

 

Interested in V2L. Could you share any advice on how to set that up? Does it go through the solar inverter or is there separate equipment linked to the board?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I recently got a towbar fitted to my MG 4 & I bought a new 6 x 4 trailer. You don't even notice the trailer is there as the elcetric power adjusts so if you put your foot down it accelerates as if it isn't there. There is a noticeable difference in power consumption though. I found at 110 kmh with the trailer & a load on it was sucking about 22 kWh/100km compared with 15-16 without the trailer, but at 80 kmh there wasn't much difference. 

 

It cost about $1,500.00 fitted but I know some people have negotiated to get a towbar fitted for free when they purchased the car (or probably they could have negotiated a lower price if the towbar wasn't fitted). 

[facthunter]

A GOOD towbar  is not cheap. Bumping into them is not funny either.. Nev

[kgwilson]

Most towbars have a removable ball assembly these days so the actual main assembly is recessed behind the bumper. I only put mine on when I am using the trailer. I think most people do this now otherwise they risk getting it stolen.

[facthunter]

Then you would need a crystal Ball. Nev

[Marty_d]

41 minutes ago, facthunter said:

Then you would need a crystal Ball. Nev

Isn't that what the prince in Cinderella had... My mistake, it was her shoes.

[facthunter]

You can see the future with a crystal Ball, It is claimed.  I just rely on premonitions. Er.... How's the Plane coming on? Nev.

[Marty_d]

2 hours ago, facthunter said:

You can see the future with a crystal Ball, It is claimed.  I just rely on premonitions. Er.... How's the Plane coming on? Nev.

I haven't put much on the other thread but I have been getting up there most weekends.  General stuff around the engine - put in some extra brackets for the radiator, fixed a small oil leak (hopefully), put some doublers on the oil cooler top mounts, loctited and torqued the holding bolts.  Also adjusted the noseleg suspension last weekend.
I've ordered some silicone sheet which should be here soon, so next job is to make boots for the noseleg steering rods and the throttle rods which pierce the firewall.  Also looking at brake line and pitot/static system.

Think I've missed the painting season for this year as the weather cools down, but having said that this weekend was beautiful.

[facthunter]

Paint is weight, and thick paint chips easier. Acrylic Lacquer is easy to apply, touch up and repair.  Nev

[red750]

Interesting that this article should pop up today.

 

Ever since I've had a licence, I've driven cars with the turn indicator stalk on the right of the steering wheel. Since driving the Astra, which is developed from the German Opel, the stalk is on the  left. I still regularly turn on the wipers when indicating a turn. Now this:

 

https://7news.com.au/motoring/this-new-car-trend-needs-to-stop-before-someone-gets-hurt-c-22328111

 

 

[nomadpete]

Don't worry, Peter.

The next generation of cars will have A I. voice recognition. The makers will not fit control stalks on either side of the steering joystick.

[octave]

Trust Channel 7 to exaggerate a little.  There has never been total standardisation. I seem to remember driving a car where the Reverse position was where you would normally expect 1st to be.   Then there is the difference between manual and automatic, with the possibility of slamming your foot on the brake, thinking you are in your manual car and need to hit the clutch.

 

An AI search could not find strong evidence for accidents occurring where someone mistook the drive selector for the indicator.  It also seems that most cars with this system (EV or IC) have safeguards.

 

• They generally won’t allow Reverse or Park at speed.
• Many only allow an accidental movement to engage Neutral.
• Some require brake pedal input before a gear change.
• Others electronically ignore invalid inputs.

I do think there could be a conversation to be had regarding how standardised cars should be; however, I think this article was a bit on the alarmist side.  Cars have always differed (gear shift pattern, indicator, etc.)

 

 

  

[facthunter]

Your first sentence says it all. I can't stand shows like that. There's usually and indicator for the Indicator so JUST CHECK first.. Nev

[nomadpete]

But Nev, I'd expect a trained pilot would identify before actuating a control. (even in a car)

 

The average idiot doesn't think that way.

 

 

[Litespeed]

1 hour ago, nomadpete said:

But Nev, I'd expect a trained pilot would identify before actuating a control. (even in a car)

 

The average idiot doesn't think that way.

 

 

True,

 

But the average idiot watches channel 7,9,10 and sky

[old man emu]

Since Australia is one of the few countries that drives on the left we have to accept that the majority of vehicles built worldwide are for right hand drive. It is annoying if you have grown up with the indicator lever on the right, but eventually you retrain yourself if your vehicle has it on the left.

 

Can you remember the push-button gear selector in, I think, early Valiants?

[pmccarthy]

SWMBO and I have a few cars so we have left and right indicators, and one on the dash! It isn’t a problem for us.

[onetrack]

It's a PIA, and standardisation of internal layout is sorely needed. If someone driving becomes immobilised (medical event, for example), and you have to jump in and move their vehicle, it should be easy to do - not become a 5 minute exercise in frustration, trying to find out all the control positions, while traffic is banking up.

 

The worst piece of automotive designing is moving all the controls to a bloody great touch screen in the centre of the dash!!  FFS!! LED screens crap themselves on a regular basis.

So, you're driving down the road and the whole screen goes black, and you have to try and stop, indicate, and activate warning flashers! What do you do when the screen is black or blank? 

 

I see where more than one car manufacturer has admitted they "went too far" in putting all the vehicle controls into touchscreens - and they have stated they will return to basic buttons, knobs and levers.

There is action being taken by licencing authorities in other countries around banning touchscreens for the major vehicle controls, and making manufacturers install buttons, switches and levers.

 

https://www.autonext.co/news/europe-and-china-push-back-against-touchscreen-overload-in-cars-the-return-of-physical-buttons

 

NEWS QUOTE: "The most notable admissions (to design failures) and rollbacks from major manufacturers include:

 

Volkswagen: VW design executives publicly admitted their touchscreen-only push was a mistake. They confirmed that physical buttons are returning for the "big five" functions - volume, heating on each side, fans, and hazard lights - as well as on the steering wheel. As Design Head Andreas Midt bluntly put it: "Honestly, it's a car. It's not a phone, it's a car."

 

Mercedes-Benz: After rolling out massive, dash-spanning displays, Mercedes acknowledged that consumers prefer tactile feedback. The company has been gradually reintroducing physical dials and rollers (such as in their latest GLC and CLA models) after executives admitted they sometimes needed to, "take one step back to take two steps forward."

 

Porsche & Audi: Both luxury German marques admitted that removing essential controls in favor of touch-sensitive panels and sliders was overly frustrating, and have reintroduced more tactile, clicky buttons.

 

Hyundai & Genesis: These brands admitted that their previous push for buttonless center stacks was a case of "style overrode safety". They have been reincorporating conventional hardware, as seen in newer models like the updated Tucson, Santa Fe, and Santa Cruz."

 

https://www.drive.com.au/caradvice/why-car-makers-are-ditching-touch-controls-in-favour-of-buttons/

 

The simple fact that you see so many car drivers driving around at night with headlights off, is indicative that current vehicle controls and dash indications are inadequate, and they need serious levels of modification to ensure that basic controls are visible, immediately identifiable, usable without referring to operating manuals, and have clear indications of what that controls position is in.

 

In recent times, I went to pick up an item of machinery that I purchased from a Shire Council via a Pickles Auction. After going to the Shire reception, and organising pickup and entry to their yard, I was told a young man would go with me to oversee the pickup.

Said young man rolled up to the yard in his car, we went and found the item - only to find another Shire worker had parked a 5 tonne Hino truck directly in front of my item, at right angles to it.

I said to the young bloke, "You'll have to shift that Hino for me so I can get my item out". He looked a little embarrassed and said, "I don't know how to drive a truck!" 

 

FFS! The Hino was nothing more than a big car! Luckily, having a heavy articulated licence and decades of experience with machines, it was easy enough to find the master switch, turn it on and start and drive the truck forward, so I could extract my purchased item. I often wonder about the future abilities of our nation.

 

Edited 2 hours ago by onetrack

[octave]

13 minutes ago, onetrack said:

The simple fact that you see so many car drivers driving around at night with headlights off, is indicative that current vehicle controls and dash indications are inadequate, and they need serious levels of modification to ensure that basic controls are visible, immediately identifiable, usable without referring to operating manuals, and have clear indications of what that controls position is in.

I know Teslas have auto headlights, and I believe this may be true for  most EVs and modern IC cars, although I think it may be able to be overridden.

[red750]

That first sentence on this subject was just that my daughter, only yesterday, told me that the transmission selector in the 2026 Ford Mustang Mach 1 which she is intending to order has that arrangement.

[kgwilson]

Lots of brands have auto headlights and auto dipping. Mine has. When it is dark enough the headlights come on. Like all modern cars it also has daytime running lights. I can switch everything to manual if I want to but it is easier to let the car decide when to put the lights on & when to dip them or turn them off. It is way more conservative at dipping headlights than me so will do it a long way from an oncoming vehicle on a straight highway & often dips the lights when it gets a strong reflection from a large reflective road sign. One less thing to have to do, Works fro me.

[onetrack]

The indicator side problem is directly related to cost-cutting by car manufacturers. They refuse to manufacture a "mirror-image steering column" with the indicators on the RH side of the column, for RHD vehicles, they simply fit steering columns from LHD vehicles, so the indicators and wiper controls end up being reversed to normal RHD layout.

 

It's good enough for the manufacturers to keep the A-B-C of the foot controls in the right order, in the switch from LHD to RHD, so the other controls need to be mirrored as well. Imagine trying to drive a RHD car with the accelerator on the transmission hump side, needing to use your left foot to alter speed! 🙄