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How practical is an electric sports utility vehicle? I almost ran out of gas just going up into logging territory in northern California, I couldn't imagine goi

How practical is an electric sports utility vehicle? I almost ran out of gas just going up into logging territory in northern California, I couldn't imagine going in an electric vehicle with less range.

qaq 5y ago
well given the number of preorders for F-150 Lightening, Cybertruck and Rivian it's practical for many
jillesvangurp 5y ago
Sounds pretty practical to me. Plenty of torque, plenty of range. Can definitely handle rough terrain. Awesome for camping out in the middle of nowhere. Etc. And you can plug into any wall socket to charge up. Journeys into remote areas would require a bit of planning as to where, when and how to charge. But that's not that different from driving a petrol car. If you run out of petrol in the middle of nowhere, it's just as bad as running out of battery because you are stuck in the middle of nowhere with no easy way to fix it. The difference is that an electric car will tell you how much range it has and is pretty accurate about it and be able to guide you to the nearest charging point. But if you insist on draining the tank or battery until there's nothing left before you top up, then yes, you are going to be taking a risk. Simple suggestion: try not to do that. If the absolute worst happens and you ignore all the warnings the car gives you, the solution would be to charge the battery. For example from another EV (some models actually support this). By driving up to somebody's house and begging for permission to plug in. Etc. Absolute worst case is you'll be towed away by somebody shaking their heads to a place where the car can be plugged in. People would be shaking their head because it would be your own fault. Now some people have a genuine need for hundreds of miles of range because where they are going there is nothing. The good news is you can fix that. Put up some solar panels, truck in some batteries, etc. Easy to do. I imagine, many logging operations will end up doing exactly that sort of thing.
- HeyLaughingBoy 5y ago
  > But that's not that different from driving a petrol car Of course it is! I can go pretty much anywhere in the CONUS and not have to worry about running out of gas because gas stations are everywhere. In the few cases where they aren't, there are usually clear indications, e.g., "next gas station 50 miles ahead" signs. Or if I'm that concerned, I can take a 5 gallon can full of gas with me. > you are stuck in the middle of nowhere with no easy way to fix it I've stopped to give people rides to the gas station (where you can rent/borrow a gas can) when they ran out. Probably won't be feasible with electric for quite some time. Sure, people should plan their trips, but please don't make a false equivalence between gas & electric in this regard.
  - postingawayonhn 5y ago
    Rivian is installing 20,000 'waypoint' (Level 2) chargers. Many will be located in national parks and other remote locations. It's much easier to install and maintain a charging station in a remote area than it is to install and operate a gas station.
    - HeyLaughingBoy 5y ago
      Sure, and when we get there the calculus will change. But for now and the near future, gas will continue to be more convenient.
kybernetikos 5y ago
Mile range is competitive, and being able to plug into a wall charger means there are more places to charge than places to refill. I think the downsides are that carrying extra fuel is easier (although it wouldn't surprise me if extra batteries you can load onto the truck become a thing), and also that the refill time is much worse.

qaq 5y ago

well given the number of preorders for F-150 Lightening, Cybertruck and Rivian it's practical for many

jillesvangurp 5y ago

Sounds pretty practical to me. Plenty of torque, plenty of range. Can definitely handle rough terrain. Awesome for camping out in the middle of nowhere. Etc. And you can plug into any wall socket to charge up. Journeys into remote areas would require a bit of planning as to where, when and how to charge. But that's not that different from driving a petrol car. If you run out of petrol in the middle of nowhere, it's just as bad as running out of battery because you are stuck in the middle of nowhere with no easy way to fix it. The difference is that an electric car will tell you how much range it has and is pretty accurate about it and be able to guide you to the nearest charging point. But if you insist on draining the tank or battery until there's nothing left before you top up, then yes, you are going to be taking a risk. Simple suggestion: try not to do that. If the absolute worst happens and you ignore all the warnings the car gives you, the solution would be to charge the battery. For example from another EV (some models actually support this). By driving up to somebody's house and begging for permission to plug in. Etc. Absolute worst case is you'll be towed away by somebody shaking their heads to a place where the car can be plugged in. People would be shaking their head because it would be your own fault. Now some people have a genuine need for hundreds of miles of range because where they are going there is nothing. The good news is you can fix that. Put up some solar panels, truck in some batteries, etc. Easy to do. I imagine, many logging operations will end up doing exactly that sort of thing.

HeyLaughingBoy 5y ago
> But that's not that different from driving a petrol car Of course it is! I can go pretty much anywhere in the CONUS and not have to worry about running out of gas because gas stations are everywhere. In the few cases where they aren't, there are usually clear indications, e.g., "next gas station 50 miles ahead" signs. Or if I'm that concerned, I can take a 5 gallon can full of gas with me. > you are stuck in the middle of nowhere with no easy way to fix it I've stopped to give people rides to the gas station (where you can rent/borrow a gas can) when they ran out. Probably won't be feasible with electric for quite some time. Sure, people should plan their trips, but please don't make a false equivalence between gas & electric in this regard.
- postingawayonhn 5y ago
  Rivian is installing 20,000 'waypoint' (Level 2) chargers. Many will be located in national parks and other remote locations. It's much easier to install and maintain a charging station in a remote area than it is to install and operate a gas station.
  - HeyLaughingBoy 5y ago
    Sure, and when we get there the calculus will change. But for now and the near future, gas will continue to be more convenient.

kybernetikos 5y ago

Mile range is competitive, and being able to plug into a wall charger means there are more places to charge than places to refill. I think the downsides are that carrying extra fuel is easier (although it wouldn't surprise me if extra batteries you can load onto the truck become a thing), and also that the refill time is much worse.