California-headquartered lithium-ion battery manufacturer Amprius has signed purchase orders for its SiMaxx cells from Airbus subsidiary AALTO, a Finland-headquartered producer of fixed-wing, high-altitude platform stations (HAPS).
Amprius says its 450 Wh/kg SiMaxx cells are designed to operate in extreme flight conditions while maximizing flight range and payload capacity. The batteries are capable of supplying enough endurance for persistent HAPS overnight stratospheric flight operations in all seasons or at higher latitudes.
“Zephyr relies on the most cutting-edge sustainable technology and design to push the boundaries of solar-powered, stratospheric flight,” said Pierre-Antoine Aubourg, AALTO’s Chief Technical Officer. “Amprius continues to produce ultra-high-energy-density batteries, enabling improvements in nighttime operations as well as the extent of coverage latitude.”
The last Chevrolet Camaro left the factory in late 2023, putting the vaunted muscle-car nameplate on hiatus. But General Motors president Mark Reuss wants to see the Camaro make a comeback as an EV, according to Motor Trend.
GM would take a different approach than rival Ford, which has applied the Mustang name to the Mach-E electric crossover sold alongside the traditional gasoline coupe and convertible. Reuss’ ideal electric Camaro would be a car, not a crossover, according to Motor Trend. The Chevy Blazer EV, arguably the brand’s current rival to the Mach-E, arrived with plenty of cues carried over from the Camaro, though.
2024 Chevrolet Camaro
Unlike every production Camaro to date, though, any future electric version would reportedly have four doors. Sports cars and convertibles built on skateboard EV platforms are scarce, because of all the packaging hurdles, and sales of two-door cars don’t exactly justify extravagant engineering solutions. That still leaves room for a four-door coupe similar to the current BMW i4, though.
Instead of going for the biggest horsepower numbers and quickest acceleration, Reuss also wants a Camaro EV to go back to the nameplate’s roots, emphasizing simplicity and affordability. Reuss told Motor Trend that the base price of a Camaro EV could be similar to the $34,995 starting price of the Chevy Equinox EV crossover.
Possible electric Chevrolet Camaro in GM Ultium teaser video
With an upcoming Chevy Bolt EV, plus the Equinox EV, GM will already have several affordable EVs—both, perhaps, even by then starting under $40,000. If a Camaro-inspired model were to land in that price range too, as a car, it might pivot that performance car’s image in the right way.
While an affordable Camaro EV appears to be more a thing that Reuss would like to do versus something that’s firmly in GM’s product plan, the automaker has hinted for several years that it intends to produce lower-profile EVs based on its Ultium component set—perhaps with the cylindrical batteries it’s planning to make with Samsung.
Arc has built the first models of its much-anticipated Arc Sport 500hp electric wake boat, and we got a chance to take it for a quick demo in Long Beach, CA and holy heck, this thing rips.
Arc is a very new company – it was founded in 2021 in Los Angeles, and is targeting the luxury boat market with high-powered electric boats. Its cofounders, Mitch Lee and Ryan Cook, are engineers who met while working at Boeing.
The company has since grown to over 100 employees, and the company boasts that many are former SpaceX, Tesla, and Rivian workers (like, well, every other electric startup).
But it seems to have something to it, because Arc has been able to raise over $100 million in funding so far – not a bad chunk of change to get things started.
The Arc Sport, announced in February, is not Arc’s first boat. It previously released the Arc One, a limited-edition, $300,000 speedboat, of which only 20 units were made.
But the Sport is a wake boat, a more specialized type of boat, and it’s a downright steal compared to that model, starting at the low-low price of $258,000. Pocket change, really (although, an early tricked-out “Founder’s Fleet” model with all the options and extras included will cost $322k).
This is by no means cheap, but is relatively competitive with the higher-end wake boats from companies like Nautique or Malibu (Nautique has its own electric wake boat, which starts at $312k).
Wake boats have been growing in popularity lately, both for standard boating activities and for wakeboarding/wakesurfing. Wake boats need high power along with specialized control surfaces and ballast control to help make a large, surfable wake behind the boat.
They also include a tower to attach a tow rope to, so wakeboarders can get up onto the board. The Arc Sport has an adjustable tower which raises and lowers, to offer a higher angle to help pull riders up out of the water, or lower clearance in case that’s needed for navigating around a marina.
Electric drive has a lot of benefits for this application – many of which are familiar from the world of automotive. For one, when wakeboarding behind the Arc Sport, you aren’t constantly choking down fumes and getting loopy from exhaust mere feet from your face in an otherwise beautiful natural lake environment. Which is quite a plus.
The weight penalty of the Sport’s massive 226kWh battery isn’t that significant, either. Wake boats typically benefit from having a lot of mass at the stern of the boat – and will intentionally take on water as ballast to ensure that the rear is as low as possible in order to throw a larger wave. So a chunky battery, sited low in the stern, is fit-to-purpose anyway.
And, like in electric cars, an electric motor has high torque at zero rpm, which means it has… A LOT OF GET-UP-AND-GO.
Arc used a low (2,000) rpm semi truck motor with direct drive (no gearbox) to reduce noise and friction and ensure high torque, which means we literally fell right out of our damn seat the first time they punched it. Arc says it has twice the torque of competing boats, and it sure felt like that.
An electric motor is also easier to put where you want it, so there doesn’t need to be a big, loud, hot, vibrating mass in the middle of the boat (where engines often go), making it easier to use that space for socializing or moving around inside the boat. The motor in this case is pretty centrally located, under the floor of the boat.
The boat is quite quiet at low speeds and some light vibration can be felt through the floor, but it’s a lot less than you’d get from a fossil machine. Though between the noise of splashing water, buffeting wind and 500 horsepower, things get a bit noisier when getting up to the electronically-limited top speed of 40 knots.
I’ve spent a fair amount of time around boats myself, growing up alongside a harbor and in a boating family. Not much of that time has been spent piloting anything impressive, but I’ve been at the helm of a few boats here and there. As for electric boats, all I had piloted before now were Duffys and the like – low-speed cruisers, nothing like this.
After getting a quick demo ride from Arc, it was time for me to grab the helm and go for a spin. I did a few figure-8s, making wake for myself to cut through, and felt that extreme acceleration on my own (which was… easier to stay seated during when I was actually prepared for it).
And once I started, I really didn’t want to stop (but then again, that’s often the case for a day of boating, isn’t it?). The boat handled great in the flat water we had it in – and the choppier water once I laid down some wake to blast through.
The captain’s seat was a little tight on legroom, but this is adjustable and Arc is looking to increase the amount of adjustability on the production version. And the throttle was pretty twitchy, which is bound to happen with so much power, but Arc was thinking about smoothing out the mapping of the throttle lever, which I think would be a good idea. Luckily, Arc has complete control over the boat’s software, so tweaks like this are possible and there could even be user-selectable drive modes.
This is another way that Arc distinguishes itself: through a sleek modern interface updatable over-the-air. Some boats have the ability to update maps over the air, but Arc says it’s the first to be able to provide Tesla-like updates to software that’s deeply integrated into the boat.
The UI we saw wasn’t finalized, but what we saw worked well and had various aspects of customizability, like simple controls to adjust the wake, and the pitch of the boat in the water, or to look through one of the boat’s three cameras. One neat aspect was a small red bar on the pilot’s display showing when your steering is centered, which is something that’s easy to lose track of in a boat.
We didn’t get to test out any connectivity/app features, but remote management of charging, checking the cameras on the boat, and so on, seem like natural features that will come down the pipe.
As for the practical parts, the Arc sport is 23 feet long with comfortable seating for 15 (though make sure you’re holding onto something when the pilot punches it), lots of cupholders (Arc told us the final version might even have more), good room for storage under the seats and rear deck (another benefit of electric drive, more storage space where the motor would go), and board storage on top of the adjustable tower.
It also has a set of side thrusters on the bow and stern which help with precision maneuvering, which can be a great help while docking, particularly for less-experienced pilots.
And maintenance should be easier too. Boats are famously a nuisance to keep in good running order, given that they sit parked in a corrosive substance full of strange plants and animals for literally all of their lives. That’s no different here, but at least you won’t have to worry about fuel going bad or winterizing the boat.
Most docks have 240V service for shore power, and Arc’s boats can just stay plugged in (while 7-10kW service means 20-30 hours for a “full charge” of the 226kWh battery, it’s rare that you’ll have a boat out more than ~4 hours in a day anyway). And it’s a lot cheaper to fuel than paying marina rates for gasoline. The Sport is also capable of 225kW CCS DC charging, for the few marinas that have installed DC fast chargers (there’s one in Tahoe).
That brings us to the “range” question, which is a different set of calculus for boats. Arc says the massive battery is good for 4-5 hours of use, though that depends highly on what you’re doing. If you’re just cruising around at low speed, that time will be extended tremendously. If you’re doing constant start-stops or running at high speeds, you’ll use a lot more energy (water is thicker than air after all – there’s a much bigger speed penalty to efficiency on water).
Arc said it took the boat out to Catalina Island, which is 26 miles across the sea from the California coastline. On the way out, they kept it conservative, and used about 10% of the battery. Then they camped overnight and bombed back to the mainland the next day at high speed, and ended up with about 35% left by the time they got back. So that higher-speed trip used ~5x as much energy as the low-speed one did (there may have been differences in wind/waves as well). And 50+ miles on the ocean, with range to spare, is quite a day or two of boating.
But for the most part, these machines will be used on lakes or in calm waters anyway, so it should be more than enough for a great day out.
And in a nice lake environment, the underlying benefit of an electric boat becomes exceptionally clear. These are sensitive and contained environments, so adding anything foreign to them can really screw up the ecosystem. The less nonsense we can bring into lakes, in the form of fumes and oil and what-have-you, the better.
The quiet and lack of exhaust really enhance the experience of boating, but unfortunately Arc doesn’t have a solution to one problem: everyone else. While boating around we still occasionally had to smell the stench from some passing boat, and the water surface near the docks was still oily due to the activity of other boats.
And that’s going to end up changing – some marinas and lakes are already giving out separate electric-boat registrations, and charging significant extra money for launching gas-powered boats due to the environmental damage they cause, which electric boats don’t have to pay. Local pushes to clean up lakes are quite strong – the preponderance of “Keep Tahoe Blue” bumper stickers throughout California suggest that as more options become available, restrictions on dirtier options may well increase.
So lets keep our eye on the prize here – not only is the Arc Sport a pricey-yet-capable toy, it’s also the vanguard of an industry that’s about to change for the better. Our whole Earth is heating up and getting dirtier with every gallon of dino-juice we bleed from this precious planet of ours, so why not keep some of it deep underground where it belongs instead of on the surface of our lakes and marinas.
Arc is kicking off its nationwide demo tour today, which you can sign up for here. They’re still not the full production boats, but they’re close. Arc has started taking orders (you can reserve one for $500) and plans to deliver boats “this year” (with the Founder’s Fleet all being delivered by next summer), with an eventual goal of producing “hundreds” per year.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Source link #drove #500hp #electric #Arc #Sport #holy #heck #rips
In real-world driving range, a three-year-old Tesla Model 3 or Model Y will likely retain roughly 64% of its EPA rating, according to analysis from battery-data firm Recurrent.
Recurrent cites battery health reports from used EVs, based on observations of cars already on the road. In 898,504 observations of 7,078 Model 3 sedans and 664,642 observations of 5,120 Model Y crossovers, Recurrent found that range tended to decline steeply during the first 1,000 days, or nearly three years, of battery age, to that 64% EPA-range mark, before stabilizing.
Tesla Model Y range degradation (via Recurrent)
Tesla Model 3 range degradation (via Recurrent)
It should be noted that these vehicles don’t start at 100% of their EPA rating in real-world use—more like 70% of it, representing Tesla’s more generous adjustment factor in calculating its posted range numbers in the first place.
Lithium-ion battery degradation tends to follow an S-shaped curve, according to Recurrent. When a battery is new, there can be some noticeable degradation as it settles into a steady state, the company says, but this levels off for awhile. Ultimately, batteries will start to degrade significantly again later in life, to the point where they need to be replaced.
There’s some parallel here between EV battery degradation and overall depreciation of new cars. That also tends to be the steepest in the first three years of ownership.
2024 Tesla Model Y. – Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.
And, once again, Recurrent’s results emphasize that battery degradation is predictable and isn’t likely to “brick” your EV. And recalls aside, battery replacement is relatively rare. Outside of big recalls, Recurrent estimates that only 2.3% of EV batteries have been replaced—and most of those are in older vehicles. An estimated 13% of EVs from model year 2015 and earlier have had battery replacements, but less than 1% of 2016-and-newer EVs have needed this, according to Recurrent. And many of those replacements were under warranty.
Recurrent also reported last year that Teslas don’t seem to be affected, in terms of degradation, by frequent fast-charging, as much as other EVs. They are affected by hot weather, though, the company has found. And while cold weather doesn’t seem to be as tied to battery degradation, it can put a big dent in range, depending on the model.
Source link #Here039s #range #Tesla #EVs #lose #years
Swytch, makers of the self-proclaimed “most affordable” electric bike conversion kits out there, announced its newest model this morning. The UK-based company’s new Swytch GO kit comes with a super low pre-order price of just £299 (or US $349 for North American customers), though there’s a bit of a catch.
The catch is that’s the pre-order price if you don’t mind joining a waitlist, or you can pony up twice that figure for an immediate purchase.
Swytch has previously been overwhelmed by demand when the company has released past versions, and so this might be a way to smooth out production curves and moderate all of the immediate demand they see when launching new models.
One of the reasons Swytch has been so popular during past releases is that ultra-affordable entry price, though the sleek design and ease of installation surely don’t hurt sales either. With over 85,000 Swytch kits already on the road, according to the company, DIY electric bike conversions still seem as popular as ever.
As Swytch’s CEO Oliver Montague commented:
“This is an exciting time for Swytch. Consumers are looking for more affordable and sustainable transport options, and the Swytch GO Kit is the ideal solution. Installation has also never been easier, so anyone can enjoy the benefits that electric bikes have to offer.”
With the new Swytch GO kit announced this morning, the 250W front motor remains unchanged from previous versions of the kit, but a new velcro-mounting GO battery has been added, offering more mounting options.
The previous Air battery, which is still available as an alternative option to the GO battery, was mounted directly to the handlebars. With the GO battery, riders can now mount the battery inside of the front triangle. The increased mountain options make it easier to fit the kit on different styles of bikes.
Additionally, the GO battery comes in three versions of GO, GO+, and GO++, offering anywhere from 15 to 60 miles (25-100 km) of pedal-assist range. The Air battery was famous for being small enough to just about be carried in a rider’s pocket, though the GO batteries are still quite small and can easily be tucked in a bag to avoid being left on the bike in theft-prone areas.
Weighing between 2-2.6 kg (4.5-5.7 lb) depending on the model, the GO batteries are fairly lightweight and easy to handle. They’re also IPX6 rated to withstand all-weather riding, and are certified to UL standards for safety.
With just 250W of power from that front hub motor, the Swytch GO kit is designed for cycling-ready commuters who are already comfortable with pedal assist. However, throttle-loving riders will be happy to know that an optional hand throttle is offered as an accessory. It can be added to the kit (where allowed by law) to offer throttle riding with power on demand that doesn’t require pedaling to initiate.
It’s all part of Swytch’s efforts to continually update the technology and the practicality of their kits, as the company’s CTO Dmitro Khroma explained:
“Our company mission is to make e-bikes accessible to everyone. So in reaction to consumer economic pressures, we wanted to bring down the entry-level price point for customers to pre- order a Swytch kit to just £299, but without compromising on quality, performance, or the safety of our batteries. These quality and safety features include ensuring that the battery is water-resistant, impact-resistant, and shock-resistant, and has been thoroughly tested to the highest standards so they are safe to use and recharge at home.
By redesigning the battery pack with a larger form factor, embedding the power electronics inside the pack together with the battery, and designing a super-simple mounting solution that uses Velcro straps to strap the battery pack anywhere on the bike, we managed to bring down the price significantly. Plus, as an added bonus, the result was an e-bike kit that is even easier and faster to install, and with increased range of up to 60 miles.”
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Source link #affordable #DIY #ebike #kit #company #launched #version
Tesla has released a new video that includes some footage of a previously unseen vehicle interior. Could it be an early concept of the interior of the Robotaxi?
For the last few years, Tesla has been working on a vehicle designed from the ground up to be a self-driving vehicles. The company has been referring to it as ‘Robotaxi’.
CEO Elon Musk insists that Tesla is still dedicated to delivering its promised self-driving capability to existing vehicles delivered since 2016 through software update, but it also decided to build a new vehicle designed entirely around the fact that it will be driverless.
Not much is known about the vehicle other than hints that it won’t have a steering wheel or pedals, and that it will be “Cybertruck-like” in terms of design.
Now, Tesla has released a new video, which Musk wanted to make clear he wasn’t involved in, to try to encourage shareholders to vote for his $55 billion compensation package and moving the company’s state of incorporation to Texas:
In the video, many pointed out a shot of the interior of a vehicle that doesn’t match anything Tesla has released to date:
The image shows what appears to be a two-seater vehicle without steering wheel and a center display similar to what is found in current Tesla vehicles.
The seats are unlike what you would find in modern vehicles and something closer to what you would find in public transit, like a train:
Tesla plans to unveil its ‘Robotaxi’ on August 8th. The automaker has recently accelerated its timeline for the vehicle and plans to bring it to market as soon as next year.
Do you think this is an early concept for the Tesla Robotaxi interior? Let us know in the comment section below.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Join this webinar at the June Virtual Conference on EV Infrastructure to learn more about EV home-charging reimbursement solutions, policies, potential pitfalls, tax and legal implications, and the essentials for successfully implementing a compliant home-charging reimbursement program.
David Lewis, founder of MoveEV, will guide you through:
Home Charging Strategy: Discover the advantages of adopting a home-first charging approach for your fleet, including cost savings and improved efficiencies.
Charging Infrastructure Options: Explore the pros and cons of different home-charging configurations for your company and your employees.
EV Take-Home Policies: Understand the importance of a good EV take-home policy and what should be included.
Reimbursement Program: Learn about the three reimbursement options (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and their tax and legal implications. Then, avoid the danger zone from day one.
Reserve your spot—it’s free!
See the full session list for the June Virtual Conference here.
Broadcast live on June 10-12, 2024. This virtual event will span all things EV charging in two main tracks:
Track 1: Deploying EV Infrastructure & Fleets Content for fleet/facility managers, charging network operators, public transport planners, etc.
Track 2: Design & Manufacturing of Charging Systems Content for engineers who are building, testing, and manufacturing charging systems.
The free-to-attend conference will feature live presentations, interactive Q&As, on-demand webinars, and whitepaper downloads. All live webcast sessions are free to attend and will be recorded and available to watch on-demand after the event. Register to reserve your spot to watch it live or on-demand.
Curious about the Cupra Born? Ann Robinson’s experience with the Cupra Born adds to the stories of satisfied EV drivers. She was happy to share her story here.
About Me
I was forced to look at new car options when someone rearranged the back of my car. I’m not a car enthusiast. A car has always been a way to get from A to B with good mileage and while being comfortable to drive. My car was always the runabout. My husband’s car was the touring car.
I was aware of some of the hybrid and electric cars on the market. My selection criteria for a new car were hybrid or electric, range, price, delivery time, and of course how it felt to drive. I started at one end of the car dealership street and worked my way to the other end, which happened to be the Cupra dealership. I hadn’t even heard of Cupra except from the MG dealer who remarked it would be the only EV he would consider.
The day we collected our Cupra Born. Photo courtesy of Ann Robinson.
Why Cupra Born
When I saw the Cupra Born, I really liked the look of it because it didn’t look like most EVs. The WLTP range of the vehicle was an excellent 511 km (318 miles). The price was just under $60,000 on the road (3 × the price of my previous car). The delivery timeframe was August, sooner than most other cars.
I was able to take the Cupra Born for a test drive immediately, so off my husband, the dealer, and I went. My first impression was that it felt great to drive and the seats were very comfortable. It didn’t feel that much different to driving my ICE car, so it didn’t require me to adapt my driving style. The instrument panel had the usual info like gear and speedometer as well as all you need to know about range, battery status, etc. I was surprised at how responsive an electric car was. It ticked all the boxes for safety features, which included 360-degree camera, lane-changing warnings, collision warning, and adaptive cruise control. The automatic parking feature was a surprise and a bit unnerving to use.
The boot space looked large enough for road trips and around town. There are enough nooks for the driver and passengers to store belongings, etc.
After the test drive, I was sold and signed on the dotted line. I opted not to go for either the interior or exterior packages because the seating capacity would be reduced from 5 seats to 4 due to the extra weight. The only extra I opted for was ceramic window tinting, which I paid a premium for by getting it through the dealer.
First Weeks of Ownership
I was pretty excited to finally pick up my Cupra Born after a 6 month wait. I loved how responsive the acceleration was. Driving my new Born was as good as the test drive. I was a bit apprehensive about how easy recharging would be.
We already had solar installed at our house, so we had a 3-phase 22 kW Wallbox charger installed while we waited for my Born to be delivered. Most of the driving I do is around town, so recharging is so easy. I usually recharge during the day when it is sunny. Our electricity bill was $96 in credit after the first quarter of owning the car.
The first settings changes I made were:
Change the unlocking setting to unlock all doors not just the driver’s door.
Turn off all the annoying beeps and sounds for the haptic buttons, etc.
Change the display to show “range since charging” rather than “since start” or “long term”. (press on steering wheel to cycle through options)
The volume haptic buttons on the steering wheel are unfortunately too easy to press inadvertently. I bought a steering wheel cover to reduce this. It is also better for carpal tunnel problems.
I found it useful to activate the 360-degree camera when parking by flicking into reverse and then back into drive. The air conditioning works well. Though, there aren’t any rear vents. I have found the easiest way to adjust the ventilation is to set the fan speed to 3 and then open and close the vents as required.
I have a Samsung phone and decided to buy an AAWireless dongle which communicates between the car and an Android phone using wifi and Bluetooth. This obviates the need to have the phone plugged into one of the car’s USB-C ports via a cable.
The diagram for radar is very cute. It changes the vehicle shown in front between a car, a truck, and motorbike. The adaptive cruise control is great. There are three distance levels available — I find the closest one sufficient.
Free AC charging (byo cable) at the local Raiders club. Photo courtesy of Ann Robinson.
Around Town & Short Trips
I have found that I am still in the habit of recharging on a similar cycle to my ICE car. When I’m driving around town, I recharge when my charge drops to around 60%. I initially recharged to 80% as suggested for EVs, but after seeing a podcast on how minimal the degradation of the battery is when charging more I now charge up to 90%. The average battery usage is around 15.9 kWh/100 km locally. It increases to 17.9 kWh/100 km when driving at 100 km/h.
I found the centre console screen is prone to overheating because it rises above the dash and is subject to direct sun either when parked or while driving. I have reduced this problem by using a reflective screen behind the console and using sunshades when parked.
If I’m heading down the coast, a 2.5 hour trip, I charge to 100% the night before. The 200 km trip there leaves 60% of the battery remaining. I use slightly more on the return trip. We use a granny charger when we reach our destination or eat at a local restaurant and use their free 22 kW chargers.
The Cupra has amazing acceleration. Leaving traffic lights when they turn green, it often leaves the ICE cars in my dust. The car is so responsive and fun to drive. The suspension, steering, and sound system seem fine.
The Cupra Born has enough buttons in easy reach and drives in a way that is similar enough to my previous ICE car that it didn’t take long to feel comfortable. The exterior design is so stylish that it turns heads. Strangers come up to me in the street and want to know about it because it looks so good.
In preparation for doing a road trip, I downloaded PlugShare, ABRP (a better route planner), and apps for the charging networks — NRMA, Evie, Chargefox, BP Pulse, Exploren, and Tesla. I registered and set up the payment type for each of the apps and tried out some of the public chargers to familiarise myself with how they work in real-world situations.
Road Trip
Our first road trip was from Canberra to Mooloolaba via Brisbane via the east coast — approximately 1200 km. We started our trip with 100% charge. I worked out our stops based on our usual pattern for road trips. The plan wasn’t to charge at every stop we made. However, the first stop for the day was a coffee stop and then after that we stopped to charge every two hours after that. The first charging stop was Evie (2 × 150 kW) in Campbelltown. It took 40 minutes to charge from 62% to 99%.
First trip to Mollymook Beach, NSW. Photo courtesy of Ann Robinson.
We recorded all of our charging stops, and for each of them recorded the charging network, the charging speed available, the number of chargers, starting and ending battery level, kWh input, cost per kW, total cost for charge, and whether the stop had good food options.
On day 1, we charged twice en route plus a 100% charge at Thrumster before our stay overnight in Port Macquarie. On day 2, we charged twice en route and at our destination, Bracken Ridge. We spent 3 nights in Brisbane before heading to our final destination, Mooloolaba. There is only one set of fast chargers (BP Pulse) in the vicinity and these are in Maroochydore and not near shopping or dining facilities.
We took the trip south easier, with overnight stops at Coffs Harbour and Hornsby. This turned out to be a good move, as there were two days of torrential rain. The automatic wipers worked really well during the heavy downpours.
On our trip north we had an orange triangle warning light come on with a message about parking not being available, just after we left Ballina. It was a bit disconcerting, so we pulled over and contacted Cupra Assist, which is on the sticker on the front windscreen. It turned out to be pointless. The recorded message gave three options, and after selecting option #1, it just repeated the same options over again and never actually got through to a person. Next, we tried the listed number for Cupra in Ballina, which was no help either. Our final option was to call Cupra in Canberra. Initially, I was told I wasn’t allowed to be put through to technical support even though the operator couldn’t give me any help. After a delay, we were put through to technical support. It turned out to be a simple fix. … He suggested cleaning the bugs and dirt off the sensors and turning off the car for a minute to reset the error message.
At that point, I didn’t even know there was a start/stop button located on the right-hand side of the steering wheel column behind the steering wheel. Having followed the instructions, we set off again and thankfully didn’t have the problem again.
Overheating by the infotainment console, AAWireless dongle, or my Android phone has occurred regularly during long drives. This manifests by a “phone is getting too hot” message and/or the centre console rebooting or refreshing, which is annoying, especially if relying on Google Maps. I have managed to avoid this by buying a heat sink from Jaycar ($5.95) and installing it on the warm spot of the AAWireless dongle and in addition removing the phone cover.
Some charging stations had no available chargers, so we would move on. Being uncertain about the availability of chargers, we didn’t let the battery drop below 30%. In fact, 36% was the lowest we let the battery drop to. For the range we charged between (i.e., 37% to +90%), it probably wasn’t worth paying extra for ultra-fast charging, as the ultra-fast speed occurs at the beginning of charging and drops off as the battery charges closer to 80%, and even more as it approaches 100%.
We found it easier to use RFID cards rather than the app to start charging. Some displays on the chargers are very difficult to see when the sun shines on them. RFID cards don’t rely on being able to see the screen or go through the steps on the app. An Evie or BP Pulse RFID card can be registered for use on the Chargefox app. NRMA members receive 10% discount when using NRMA and Chargefox/NRMA chargers. Overall, our public charging costs worked out to be 10 cents per kilometre.
I still need to come to terms with the idea that the car doesn’t need to be charged as often on long trips or to 100%. During busy times such as school holidays, long weekends, and even some weekends, the charging capacity of public charges can drop significantly, especially at service stations. It most likely occurs because the total electricity availability by the site is fixed, so when there are a lot of cars using the petrol pumps and using the dining facilities, then less is available for the EV chargers. This became evident when we used the same charging facility on the trip up and down. I suggest that during busy times it may be quicker to get off the highway and charge in a nearby town.
First charge on road trip Canberra to Brisbane. Photo courtesy of Ann Robinson.
6 Months of Ownership
I have owned my Cupra Born for six months now and still enjoy driving it. It is great for long road trips as well as around town.
The Cupra Born has quickly become our primary vehicle due to how cheap it is to use around town and between Canberra and Mollymook. It is fun to drive, and overtaking is a breeze. The most annoying thing is having to adjust the driver’s seat manually when changing drivers.
Sometimes the automatic braking can be a bit disconcerting. There have been occasions when the Born has slammed on the brakes while reversing out of a carpark when nothing was there.
When adaptive cruise control is engaged it will sometimes detect a vehicle when it is in the overtaking lane and slow the Born in case the vehicle is about to change into the lane.
I have used the park assist on a couple of occasions. It takes a leap of faith to use it. Once it is initiated, using the brake exits the park assist mode. I am still finding it difficult to park at shopping centres because the steep slope of the bonnet makes it hard to determine how close the car is when parking.
Overall, I love my Cupra Born.
Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Want to advertise? Want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.
Latest CleanTechnica.TV Video
Advertisement
CleanTechnica uses affiliate links. See our policy here.
Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging just opened more DC fast chargers at Buc-ee’s stores in the Dallas-Forth Worth area.
Three new Mercedes DC fast charging stations are at Buc-ee’s in Fort Worth, Temple, and Royse City. Mercedes asserts that every one of its chargers offers up to 400 kW of power.
It’s also adding 12 more charging stations at Buc-ee’s in the Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Houston metro areas – also known as the Texas Triangle, home to 68% of Texans:
Buc-ee’s isn’t your typical convenience store – they’re huge, with some stores covering over 50,000 square feet, and they offer a wide variety of items, including snacks, beverages, fresh food, clothing, home decor, and Texas-themed merchandise. It’s known for its homemade fudge, jerky, and beaver nuggets (caramel-coated corn puffs). Most Buc-ee’s locations are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In November 2023, Mercedes announced it had made an agreement with Buc-ee’s to build EV charging hubs at most of its existing stores. Mercedes is aiming to have around 30 online by the end of the year. There are currently 48 Buc-ee’s locations across the US South, 34 of which are in Texas.
When I spoke to Mercedes-Benz High Power Charging CEO Andrew Cornelia last year, he was passionate about the importance of placing EV chargers near amenities that travelers need.
Mercedes offers open access for all EV drivers, including roaming with other charging networks. Its charging hubs support contactless payments with credit cards or smartphone wallets.
The first Mercedes DC fast charging station came online last November at its headquarters in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Mercedes-Benz plans to deploy 2,500 high-powered chargers in 400 hubs by 2027.
Texas is the US’s No. 1 producer of clean energy and ranks fourth in public EV charging. However, to meet driver demand, the state needs around 95,000 more public chargers by 2027.
Read more: America, Mercedes-Benz wants you to indulge in retail therapy while you’re DC fast charging
To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check outEnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get startedhere. – ad*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Source link #MercedesBenz #opened #fast #chargers #Bucees #Texas
With influence from the designer behind the Aston Martin Vanquish and Jaguar I-Pace, the Callum Skye is a fierce-looking off-road EV sports car. The latest Ian Callum creation is now available to order.
Meet the $100,000 Callum Skye off-road EV sports car
The Callum Skye is the first EV from Ian Callum, an iconic British car designer’s own design and engineering firm.
Introduced last November, the Callum Skye is an all-electric 2+2 off-roader. As the “world’s most beautiful multi-terrain vehicle,” according to its engineers, the Skye is unique and versatile.
With a Callum design, you can see the influence from the Jaguar F-Type and Aston Martin vehicles with its sleek, rugged exterior design.
The electric sports car is designed for those seeking “extraordinary on and off-road adventures,” crafted with “the utmost capability, refinement, and beauty.”
Powered by a 42 kWh battery, the Callum Skye is expected to get up to 170 miles range. It also includes ultra-fast charging for a full charge in under 10 minutes.
At 4,047 mm long and 1,900 mm wide, the Skye is smaller than other off-road EVs like the Rivian R1T, but like the Rivian, it boasts sports car performance, with a 0 to 60 mph sprint in under 4 seconds.
Callum Skye off-road EV (Source: Callum Design)
At just 1,150 kg (about 2,500 lbs), the off-roader is also one of the lightest EVs on the market.
The inside features a central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Callum designed the dashboard with a focus on functionality with easy touchscreen dials.
Callum Skye off-road EV (Source: Callum Design)
Up front are two cossetting sports seats. Meanwhile, the rear features a versatile bench that can removed for extra storage.
Callum says the hinged tailgate has enough storage for luggage for a long weekend getaway, sports, and lifestyle gear.
Callum Skye off-road EV interior (Source: Callum Design)
The Callum Skye has been testing in Europe and is now available to order. According to Autocar, the production version is priced from £80,000 to £110,000 ($101,700 to $140,000). The company plans to release several variants, but more details and specs will be revealed closer to launch.
