Automobiles

[rec head]

Background: I have driven a few nice cars but own an old Fit and not that old Pacifica. Both are practical and the Pacifica is quite comfortable. Neither is a race car. I planned out a quick route around the neighborhood which included a nice curved entrance to the expressway then to a huge mostly empty parking lot behind the old Marshal Fields warehouse. The Rivian guide worked all the touchscreen buttons moving the vehicle from off-road mode to sport mode and doing whatever else that screen does. I didn't bother myself with it because I just wanted to drive. While at the stop light before the expressway entrance he put it in sport. I don't think he was expecting me to hit the accelerator as I entered the curve but the R1T handled it without a care. Everyone was thrown back and to the side. Grins in every seat.

The headlights definitely make for a unique truck and yes they are a little cartoonish but I'm not bothered. I think Rivian wanted to make a unique vehicle and they succeeded. Driving the streets I could see people's reactions to the weird looking pickup. But that's just it, people noticed.

Then we got to the parking lot. As soon as we got there a Tesla driver drove straight over. I didn't want to chat too much because we were on the clock but he wanted to know if he could get one right now. Not likely unless he wants to head to eBay where they are going for around $125,000. I proceeded to do some figure eights and whatever nonsense I could think of and then did a couple launches. The "launch" is when you hold the brake, press the accelerator and let off the brake. The acceleration is effing ridiculous. Phones are dropped, heads are pressed into headrests.

We stopped to check out the exterior and see the gear tunnel, frunk and bed. To finish up my wife and I went back and forth driving around the parking lot. I chose that parking lot because it is so empty but there are people working back there. We had one work truck stop to ask what it was, they drove off telling us it was a bad motherfucker.

One pedal driving is when an EV uses the motor's regeneration to slow. The regen has settings for how aggressive it is but when it is on there is no coasting. I only drove the thing for maybe 25 minutes total but got used to it right away. My wife said the same thing. You still need to use the brakes for sudden stops or when you need to slow down faster. For something like rolling to a stop light you just gradually pull your foot up off the accelerator and come to a stop. The brake lights do go on but I don't know what the threshold for that is. Actual EV owners would probably be able to explain it better.

I have liked the idea of having an EV since forever and this is the first one that really does stuff. Its a pickup that drives like a sports car with a nice interior. Is it the most practical pickup? No way but it is not supposed to be. My only hesitation in getting it is the "range anxiety" that people talk about with charging stations. 99% of our driving won't require charging anywhere besides our garage but we got the minivan to pack it up with gear and friends and head out. This will require more planning and longer stops now.

Because of the insane market for all types of cars right now and especially the Rivians I actually put down a pre-order for a second one. My thoughts for getting a newer one are that I'll gain efficiency by loosing 2 of the motors and hopefully get newer tech like 800v so it charges faster. Because I'm price locked with the original price on my first one it is quite possible that I won't be much out of pocket selling it to get the new one. If it doesn't work out that way I'll just cancel my second reservation when it is time.

I'm supposed to get mine by the end of the year and have my fingers crossed. The biggest downside of the Pacifica is that isn't the best in the snow. It would be great to have it replaced by winter. The crazy car market might benefit me there too. I might get more for the van than I paid for it. Crazy times.

[sk_tle]

I have liked the idea of having an EV since forever and this is the first one that really does stuff. Its a pickup that drives like a sports car with a nice interior.

That's my problem with the success of Tesla and possibly Rivian.

We now th we are in an extremly bad situation climate-wise. Some manufacturers have build EVs for decades already but they were slow, not exciting vehicules. Fast forward 30 years improvement on battery technology allows for much more range, we are in an even worse situation climate wise and what was once a matter of changing a bit our habits now becomes a vital urgency for a huge part of the third world and a huge responsability for those that have been wasting for decades.

We know how to make much lighter EVs that keep a decent enough range. They would be less comfortable, less fun at the wheel, but that is what we need right now. We have the technology to convert current petrol cars to EV. Building new cars from zero is releasing CO2 we cannot afford to release anymore. What do we do? Stupidly fast and heavy vehicules that waste more energy, a good fraction of it being converted from fossil fuel and thus not really helping out the climate situation. And we applaud the idea of buying brand new 4tons (4tons!!!! with the drag of a wardrobe cabinet) not even that practical vehicules just for the heck of it. People's living place will be flooded, millions of people will starve. Wars will decide who has access to the future gold (drinkable water). But who cares, it puts a grin on everyone face when I press the accelerator.

I know that when you own a Tesla or any other fast EV, mashing the accelerator get's old very quickly and annoying for the passengers and any owner will eventually drive them in a much more peaceful way. Yet most of these are still overweight energy wasting shameful machines compared to what we can do with a bit more humility.

[gt6267a]

What's this "one pedal driving" thing? How do you coast? How do you tell the vehicle to stop?

Normal "gas pedal" ... basically starts at zero and increases to 100 percent acceleration the further you press the pedal.

electric car "gas pedal" set to regen ... starts at FIRM breaking (regen not actual breaks). as you press the pedal it goes to 0 regen breaking maybe 25% into pressing the pedal. actual acceleration starts at 30% of the pedal range. as you get used to this, its possible to modulate the amount of regen breaking within that first 25% of the pedal range. (all of these percentages are for discussion purposes only).

on most electric cars, the amount of regen breaking is variable. most people i know choose a pretty firm regen since they modulate it.

one thing that is very different. you don't just take your foot off the gas as the car glides. if you want to glide, you bring the pedal back to the 25-30% pressed in position. especially with a firm regen setting, taking your foot off the break completely is equivalent to slamming on the breaks. instead, you ease off the pedal and bring it back into the regen area to break.

will it stop the car completely? depends on how you have the regen set. meanwhile, you still have brakes.

[bigbill]

Here is my new ride. I'm within a few months of retiring from full time work. My wife teaches Art History online and I hope to do the same at a Community College. We have a 33' travel trailer and Starlink, which is now portable. We could teach from most locations in the US. The truck is a 2020 F-250 with the 6.7L Power Stroke Diesel and ten speed transmission. While still commuting twelve miles to work, it gets 21 mpg and I have no intention of modifying it or moving away from stock wheels/tires. It primarily exists to get us to campsites.

[rwsaunders]

El Camino, El El Camino…Spotted at a fuel stop in Cambridge, Ohio (home of Champion Spark Plugs btw). I had to ask about the “383” as that’s not a Chevy engine that I recall. The new owner told me that it has a 350 CI crated engine and the old owner used some artistic license.

[SlowPokePete]

Yet most of these are still overweight energy wasting shameful machines compared to what we can do with a bit more humility.

This.

SPP

[Too Tall]

El Camino, El El Camino…Spotted at a fuel stop in Cambridge, Ohio (home of Champion Spark Plugs btw). I had to ask about the “383” as that’s not a Chevy engine that I recall. The new owner told me that it has a 350 CI crated engine and the old owner used some artistic license.

383 is a stroked 350 IIRC. Makes for a pretty spicey small block. Fantastic car BTW

[Mabouya]

electric car "gas pedal" set to regen ... starts at FIRM breaking (regen not actual breaks). as you press the pedal it goes to 0 regen breaking maybe 25% into pressing the pedal. actual acceleration starts at 30% of the pedal range. as you get used to this, its possible to modulate the amount of regen breaking within that first 25% of the pedal range. (all of these percentages are for discussion purposes only).

Thanks for the clarification. That's interesting. I'd have to test-drive that type of system to see how much I missed the simpler "coast" option I'm used to in a manual transmission car.

[bigbill]

I think my Mustang's days are limited. I've had it since 1983, but I've lost my desire to restore it. Some person out there has a dream of owning a classic Mustang with a 289 and factory air.

[Scott G.]

Thanks for the clarification. That's interesting. I'd have to test-drive that type of system to see how much I missed the simpler "coast" option I'm used to in a manual transmission car.

Regen braking feels like engine braking in manual car, except you set regen in a menu somewhere, instead of a lever.
Rode a Bionx system e-bike, it had a combined assist level/regen control +1 to 4 assist levels, then -1 to 4 regen levels.
Great system for wet hill descending, no brakes needed, just toggle the regen levels up and down.
Does any 'lectric car have regen level paddles ?

[gt6267a]

Thanks for the clarification. That's interesting. I'd have to test-drive that type of system to see how much I missed the simpler "coast" option I'm used to in a manual transmission car.

it takes about 5 mins to acclimatize. Maybe the next time driving the car, you pull your foot off the pedal once and go "oh yeah". that's it. whatever concerns a person might have about electric cars, to my eyes, this is not on the list.

[sailor]

Longtime manual driver here (last car was a bmw 325) and we own a leaf. Electric regen feels like engine braking and is awesome around town. The leaf doesn’t do full one pedal but I wish it did as more is better once you adjust. I always drive the leaf in the high regen mode except sometimes on the highway.
Preference wise I would say in town electric>manual>auto, open highway I don’t care and backroads I miss the manual but only because shifting is fun.
The only downsides to electric are cost and range/charging for trips. We also have a q7 tdi and I take the leaf whenever it is an option as it is a better driving experience.

[Mabouya]

The only downsides to electric are cost and range/charging for trips.

For me this ^^^ and cost & recycling impact of battery replacement (which last I heard is still an issue) are the main concerns with electric.

[sk_tle]

The only downsides to electric are cost and range/charging for trips.

Only apply to people living in suburbs / country and/or in the USA.

If you live in a city in most areas without dedicated parking space, charging is an issue. Only last month did we got our first 2 public parking space in the neighborhood with chargers.

[bigbill]

Only apply to people living in suburbs / country and/or in the USA.

If you live in a city in most areas without dedicated parking space, charging is an issue. Only last month did we got our first 2 public parking space in the neighborhood with chargers.

Where I live, we've gone from a few chargers at the Carl's Jr next to I-40 to chargers in most grocery store parking lots which makes sense. My brother-in-law has a large Tesla that gets around 300 miles but driving on the interstates and dealing with truck traffic drops the range.

[echappist]

For me this ^^^ and cost & recycling impact of battery replacement (which last I heard is still an issue) are the main concerns with electric.

It's a presently unresolved issue, and it may yet take a while to get satisfactory conclusion from it. The recycling of EV batteries is rather extensive (if not downright dangerous), and there is a limit to how much could be recycled.

See these articles from Nature and NPR.

While we all hope that science could figure out a way; however, long term, it's naive to think that much could be done without some fundamental changes to consumerist behavior. Without an adequate way of recycling the other precious metals used, instead of using up fossil fuels and increasing CO2 concentration, we'd be merely shifting to excess mining and filling of landfills.

And that's before we get to the uncomfortable truth that based on current electricity production, the savings in CO2 emission may be minimal (not nothing, but only ~15%). Significant reduction would require drastically increase in electricity produced cleanly.

Based on studies from Volvo on its similarly sized EVs, hybrids, and ICE vehicles, it's not very clear that the externalities associated with production of hybrids and EVs can be ignored. Using standard EU grid electricity, the EV is estimated to produce 9 fewer tons of CO2 as compared to the similarly sized ICE vehicle (59 tons vs 50 tons). The ICE incurs most of its CO2 emission in the pay-as-you-go stage; whereas the EV has a higher start-up cost (slightly less than 25 tons).

[Dave Thompson]

Seen on my way to Starbucks this morning.

[Saab2000]

Seen on my way to Starbucks this morning.

What time was showing on the clock tower?

[Dave Thompson]

What time was showing on the clock tower?

I live 10 miles north of the clock tower.

[caleb]

I stopped for gas yesterday in a town of about 3000 souls next to the local Ford dealership.

I did a double-take when I saw four new Broncos on the lot for sale: three of the little ones, and one big one.

I went over and checked out the big one, which was a two door base model unicorn with a sticker on it for $31k.

Perhaps the vehicle dam is breaking. And I'll admit I sorta want a large base model four door Bronco in green.