Could VIA Motors be the next generation of tow vehicles?

BenK wrote:
Check your city garages...many are now installing charging stations....some are
even 'quick' charging stations.

Plus, some have not catch on to put a pay station and are freebies both for the
electricity and parking...for now...

We are seeing some pay for park but power is free. You tap your credit card and pay for parking (a buck an hour on the one I used today) but level 2 power was free. We can only do 3.3 KW per hour but the parking you have to pay anyway. Lots of hotels allow free charging as incentive to eat at their restaurant. Plugshare is a great app. We put our home charger on the network but really it would only be useful to somebody as a last resort. BC hydro continues to add public stations but I'm not convinced they put enough thought into where they are. Shopping malls and places like Costco need to be set up with level 2 and 3 charging. They are not expensive to set up and would be a huge draw for clientele. I see this being done much more in the US than Canada but it is an evolving thing. Some interesting stats on the BC hydro site. If every car in BC tomorrow were to change to Electric it would only add an additional 19 percent load to the grid. Well within the overcapacity of the grid and there is lots more capacity coming on line in the next two decades. Electric vehicles won't replace gas or diesel as a fuel but they will definitely change how we commute in the next couple of decades.

Check your city garages...many are now installing charging stations....some are
even 'quick' charging stations.

Plus, some have not catch on to put a pay station and are freebies both for the
electricity and parking...for now...

So far the WORSE case scenario for our situation is not too bad as far as electric goes. We pay $.12 (I adjust for delivery to $ .18 per Kwh)
Only have 18Kw available of the 20Kw for use of the battery pack. So worse case charging every day a full 18Kw (which we do not..some is split up at work place) $3.24 per 18Kw gives 82/85mile range +-..Our electric bill only seem to have gone up $85/$90.. traveling aprox 500 per week.

Glad it works for us too..big plus is the charge at the work place perk. :)

Here is something to noodle...

Lith-Ion batteries do NOT survive well after being drained below 30% (on average)
Some will then over heat and burst/burn

Their over all life span is also reduced if drained below 40% (on some)

Sodium-Ion can be drained to ZERO and still recharge to 100% and without danger
of explosion nor fire.

Plus Sodium-ion batteries can be recharged an indefinite number of times, vs
Lith-Ion's limited number (thousands)

Am still waiting for capacitor batteries of this class sizing to come one line.
That will then negate chemical batteries short falling...they can NOT absorb
regenerative braking power fast enough...and some of the regen'd power is either
burned up on resistor/heater coils or the inverter just doesn't allow it to regen
that fast/much...

Gdetrailer wrote:

John & Angela wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

John & Angela wrote:

MegaWonder wrote:
Well said John, having an EV for longer commutes makes you very aware of how your driving (speed and takeoffs from starts) and what accessories (heat temp, AC, headlights, windshield wipers etc.) your using. My EV does not use the more efficient heatpump for climate control found on the latest models of EVs. We use either the radio remote keyfob or the smart phone app to check SOC (state of charge) or pre conditioning the climate control. We do realize we are using our EV to its limits (82/84 mile epa adjusted range). We are able to charge @120v during work day for trip back home. This L1 (120v)charge does not fully charge vehicle during work day but during the warmer months it is suffice to about 80/82% avg charge. Winter time without having some type of climatic controlled battery system (like $$Tesla) finds our preceived range (using the computer guess range display) find us limited to up to 40% or more perceived range loss. The nature of our lithion battery chemistry does not allow battery to charge to full capacity. So we use the backup vehicle during these extreme cold days and use the EV locally.

I think in 20 years a lot of us first adapters will look back and smile at some of the challenges we had with the first couple generations of EV's. :) Range, climate control etc. :) When we come back from our europe trip in 2018 we will probably buy the new generation leaf as a second vehicle and be an all electric family except for the motorhome of course. I would love the new tesla 300 at around the 35000 mark but I think from the price and service point of view the leaf will be better for us. Our smart EV is serviced by mercedes and they are co-located with nissan so its kind of one stop shopping for warranty checks etc.

Im curious what you are driving?

I hate to burst your EV bubble, but you are not the "first adopter" of Electric vehicles.

They say History repeats it's self.. It has.

You are about 125 or so years too late to the EV party..

To be an early adopter you would have to bought one in the late 1890s.

There were literally several THOUSAND electric vehicle manufacturers by 1900..

By 1907 that was down to a handful and pretty much by 1920 ALL electric vehicle manufacturing had ceased.

Some of the more known were Baker, Columbia, Pope, Riker (Riker made cars, Buses and even electric trucks which the US Postal Service bought and used), all Electric vehicle manufacturers were eventually bought up by Electric vehicle Company. Electric Vehicle Company continued to build Riker ELECTRIC TRUCKS into the late 1920s for industrial usage but even that ceased.

Heavy expensive batteries and short distance, long charging times and cost eventually lead to the demise of electric vehicles.

Electric vehicles made a return in the mid 1970s and failed within a few years..

1980s saw yet another attempt that failed by GM..

Even with todays battery tech, there simply is not enough power per pound of weight available in storage batteries.. Simply put to you can't get enough battery per pound to do the same amount of work as gasoline. Thats why "hybrids" were invented..

Granted, with an EV you don't spend money on gas, BUT you have to spend money on an ELECTRIC BILL.. I pay an average of $80 for electric, my gas bill for two pickup trucks is $400 per month and that is with commuting 500 miles per week..

I can assure you my electric bill will cost much more than $500 a month for two electric vehicles at my current rates.

Drive one if you want to, thats fine by me, but personally I would rather not.

Yah I suspect it depends where you live and what you pay for power. Where we live its just over 10 cents per kilowatt hour so yah, it is one heck of a lot cheaper to charge with electric than pay for gas. We drive at a fraction of the cost we could for gas. Curious where you live though that your rates are so high.

PA, the land were "taxation" is the number one "hobby" our state officials :M

Electricity rates jumped majorly over the last few years due to MANY coal fired power plants being taken off line due to environmental regs. 20 yrs ago I had electric bills of $30 per month, going back through my records I noted that my average electric consumption went DOWN by 10% but my electric bill nearly tripled.

That leaves more expensive natural gas, atomic and the most expensive "renewable" power sources like wind and solar..

You can't have "cheap" AND "green", those two items are mutually exclusive. There are a lot of added charges which go up with the more KWs you use..

Don't worry, you will eventually get charged for road usage taxes, they WILL eventually catch up to the EV loophole.

I hear ya. It'll be an interesting next decade. I think it will be hard to put the genie back in the bottle though. Previous attempts at mainstreaming electric vehicles were iffy. But now they are producing hundreds of thousands soon to be millions a year. For many like us even in their current form and range they work for us.

It'll be interesting to see what the tesla 3 does to the market.

John & Angela wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

John & Angela wrote:

MegaWonder wrote:
Well said John, having an EV for longer commutes makes you very aware of how your driving (speed and takeoffs from starts) and what accessories (heat temp, AC, headlights, windshield wipers etc.) your using. My EV does not use the more efficient heatpump for climate control found on the latest models of EVs. We use either the radio remote keyfob or the smart phone app to check SOC (state of charge) or pre conditioning the climate control. We do realize we are using our EV to its limits (82/84 mile epa adjusted range). We are able to charge @120v during work day for trip back home. This L1 (120v)charge does not fully charge vehicle during work day but during the warmer months it is suffice to about 80/82% avg charge. Winter time without having some type of climatic controlled battery system (like $$Tesla) finds our preceived range (using the computer guess range display) find us limited to up to 40% or more perceived range loss. The nature of our lithion battery chemistry does not allow battery to charge to full capacity. So we use the backup vehicle during these extreme cold days and use the EV locally.

I think in 20 years a lot of us first adapters will look back and smile at some of the challenges we had with the first couple generations of EV's. :) Range, climate control etc. :) When we come back from our europe trip in 2018 we will probably buy the new generation leaf as a second vehicle and be an all electric family except for the motorhome of course. I would love the new tesla 300 at around the 35000 mark but I think from the price and service point of view the leaf will be better for us. Our smart EV is serviced by mercedes and they are co-located with nissan so its kind of one stop shopping for warranty checks etc.

Im curious what you are driving?

I hate to burst your EV bubble, but you are not the "first adopter" of Electric vehicles.

They say History repeats it's self.. It has.

You are about 125 or so years too late to the EV party..

To be an early adopter you would have to bought one in the late 1890s.

There were literally several THOUSAND electric vehicle manufacturers by 1900..

By 1907 that was down to a handful and pretty much by 1920 ALL electric vehicle manufacturing had ceased.

Some of the more known were Baker, Columbia, Pope, Riker (Riker made cars, Buses and even electric trucks which the US Postal Service bought and used), all Electric vehicle manufacturers were eventually bought up by Electric vehicle Company. Electric Vehicle Company continued to build Riker ELECTRIC TRUCKS into the late 1920s for industrial usage but even that ceased.

Heavy expensive batteries and short distance, long charging times and cost eventually lead to the demise of electric vehicles.

Electric vehicles made a return in the mid 1970s and failed within a few years..

1980s saw yet another attempt that failed by GM..

Even with todays battery tech, there simply is not enough power per pound of weight available in storage batteries.. Simply put to you can't get enough battery per pound to do the same amount of work as gasoline. Thats why "hybrids" were invented..

Granted, with an EV you don't spend money on gas, BUT you have to spend money on an ELECTRIC BILL.. I pay an average of $80 for electric, my gas bill for two pickup trucks is $400 per month and that is with commuting 500 miles per week..

I can assure you my electric bill will cost much more than $500 a month for two electric vehicles at my current rates.

Drive one if you want to, thats fine by me, but personally I would rather not.

Yah I suspect it depends where you live and what you pay for power. Where we live its just over 10 cents per kilowatt hour so yah, it is one heck of a lot cheaper to charge with electric than pay for gas. We drive at a fraction of the cost we could for gas. Curious where you live though that your rates are so high.

PA, the land were "taxation" is the number one "hobby" our state officials :M

Electricity rates jumped majorly over the last few years due to MANY coal fired power plants being taken off line due to environmental regs. 20 yrs ago I had electric bills of $30 per month, going back through my records I noted that my average electric consumption went DOWN by 10% but my electric bill nearly tripled.

That leaves more expensive natural gas, atomic and the most expensive "renewable" power sources like wind and solar..

You can't have "cheap" AND "green", those two items are mutually exclusive. There are a lot of added charges which go up with the more KWs you use..

Don't worry, you will eventually get charged for road usage taxes, they WILL eventually catch up to the EV loophole.

Gdetrailer wrote:

John & Angela wrote:

MegaWonder wrote:
Well said John, having an EV for longer commutes makes you very aware of how your driving (speed and takeoffs from starts) and what accessories (heat temp, AC, headlights, windshield wipers etc.) your using. My EV does not use the more efficient heatpump for climate control found on the latest models of EVs. We use either the radio remote keyfob or the smart phone app to check SOC (state of charge) or pre conditioning the climate control. We do realize we are using our EV to its limits (82/84 mile epa adjusted range). We are able to charge @120v during work day for trip back home. This L1 (120v)charge does not fully charge vehicle during work day but during the warmer months it is suffice to about 80/82% avg charge. Winter time without having some type of climatic controlled battery system (like $$Tesla) finds our preceived range (using the computer guess range display) find us limited to up to 40% or more perceived range loss. The nature of our lithion battery chemistry does not allow battery to charge to full capacity. So we use the backup vehicle during these extreme cold days and use the EV locally.

I think in 20 years a lot of us first adapters will look back and smile at some of the challenges we had with the first couple generations of EV's. :) Range, climate control etc. :) When we come back from our europe trip in 2018 we will probably buy the new generation leaf as a second vehicle and be an all electric family except for the motorhome of course. I would love the new tesla 300 at around the 35000 mark but I think from the price and service point of view the leaf will be better for us. Our smart EV is serviced by mercedes and they are co-located with nissan so its kind of one stop shopping for warranty checks etc.

Im curious what you are driving?

I hate to burst your EV bubble, but you are not the "first adopter" of Electric vehicles.

They say History repeats it's self.. It has.

You are about 125 or so years too late to the EV party..

To be an early adopter you would have to bought one in the late 1890s.

There were literally several THOUSAND electric vehicle manufacturers by 1900..

By 1907 that was down to a handful and pretty much by 1920 ALL electric vehicle manufacturing had ceased.

Some of the more known were Baker, Columbia, Pope, Riker (Riker made cars, Buses and even electric trucks which the US Postal Service bought and used), all Electric vehicle manufacturers were eventually bought up by Electric vehicle Company. Electric Vehicle Company continued to build Riker ELECTRIC TRUCKS into the late 1920s for industrial usage but even that ceased.

Heavy expensive batteries and short distance, long charging times and cost eventually lead to the demise of electric vehicles.

Electric vehicles made a return in the mid 1970s and failed within a few years..

1980s saw yet another attempt that failed by GM..

Even with todays battery tech, there simply is not enough power per pound of weight available in storage batteries.. Simply put to you can't get enough battery per pound to do the same amount of work as gasoline. Thats why "hybrids" were invented..

Granted, with an EV you don't spend money on gas, BUT you have to spend money on an ELECTRIC BILL.. I pay an average of $80 for electric, my gas bill for two pickup trucks is $400 per month and that is with commuting 500 miles per week..

I can assure you my electric bill will cost much more than $500 a month for two electric vehicles at my current rates.

Drive one if you want to, thats fine by me, but personally I would rather not.

Yah I suspect it depends where you live and what you pay for power. Where we live its just over 10 cents per kilowatt hour so yah, it is one heck of a lot cheaper to charge with electric than pay for gas. We drive at a fraction of the cost we could for gas. Curious where you live though that your rates are so high.

John & Angela wrote:

MegaWonder wrote:
Well said John, having an EV for longer commutes makes you very aware of how your driving (speed and takeoffs from starts) and what accessories (heat temp, AC, headlights, windshield wipers etc.) your using. My EV does not use the more efficient heatpump for climate control found on the latest models of EVs. We use either the radio remote keyfob or the smart phone app to check SOC (state of charge) or pre conditioning the climate control. We do realize we are using our EV to its limits (82/84 mile epa adjusted range). We are able to charge @120v during work day for trip back home. This L1 (120v)charge does not fully charge vehicle during work day but during the warmer months it is suffice to about 80/82% avg charge. Winter time without having some type of climatic controlled battery system (like $$Tesla) finds our preceived range (using the computer guess range display) find us limited to up to 40% or more perceived range loss. The nature of our lithion battery chemistry does not allow battery to charge to full capacity. So we use the backup vehicle during these extreme cold days and use the EV locally.

I think in 20 years a lot of us first adapters will look back and smile at some of the challenges we had with the first couple generations of EV's. :) Range, climate control etc. :) When we come back from our europe trip in 2018 we will probably buy the new generation leaf as a second vehicle and be an all electric family except for the motorhome of course. I would love the new tesla 300 at around the 35000 mark but I think from the price and service point of view the leaf will be better for us. Our smart EV is serviced by mercedes and they are co-located with nissan so its kind of one stop shopping for warranty checks etc.

Im curious what you are driving?

I hate to burst your EV bubble, but you are not the "first adopter" of Electric vehicles.

They say History repeats it's self.. It has.

You are about 125 or so years too late to the EV party..

To be an early adopter you would have to bought one in the late 1890s.

There were literally several THOUSAND electric vehicle manufacturers by 1900..

By 1907 that was down to a handful and pretty much by 1920 ALL electric vehicle manufacturing had ceased.

Some of the more known were Baker, Columbia, Pope, Riker (Riker made cars, Buses and even electric trucks which the US Postal Service bought and used), all Electric vehicle manufacturers were eventually bought up by Electric vehicle Company. Electric Vehicle Company continued to build Riker ELECTRIC TRUCKS into the late 1920s for industrial usage but even that ceased.

Heavy expensive batteries and short distance, long charging times and cost eventually lead to the demise of electric vehicles.

Electric vehicles made a return in the mid 1970s and failed within a few years..

1980s saw yet another attempt that failed by GM..

Even with todays battery tech, there simply is not enough power per pound of weight available in storage batteries.. Simply put to you can't get enough battery per pound to do the same amount of work as gasoline. Thats why "hybrids" were invented..

Granted, with an EV you don't spend money on gas, BUT you have to spend money on an ELECTRIC BILL.. I pay an average of $80 for electric, my gas bill for two pickup trucks is $400 per month and that is with commuting 500 miles per week..

I can assure you my electric bill will cost much more than $500 a month for two electric vehicles at my current rates.

Drive one if you want to, thats fine by me, but personally I would rather not.

MegaWonder wrote:

John & Angela wrote:

MegaWonder wrote:
Well said John, having an EV for longer commutes makes you very aware of how your driving (speed and takeoffs from starts) and what accessories (heat temp, AC, headlights, windshield wipers etc.) your using. My EV does not use the more efficient heatpump for climate control found on the latest models of EVs. We use either the radio remote keyfob or the smart phone app to check SOC (state of charge) or pre conditioning the climate control. We do realize we are using our EV to its limits (82/84 mile epa adjusted range). We are able to charge @120v during work day for trip back home. This L1 (120v)charge does not fully charge vehicle during work day but during the warmer months it is suffice to about 80/82% avg charge. Winter time without having some type of climatic controlled battery system (like $$Tesla) finds our preceived range (using the computer guess range display) find us limited to up to 40% or more perceived range loss. The nature of our lithion battery chemistry does not allow battery to charge to full capacity. So we use the backup vehicle during these extreme cold days and use the EV locally.

I think in 20 years a lot of us first adapters will look back and smile at some of the challenges we had with the first couple generations of EV's. :) Range, climate control etc. :) When we come back from our europe trip in 2018 we will probably buy the new generation leaf as a second vehicle and be an all electric family except for the motorhome of course. I would love the new tesla 300 at around the 35000 mark but I think from the price and service point of view the leaf will be better for us. Our smart EV is serviced by mercedes and they are co-located with nissan so its kind of one stop shopping for warranty checks etc.

Im curious what you are driving?

Hi John,
We were extremely lucky in being able to obtain the limited produced Honda Fit EV. 1 of 1,100 produced 2013 and 2014 model years (technology from 2011 I suppose) These are compliance vehicles... Could not pass up the deal. These Lease only vehicles (no purchase option) is an UNLIMITED milage lease and all maintance and inspection included,Collision portion of insurance covered by Honda, as well as the Leviton EVSE (charge equipment both Level 1 portable and Level 2 charge euipment) installation not included. Got in at $259 per month for 36months.. Deal got a little sweeter (especially for the early lesee from 2012 coming off lease) and new Lesee (if you can find one very rare) can Lease for 24months @ $199..same terms from way I understand it. We still have 2 more years left and will weigh out are options at that point.. Tesla model 3?, Chevy Bolt, Nissan Leaf should all be in the 200mile per charge range. Have noticed more High Voltage DC chargers popping up, (using the free Plug Share app), so our next EV will have fast charge capabilities Chademo or Tesla or equivelent. Like you though most if not 99% is at home or work. Vehicle for us is primarily the commuter tool but is a lot of fun to drive as well.

Very nice. Sounds like it worked out for you. We tend to get at least 10 years out of our cars and our CDI is in around that 11 year mark right now. That means it will be about 15 when we trade out for our next EV. 200 miles would be nice for the main car range but I am hoping that manufacturers will continue to produce 80 to 100 versions. Any more than that and it is a waste of money and resources for us. Some leaf owners were asked if they paid 5000 dollars more to double their range would they do it and the vast majority said no. Why would they. Most drive 35 to 50 miles a day. What would be the point. So far it looks like the 2017 leaf will be available with at least two sizes of batteries. The tesla 3 may have three sizes available. All good news. Gotta say, once you go electric its hard to go back with something with a tail pipe.

Tystevens wrote:

John & Angela wrote:

shepstone wrote:
40-45 miles??? I'm assuming that is an empty truck as well. Seems counter productive .Correct if I am wrong but I don't think that battery technology is good enough yet to electrify a truck.

I think thats a valid point but I would think there are a lot of people driving around with a truck that less than 10 percent of the time have anything in them. 40 miles would cover the range needs for a lot of people with their truck most of the time. And remember, there are charge station in lots of places and more all the time.

It will improve over time.

Exactly. This could be just the ticket for someone like me. 80% of the time, I'm just driving my truck to and from work (22 miles round trip), running errands, etc. Easily less than 40 miles a day average. But I have the occasional long drive, and need to be able to tow once or twice a month. This truck could do all of that.

I like/need a truck, the numbers don't add up enough to have a second 'commuter 'car,' but wish I could drive something more efficient for my daily commute. The VIA kind of solves that problem (yeah, for the extra premium I could buy a commuter car, but ...).

Ok I can see that , I guess I am looking at it from a contractors point of view. Maybe they would be better to have made a video from the occasional use , user.