Just jumped into the EV deep end

[JonM]

My Altima was beginning to show signs of CVT issues as all Nissans do, so it was time to unload it while it still had some value. I’ve been considering going electric for some time and finally pulled the trigger on a “new” black 2024 Ioniq 6 SEL AWD Long Range with only 37 miles on the odometer before the test drive. Since the dealership bought the car, I’m technically the second owner and got it at more than 22k under sticker price. We took it on a road trip this weekend and it was certainly a great learning experience on how to travel with an EV.

This thing hauls ass (0-60 in 4.3 seconds) and looks amazing. If you didn’t know any better, you’d couldn’t be blamed for mistaking it for a Porsche.

[Reflex0283]

I do like how it looks, but I know MANY people who disagree (usually saying it's an ugly 2nd gen Prius), saying it looks like a Porsche might be stretching it a lil

[JonM]

Mostly from the back end

[Nish]

I'll give you a Porsches second cousin. I can see the resemblance in the back.

So... What did you learn on this trip?

[Blackmagic71]

Congrats!

[tyronejk]

You're not the only one who thinks it can be confused with a Porsche. From 50 ft away, it does have the general "2 lump" shape of a 911. Though most people into cars probably wouldn't be mistaken.

[martix_agent]

I'm not so interested in the speed and handling of it, as these are not vehicles designed for track days.

How's the charging process? Are you going to have to install a 230v charger in your home? What's that process like and the expense of it? Are you able to use any charger you find while on the road? What's the cost of that?
How far can you actually get on a full charge if you are using AC/HEAT? What if it's cold outside?

[JonM]

I believe I answered most of your questions in the novel I was writing at the time. As for the AC & heat affecting range, that is definitely a thing. Everything requires power (lights, heat, radio, etc.). The car will display expected range based upon your current energy consumption and environmental conditions. So, you'll see both the battery percentage and expected range in miles. When charging to 80% (100% charges are possible, but less efficient), I can expect to get about 220 miles. If I'm planning for a long trip, I can extend that by charging to 100%, though you don't want to do that every time to keep the battery healthy. Our trip was from just north of Harrisburg to Baltimore in 30 degree weather. Round trip, the Tesla station was the only one we hit for the whole trip, which included driving around while we were there.

[JonM]

So... What did you learn on this trip?

Quite a lot, actually. The biggest hurdle to making the switch is to rethink how you plan your longer trips. Commuting is no issue since you'll leave the house each day with a full battery (so long as you have a short commute or a level 2 charger installed). However, longer trips will take some planning if you want it to go smoothly. This is where most of our lessons learned came from.

First, being able to use both a CCS1 combo port and a Tesla style NACS port really opens your options for fast charging. When planning our route, we planned on hitting a Tesla supercharger station to top off in under 20 minutes as opposed to potentially hours at a slow charger (speed should be displayed on the chargers in kW/H and in the Maps app as slow through super fast). For example, the charging stations we have at the hospital where I work can take 4+ hours to charge to 80% whereas DC chargers can have you in and out in the span of a good bathroom break and stretch. This is why we bought an adapter to use whatever ports we want along the way.

Speaking of charging stations not all being equal, we discovered that while Google Maps will display charging stations in the area, it does not distinguish between public stations and dealerships. We plotted a route to a charging station listed as "super fast" only to discover it was actually on the lot of a Porsche dealership, which was only available to their customers. BTW, the sales rep is the one who mentioned the resemblance, so . Thankfully, the Tesla supercharger station was right down the road. This is where we learned the next thing. When adding your car to Google Maps, be sure to edit your car details in the app if you have an adapter like we do if you want to see these places listed in the search results.

When it comes to charging costs, you can expect to pay for the convenience of using a supercharger. To go from 50% to 80% cost us about $25 there whereas the chargers I use at work cost only around $4 for the same amount of power. Although, I'd gladly pay the premium to be back on the road quickly than to camp out in my car wishing I had planned better. Still, even with the convenience of using a supercharger, it still came in under the cost of a tank of gas.

To make things go smoother on future road trips, there are some good apps out there like PlugShare and A Better Route Planner that show you where the best options for charging are along your route. While Google maps will show you where stations are, they won't show if they're out of order. These apps will give you a better idea of what to expect and if you should consider a different station along your route.

As for actually driving the car, an EV definitely takes some adjustment. For example, when you let off the gas in an ICE, you obviously need to apply the brake to slow to a stop. In an EV, regenerative breaking will slow you to a stop when you let off the accelerator depending on how high you have it set. This will not only trickle power back into the battery, but it will also help reduce wear on your brake pads.

Acceleration in these things is next level too. When passing slower traffic, the days of coming up to speed in a 4-cylinder are gone. With instant torque comes instant acceleration - enough to pin you to your seat if you want it to. That said, I really need to watch my speed in this thing. If you're not careful, it's only a matter of time before you'd see lights in your rearview mirror. (thankfully we avoided this). What's interesting to see is just how speed affects your overall mileage. While the concept is present in both ICE and EV's, the stats displayed to you while driving really show how a lead foot affects how far you can go before filling up or charging. One really isn't any better or worse than the other here, but you're definitely more consious about it since all the stats are displayed for you in real time.

All in all, traveling long range in an EV is kind of like how we planned our road trips in the days before GPS let us shut off our brains and just go. It's kind of like pouring over a paper map to plot the best route and finding the gas stations along the way. I expect this will change as the infrastructure continues to grow, but for those of us who remember what it was like before GPS, it's kind of like that, but with the GPS leading us to those points along the way.

[martix_agent]

If I got an EV, I would absolutely NOT want to drive it on trips that extend past the range of it. It would be something I commute with, and am able to charge daily at my home or work(if they have that available). It sounds like a massive pain in the ass to have to plan trips around charging time and charging locations.


I drive a hybrid vehicle, so I'm already pretty aware of how speed and acceleration affect energy consumption. The slow-down when I take my foot off the gas is noticeable, especially when I go back to driving an ICE only vehicle. It really feels like I'm wasting energy as I coast or slow down. It's pretty interesting to realize all those people driving huge vehicles are just sucking away fuel when they drive fast and accelerate fast.

[JonM]

That's fair. If I had to take an extended trip, my wife's CR-V would probably be the safer bet. Even with the long range battery, I'd want to stop halfway to and back on a trip to Pittsburgh or Philly from Harrisburg just to avoid rolling in at under 20%. Realistically, 99% of all my driving is within a single charge's range round trip, so it's a non-issue for that. This was our first road trip in it, so we definitely had to re-learn a few things to make it go smoothly.

[RichM]

We have two EVs, and I still have my 98 4runner for fishing trips etc. The interesting thing is that I far prefer taking the Tesla's for long road trips. I have found the driving capability of an EV is so superior to an ICE vehicle (going uphill over mountain passes, passing slow traffic, regenerative braking on steep extended downhills, etc.) that the level of control and safety really can't compare between the two. There are superchargers all over the place now and it works our that after a couple of hours in the car, you want to pull over and stretch your legs and have a coffee, so perfect timing to top up the battery.

[nerdcore]

Man, i'm glad you posted this. My grey baby 2015 four-banger Yaris hatchback died unexpectedly last summer, forcing me to turn our 2010 Frontier into a commute vehicle. I don't expect that to last much longer (i certainly don't like driving it), but at least it has less miles on it.

Me & the wife are now considering EVs, and it does need to handle commutes for myself (30-60 min one way) and short trips for the both of us (weekend getaways, up to 4 hrs one-way). Still doing some research so definitely taking notes here.

[JonM]

If you're driving 30-60 minutes one way, a level 2 charger at home would probably be a good idea unless you can charge at work. The level 1 charger that comes with the vehicle uses only a normal 110 outlet and trickle charges the battery at a rate of only 2-5 miles per hour. This is fine if you have a short commute and can let it go all night, but less optimal if you have a longer commute with no easy way to keep it topped off. A good level 2 charger would top off the battery in just a few hours.

[Jonnydread]

Wow you killed a Toyota?!

[nerdcore]

Jonnydread I did. There is much shame. My kid drives our old hand-me-down 2007 Yaris sedan, and that thing has outlasted my 2015 version. And she drives like every character from any Mad Max movie.

[flyweightnate]

I was just reading a couple days ago about how rapid depreciation on some EVs has started to reintroduce affordability into the market for non-beater cars. That plus a maturing infrastructure... I feel like EVs have found themselves a permanent spot, unlike air cooled engines or turbines or whatever.

I was long skeptical, given storage density and battery durability issues on early models. I think the only question now is how long the mineral supplies for all the electronics last. You, and others, have shown the logistics of point A to point B are pretty well figured out for any urban environment.

[JonM]

Thankfully the depreciation issue on this one was eaten by the dealership. While "technically" a new car, we're actually the second owner of the vehicle. It's a 2024 model that had only 37 miles on the odometer before the test drive that had been sitting on the lot long enough that the dealership had to purchase the car (We drove a bit to get the car and they don't sell many EVs where we got it). As a result, we got pretty much the exact same car as the 2026 in the showroom, but for about $22,000 less than the original sticker price. In fact, the 2026 was even higher than the 2024 was when new due to the whole tariff situation, which didn't apply to the 2024 models at the time. So, we got all he perks of a new car without any of the drawbacks (except for a 1% difference in APR). This includes the 10 year / 100k bumper to bumper warranty plus the 120k warranty on the battery.

[flyweightnate]

Yeah, wild deal. I never seem to have that sort of luck!

[Trbo323]

If I got an EV, I would absolutely NOT want to drive it on trips that extend past the range of it. It would be something I commute with, and am able to charge daily at my home or work(if they have that available). It sounds like a massive pain in the ass to have to plan trips around charging time and charging locations.


I drive a hybrid vehicle, so I'm already pretty aware of how speed and acceleration affect energy consumption. The slow-down when I take my foot off the gas is noticeable, especially when I go back to driving an ICE only vehicle. It really feels like I'm wasting energy as I coast or slow down. It's pretty interesting to realize all those people driving huge vehicles are just sucking away fuel when they drive fast and accelerate fast.

My parents have had a couple of teslas now and road trip charging really isn't that bad. Thay used to live about 3 hour drive from us, granted it was straight up I5 so it was a major interstate so there were some decent charging options but basically, at least the Tesla superchargers which is what my mom always looked for could get the car to something like 80% in 15 minutes. And if you are on a road trip chances are you could use a 15 minute stretch break anyway if you have driven far enough to drain the battery.

On the flip side my wife and I got a 2021 Toyota sienna minivan before our second daughter was born. It took me almost 4 years to realize it's just an upscaled Toyota Prius. But that said it weights something like 4500lbs and averages 33mpg for us. 1 tank of gas goes a whole month for what we use it for on a daily basis. It was expensive as hell but it's been a good investment for us.

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[Kit352]

I bought a lucid sapphire last year. Learning the charging stations in your area is key to an trips, short or long. I was unprepared for the amount of people who park up and hog the stations in my area. Cars that are long done charging haven't moved in hours etc. like sitting at a fuel pump while they go inside and shop. For me there just wasn't enough high speed chargers in my area so road trips became issues. Closest one was nearly 45 minutes away. Having a massive battery pack meant I couldn't always lvl2 charge it at home to full.charge is I had to run out someplace. I also learned fast charging hurts the battery and depreciates the car way faster. The battery state printout will tell you how often it's been fast charged and that's used against the value of the car.
In the end I got rid of the car quickly for various reasons. I liked having an EV but it just wasn't right for us. I do have several reservations for a Slate truck which seems like a better fit for me. A polestar 2 is probably close to an ideal ev for me but it's just filled with stupid design decisions. I didn't see a single one during test drives that didn't have coffee spills all over the place. Or various attempts to cover up the roof window cause they are absolutely boiling inside in summer because of it.

[JonM]

We test drove a Polestar 2 as well. While it drove great, the biggest drawback that kept me from pulling the trigger on it was that the closest service center is all the way down in DC. So, if it needed service or if I ever clipped a deer and it needed body work, it would need towed all the way there and back. They used to be associated with Volvo, but none of the dealerships in my area would touch it. So, I called that a dealbreaker.

[Kit352]

I have a dealership in Boston which isn't too far. Maybe an hour away.
The local volve dealerships in the area will work on polestar except for the battery ev parts. So bodywork, suspension, brakes etc Volvo would do. But the nearest Volvo dealership isn't much closer so it didn't matter much. The Boston polestar dealership is inside a volvo dealership too

[Trbo323]

I've been eyeballing those slates as well. They look like a great option for short range ev stuff. If they pan out I'd love to get one for my daughter when she starts driving

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[Kit352]

The Slates seem legit though I'm starting to doubt there resolve. I've seen a few in person and they are decent looking. My problem is they have pretty stopped trying to market them to the common man and are now after the affluent crowd. They are going upscale with options and pricing now. I suspect they are gearing up for a massive price increase.
And some of what was promised is now just a memory. No 4wd, and no extend range battery portable battery packs.
I haven't seen a review that really speaks about the driving experience. Even jay leno was very quiet about it and he was driving it around all day. I think the planned 200hp motor is too weak for the truck to be a truck. It's got just a little more power than a Nissan leaf and the leaf is just adequate as a car.

[tyronejk]

That seems to be the unfortunate path that most new products these days go down, even though the whole initial premise of the Slate was to be an affordable outlier.

[Trbo323]

The Slates seem legit though I'm starting to doubt there resolve. I've seen a few in person and they are decent looking. My problem is they have pretty stopped trying to market them to the common man and are now after the affluent crowd. They are going upscale with options and pricing now. I suspect they are gearing up for a massive price increase.
And some of what was promised is now just a memory. No 4wd, and no extend range battery portable battery packs.
I haven't seen a review that really speaks about the driving experience. Even jay leno was very quiet about it and he was driving it around all day. I think the planned 200hp motor is too weak for the truck to be a truck. It's got just a little more power than a Nissan leaf and the leaf is just adequate as a car.

Sounds perfect for a highschool student then.

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[Kit352]

With the ability to 3d print replacement parts it almost certainly is. Makes little love taps much less costly if you own a printer. It's will be an expensive car for a high schooler though. Think currently it's sitting around $29k expected msrp. $20k is gone for sure. $27k is a fight they are losing as production cost ramp up. They got lucky getting that old manufacturing plant in Indiana but the cost to hire enough people in the region is growing and they don't have the numbers to automate as much as they could. They still haven't sorted out the dealer network either. I thought using existing Amazon warehouse as a sort of defecto dealer space was a good idea but that seems unlikely now. Going with the more expensive ship to your location strategy now. No test drives either.