[Misc] Electric Cars

[Eric the meek]

Yet another reason why AI won’t take over the world any time soon. Most of your AI response deals with EV’s towing trailers/caravans etc.

I agree with AI that EV neutral is different to combustion engine neutral, there’s no gearbox, the motors are permanently connected to the wheels that they’re driving.

The EV’s “neutral” simply cuts power to the motors and ensures all four wheels are free to rotate.

It’s the wheels with motors on that you want to avoid towing along the ground, here it seems there is potential for damage to the motors. So, if you’ve a FWD vehicle, you want the front wheels off the ground, if you’ve a RWD vehicle, you want the rear wheels off the ground, and if you’ve got four-wheel drive, THEN you want a flatbed or dolly.

So flatbed will be appropriate for some EVs, but a long way from all. Just don’t flat tow them.

Which was my original point ! EVs cannot be towed. Your 'just don't flat tow them' when translated, is shorthand for 'they can't be towed' !

This is why the AA have now got a fold down TRAILER in their vans - to recover the FWD EVs and RWD EVs, with the relevant wheels kept off the ground.. AWD EVs may require a flat bed recovery truck, but I think the AA have got a solution for those as well. Note that a fold-down TRAILER is not towing a car. It s putting it on a TRAILER. This is a necessary upgrade on the old rigid tow-bar they used to have, which scared the shit out of me.

Do you see we have come full circle? The article I linked earlier, reads:
'As an ever-increasing number of people buy electric vehicles, the more roadside assistance companies are needing to invest in the correct tools and training for their staff'.

This was my original point and my original observation. I stand by it.

 

[Fungus]

Okay, so we just sat through the C5 programme. Most of it was laughable scaremongering, which they grudgingly disproved themselves. And much of it applied equally to ICE vehicles, or anything on the “Internet of Things”. Much of it was simply ingrained anti-EV sentiment from petrol-heads. Much of it was exceptionalism. None of it made me regret or question my 3 years of EV driving.

But yes, we already know that not being able to charge at home is a big drawback that needs addressing.

 

[chickens]

Which was my original point ! EVs cannot be towed. Your 'just don't flat tow them' when translated, is shorthand for 'they can't be towed' !

This is why the AA have now got a fold down TRAILER in their vans - to recover the FWD EVs and RWD EVs, with the relevant wheels kept off the ground.. AWD EVs may require a flat bed recovery truck, but I think the AA have got a solution for those as well. Note that a fold-down TRAILER is not towing a car. It s putting it on a TRAILER. This is a necessary upgrade on the old rigid tow-bar they used to have, which scared the shit out of me.

Do you see we have come full circle? The article I linked earlier, reads:
'As an ever-increasing number of people buy electric vehicles, the more roadside assistance companies are needing to invest in the correct tools and training for their staff'.

This was my original point and my original observation. I stand by it.

Well, any tow truck I’ve ever seen has had one end of the car off the ground. I’ve never seen any roadside organisation tow a vehicle with all four wheels on the ground. Ever.

So, EV’s can be towed, just make sure the wheels the motors are driving are off the ground, and if you’ve a four wheel drive EV, then and only then you’ll need a trailer.

I feel that one of us must be missing a basic point somewhere, but in the interests of every other poor bugger who might want to read a thread about EVs, I’ll leave it here.

 

[Eric the meek]

Well, any tow truck I’ve ever seen has had one end of the car off the ground. I’ve never seen any roadside organisation tow a vehicle with all four wheels on the ground. Ever.

That doesn't mean to say that other people haven't !

I have. I've been towed by the AA using a rigid tow bar, twice.

 

[Eric the meek]

Okay, so we just sat through the C5 programme. Most of it was laughable scaremongering, which they grudgingly disproved themselves. And much of it applied equally to ICE vehicles, or anything on the “Internet of Things”. Much of it was simply ingrained anti-EV sentiment from petrol-heads. Much of it was exceptionalism. None of it made me regret or question my 3 years of EV driving.

But yes, we already know that not being able to charge at home is a big drawback that needs addressing.

'Much of it was simply ingrained anti-EV sentiment from petrol-heads'.

Really?

Blimey.

 

[schmunk]

Well, any tow truck I’ve ever seen has had one end of the car off the ground. I’ve never seen any roadside organisation tow a vehicle with all four wheels on the ground. Ever.

Indeed, when the RAC recently towed my petrol car (due to a rapid unplanned coolant dispersal) they folded out a little towing rig from the back of their truck and placed my car's front wheels onto it.

 

[Eric the meek]

Indeed, when the RAC recently towed my petrol car (due to a rapid unplanned coolant dispersal) they folded out a little towing rig from the back of their truck and placed my car's front wheels onto it.

Luxury.

Diesel car, gear linkage came undone/fell off, so the AA put a rigid tow-bar on and towed me from Newhaven to Kingston and then on the bypass round to Patcham Garage. That was proper scary.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

I was having this conversation with a brand manager from a manufacturer just the other day. Colour-wise, everyone seems to WANT a whole load of choice, but the vast VAST majority, are black, white or some form of grey. He'd said that when he was at MINI, even the iconic British Racing Green cars only accounted for about 7% of sales.

That orange is a lovely shade – and a decent car for it to go on, too. I can't remember what I suggested, but I do love an Enyaq – and most Skodas to be fair.

Thanks, it does look good. My comment about bland EVs was not just colours but character. On an ICE the grill had a purpose but was used by some manufacturers to define their brand and that gave cars some character.

Many of the EVs now have little or no grill and look pretty boring from the front. Mine is pre face lift so has the crystal face grill - with the orange paint and the black detailing around the front spoiler my mates kids said it looks like an angry tiger!