Electric car owners... what ICE car worries are gone now?

@izael
I used to call the check engine light in my Audi the ‘ARG light’—Audi Revenue Generator light.

Howard said:
“Wait, did you feel that? Was that the transmission?”

This is exactly why we bought our EV. My wife’s car was getting old, and when the transmission went out and we got a $5K repair estimate, we scrapped the car and put the money down on a Bolt.

Howard said:
“Wait, did you feel that? Was that the transmission?”

That’s my worst nightmare.

Robert said:

Howard said:
“Wait, did you feel that? Was that the transmission?”

That’s my worst nightmare.

When Dodge announced they were working on their first EV, I joked that their biggest challenge was figuring out how to give it that famous water pump pulley squeak and a transmission that leaks and dies before 80K miles.

Howard said:
“Wait, did you feel that? Was that the transmission?”

That’s why EVs should always be direct drive!

Howard said:
“Wait, did you feel that? Was that the transmission?”

Is it shifting harder than it used to?

Howard said:
“Wait, did you feel that? Was that the transmission?”

EVs feel like jets taking off, especially when you floor the pedal.

Nathan said:

Howard said:
“Wait, did you feel that? Was that the transmission?”

EVs feel like jets taking off, especially when you floor the pedal.

It’s pretty wild, isn’t it? That instant torque is addictive.

It was such a relief not worrying about finding gas while evacuating from Milton. I love never having to think about whether I need to stop for gas before heading out.

Amelia said:
It was such a relief not worrying about finding gas while evacuating from Milton. I love never having to think about whether I need to stop for gas before heading out.

I went with my wife to get gas for her car and for our generator. The lines were crazy. I totally forgot how stressful that can get. I’ve only had my EV since May and the contrast was unreal. If someone asks me what I’ll do if the power goes out, I can legitimately say, ‘I’ll run my house off my car.’ :sweat_smile:

@diallo
I don’t live in the US, so maybe this is a silly question, but don’t you have to drive far to get out of the hurricane’s path? Are charging stations easier to access than gas stations during an evacuation?

@martin
Not really, you only need to get 100-150 miles away to be safe. For most modern EVs, that’s one charge. The real challenge is finding a place to go because hotels fill up fast, so having family or friends in the safe zone helps a lot.

@Kenneth
Oh, that’s way less than I thought! That definitely puts my mind at ease. A bigger EV would be perfect for this. Something like the F150 Lightning, so you can power your home too if needed.

martin said:
@Kenneth
Oh, that’s way less than I thought! That definitely puts my mind at ease. A bigger EV would be perfect for this. Something like the F150 Lightning, so you can power your home too if needed.

Yeah, the distance isn’t the problem—it’s the traffic. Everyone evacuates at once, so what should take two hours might take six. That’s brutal in a gas car, but EVs use almost no power in stop-and-go traffic.

martin said:
@Kenneth
Oh, that’s way less than I thought! That definitely puts my mind at ease. A bigger EV would be perfect for this. Something like the F150 Lightning, so you can power your home too if needed.

Exactly. Plus, some people are just weird about keeping their tanks full. It doesn’t take many to create a massive demand for gas. In the UK, lots of people I know only ever put in small amounts at a time.

@Kenneth
That’s so true. I always feel anxious if my tank or battery is below 50%. It’s the opposite problem!

@Kenneth
It’s funny, people always assume they’ll have time to fill up when something bad happens.

martin said:
@Kenneth
Oh, that’s way less than I thought! That definitely puts my mind at ease. A bigger EV would be perfect for this. Something like the F150 Lightning, so you can power your home too if needed.

Back when I had a gas car, I’d fill it up to full, then run it almost empty before filling up again. I’d need to refuel before evacuating for sure, especially since gas stations might not be restocked afterward.

martin said:
@Kenneth
Oh, that’s way less than I thought! That definitely puts my mind at ease. A bigger EV would be perfect for this. Something like the F150 Lightning, so you can power your home too if needed.

It’s always good to be prepared for stuff like that.

@Kenneth
I’ve seen people just sleep in their EVs during evacuations. They drive to safety, camp out, and return the next day. Since EVs barely use power for the AC, it’s actually pretty comfortable.