Recent content by Redpoint5

I understand the 2014 battery capacity is higher, but does it also degrade more rapidly than the newer batteries?

I'm sure it's been asked, but what methods of measuring traction battery health exist? Are there PIDs that Torque can monitor? Is there any instrumentation built into the car to evaluate pack health? The reason I ask is that I'd like to be able to evaluate battery health when shopping for a...

What's the point of buying a new vehicle if service is going to play replace the parts to diagnose issue at owners expense? Any monkey can do that. I'd never pay to replace something that wasn't broken. The service manager could give the keys back to me under his own accord, or I can forcibly...

I've been using this $130 20 Ah LiFePO4 in a Prius for the past 3 years: https://www.batteryspace.com/lifepo4-prismatic-battery-12-8v-20ah-256wh-10c-rate-24-0---un38-3-passed-dgr.aspx There's usually coupons for 10% off if you search the net, which essentially gets you free shipping. For a...

Ah, same as the Bolt then. Would be nice to have a set it and forget it schedule. Thinking of my mom that has a set routine and has to park the car on an uncovered driveway. I suppose using the fob avoids unnecessarily conditioning the car on those few days where you don't stick to the routine.

Does the Spark allow cabin preconditioning to be scheduled, either at the vehicle, or via phone app? I know the Bolt doesn't have this feature, but it's my understanding that the Leaf does. Anyone know if the i3 can be scheduled?

It appears to be painted under the vinyl, so I'm curious why they covered it in the first place? Can it just be peeled off?

Buyout is way to high. Bolts are going for around $9-10k on the west coast. Eating the $1,100 isn't that bad in the scheme of things. Then again, there is some chance used EVs appreciate in the future when federal tax credits phase out. If it were me and I had a long period of time to make...

Wow, that is way too high. I'm not well versed on the lease process. Who actually owns the vehicle? Is it the dealership that facilitated the delivery of the vehicle, or does the manufacturer own it? If people aren't buying their cars at end of lease, then hopefully the auction market drives...

Has anyone actually answered this thread? I see 1 post say they were offered $16k, and another post saying $8k. That's a big difference. I skimmed through the pages and don't see many posts relating to the buyout price at end of lease. I'm curious as this will set my expectation when...

That's 1 data point! You said the battery holds 17.5 kWh. 17.5 kWh / 10 kw = 1.75 hours of driving @ 55 MPH 1.75 hours of driving @ 55 MPH = 96.25 miles You're almost at your 100 mile target by driving 55 MPH if our assumptions are correct. Using your 11 kW consumption rate, the math is...

As far as tire pressure is concerned, efficiency improves with diminishing returns as it is increased. In other words, going from 30 PSI to 40 will improve efficiency much more than going from 40 PSI to 50. That said, there is no risk of bursting the tire due to over-inflation. It takes several...

I must admit that I have never used a public charger and intend to never do so, but usually when I see an EV spot taken by someone not charging, it's because all the other spots have been taken. I can't fault anyone for taking a spot if the others are full. The problem of ICEd spots can largely...

You've done half the math. Best bet is to do a trial run on the flat and see what your average kW consumption is at various speeds. Build in a safety margin for your trip, perhaps 5 or 10 MPH slower than your calculated speed. Here's a graph put together by Bob Wilson for a BMW i3. Looks like...

Are there any significant (non-cosmetic) changes between 2015 and 2016? I understand the 2014 had an A123 battery, and after that it changed to LG. Based on what I've read, I'm leaning toward a used 2015-2016 Spark rather than 2014 due to possibly slower battery degradation. I had planned on...