Electric cars.

Well @pete I'd rather have you pull out in front of me instead of the idiots who pull out and proceed at a snail's pace. They should wait for a longer opening in traffic.

If I am alone, I have a bit of a lead foot for the accelerator but I take it easy on the brakes.

Might have to change that behaviour with an electric car as I understand that the power from the friction when braking is utilized to send a charge to the battery. Could be bee-ess but

 

According to a study by Axa insurance, EV drivers are 50% more likely to be involved in an accident, mainly due to acceleration. With your lead right boot Pete, you will probably be a higher risk

I actually did not realise how fast these EV's are under acceleration, my Corsa, spec is 12.4 seconds from 0-62mph, the EV equivalent is 7.6 seconds, a considerable difference when you also take into account the EV Corsa is heavier.

Electric cars involved in more accidents than regular vehicles, study shows (brusselstimes.com)

I would say there is some truth in the link above, many Tesla owners are saying that renewing insurance they are seeing a sharp increase, with many people saying it has nearly doubled. I know you have to take into account age, postcode, no claims etc etc but some owners are advising you increase the excess to reduce how much you pay. So' you get people saying that Tesla cars are as cheap to insure as an equivalent ICE only to state they have increased the excess to £1000 plus.

 

Yeah I have heard they accelerate pretty quickly, its a bit like a train I guess no gear changing just keep going.
I've never actually been in one let alone drive one.

 

You don't have to change your behaviour. As soon as you lift your foot off the throttle the battery regeneration acts like a brake and slows you down. You can normally set the level of regeneration (similar to engine braking) and in some EVs, you have one pedal control where the var will come to a complete halt (a bit like a dodgem). The final stop is mechanical brakes but the system controls it so you do not need to apply the footbrake.
In some systems applying the footbrake engages regenerative braking so you think you are using the brakes but are not. Firmer braking employs the mechanical brakes.
EVs have massive torque from stationary and brilliant acceleration. A heavy right foot can eat up tyres though.

 

Sounds like an awful lot of electronics to go wrong, especially when half the time no one can work out why warning lights come on in ice cars.

 

Not really. it has been used in railway locomotives for almost a century.

 

The son of one of my friends had an accident last week and he has been told by Tesla that he will have to wait between 2 and 3 months for parts. Or possibly longer..

 

If the greater acceleration of electric cars is causing a problem, is that not simply crap drivers?

Would the same not happen if a rubbish driver got in a more powerful ICE car than they were used to?

When I get behind the wheel of a vehicle I'm not entirely familiar with yet, I always drive like the proverbial grandma until I get a feel for its characteristics. If I was lucky enough to have a go of a Ferrari, I wouldn't just assume it's going to behave like my Octavia with its 1.2 litre hair dryer engine.

 

Tesla have been having issues with phantom braking.

Footage of Tesla phantom braking causing 8-car crash pile-up emerges | Electrek

 

This is their Autopilot system. A long way short of fit for purpose.
When you watch the video though, the same thing would have happened if it had been an ICE vehicle that cut out. The problem wasn't the Tesla. it was all the bad drivers tailgating one another.

 

So, if you have never had an accident but then have one in an EV, then your a crap driver.
What about the born again bikers, they didn't become crap bikers, the bikes had got a dam lot faster and lighter.

You can't just pass your motor bike test and be allowed to ride a high powered bike now. Depending on your age, you need to have 2 years experience on a lower powered bike and then take a further practical test. To ride unrestricted motor bikes in power and size you must be 24 of age or 21 if you have done progressive access.

If you pass your test in an automatic, then your unable to drive any other form of vehicle.
Just like if you want to drive an EV van, you have to take a 5 hour training course even though you have already passed your test.

Maybe we should have the same rule for driving an EV car and high powered ICE cars, resit your test or do a 5 hour training course.

 

That's certainly what it sounds like. It was mentioned that the greater acceleration is the cause of the higher incidence of accidents. If that is true, then it means that the drivers are either driving beyond their ability (crap drivers), or perhaps they are not willing to dedicate some time to learn the characteristics of the vehicle they are driving (crap drivers), or they are unable to manage the controls, this last one could indicate a crap driver or it could indicate really terrible design of the vehicle, but having driven a wide range of vehicles with an even wider range of characteristics, I'd lean towards my first conclusion.

One of my cars in the past was a bit of an animal. Certainly not a car for the inexperienced driver. It was an old Volvo 940 estate. Rear wheel drive, automatic gearbox, 2.3 litre turbo. Her power curve was horrible. From a standing start there was very little, but when the turbo woke up she'd suddenly become surprisingly quick. It was worse if you were tootling along at about 30 mph and then came to a faster stretch. Press the throttle too suddenly and the gearbox would automatically kick down a gear, turbo Wales up, and she got quite exciting. I must admit I had a few brown trouser moments in that car with random brief wheel spins and the occasional unplanned sideways action, but I never had an accident in that car (I won't tempt fate by adding, or any other car), because every time she managed to surprise me, I simply eased off the throttle, learned from it, and took extra care, knowing of her terrifying little quirks.

I've never driven an EV (unless you count dodgems) so I'm open to the possibility that they have some really horrible, dangerous design floor, but surely if that was the case they'd be recalled wouldn't they?

 

Hi,

If there are so many accidents due to electric car acceleration why not fit a "soft start" I made my own 4hp single phase saw bench and if this was manufactured it would be immediately outlawed because it doesn't have a soft start; in a blink it comes up to full speed but then I've been around big machines for the last 60 years. Modern machinery has soft start by law.

Just a thought.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Only if it weighs between 3.5 and 4.2 tonnes. This change is because of the raising of the weight limit you are allowed to drive. Class B holders were only allowed to drive 3.5 tonnes before but now, with training, can drive 4.2 tonnes.

 

Found this interesting (it is a US insurance survey so for Gas read Petrol).



Electric cars are involved in 50% more traffic accidents than their petrol and diesel counterparts, according to a study by insurer Axa.

The high number of accidents has actually nothing to do with the technology, but everything to do with the driving behaviour of the drivers. It is mainly the fast and sharp acceleration that surprises drivers, especially those new to the cars, and leads to accidents.