I think the electric car makers have a bit of work on their hands to convince the public that cars with giant batteries for propulsion are safe...........
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Tom
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Tom
Tesla - another one catches fire
- Thread starter oldtom
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It's just Tesla who have to do that Tom, none of the others are having these problems. I'm currently awaiting a new Nissan Leaf, it's over three months waiting list, but I'm not in the least concerned.
The Leaf in three versions now has been on the market for eight years now with over 300,000 sold and no fires ever involving the high voltage traction battery. Worldwide a single fire occurred in Texas, but that was in the car's conventional 12 volt battery circuitry, so just like the ordinary car fires that occur.
Nissan's partner Renault have a similarly successful record with their Zoe and other electric models.
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Seems to be quite common:
https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/rear-light-condensation-then-completely-fail.83837/
But pretty poor, I say.
Was just trying to think which particular car make/model used to pretty much always have water in their tail lights? I do remember Fords were dreadful at poor tail light earthing - hence flickering, and low brightness. And that they managed to perpetuate the problem over many years and models.
Probably the Ford rust barrier.
Iron oxide doesn't conduct electricity, except partially when wet.
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They might be having problems but the Tesla, apart from bursting into flames now and again, is quite an unbelievable car. A garage owning mate has one and took me a run in it. Not sure of battery capacity but I think it's the middle spec... I think it was quietest, fastest accelerating car I,ve been in. Don't think car was ever intended to appease green supporters, quite the reverse in fact. In a way it was showing petrol heads the alternative to super cars... Its surprising how many really top end cars end up going up in flames.
Genuine question: Is it actually quieter than a latest-gen Leaf? (That is the limit of my electric road vehicle experience.)
Dont know, haven't been in a leaf.. was eerily quiet and very very quick. Felt quicker than an M3... and quieter than a 7 series.???
But, I, ve always thought engine noise is part of the enjoyment? Would Harley have been the icon it is without its thunder?? A Ferrari have its soul without its scream or a flat 6 Porsche any character without the howl. I doubt it.
There is something missing.
Many performance cars have synthesised noise through tubes in engines bay or through car speakers, so manufacturers think sound is part of the enjoyment.(experience)
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The newest e-cars are at the point where any noise is largely tyre/road noise and wind noise. The latest Leaf's bodywork and mirrors have been optimised for negligible wind noise and it's extremely quiet in all departments.
Definitely much quieter than an earlier 7 series I've been in.
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I was astonished by the extremely low level of wind and tyre noise. Was expecting and prepared for lack of engine and transmission noise. (None of the traditional noises of milk floats and trolley buses.)
I had a 7 series which had double glazing, was very very quiet but a pain in winter. Yes, sides didn't steam up. (don't think windscreen was??) but they, d take ages to de ice. Took ages for heat to get to outside glass.
Deal was if you had double glazed in front you got backs for free.(Daughter called it Everest model)
Was going to fit secondary with cling film to mondeo but decided not to.
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My memories of train travel suggest otherwise. Various steam trains, Deltic, IC125 - yes, each had a distinctive sound. There is a certain excitement engendered by their distinctive sounds. But last time I went on a fast train, the quietness was lovely.
Maybe an engine making noise it is supposed to does feel good. Possibly most of that is fulfilment of expectation rather than actually enjoyable?
You are going in wrong cars.
And the sound a Velocette mk8 ktt makes is pure music.
But each to his own.
I think there has been talk of enforced white noise for ecars. Flecc will know. Surely soundtrack of some real engine would be better.
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There's a recorded sound sent though a speaker on e-cars and some have that tunable for volume and tone. On the Leaf it operates up to 19 mph and then cuts, returning when the speed drops to 13 mph. Many don't like the sound on offer.
It's only at those low speeds since it's a warning for pedestrians. Someone stepping into the path when the car is going much faster isn't going to hear it early enough to get out of the way.
Elsewhere that is always active, but in the UK it can be switched off and must be at night. That's because of our law forbidding use of a warning device (horn) between 11.30 pm and 7 am. It's on by default after starting, but some Leaf owners remove a fuse leaving if off at all times to avoid the annoyance of having to turn it off.
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Fully agree. I had an experience of this which was probably very rare, when in 2009 I had occasion to have a few trips in today's latest electric trains.
The unique aspect was that the last time I had ever been on a train was in the 1950s, steam locomotive and slam door carriages with leather strap window adjustments.
The swift, silent acceleration and superbly comfortable air suspension were a revelation. To even think of both as being the same form of transport seemed ridiculous, given the crudity of the former.
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I am tempted to agree with you that many peiple are conditioned to enjoy (endure ) the noise. But not I, I .much prefer the silence.. one of the attractions of cycling and I hope of electrical cars, I look forward to just hearing the swhish of the tyres.
Riding along a country lane on my electric bike took my memory back to the same journey in the 1950s on a cyclemaster clip on motor cycle.
The noise from the cyclemaster was phenomenal!
The noise from the cyclemaster was phenomenal!