Update December 22- the software now notifies you when your battery is heating up before charging! This is very useful since the charge will take longer. Say you've not used the car much over the weekend, it's not fully charged and you need to make a surprise trip on Monday morning. It's mild weather and … Continue reading Tesla Model S charging in cold weather
EVs in 2021 and Scotland in the Model S
In 2021 EVs are coming from most manufacturers, and at some rate too. Back in 2015 when our Tesla was new, around a thousand a month were registered in the EU. In September 2021, over a thousand a day were registered! Recently on my commute along the M4, I usually see at least one car … Continue reading EVs in 2021 and Scotland in the Model S
A year with a used Tesla Model S in the UK
In early 2020, just before lockdown, we bought a used 2015 Tesla Model S 70D from Tesla. Naturally, if I'd have known that I would hardly need a car for at least a year due to a global pandemic, I wouldn't have bought it. But as a used car it has worked out very well. … Continue reading A year with a used Tesla Model S in the UK
Ioniq electric battery health at 3 years and 36,000 miles – very healthy, 100% health and 28.6kWh net capacity *Updated*
Welcome to my most popular blog post. Looks like battery health/life is a big concern amongst my readers! NB this post relates to a 2016 "IONIQ electric". Since then the IONIQ has become available as a 38kWh version and IONIQ is now a sub-brand of Hyundai. When I bought my Nissan Leaf at 3 years … Continue reading Ioniq electric battery health at 3 years and 36,000 miles – very healthy, 100% health and 28.6kWh net capacity *Updated*
How we kicked diesel and became an all-Electric Vehicle family
Be careful when buying new power tools. I bought a DeWalt 18V Li-ion drill 7 years ago- and so far that drill has mixed all the cement for a house extension, drilled countless holes in hard concrete blocks, screwed countless screws into wood and also drilled joints for a large green-oak porch. Quite impressive on … Continue reading How we kicked diesel and became an all-Electric Vehicle family
Picking up another Ioniq electric! But wait, there’s a catch…
...it needs to be collected from Aberdeen, 530 miles away. Before this trip I hadn't attempted a really long journey in an EV. (In case you're not aware, this car is all-electric, no "engine", it doesn't take diesel or petrol). However my experience of the Ioniq was that the car could do it, and I … Continue reading Picking up another Ioniq electric! But wait, there’s a catch…
Long distance trips with the Ioniq
We chose the Hyundai Ioniq electric as a family car suitable for long trips, and to replace our old Citroen diesel. My other posts explain in more technical detail what makes the Ioniq electric a desirable car. Here I'll log our experience with rapid charging- hopefully this gives you an idea of how a pure … Continue reading Long distance trips with the Ioniq
Leaf vs Ioniq energy efficiency real-world test
At 70mph the Hyundai Ioniq travels 25% further than a Nissan Leaf on a unit of electricity... I had the opportunity to compare my Leaf (Mk1.5, 2013) to our new Hyundai Ioniq today. In an attempt to make it a reasonably accurate test, we used 2 different speeds, 50 and 70mph, with a GPS speedometer … Continue reading Leaf vs Ioniq energy efficiency real-world test
Buying a used electric Leaf “classic”
This article is already aging- it's about the original shape or "classic" Leaf, not the 40 or 62kWh cars. Why used? In a word, good value. Depreciation has been high on these early electric cars. Or at least, the apparent depreciation, since nobody buys at list price. Even so, the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe … Continue reading Buying a used electric Leaf “classic”
It really happened – broken Tesla battery!
TDLR: My 2015 Model S got a reconditioned battery, under the 8 year battery warranty. While the cells in the original battery were fine, with ~6% degradation, the battery case had suffered water ingress. Tesla looked after us with courtesy car(s) as it took a five weeks. New battery? No, not the keyfobs. Though I've … Continue reading It really happened – broken Tesla battery!
Why Tesla?
This is why. Hopwood Park services off the M42. Non-Teslas can't use this particular site as it's deemed "high-usage". It happened to be empty when I arrived! On a 260-mile drive I needed a 10 minute charge to get home (or face driving ~150 miles at 50mph on the remaining charge). The Gridserve public chargers … Continue reading Why Tesla?
Using the EV chargers at STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
This page is intended for employees and visitors of STFC-RAL, until something official becomes available. This is the situation at March 2022. Hopefully some of what I've learned in nearly 6 years of EV driving is useful. TLDR; download the Chargepoint app and plug in! At the Harwell campus there are many tenants, STFC being … Continue reading Using the EV chargers at STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Renewables and home heating- our heat pump journey
Scroll down for the diary of our heat pump install from Octopus Energy Services. Since buying a "fixer upper" of a house in 2011 we've been ... well, fixing it up. We self-built an extension and replaced all the windows and doors. Insulation of the older part of the house is not yet finished (hung … Continue reading Renewables and home heating- our heat pump journey
Electric Cars – a resource for teachers in 2020
An electric Tesla Model 3 has completed JOGLE, John O-Groats to Lands End, with only one and a half hours spent stopped and charging, breaking the previous record easily. This is enabled by a network of high power chargers which can charge electric cars at up to 250kW. https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/tesla-model-3-breaks-record-shortest-charging-time-crossing-uk The carbon impact of electric cars … Continue reading Electric Cars – a resource for teachers in 2020
First holiday in the Tesla Model S
Instead of the 2020 Tour of Europe we were hoping for in the Model S, we took a week's holiday in North Wales. Although we could have made the journey without charging, that would have left us nearly empty. There are fewer chargers in Wales than in England, and no EV charger where we were … Continue reading First holiday in the Tesla Model S
A diary – Buying a used Model S from Tesla in the UK
Late on Sat 25/1/20 "Just flippin' buy the thing if you think it's good value then" - so I pushed the button- and was rewarded with a hedgehog?! To cut a long story short, it took 27 days from order to the collection of the car. Tesla's communications weren't the best, I've had better from … Continue reading A diary – Buying a used Model S from Tesla in the UK
simonselectriccar 