Prime destined to be doa?

As for trips, unless you are going to North Dakota, and a couple other states, travel is pretty easy.
You mention taking trips, but then state there aren't any in your area.
But you don't need any in your area on trips, you need them on your route.
Now, if you are an apartment dweller with no charging access, that makes it tough to own a plugin. But that has nothing to do with trips?

Just trying to understand.

 

sorry. i don't really care that there aren't any in my area, that was more of a response to those who have a lot. i'm more than happy to install whatever equipment is necessary in my garage for local driving.

my 'trip' would be to florida on I-95, and i think we have discussed it more than once.

 

I cannot help but expect what Tesla comes up with to charge the really big vehicles on the drawing boards...Ludicrous chargers and Plaid Chargers? The contacts on those (future) plugs are probably as big as the ones on the "recharging" cables we use to power submarines.

US_Navy_060216-N-0780F-001_Crew_members_remove_a_shore_power_cable_from_the_Los_Angeles-class_fast_attack_submarine_USS_Annapolis_(SSN_760)_in_preparations_to_depart_the_pier_following_a_routine_port_visit.jpg

Note, this is the last of the three (or four?) 400 Amp cables being removed.

 

Ummm, 95 is covered, all the way down to the Keys.

 

Prime is destined to be DOA, because regular Prius is so good

Seriously, to a wider public driving experience is a number one factor, sure Prime will offer some more EV experience (0-30 times is better than regular Prius), but also only 4 seats and smaller boot. PHEV's are already a tough sell. BEV's are selling better, are (or will be) cheaper and offer more interior space. Range will became less and less of a problem.

Saving fuel? Not a big factor to a wider public and for those that do care will switch to BEV (with all limitations) not PHEV.

 

i doubt anyone disagrees long distance trips were not in mind with the 1st gen/J1772 charge format. I'm sure that's why both CHAdeMO & J1772 formats are in the process of stepping up their game - increasing their power outputs. CHAdeMO already has stations (in the EU) running at 100k and the format can go higher. And as far as the J1772 plug used on most all plugin's goes - can it put out over 100kW's ? Oh yea;

SAE J1772 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are already experimental stations in the USA - & vehicles that make use of the higher power. Not just experimental cars or DIY'er cars ... the model X for example has a 72 amp available onboard charger (using its available J1772 adapter) - so yea, it's coming. And the more folks that continue to become adapters, the cheaper the prices get. Look how far we've come in 5yrs, since early 2011 when plugins 1st really took off. Considering that - chances are, the next ½decade will likely 'fill in the bald spots' so-to-speak - for many/most of those who are present day "it can't work for me" folks. With so many 200+ mile range EV's on the immediate Horizon, I just hope that Toyota changes their direction & begins to participate ... maybe even recapture some of the early lead it enjoyed with the 1st gen /Rav4ev's ... some of which have been around since the late 1990's & now have over 150k miles on 'em ! If it hadn't been for so many if those, "i can make it work" early adapters ... it's likely that we wouldn't be here to further encourage this generation's "it can't work for me" crowd.

.

 

Tesla already has working prototypes of self plugging charge cords.

For those like bisco that take long trips, PHEVs will be the answer.

 

Being like Bisco is the answer ... Yikes !!

.

 

The other part of the equation is building the charging path inside the car to accept higher levels of charge. I don't think the EVs coming out in the next year could take advantage of higher charging rates. I will agree that in 3-5 yrs this can all change. But today for EV road trips, I think Teslas are the only practical option. The other thing about having a 250 mile capacity battery - you can charge to 200 miles of range a lot faster than a car with 200 miles of range. The battery charges a lot faster when nearly empty than when nearly full.

 

That could be possible at EV charge stations for autonomous driving, but most people don't have that much room in their garage to devote to a love robot.

 

yes, yes, i know. now, lets's just put a little road trip together:

day one, boston to virginia, 500 miles, three 10 minute stops for gas etc. leave at 7:30 am, arrive 7:30 pm.

day two, virginia to georgia, 400 miles, same stops, leave at 9:30 am, arrive 6:30 pm.

day three, georgia to florida, 400 miles, same stops, leave at 9:30 am, arrive at destination, 4:30 pm.

how would that work in a bev?

 

First of all, that is not how it would work in an ICE unless you do not eat in those 12 hrs. If you do eat, please modify your ICE scenario.
(and where in florida? it makes a difference)

 

Pretty good. (EV Trip Planner).
About 25 hours (drive time and charge time) although the charge time is likely a bit less, the drive time probably a bit more.
I would push on for about 12:30 the first day to get to the Doubletree in Rocky Mount, which has a supercharger so I can get a full charge overnight.

Of course, this is only using superchargers. You many find slower charging but better placed (at hotels) which would allow you to start every morning with a full charge.

Although, if time is of the essence, you could fly.
If you insist on exactly three 10 minute stops each day, I couldn't do that. In a BEV or a hybrid I'd have to stretch that out into four days or take longer breaks and do it in three.

 

I'm guessing Orlando, that is about 1300 miles from Boston.

 

EV trip planner does say 6 hrs and 21 minutes of charging time. Since you are at a hotel for 2 nights, some of that charging can be done during dinner, which I'll estimate you could get full charges those nights and trim off a solid 2.5 to 3 hrs of total charging, leaving 4 hrs of charging spread out over 3 days of driving. So 240 mins of charging divided by 3 is 80 mins each day - I'd want to be out of the car for at least 80 mins during a day long trip. So I'd say almost no impact to charge.

 

so you guys can't actually lay out an equivalent trip, because it cannot be done. is that correct?

eat in the car, orlando.

 

Oh come on - if you can get from east to west coast in just 58 hours;
They Drove A Tesla From LA To New York In A Record 58 Hours 55 Minutes
then the measly north/south drive ought be a cakewalk ...

EV - Boston to Orlando record stands at about 12 hours.

I got 2 Disney tickets that says bisco can beat the EV record

.

 

i didn't say it couldn't be done. i'm saying most people want more convenience than we have to date. you can walk acrost country, but i wouldn't do it.

 

There is a point of diminishing returns with shorter charge times for cars. We may be there already in fact. I've noticed Tesla owners complaining about waiting on a supercharger cycle are pretty doggone rare. I've also notice the biggest critics of recharges taking longer than gas refueling is FCV supporters, not EV drivers.

My post was realizing the Tesla master plan extends to REALLY BIG vehicles....needing electric recharging capabilities matching what is needed to (shore) power present day nuclear submarines. I bet Tesla has something impressive on the drawing board. The reason for the robot is not for car recharging development, but for developing recharging with cables too heavy for a driver to lift. Unless the conductors are superconductors, 1000 of amps takes a big, big cable.

 

Tesla has already developed and proven an even lighter & thinner than usual water cooled charging cable .... just in case they need to up the power ante
Charged EVs | Tesla’s liquid-cooled Supercharger cable could enable faster charge times
or should I say - up the ampies

.