My 2023 MINI Cooper S Level 3 Electric leased from Motability and it will be with me for 3 years & used as a 2 seater.

[Ootohere]

It looks like Angus Council will set the EV Charging tariff at 55 pence a kWh for 7, 22 or 50 kW chargers.

 

32 kWh then will cost me £17.60.  If me or anyone was to get 4 miles a kWh that would be 128 miles.    (4.5 miles a kWh, 144 miles.)

 

Tonight locally diesel is 143.7 pence a litre, £6.53 a gallon.     2 1/2 gallons £16.32.  

Petrol is at 132.7 a litre, £6.03 a gallon,  3 gallons £18.09.

 

*Running a PHEV and putting in 13 kWh would be £7.15 on a Angus Council Charger and you might get 30 miles on EV running. *

 

There seems little reason for someone paying for their own charging to run an EV or PHEV in Angus when they need to public charge. 

Certainly no financial reason. 

[Stonekeeper]

On 01/03/2024 at 17:18, Rooted said:

I just received an e-mail from Motability about a Connect Trial on EV,s.    Their team and the RAC can track vehicles and see if there might be maintenance requirements or service needs.   They say that almost all EV,s that can connect to the internet can be part of this trial.     Then that my car qualifies and no need to opt in as already part of this.      We will see how they are doing because I have wheels on with no TPMS sensors in and the car gives a warning every time I start it to contact a dealer.       Big brother has been here for a long time and Data Protection appears to not be your choice to opt in.    I can disconnect the car from internet, but it likely still is able to connect to wi-fi hot spots.    PS, it says that if any potential or actual issues are detected from the Data collected from Connected Vehicles the RAC can contact me and arrange a visit from a mobile patrol or arrange a visit to a dealership. 

 

 

 

Does it use the sim card built into the Car?

 

Are you sure you can turn it off?

 

eCall is now mandatory in all cars sold in the EU from 1 April 2018 onwards. If you buy a new model of car, approved for manufacture after 31 March 2018, it must have the 112-based eCall system installed. This measure was announced 28 April 2015.

[Ootohere]

No idea about what it has or uses but i never connected to all choices and do not have all 'connections' signed up to use Amazon Alexa.

 

As it is the Sat Nav is total crap and keeps thinking i want to go to Germany, and can not find its way to places a couple of miles away when inputted by touch screen or voice command. 

 

The RAC not been in touch yet to tell me the TPMS is showing a fault so it will be interesting to see how well their trial goes.

Maybe i will here from them this week. 

 

The MINI system will be interesting to see how things work out, my phone app can locate where the car is but if asked for directions to the car says it is too far away. 

be that meters away or miles away.

 

The System in the 2020 Corsa Electric was total crap and really pathetic. Overair updates etc, and going back to factory settings, or locking me out of the car.

As to locating the car sometimes it new were it was and when it moved, other times it thought where my phone was was the cars location.

Edited 3 March by Rooted

[Ootohere]

Re Mandatory.

 

The Corsa electric  and now the MINI electric did not and does not emit any Pedestrian warning noise required at less than 18.6 mph (30km/h) which they must be able to hear over background noise.

[wyx087]

Is forward pedestrian warning really mandatory? My Tesla vehicle does not emit anything going forward, only emit a reversing sound. I'd have thought Tesla would keep their vehicle fully up to date with mandatory features as long as hardware supports it.

 

Fantastic photos from Glen Doll, btw.

[Ootohere]

I read stuff about Tesla owners wanting the pedestrian warning activated and Auto Express and others saying it was introduced for PHEV,s & BEV,s before it was legislation.

I suspect as usual it was on New Type Approvals after the date and not all Vehicles manufactured from that date.

 

As it is there are plenty BEV,s and PHEV,s that do not emit warning noises. 

[Stonekeeper]

1 hour ago, Rooted said:

Re Mandatory.

 

The Corsa electric  and now the MINI electric did not and does not emit any Pedestrian warning noise required at less than 18.6 mph (30km/h) which they must be able to hear over background noise.

 

 

It's 20km/h in the uk, who drives that slow apart from maneuvering?

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-noise-systems-to-stop-silent-electric-cars-and-improve-safety

 

 

Edited 3 March by Stonekeeper

[Ootohere]

^^^ UK Government for you.  Usual Civil Servants / DfT / DVSA, Arse and elbow. Press releases.

New will not be all cars build new from that date, it will be when New Tyre Approval is applicable. 

 

MAYBE AT THE PDI THE DEALERSHIP EMPLOYEE SHOULD BE CHECKING THAT THE FUNCTION HAS NOT BEEN DISABLED OR ACTIVATE IT IF NEED BE.

 

*It does say Registered from July 2021.*

 

No noise like that from my car or any warnings First Registered August 2023, PDI June 2023, face lifts on the MINI was 2022.

 

Maneuvering is when you are doing low speeds, pulling away from a stand still or turning into a street, maybe coming to a parking place in a supermarket and exactly when people do not hear you.

 

Blue Badge holders can drive in Pedestrian only areas & there are shared pedestrian and vehicle roads.  Lochee High Street Dundee or Ayr High Street i drive through and many do and you can not toot your horn, or are unlikely to and people are often oblivious there is an EV coming up behind them. 

 

I am very very careful because i am half Mutt & Jeff. 

 

 

Edited 3 March by Rooted

[Ootohere]

I did not even know the car had this.

I just use the switch for the camera.  Will try it tomorrow.

 

 

[Winston_Woof]

On 03/03/2024 at 19:35, Rooted said:

It looks like Angus Council will set the EV Charging tariff at 55 pence a kWh for 7, 22 or 50 kW chargers.

 

32 kWh then will cost me £17.60.  If me or anyone was to get 4 miles a kWh that would be 128 miles.    (4.5 miles a kWh, 144 miles.)

 

Tonight locally diesel is 143.7 pence a litre, £6.53 a gallon.     2 1/2 gallons £16.32.  

Petrol is at 132.7 a litre, £6.03 a gallon,  3 gallons £18.09.

 

*Running a PHEV and putting in 13 kWh would be £7.15 on a Angus Council Charger and you might get 30 miles on EV running. *

 

There seems little reason for someone paying for their own charging to run an EV or PHEV in Angus when they need to public charge. 

Certainly no financial reason. 

Two observations:

 

sheesh the petrol in your area is cheap. When I left Wigan last weekend it was around £1.39 per litre, currently here in Oban it’s around £1.41 per litre. 
 

“Public” charging. Interesting concept when taken in conjunction to the reference to Council supplied chargers. 
 

Are petrol stations supplied “Publically” or are they public being privately owned with prices set by market forces rather than by a Public body?

[Ootohere]

There are a couple of Community Operated Fuel Stations that i have used in the North. 

Very rural and lovely places that we try not to tell people about as nice to not be over run with racing around the North Coast 500 types. 

 

.....................

There is still a 5 pence Rural Fuel subsidy per litre paid up there on petrol and diesel. 

 

Never gets discussed that often.  Susshh,

Edited 8 March by Rooted

[Stonekeeper]

10 hours ago, Rooted said:

I did not even know the car had this.

I just use the switch for the camera.  Will try it tomorrow.

 

 

 

I think it parks itself too far from the kerb, you would do a better job using the camera and sensors as a guide and doing it yourself, once it has confirmed the gap is big enough.

 

It  may help find more parking spaces though because it may judge the gaps more efficiently.

 

It's a useful addition.

[Ootohere]

I have all the Gear and no idea.  Tried it.

Screen shows, full stretch to left hand finger tip when driving, needed reading glasses to see what to press. 

  (Short hand typist. an old joke,  or the ' Aberdonian, Long pockets and short arms.')

Result.  ziltz.  Car in reverse and i steered it. 

 

Life is too short. See space, mirrors, indicate, drive past, stop select reverse, car parked.  

 

PS

OK, got it. 

What a palava.  Near reversed into the side of a White Nissan Juke.  Big space to the rear of it. 

 

Edited 8 March by Rooted

[Ootohere]

[wyx087]

How do you find the foldable e-bike?

 

Would you choose this over getting a proper bike + carrier for the car?  For leisure riding on a hybrid bike for example.

[Ootohere]

@wyx087I am going to find out how it is as the car charges and i go exploring at the Helix Falkirk & then at the Falkirk wheel just how it is as it is years since i had a folding bike for taking places in a camper van and it was rubbish.  http://thehelix.co.uk

 

  I have 4 other e-Bikes of various kinds, Road, Hard Tail, Full Sus and Fatbike and they are great but very heavy when it comes to carrying them and i got rid of my 4x4 so they need to go inside the estate now.

This folding e-bike is the best i have tried and it is really just for using at the seaside towns and maybe canal paths. 

(I have a few push bikes but never ride them any more and gave away a Fat Bike last week to a charity as it had just sat for a few years taking up space.)

 

 

 

Edited 16 March by Rooted

[Ootohere]

[Ootohere]

6,500 miles done now in the MINI.

On my own i get pretty much 3.3-3.5 miles to a kWh and with a passenger 3.7 miles.  Because i have to behave.

This is at temps between freezing and 10*oC.    & what i got yesterday.   2 people, 2 folding bikes in the rear, one e-Bike and one a push bike.

 

I will see how it goes on my tod today & this week as the weather get warmer.

 

The bike was good other than a bit of a warp in the rear disc that is squeaking, not just newness, it will need replaced not straightened.

The bike climbed OK carrying 115kG but is a bit hard over rough surfaces and terrible on rough tracks. 

(The last model of this bike had front suspension forks but that would not sort it for me, i need the Brooks sprung saddle on i think, i will see how it goes today.)

 

Seat post /battery removed before folding and lifting in (out) makes a difference as it is heavy. 

 

Edited 19 March by Rooted

[Ootohere]

Below 1.5 *oC and 55 miles using 50% of the battery, shows 51 miles range.  

It showed 3.3 miles a kWh up to the hills and 3.6 coming back. 

Plugged in to 3 pin at 13.08 says 100% will be at 21.33. 

[Ootohere]

Looking forward to some interesting runs this summer and longish trips in Scotland and North of England with the MINI.

I know now just how it behaves for efficiency in colder weather and how to hypermile is if needs must.

If i can get an average above 4 miles a kWh on good driving fun roads that will do.

 

The Maxxis Premitra AP3 All-Season tyres have been great.

195/55 R 16 instead of the OEM this model had of 205/45 R 17  Goodyear Eagle F1 (almost no treads or grip / traction), then the same size Vredstein Quatrac Pro i fitted,

 

So sure footed in the most torrential rain and flooding roads including the motorway and dual carriageways.

Comfortable as well.  

 

I have the tyres up higher in pressure just to see if grip is ok, traction and braking and they are all good.

The efficiency i am getting is better now the weather is warmer but on the same trips at the same temps as August, September, October i am getting 3.7 miles a KWh on the Motorway rather than as it was under 3.5 and usually 3.1.

 

I am seeing over 4 miles a kWh and sometimes averaging 5 miles.

Given that the Useable Battery is really as near as damn it 30 kWh that is OK for 110 miles and expect to need to get on a charger in 10-15 miles going City to City in Scotland,

Or Park & Ride, Charging Hub to Charging Hub.  Counting on single Rapid chargers is too dodgy.

 

Edinburgh City Council Chargers are pretty hopeless, or just CPS and who is maintaining them can be a problem.

 

Now when there i am splashing the cash, get charged on a Rapid and get moving or know i am fully charged to go where ever.

 

I was surprised staying at a Premier Inn to see there was a Genie Point. 

The receptionist said they had 3 chargers. I never bothered explaining there was 1.  It has a CCS, ChAdeMO and a AC but that might be good for charging 2 cars max.

75 pence a kWh.

 

But right next there is a McD,s and a BP filling station with BP Pulse so i used that. (I have subscription & oddly sometimes my account seems to not be getting charged for charging,

but then sometimes the BP Pulse chargers at various locations are just not starting.

 

The amount of MFG chargers around is making getting on chargers around Edinburgh pretty easy but expensive, and then my default is get to a EvYve.

Or now if near and need charged a Tesla Super Charger hub with Tesla non Tesla. 

 

So warmer weather and tyres and getting to know when just to go into Cruise Control and put the mode to Green or Green + is helping the range and i expect will more as the weather warms through the summer.

I am interested where the sweet spot will be for efficiency, i expect it to be 16*oC to near 20*oC ambient. 

Sun roof open and AC off maybe 16-18 *oC setting on the heating.

Driving on Mid mode in town for the lighter steering but i am often in sport to get a shift on at junctions, roundabouts, overtaking.

Mid, Green & Green + has it feel like the brakes are on.  High regen is just horrible IMO.

 

.............

Downhill 1 mile to the park. 8*oC.

Depending on temperature it can show up to 9 miles a kWh, then when back up to home still over 5 miles. 

Edited 14 April by Rooted

[Ootohere]

Watching this i was interested to see that on track the writing was worn off the passenger front tyre.

These tyres on the JCW Cooper MINI were the same as my MINI electric came on and which were dreadful in the wet or even damp and not that good and giving good efficience.

 

Been out trying 0-60 mph times but not great on still cold roads.

So tried the front directional tyres (wheels) on the the wrong direction and knocked 1/2 a second of the time. 

That is with TC & Dynamic control off.  & no wheel spin. 

Then a bit of playing on some great driving roads that are still fun within the speed limit and with plenty vision ahead for animals.

Very very messy as lots of farm machinery out and about. 

 

Edited 18 April by Rooted

[Ootohere]

In warmer weather just now using 50% of the battery for 53 miles of just driving in town in 30 mph limits with short 1 or 2 miles covered each time takes 18 kWh to rop up to 100% again. 

22 pence a kWh home tariff. £4.07  (53 miles) 

 

If paying 44 pence a kWh public charging that would be more than a petrol MINI would cost to use.    £8.14

4.546 litres @ 148 pence, £6.72

 

Local Council chargers here are now 55 pence a kWh. X 18 kWh  £9.90