Saga of VAN-HOOL TD electric version

[luvrbus]

Friend has a Tesla (owned for little over a year) and says the mileage he gets is half or less then what is promised (advertised) when it's 100+ degrees. That AC is a juice hog not to mention the battery doesn't like the heat. He doesn't even think about taking it on a trip anymore . He and Wife Was going to drive from Austin to Ruidoso last summer  (600 Miles) Turned around in Roswell NM. (75 miles short) as it took them 3 days to get that far. He said never again. Be good to go get the Milk and Egg's at the corner store.

Here in the heat the complaints people have is the AC dosen't cool that great and the milage drops, other than that they love the Telsa  I wonder ithe heating system since the heat is not needed what would happen in -10 degrees lol I don't want find out myself

[CrabbyMilton]

I have a coworker who's son has a TESLA S. It's a beautiful sedan but she says he still has another car with a gasoline engine since the range on the TESLA is so limited.
I'll tell you this though. If someone wants to give me a CADILLAC CELESTIQ and have an electrician come over to my house to install a charger, I say where do I sign up? Beautiful looking sedan that they are about to roll out.

[muldoonman]

Electric Ain't ready for Prime Time even though these Idiot's are pushing it down your throat. Maybe in the Future. Biden Idiot's go away!

[freds]

Friend has a Tesla (owned for little over a year) and says the mileage he gets is half or less then what is promised (advertised) when it's 100+ degrees. That AC is a juice hog not to mention the battery doesn't like the heat. He doesn't even think about taking it on a trip anymore . He and Wife Was going to drive from Austin to Ruidoso last summer  (600 Miles) Turned around in Roswell NM. (75 miles short) as it took them 3 days to get that far. He said never again. Be good to go get the Milk and Egg's at the corner store.

I find it hard to believe that it took 3 days to go 600 miles. Did he take a route that didn't include Tesla superchargers? Sounds like operator head space, would you trust him to solo your bus?

Any other charging solution is like filling your car with a one gallon gas can from a gas station a couple blocks away and trekking back and forth for each gallon.

Assuming a 50% reduction in range he would have had to charge six times with each stop taking about 45 minutes.

Electric cars from a trip planning start point can be a bit like flying an airplane, once you launch you are committed. When I first got my Tesla the supercharger network was just getting started and hey that took planning for a long trip!!!

Which I succeeded at!!!

The car is now smart enough to automatically plan your charging stops and monitors it while you are traveling to make sure you will get to your destination. With my lead foot I have been told a number of times to slow down to make it too my destination or it automatically changes where the next charging spot is. All you have to do is tell it where you want to go and it will pick the route...

The only quirk is that it assumes that your destination is a place you can charge overnight so you arrive with little remaining range. So I either stay longer at the last charging spot or specify a destination that is further down the road.

Note I have a 2014 Model S P85 that only needs a couple ounces of foot pressure to release my inter daemon at any point in time!!!   

I will buy my next Tesla, when I need it to drive me around or can send it out to earn it's own living.

[muldoonman]

I find it hard to believe that it took 3 days to go 600 miles. Did he take a route that didn't include Tesla superchargers? Sounds like operator head space, would you trust him to solo your bus?

Any other charging solution is like filling your car with a one gallon gas can from a gas station a couple blocks away and trekking back and forth for each gallon.

Assuming a 50% reduction in range he would have had to charge six times with each stop taking about 45 minutes.

Electric cars from a trip planning start point can be a bit like flying an airplane, once you launch you are committed. When I first got my Tesla the supercharger network was just getting started and hey that took planning for a long trip!!!

Which I succeeded at!!!

The car is now smart enough to automatically plan your charging stops and monitors it while you are traveling to make sure you will get to your destination. With my lead foot I have been told a number of times to slow down to make it too my destination or it automatically changes where the next charging spot is. All you have to do is tell it where you want to go and it will pick the route...

The only quirk is that it assumes that your destination is a place you can charge overnight so you arrive with little remaining range. So I either stay longer at the last charging spot or specify a destination that is further down the road.

Note I have a 2014 Model S P85 that only needs a couple ounces of foot pressure to release my inter daemon at any point in time!!!   

I will buy my next Tesla, when I need it to drive me around or can send it out to earn it's own living.

First Charge was in LLano Tx. (75 miles) to top it off and Next San Angelo 200 miles away. don't know about the others. AC kills them in 100 degree heat. Told me He didn't like to get down low on Electric Meter. It is West Texas and lot's of open spaces. You have a gas stove.

[CrabbyMilton]

That's right he wasn't comfortable letting it go too far down. Being that these "outlet malls are temperamental or run by incompetent people, they just stop at any long the route. In other words, you have to take it or leave it.

[muldoonman]

That's right he wasn't comfortable letting it go too far down. Being that these "outlet malls are temperamental or run by incompetent people, they just stop at any long the route. In other words, you have to take it or leave it.

When they get them to run 300 or 400 miles with AC a blasting I would think about it. It's a 107 on the front porch right now. Been that way for a mouth or so.

[freds]

First Charge was in LLano Tx. (75 miles) to top it off and Next San Angelo 200 miles away. don't know about the others. AC kills them in 100 degree heat. Told me He didn't like to get down low on Electric Meter. It is West Texas and lot's of open spaces. You have a gas stove.

Did he let the car plan the trip?

Not a problem arriving at a charge station with close to zero miles, it just charges faster at that station if it is a super charger. I am generally around 40 miles remaining range, but have gone as low as five miles remaining range arriving at a super charger.

What version Tesla does he have?

Here's there online trip planning site. https://www.tesla.com/trips

On a long trip like that I would look for a destination charger to spend the night at on the longest leg.

[windtrader]

Electric Ain't ready for Prime Time even though these Idiot's are pushing it down your throat. Maybe in the Future. Biden Idiot's go away!

This has been beat to death on BCM. EV is ready for some, not for others. There are numerous factors that one must take into consideration if it offers the desired level of value and practicality. You can check yourself but enough car buyers think something like Tesla is the number one choice today as it now outsells every other vehicle in the market.

[luvrbus]

This has been beat to death on BCM. EV is ready for some, not for others. There are numerous factors that one must take into consideration if it offers the desired level of value and practicality. You can check yourself but enough car buyers think something like Tesla is the number one choice today as it now outsells every other vehicle in the market.

Don Telsa is number 10 or 13 in cars sales in the USA all depends on who telling the strory,Americans haven't warmed up to Telsa like other countries,pickups outsale Telsa in the US

[CrabbyMilton]

These TESLA chargers won't work on this VAN-HOOL. James answered that from several viewers. Apparently at some point there will be adapters available which would make sense. There's really no downside to standardization.

[CrabbyMilton]

I find it hard to believe that it took 3 days to go 600 miles. Did he take a route that didn't include Tesla superchargers? Sounds like operator head space, would you trust him to solo your bus?

He's not doing this himself. James has his wife and both daughters along with another driver and his wife. Unfortunately, those TESLA chargers don't work on this bus so they have a take it or leave it scenario. Remember this is a test to so what can work or not.

[lvmci]

I feel bad for James from Motor Coach World. So much to deal with. There is a place for electric cars, especially with regenerative braking in stop and go driving, but long distance driving  is still In the future. By then, Hydrogen might be available for buses also...

[freds]

I find it hard to believe that it took 3 days to go 600 miles. Did he take a route that didn't include Tesla superchargers? Sounds like operator head space, would you trust him to solo your bus?

He's not doing this himself. James has his wife and both daughters along with another driver and his wife. Unfortunately, those TESLA chargers don't work on this bus so they have a take it or leave it scenario. Remember this is a test to so what can work or not.

Ah but large vehicles need Megawatt chargers which except for the Tesla-Semi there is no standard for!!!

Tesla has applied for the first government subsidy for the route Laredo TX to Fremont CA. It will have charging stations for the Tesla-Semi and other heavy vehicles.

https://cdllife.com/2023/tesla-seeking-97m-government-funding-for-electric-semi-truck-charging-route/

I note that is a bit self serving on Tesla's part as most of the Texas Giga Factories car parts arrive in Laredo via a dedicated Tesla only boarder crossing lane and Fremont is their other large manufacturing location.

But hey the network will also service the LA and the Bay area and Electric trucks might be able to limp into Dallas and Houston...


   

[CrabbyMilton]

We still have to remember that this whole EV thing is new. As seen from this trip. people in electric cars are having trouble with the "outlet malls" too. It's a safe conclusion that this beautiful monster will be fine in short line hauls or day charters but not an extended vacation charter trip. James and Dennis love the way the bus rides and incredible power from the motor but the charging part always brings dread.