Tag: EV

EV or gas? A little something to help you decide

EV logoEV or gas

I had two conversations recently, back-to-back, that really came down EV or gas. Bear in mind, I drive an electric vehicle or EV.

The first was with a waitress I’ve known for some time but hadn’t seen in a while and her “car story” that I’d thus missed. It seems her 5-year old 3-Series BMW with 50,000 miles on it simply died one day. Mid-motion. The diagnosis was a blown transmission that would cost $15,000 to repair! She ditched the car.

Being a bit of a smart @$$ and feeling a little smug, which may come back to bite me, I asked, “do you know what an EV doesn’t have?” She actually didn’t know so I answered my question: “a transmission!” (So that you know, an EV’s electric motor is connected directly to the wheels.)

She then added that her husband’s Audi goes through a quart of oil every 1,000 miles and I noted that my last gas car was also an Audi with the same engine and it too used oil at the same rate. Then, the bartender chimed in that his 100,000 mile Volvo also uses a quart every thousand miles.

I then asked, “you know what else an EV doesn’t have?”

Had to be done…

And if you are curious about our opinion on a big issue holding back EV adoption, click here. And we have a primer on EV charging here.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/09/ev-or-gas-a-little-something-to-help-you-decide/

Its got to be the plug. Its about the plug!

Charge image 2About the plug

A friend passed along a New York Times article titled Should I Get a Hybrid or Go Full Electric? The title is linked. After reading it, and combined with additional information that was already running around my head, I emailed him back remarking that its all about the plug!

Two hybrids

The article explains the two types of hybrids: conventional and plug-in. Conventional hybrids have a battery that powers an electric motor to augment the gasoline engine. It also incorrectly seems to suggest that energy from braking alone charges the battery, when in fact the gasoline engine charges the battery continuously.

A plug-in hybrid has a larger battery that can powering car solely with electricity for short distances, on average 40 to 50 miles. And they can be charged using the same Level 1 or Level 2 chargers that EVs use. High power Level 3 charging is off the table, which the article misses.

But this is not intended as a critique of the article…

So, back to the point. The battery in a plug-in hybrid will be charged by the gasoline engine if its power is drained, operating exactly as a conventional hybrid.

Imagine you are the owner of a plug-in hybrid. Theoretically, if you drive less than the battery’s range, you can go indefinitely with using any gasoline. What’s needed now is a convenient place to plug in, and the willingness to, in effect, manage an EV!

Further, in the scenario described, a plug-in hybrid needs to be plugged in daily. A full EV only needs a charge maybe once or twice a week!

This is what was rummaging through my mind. The European auto market is down, way down, and only one segment one segment is up, albeit slightly. And its the conventional hybrid market.

Its all about the plug!

Plugging in is the change. As a people, we’ve grown accustomed to driving and stopping randomly for a fill-up. The plug is the change of religion. Everything else is essentially the same: a steering wheel, accelerator pedal, brake pedal, and on and on and on.

Hybrid Charging Station SignIn the interim, the EV market continues to grow, and despite problems in Europe, faster than anyone imagined, exposing more and more drivers to the “new” religion.

The last hurdle will ultimately be more places to actually use the plug!

Heck, even EVs have warning lights. Lots of them. See our page here.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/09/its-got-to-be-the-plug-its-about-the-plug/

Battery charge and warning symbols count on our page now at 14

Battery Charge and Warning Symbols

After a Volvo symbols update, our EV, Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid Battery Charge and Warning Symbols page now holds 14 images! And it is hardly the most prolific page! This is primarily because the automotive industry lacks discipline — or someone to apply that discipline — and continues the absurdity that is automotive dashboard symbols, telltales and indicators. Our pages now hold well over 1,000 distinct versions!

Hybrid battery holding chargeHybrid battery chargingThe Volvo update added two black and white versions (right), bringing the total to six of the 14. We certainly feel obligated to include them, as a driver needs to know that they are looking at exactly what they see on their instrument panel in order to feel confident about the information being given to them.

And note that the second symbol with the padlock is said to be an indicator that the hybrid battery is holding its charge! Isn’t that what its supposed to do??

Despite calls for uniformity and promises of such, auto manufacturers continue to forge their own paths when designing indicators. The addition of information displays on instrument panels has prompted the new assortment of black and white entries. Fortunately, this usually — but not always — include a text message explaining what the indicator is trying to tell the driver.

We’re pretty comfortable saying that oftentimes these messages are less than helpful.

You can see our EV, Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid Battery Charge and Warning Symbols page here.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/08/battery-charge-and-warning-symbols-count-on-our-page-now-at-14/

Volvo dashboard symbols update adds 10 indicators and a big surprise

Volvo logoVolvo dashboard symbols update

We completed our 2024 Volvo dashboard symbols update and added 10 indicators. But what is notable and truly surprising is what images that are not present.

Despite having now three pure electric models, the C40, which is now the EC40 and EX40 EVs, there are no warning indicators available if a problem crops up with the high voltage battery.

Hybrid battery chargingHybrid battery holding chargeWe did add two new symbols related to hybrid batteries. They are one that indicates the hybrid battery is charging (far right). The other (near right) indicates that the battery is holding its charge. We surmise that this means that everything is functioning as expected.

Traction battery warningCold battery indicatorThe only symbol added related to the high voltage battery is one indicating that it is cold (right) and thus will not offer the power expected until it has warmed. On the far right is an example of a malfunction indicator that Volvo does not offer.

Our suspicion is that something will pop up on the information display should an actual problem with the high voltage battery crop up. In fact, we did find six possible messages that could come up, one of which is Do Not Drive. The manual noted that information on the location of the problem would be included.

That said there are more than 60 symbols that can be seen on our Volvo symbols page here.

Cars are changing, and among those changes is the growing number of symbols and indicators that will invariably show up on your dashboard or instrument panel. Every year, new features are added to vehicles, each of which is accompanied by a new symbol or symbols and likely a new acronym.

At DashboardSymbols.com, our aim is to help you understand what is happening to your vehicle at the first sign of trouble – a new warning light illuminated on your instrument panel. Its all here on this website. Our first intention is to bring the latest technologies down to earth and understandable for everyday drivers.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/08/volvo-dashboard-symbols-update-adds-10-indicators-and-a-big-surprise/

Yes, your EV has a 12-volt battery too!

EV logoAn EV has a 12-volt battery

I got a panicked call from a friend recently. Her car, which happens to be a Tesla Model Y, was giving her real headaches. In the end, I got to tell her that her EV has a 12-volt battery too.

The symptoms were that it wouldn’t open, it wouldn’t respond to the key card or phone, at least not willingly. Once she got inside, it was difficult to start and began throwing messages at her.

Included in those messages was one that stated that the low voltage battery was failing.

Now as an EV driver, when she saw battery, she immediately thought the worst: that the car’s primary source of power, the battery, was failing. She did not realize that an EV also uses a 12-volt battery to essentially start the car through its electrical system! Hence the panic.

This can happen to any EV from any manufacturer. To all EV drivers, your car also uses a 12-volt battery to get things rolling. The distinction is low-voltage vs high-voltage. What your car relies on for propulsion is a high voltage battery.

Note to manufacturers: most drivers are just that. Drivers. They are not car people and need clearer explanations of failing systems and what they need to do. We’ve harped in this for years…

So, as a driver, if you see a warning about the car’s low-voltage battery, its time for roadside assistance. And its your best option: servicing anything electrical in an electric vehicle is potentially very dangerous.

My friend also asked about having the car jump started. However, the car had not been sitting unused for any length of time, which can create a situation that a jump start will resolve. In here case, the car is several years old and its simply more likely that the battery needs to be replaced. A good roadside service like AAA can make the determination and replace the battery.

However, it turned out that AAA won’t replace the start battery in a Tesla! The driver opted to do it after work hours!

Click here for our list of roadside assistance phone numbers. And if you want to know more about jump starting, see the video we did here.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/08/yes-your-ev-has-a-12-volt-battery-too/

Reflections on Whether to Lease or Not to Lease Your New Car

To Lease or Not to Lease

I am two months away from turning in my leased Polestar 2 and I have been reflecting on leasing. Hopefully the return process won’t mar this post.

Note that this was my first experience with a lease. And note that it turned out that I was both right and wrong to have leased.

Polestar 2What I Got Right

I was right in that I got three years behind the wheel of a new EV at a far better monthly price than if it had been purchased.

Second, I had had a sneaky suspicion that, in a relatively new market, resale values might be an issue a few years down the road. I got this right as well. The residual value of the Polestar is well above current asking prices for equivalent used models. This is currently true across the used EV market, and as I had suspected, there is a reasonably strong supply of good used EVs available for purchase at reasonable prices.

What I Got Wrong

I missed on two counts. First of all, I seriously overestimated how many miles I would put on the car, which means I paid more than I needed to for the lease. There will be no refund…

The second wrong, if you will, has to do with psychology. I have come to understand that I am poorly suited to leasing. This is to say that I never felt fully comfortable with driving what is essentially someone else’s car! I initially thought that my discomfort surrounded the idea of it being new car — also a first for me. But the discomfort never completely went away. I eventually concluded it was about it not truly being mine.

So if you’re considering a lease, its always been true that a lease is more affordable on a monthly basis. Of course, when you’re done, you’ll need new wheels.

But ask yourself whether you are truly suited to being a lessor. I’m unlikely to do it again. If you decide a lease is right for you, do some math on mileage expectations as well.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/07/reflections-on-whether-to-lease-or-not-to-lease-your-new-car/

EV Charging Etiquette

Charging EVs While Being Considerate

We’re not the only ones to speak on this, but we’ve seen too many electric vehicles (EVs) sitting at Level 3 fast charge stations either done charging and blocking a station or charging above 80%, meaning very, very slowly. So it we will add our voice to the chorus of EV charging etiquette posts, and we’ll take that last one first.

1) Stop charging at 80%

We’ve seen more confusion about this than anything else related to Level 3 charging, and it all comes down to charge curves. Regardless of how fast an EV charges, each and every one of them slows down dramatically at 80% charge (see the image below from P3). So whatever time it takes to get to 80%, it will take up to three times that time to get to 100%. This is the least efficient way to charge on long trips. You can get half way to the next charge station in the time wasted getting to 100%!

The result is a charger that is not available to another driver, a waste of your time, and its really hard on the battery. Meaning it will shorten its life!

We understand the desire to “fill the tank” angst associated with leaving a battery 20% empty. But trust us when we say that the angst will pass with time and you’ll get along just fine at 80% and less.

2) Use the proper plug

This is essentially for non-Tesla owners. Your car determines the rate at which electricity is transferred to the battery. So parking a Chevy Bolt, which charges at 50 kW, at 350 kW charger does a huge disservice to owners of vehicles that can make use of the faster charger. Your car will not charge any faster than its rated speed, regardless of what charger you’ve plugged into.

Please leave the faster chargers for vehicles that can use them.

3) Move your EV when its done charging, not when you’re done shopping!

This is a primarily time awareness issue, and of course moving your car is again about opening a charge spot for another driver. Most EV’s get to 80% charge in 20 to 30 minutes and your owner’s manual will give you a solid heads up. Also, your car’s app may be able to tell you when charging is finished or close to finished.

So if you’ve wandered off to lunch or shopping, for the sake of everyone else, please come back to your car on time to open a slot for someone else.

4) Know your vehicle’s charge port location

Nearly all gasoline fill locations on on one side or the other in the rear of the vehicle. EVs can charge from similar locations but some are in the front! In any case, knowing which par of the car that needs to be closest to the charge cable will save some embarrassment.

Of course, all Tesla models charge from the left rear.

5) Don’t leave trash behind

One would think all EV drivers are environmentally conscious, but this turns out not to be the case. And unfortunately, charge stations don’t have trash receptacles around, since no attendant is needed! So, if you generate some trash, please be prepared to take it away with you.

6) Never unplug someone else’s vehicle

Unless its an absolute emergency, never, ever touch another driver’s car. You wouldn’t want someone to do that to you (unless you left a note allowing it!) so don’t ever do it to someone else.

7) Level 2 charger time limits

Finally, if you happen upon a slower Level 2 public charger, be aware of any posted time limits. You won’t get as much charge, but others may want a little boost too. Leave when its your time to leave.

In all cases, be considerate of other EV drivers!

P3-Charging_Index

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/04/ev-charging-etiquette/