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Search Results
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In reply to: Introductions
Hello!
My name is Jonas Olsson, from Sweden, a recent Zoe owner. We’ve bought it as a second car, but in practice it’ll be our primary (daily commute is 30 km). So far we’re very happy and not missing any of the features not included in our Life version. We could perhaps use heated seats, but with Renault rushing onto the Nordic market there’s not yet a wintered version available. The future will tell.
I didn’t expect quite the stirr our purchase caused at work, where almost everybody was surprised to learn that when I said “electric car” I did not mean gas-battery hybrid! Yet it turned out some co-workers in Norway have Teslas (I’m envious as hell, but there are many thing you can do with 500k).
In reply to: ZOE is Cheaper to Run than Equivalent Petrol Car
There is a relevant error in the article : it takes much more than the 22 kWh battery capacity to fully charge the vehicle, due to unavoidable charging losses. I’d bet that it takes at least 25 kWh to charge the battery from flat, particurally during these colder days
In reply to: My 600km trip from Belgium to Germany
Just curious, have you ever tried to charge the Zoe at home from a low power domestic socket (even only 2 or 3 kW), or in any case from a less powerfull charger (say, 5 or even 7 kW, for example) ? Did you figure out how many kWh does it take to fully charge the battery from flat ?
In reply to: How much better off I am since my Zoe
My calc is simpler – I was paying £200pm for petrol, now I’m paying £85pm for the battery and about £30pm for electricity. But again, it wasn’t about saving money – I would never go back to a piston car.
In reply to: How much better off I am since my Zoe
ok so i overlooked the battery rental – currently im still only paying £70… so thats 14 months X 70 = £980
regarding the electricity usuage – honestly i charge less than 25% at home and that is always on economy 7 (so @ 6.5 pence per KwH).
The rest of my charging is done at work or on the road (all free) or at the sainsburys near my GF’s house…
so i will adjust my figures to take account of £980 battery rental and a max of £100 for paid electricity at home…
total 1080
🙂
In reply to: How much better off I am since my Zoe
Don’t forget opportunity cost of the battery if you are doing a cost benefit analysis but yes I take your point fuel wise you’re quids in.
In reply to: Is the charger overloading the car?
Have not heard of this before, but normally the Battery Management System should limit the charge current the Load/Car will draw. Its also a worry as posted elsewhere that Renault may stop the car charging remotely if the bill is not paid?
In reply to: Random Questions
Morning!
Thanks for the replies, to be honest I have been doing a a series of Recce’s to find charging stations on route incase I need to top up during the winter.
My next question is another left field one that I maybe should pose to Renault.
As Battery Tech and Battery Tech in their products imporves will Renault be producing Zoe specific batteries with said new tech to give an on going residual value and life.
In reply to: Random Questions
1. my battery seems fine after a year but havent tested over long periods
2. constant speed rules
3. not at all
4. 50mph does a great job. avoid rapid changes. optimum speed I was once quoted was 14mph…
5. thought about it but dont want to tamper
6. I think the advice is to leave zoe plugged in when poss.Topic: Random Questions
Hi everyone, I’m thinking about taking the plunge and buying a second hand ZOE. (sub £9.5k with 34, yes 34miles on the clock)
The ZOe would be sharing my commute with my bike/train I normally do about a 70 mile a day commute and I’ve already spied a Rapid charge station on my commute which should put paid to any range anxiety during winter.
I have a couple of questions, they may seem odd:
1. Has anyone measured the seld discharge rate of the the Battery pack? Its just mine will sit in airport carparks for extended periods and I don’t wqant to get back on a late night flight to find its flat..
2. Does the ICE convention of constants speed constant thottle on to get a good tanksworth not apply to ZOEs? I know that backroad would mean I gain back a bit brake regen but it also surely I’d loose that everytime I acclereate and draw more current accelerating.
3. Drafting – I know its incredibly dangerous to tailgate someone but even at the recommended 2sec gap you would sit in the wake of most trucks/vans. Has anyone seen solid gains from this?
4. Motorway cruising speed – I’m currently a memeber of the Ecomodder website and I get a bit anal about dragging the best economy out of my ageing Megane tourer, Whats the optimum Motorway cruise speed? I really don’t want to got slower thean 57mph as I don’t want to Annoy the road proffessionals in their trucks.
5. I might have missed the thread but are there any good hacks to extending the autonomy? Solar charger plugged into the 12v while the car is sat in a car park (one without a charge station)
6. I race RC cars with LiPo batteries and the chargers we use can sense and balance the capacity and voltage in each of the cells, cutting the charge current once the batteries have reach their optimum charge. Does the ZOE’s charger work in a similiar way? Can I just plug it in at night and ‘forget about it’ until the moring without it over charging and ruining the cells? If I plug into a 30min/80% charger with more than 20% left is that safe?
Thanks in advance!
