Ancestors

Toot

Written by NNN on 2025-01-20 at 20:01

Our kid was north of Bemidji MN all weekend... -36C temps. Her EV was plugged-in to an extension cord, but only added 160km range in 48 hours (because when plugged-in, EVs try to heat the battery to ~0C).

Then 2 of 3 chargers in Bemidji dead; Brainerd worked before the cold snap but dead now; Little Falls has been dead all month.

So she'll charge to full in Bemidji then drive through to St. Cloud below the speed limit.

The bright side is: lots of other peoples' gas cars were even worse off.

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Descendants

Written by NNN on 2025-01-20 at 20:07

Other peoples' cars not starting, they are blaming "water in the gas line". People!... All Minnesota gas is 10% ethanol. That's as much alcohol as adding 16 bottles of HEET gas line antifreeze to your tank when you fill-up.

Adding yet another bottle of HEET will do diddly squat.

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Written by Erik Ellestad on 2025-01-20 at 22:36

@NNN Growing up in WI, a family friend had a diesel Volvo sedan, (trendy for a bit in the 1970s when diesel was cheap,) they used to have to worry about the diesel fuel gelling if it got too cold, (as I recall).

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Written by Jill •-□? on 2025-01-20 at 20:10

@NNN wow!

I think the smaller range for EVs makes it more visible to see the reduction in performance, but Spouse also mentioned how cold weather affects fuel vehicles, too.

I still love my EV so far

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Written by Erik Ellestad on 2025-01-20 at 20:27

@NNN Yow, that is cold! We have family in Wausau, WI, I don't think it is quite that cold, ONLY supposed to get down to -19 F tonight. Ha. (Conversely, I wonder about EV cars in really hot/dry climates. I know normal every day batteries have a much shorter shelf life in those conditions, I wonder if similar applies to car batteries.)

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