Refueling ICE cars seems weird now

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MichaelC

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I refueled my wife's car this weekend, which is the first time I have done that in over a year--and I remember how!

That experience brought into focus a big reason I think many ICE vehicle drivers are concerned with charging time: When refueling an ICE car, you really ought to pay attention to the whole process to ensure your safety. You need to make sure the nozzle is properly inserted into the filler neck so the flammable liquid goes into the car's fuel tank. And then you need to pay attention to ensure the pump turns off once that tank is full.

I took all that for granted when I drove ICE cars, but a year of EV life has built up a completely different set of expectations. There's a clear engagement between the charging cable and the charging port. And if it isn't engaged correctly, you won't be spilling electrons all over the place! Once you can see those electrons are flowing into your car, you walk away and live life for awhile. AND, you can do all this at home! The only time I need to worry about public charging is if I'm doing way more driving than usual.

One of the many Youtube videos I watched while doing my pre-purchase research used a great analogy that recharging your EV is usually no different than recharging your mobile phone. You plug it in when you go to bed and it charges while you sleep. You unplug it the next morning when you start your day, and then plug it in again that night before bed. Yup.
 
Don't forget about the cost! I haven't been paying attention to the price of gas anymore but I took my wife's car on a road trip and it was $75 to fill the tank!
 
In some cities, people filling up must remember to watch out for carjackers who like to hang out at gas stations because the vulnerable drivers are out of their cars, the car keys are nearby (if not still in the ignition), and the free car comes with a full tank of gasoline. If I lived in one of those cities, an EV would make even more sense.

Side note: If a the MINI Cooper SE is carjacked (say, at a doughnut shop), the ensuing police chase won't last much longer than 114 miles.
 
Side note: If a the MINI Cooper SE is carjacked (say, at a doughnut shop), the ensuing police chase won't last much longer than 114 miles.

That is the strongest argument anyone could make to a dealer trying to sell anti-theft add-ons! :p
 
Side note: If a the MINI Cooper SE is carjacked (say, at a doughnut shop), the ensuing police chase won't last much longer than 114 miles.

Probably not even that far. I keep my key fob in my pocket, and I doubt if the car would get very far without that. (I did chuckle, though.)
 
In some cities, people filling up must remember to watch out for carjackers who like to hang out at gas stations because the vulnerable drivers are out of their cars, the car keys are nearby (if not still in the ignition), and the free car comes with a full tank of gasoline. If I lived in one of those cities, an EV would make even more sense.

Side note: If a the MINI Cooper SE is carjacked (say, at a doughnut shop), the ensuing police chase won't last much longer than 114 miles.
The gas station threat is exactly why my wife bought her Tesla, our gateway into the EV world. We live in downtown Houston, and after dark (just when she'd be on her way to or from her hospital job), the street urchins emerge.

Other than vacation rentals, we haven't filled a gas tank in two, glorious years.
 
Probably not even that far. I keep my key fob in my pocket, and I doubt if the car would get very far without that. (I did chuckle, though.)

If its like other cars, you don't need the FOB while on the way. It will run until its shut off but won't restart without the FOB.
 
If its like other cars, you don't need the FOB while on the way. It will run until its shut off but won't restart without the FOB.
Very true, but the SE shuts off the drive motor as soon as you open the door. There is no such thing as "idling" with the SE.
 
Probably not even that far. I keep my key fob in my pocket, and I doubt if the car would get very far without that. (I did chuckle, though.)

Also any chase situation will involve rapid acceleration and high speeds, both of which are detrimental to range.


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