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OK, Toyota finally starts selling BEV... sort of

Discussion in 'Toyota Hybrids and EVs' started by Salamander_King, Dec 25, 2020.

  1. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Oh, common! You really didn't expect "a two-seater road legal electric wheelchair" to run 45+ mph on its own, did you??? :p
     
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  2. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Smart and kei cars can manage over 60mph, so why not?
     
  3. dbstoo

    dbstoo Senior Member

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    The Smart is not particularly efficient. The fortwo model has an EPA rating of 36 mpg‑US according to Wiki.

    I noticed that the early KEI cars had a lower (~25 mph) speed limit that was eventually bumped up (~35 mph) higher and higher (~87 MPH).

    One of the advantages of a citicar (or KEI) is that lower speeds allow safe driving with fewer safety features.

    I'd be quite content with a 25 MPH electric citicar if I did not already have the Prime.
     
  4. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    So, what is limiting the max speed? Do you know? I looked up the spec in a Japanese publication for C+Pod. lt say Rated Output: 2.6kW, Max Output: 9.2kW (12.5 PS), Max Torque: 56 N.m (5.7 kgf.m). Not the usual "house power" and "foot-pounds", but I googled and 12.5 PS is apparently 12.329 HP and 56 N.m is 41.30 ft-lb. Yeah, quite a bit smaller than typical high performing Kei having 64 HP and 69 ft-lb of torque.
     
  5. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The smart EV shows that such a small car can be a fully capable electric. Limited to low speeds, it might even have longer range than this BEV.

    Lesser safety features isn't a selling point when it is sharing roads with cars over 3000 pounds. Even at just 25mph, something like the Highlander would transfer a lot of energy into this.

    That's why I brought up the Zebra earlier. Toyota's new BEV isn't anymore advanced than a high power golf cart.

    It's great for locations where it can work, and is legal, but such places already had the golf carts and Gems running about for years.
     
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  6. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Must be this one: The ZAP Xebra Is A Pitiful Electric Car | HotCars
    Yeah, but Toyota's spec looks much better... Actually, 37mph is a very respectable speed for me. The lifetime average speed on my 2020 PP is now 28mph.

    upload_2020-12-26_18-1-3.png
     
  7. Rmay635703

    Rmay635703 Senior Member

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    On the positive side an NEV is exempt from the $665 title + registration EV fee increase

    so you could actually save some cash


    my Subaru 360 (developed in the late 40’s) hits 75mph so early KEI cars must be very very early, KEI is mainly size and displacement relate

    Also the US just got the wrong smart car the CDIs in Canada were 80mpg affairs


    Citicar - Wikipedia
     
    #27 Rmay635703, Dec 26, 2020
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2020
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  8. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    My average in the Camry is around 35mph. Some of that is from long trips on the highway, but some is trips over 40.

    How often do you get near 40? The 37 mph limit is likely a physical one, not one governed. So driving near it won't be fun, and reaching it will take longer than in a Prius.
     
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  9. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Turns out the price for the C+pod starts higher than the Yaris on Japan.
     
  10. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    If I use it only for the in-town drives, I rarely go over 40mph. OTOH, if I use it for my commuting (which is an inter-town trip), then I may reach near or over 50 mph at some segment, but the highest posted speed limit is 45mph (not that anyone obeys this). I could drive the entire route under 35mph, but that will irritate cars behind me to the point of road rage. As I commented, I don't feel safe driving this car and sharing a road with monster trucks and SUVs.

    Yeah, EV premium. Just as Mr. Toyoda suggested, “flower on a high summit”—out of reach for the average person. lol
     
  11. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    That's pretty close to my average speed, too. But that just tells me how bad our traffic engineers and civil planners are because the vast majority of my driving time is fairly evenly split between 50 mph and 0 mph. Well, actually most of the time is either decelerating for a stop or accelerating from a stop on the way (if there's time) to 50-60 mph which I might get to maintain for as much as 45 seconds. A car that can only go 37 mph (and not get there pretty quickly, I'd guess) would most likely get me shot around here.
     
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  12. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Hmmm. Save money by buying something I can't possibly use. Sounds like something the government might do. :ROFLMAO:
     
  13. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    No reason why they'll always be.

    The GEM 2 seater with Li-ion is just as expensive. That battery, near C+pod's capacity, is an option that doubles the GEM's price. Toyota is likely paying the same, small scale price for the batter

    Kei cars are far cheaper, and Toyota makes them. They could make the car body and motor for less with larger production. With a better battery supply, they can get far better pricing than the $1000 a kWh they seem to be charging.

    EVs are only expensive in the short term, or if you don't prepare to make them. The base ID.3 has a pre-tax price of around $25000. It ain't Yaris cheap, but EVs will get there
     
  14. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Don't have to wait to get Leaf at $20000. Hey, that's Yaris Hybrid cheap. lol
     
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  15. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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  16. CamryDriver

    CamryDriver Active Member

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    We live in a neighborhood seperated from town by a few miles of highway. 60km/h top speed would be a deal breaker for us, we need at least 100km/h. Even 100km/h would be a bit slow for the first little bit because the limit is 70mph for a little while before it slows down to 55mph. I could make due with 100km/h but I wouldn't be happy about it.