Stupid things that I learned after 22 months of ownership.

[eeeeek]

I treat the car like an appliance. It just gets me to and from work. As a former performance car guy (Audi S5, GTO, Saab Aero, Saab SPG), I never really gave this little car a fair shot. Now, I'm finally paying attention. Here's what I've recently learned:

- I have a CD player. It's in the glovebox. I never bothered to look until I put my latest registration in there.

- When in full Regen mode, the brake lights come on when you let off the throttle. This does not happen in D1, 2 or 3, it only happens in full regen. This makes sense to me, but I didn't know. Now that I know this, I switched to driving in D3 mode so it's not flashing the brakes every time I let off. Since I made this change, my economy actually improved a tiny bit.

- The fit and finish is actually very good. It's a well put together car.

- I hate plug in hybrid owners. Sometimes I plan a trip where I need to charge. Most times these days, the charging stations are occupied by plug in hybrids. They don't need the charge to get home. This became a deal at the airport where I'm at the limit of my range and every single one of the ev spots was taken up by a plug in hybrid. I got home with 3 miles range remaining.

Just my stupid thoughts.

 

[forbin404]

I agree about the PHEV, damn I'm an EV snob as well. I was at Khols and they have an EV charger...with a PHEV in it and the guy sitting in his car .. He stayed there an hour! (I needed a little juice but OMG you needed a full charge when you have a ICE engine?)

And I've never used the CD player, the SD card (Right below it) plays all the music I need (64 Gb)

 

[johnnylingo]

OMG you needed a full charge when you have a ICE engine?

In fairness, certain hybrids like the Volt and i3 see reduced power when running their gas engines. It's more likely the owners were charging for the sake of charging, but there can be certain driving scenarios where operating in reduced power mode could be hazardous.

 

[RonDawg]

OMG you needed a full charge when you have a ICE engine?

In fairness, certain hybrids like the Volt and i3 see reduced power when running their gas engines. It's more likely the owners were charging for the sake of charging, but there can be certain driving scenarios where operating in reduced power mode could be hazardous.

I3 definitely. There's even a lawsuit alleging the car is unsafe to drive on the freeway on the Range Extender alone.

Volt? I test drove a 2nd gen one and asked the salesman to put the car in "Hold" or whatever mode leaves the engine running. I noticed no reduction in power, at least on city streets (wouldn't let me get on the freeway with it).

 

[forbin404]

OMG you needed a full charge when you have a ICE engine?

In fairness, certain hybrids like the Volt and i3 see reduced power when running their gas engines. It's more likely the owners were charging for the sake of charging, but there can be certain driving scenarios where operating in reduced power mode could be hazardous.

BTW it was a Toyota Prius.

 

[2016golfse]

BTW it was a Toyota Prius.

As a former Prius Plug In owner before the E-Golf, here's my take:

EV miles are EV miles, regardless of PHEV or EV. It's first come, first served, and there is no hierarchy - even more so at a free charging station. Do people have a negative view of a Tesla Model S charging at a free EV station when they have supercharger access? Does that same Model S receive a scowl because it gets fewer miles per kWh? What about vehicles that can only charge at 3.3 or 2.2 rate? When I had my Prius, there were people who wanted to give me $1 to unplug just so they could charge their EV. I moved my car because of their immediate need, and because they were nice about their request. If they were snobby, well that's a different story.

 

[JoulesThief]

BTW it was a Toyota Prius.

As a former Prius Plug In owner before the E-Golf, here's my take:

EV miles are EV miles, regardless of PHEV or EV. It's first come, first served, and there is no hierarchy - even more so at a free charging station. Do people have a negative view of a Tesla Model S charging at a free EV station when they have supercharger access? Does that same Model S receive a scowl because it gets fewer miles per kWh? What about vehicles that can only charge at 3.3 or 2.2 rate? When I had my Prius, there were people who wanted to give me $1 to unplug just so they could charge their EV. I moved my car because of their immediate need, and because they were nice about their request. If they were snobby, well that's a different story.

There's BEV miles and PHEV miles. One needs an EVSE for transportation, the other does not. Public EVSE 's should be either pay to play, or on the basis of need. PHEV's don't need an EVSE, it's more a want. Big difference.

 

[2016golfse]

There's BEV miles and PHEV miles. One needs an EVSE for transportation, the other does not. Public EVSE 's should be either pay to play, or on the basis of need. PHEV's don't need an EVSE, it's more a want. Big difference.

I disagree. I sold my PHEV with 32K miles, and 49% of those miles were EV. I used electric except on long road trips. I didn't get a carpool sticker, even though I qualified to get one. I bike, walk, and use public transportation instead of driving when possible, and drive only when I need to for work purposes. Therefore, I could just as easily look at any ICE, CNG, PHEV, EV, or fuel cell private vehicle and scoff - since the use of the private auto is often, but not always, "more a want" than a "need".

 

[JoulesThief]

There's BEV miles and PHEV miles. One needs an EVSE for transportation, the other does not. Public EVSE 's should be either pay to play, or on the basis of need. PHEV's don't need an EVSE, it's more a want. Big difference.

I disagree. I sold my PHEV with 32K miles, and 49% of those miles were EV. I used electric except on long road trips. I didn't get a carpool sticker, even though I qualified to get one. I bike, walk, and use public transportation instead of driving when possible, and drive only when I need to for work purposes. Therefore, I could just as easily look at any ICE, CNG, PHEV, EV, or fuel cell private vehicle and scoff - since the use of the private auto is often, but not always, "more a want" than a "need".

Let's extend your logic a little further, you don't need a bike, a skateboard, wheels, bearings, shoes, sandals or socks either. They aren't "needs", they are wants. I don't see Chevrolet, Toyota or Honda putting in EVSE recharging structures. I do see VW and BMV and Nissan and Tesla putting in recharging structures. PHEV's are baby steps, teaching people how to plug in their car at home, as an option. There's no need to plug in a PHEV, it's a want, you have the option. There is a need to plug in a BEV, it won't go anywhere transportation wise without being plugged in. PHEV's are not commited to an electrified transportation future like a BEV is, where you go all in on running electric or running noting. PHEV owners are non commital. And most of them have the most godammed slow chargers on board, wasting the full capacity of a 6 or 7 Kwh capacity EVSE. Go plug them in to 120V at home, don't tie up a high volume, high amperage, high voltage EVSE. It's like ******* that pull their diesel car into the diesel truck stop to fill up with diesel, when the pump will flow 30 gallons a minute, and they have a 15 gallon tank, but a truck has a 100 to 150 gallon fuel tank. Then they wonder why people think they are out of line. Go plug your prius in at a Tesla recharging facility, or your Volt.

Frankly, I'd like to see a Prius or a Volt get some other type of plug besides a J-1772, something more suitable for recharging at a snails pace on 120V and 12 amps, that would keep them off the faster recharging EVSE's capable of 240V and 30 or 40 amps. Because the Honda and Volt crowd treat public charging areas like a parking spot instead a a refilling station, where the object is to get in and out of recharging quickly.

 

[2016golfse]

PHEV owners are non commital...... And most of them have the most godammed slow chargers on board, wasting the full capacity of a 6 or 7 Kwh capacity EVSE..... It's like *******.....

I think you've said it all. Wow...

Just keep in mind that without the quick charge package, a 2015/2016 VW E-Golf or a Nissan Leaf at a Level 2 charger would fall into the same "JoulesThief Circle of Hell".

 

[JoulesThief]

PHEV owners are non commital...... And most of them have the most godammed slow chargers on board, wasting the full capacity of a 6 or 7 Kwh capacity EVSE..... It's like *******.....

I think you've said it all. Wow...

Just keep in mind that without the quick charge package, a 2015/2016 VW E-Golf or a Nissan Leaf at a Level 2 charger would fall into the same "JoulesThief Circle of Hell".

All 2015 e-Golfs have a 7.2KWH charger on board, good for 30 amps. In my market around Los Angeles, almost all the pay to charge or public EVSE units are capable of 30 amps of current, regardless of if voltage is 208 or 240V. The on board charger and EVSE are matched in capacity. Not dead dog slow like on a Prius or a Gen 1 Volt. Wish they'd bill you $1.50 an hour at a public EVSE, for parking. I'd gladly pay it, and it would clear out all the Volts and Prius.

 

[forbin404]

Note that he didn't correct you on the 2016 eGolf SE without DCFC

 

[2016golfse]

Note that he didn't correct you on the 2016 eGolf SE without DCFC

Nor is there any correction regarding any Nissan Leaf without the quick charge. Funny how that works. I believe that's called a double standard.

 

[Kosta]

2017 canadian egolf all came/ come equipped with the dc quick charge port ... and i have waited for a leaf at a free DC unit , and after I connected , another leaf showed up and waited for me .. free is free

 

[JoulesThief]

Note that he didn't correct you on the 2016 eGolf SE without DCFC

Nor is there any correction regarding any Nissan Leaf without the quick charge. Funny how that works. I believe that's called a double standard.

This is a VW e-Golf forum, not a Leaf forum. I rarely come across Leafs parked at public charging stations disregarding a 2 hour time charge limit. I don't know why, maybe they are more versed in proper public EVSE etiquette? I dont see very many BMW I-3's hogging EVSE chargers either, perhaps their battery is smaller in capacity and they have larger chargers on board too? I have seen a couple of RAV EV's that are complete EVSE hogs, but they are pretty rare, and they do have pretty big batteries. 40 kWh I believe? Down here, the whole Fiat 500e crowd always at free chargers, never at a pay to charge place. Not saying they don't sometimes pay, I've just never seen it around here, they seem to fit in with the Volt and Prius EVSE hogging crowd. Just my personal observations around Los Angeles. I just don't have any problems finding a pay to recharge ChargePoint or GreenLots location here. They are underutilized and almost always available for use.

 

[eeeeek]

. Because the Honda and Volt crowd treat public charging areas like a parking spot instead a a refilling station, where the object is to get in and out of recharging quickly.

This. Technically, the charging station spots at the airport say "electric Vehicle only". A PHEV isn't an EV, it's a hybrid. That aside, it is a matter of need, not convenience. BEV people feel the pain. They understand range anxiety. The struggle is real as we drive home and the car switches to eco+ mode. BEV people move their cars, hang notes on the cords saying it's ok to unplug them at x time. We form a little community at the workplace where we email each other to ask someone to move if another BEV owner needs to leave early. Every time there is an email about a car being uplugged early, it's always a PHEV who just disconnects their car and leaves them hanging (this is the one time I like the lock on the eGolf). The PHEV that hogs the spots make it so people are less likely to adopt BEVs. I don't use my eGolf to go to the airport or a Giants game because I know that I can't count on spots to be available. Hopeflully, this will largely be a moot point soon as ranges increase.

I have become especially indignant of the Plug in Prius. It has a pathetically small range on the battery, engages the engine from mile zero for acceleration so that it doesn't really have a true EV mode anyway and is clearly designed to just check a box.

 

[f1geek]

I won't be an EV snob - I'm ok with PHEVs plugging in. I know people with Volts who desperately try to not use a drop of gas on a daily basis, but have the car to make a trip from SF to LA a few times a year. Just like there are people who drive PHEVs and are discourteous, there are people who drive BEVs and are discourteous.

The e-Golf is designed to check a box, as are many other BEVs like the 500e, MB 250e, etc. If not for the box that needs to be checked, these cars wouldn't exist, so I 'm all for boxes to be checked. As more manufacturers make more plug in cars, the cost of the components will drop, and since many PHEV components are identical for the BEV, more PHEVs is good for cheaper BEVs.

I even convinced (after weeks of asking if she plugged in yet) one of my colleagues at work to regularly plug in her new Prius Prime every night. Now she asks me where she can find a public charging station in different locales and I am happy to know that she's burning less gasoline, cutting pollution, and buying made in the USA electricity.

 

[johnnylingo]

I have become especially indignant of the Plug in Prius. It has a pathetically small range on the battery, engages the engine from mile zero for acceleration so that it doesn't really have a true EV mode anyway and is clearly designed to just check a box.

You're not the only one. I'm indignant of Priuses (Prii?) in general, but the Prime is especially silly. 25 miles of all-electric range isn't much better than the SUV offerings from Porsche and Volvo. I'm sure that most of its sales are coming from Prius generation II drivers who are trading up to the Prime to take advantage of the $4500/$1500 CA rebates.

I'd really like to see the rebate structure redone with a larger shift towards full BEV with over 150 miles and PHEVs with over 50 all-electric range. Encouraging longer ranges lessens the load on public chargers and is the only way that EVs can become the majority. Unfortunately that won't happen at the Federal level until 2021 at soonest

 

[eeeeek]

I won't be an EV snob - I'm ok with PHEVs plugging in. I know people with Volts who desperately try to not use a drop of gas on a daily basis, but have the car to make a trip from SF to LA a few times a year. Just like there are people who drive PHEVs and are discourteous, there are people who drive BEVs and are discourteous.

The e-Golf is designed to check a box, as are many other BEVs like the 500e, MB 250e, etc. If not for the box that needs to be checked, these cars wouldn't exist, so I 'm all for boxes to be checked. As more manufacturers make more plug in cars, the cost of the components will drop, and since many PHEV components are identical for the BEV, more PHEVs is good for cheaper BEVs.

I even convinced (after weeks of asking if she plugged in yet) one of my colleagues at work to regularly plug in her new Prius Prime every night. Now she asks me where she can find a public charging station in different locales and I am happy to know that she's burning less gasoline, cutting pollution, and buying made in the USA electricity.

I have been made a snob. When I first got the car, I didn't care. I still don't care when an ICE parks in one of the compliance "clean air spots" at Target (it always seems to be a Honda Pilot). Those spots aren't tied to a charger, so it doesn't matter. My issue is wholly because charging for a BEV isn't a convenience, it's a necessity, and the growing number of PHEV are killing it for the BEVs.

Are there PHEVs who live almost entirely on the battery? Sure. I work with a few people who do just that. They drive in their Volts, charge at work, then drive home and charge there. This was fine when we had ten spots and only five cars to plug in. Now that it has increased to 10+, people can't camp out on the chargers anymore. The BEV's need juice to get home. So what has been the most effective solution? Get into work earlier and earlier to ensure you get one of the spots and then move at lunch time.

This isn't just an issue at my work. It's an issue with the downtown public parking garage. It's an issue at the airport. It's an issue when I drive down to SF and every darn spot has either an ICE being a total dick or a PHEV slow charging. The infrastructure no longer supports the number of vehicles that can plug in.

So why have I become a snob? I will most likely not be getting another BEV when my lease is done. It's just not worth it anymore. The spots are full and the HOV lanes are getting clogged up just as bad as normal lanes. I gave this thing an honest try and I don't regret it, but I have to keep an ICE to fill in the increasing number of times that I can't count on the BEV, and that's the issue. I anticipated that the infrastructure would improve and the possibilities would open up. Unfortunately, the opposite has occurred. I'm just tapping out at the end of my lease.

 

[johnnylingo]

The infrastructure no longer supports the number of vehicles that can plug in... I will most likely not be getting another BEV when my lease is done.

But if you could get a BEV with 150+ miles range, I think that turns the tables for most people. Add a home charger and you've got a full tank of gas each day, then DCFC for the rare days over 150 miles. Never have to deal with public L2 chargers again and can let the Prius Prime users fight over the plugs.