EVs

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All about electric vehicle fires

3 August 2022 Robert Pepper

Electric vehicles are taking over the automotive world, and much will change as a result. New ways of owning and operating a car, new thinking, new habits. And new risks. Almost anything can catch fire, including vehicles whether they are propelled by petrol, diesel, or electricity. But what are the actual risks with EV fires? […]

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What effect does electric-vehicle regen braking have when you’re hotlapping on a racetrack?

30 July 2022 Robert Pepper

One of my readers watched the Porsche 911 Track Mistakes video: and posed this question: Nice video! It brings up an interesting question for EVs. I have a Tesla EV and wondering about leaving regen on when on a track. It is essentially like engine braking and activates as soon as you let off the […]

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Australia’s governments move decisively towards electric vehicles

18 July 2022 Robert Pepper

In the last couple of days two of Australia’s state and territory governments have made major policy announcements: ACT Bans sale of fossil-fuelled vehicles by 2035, target of 80-90% zero-emission by 2030. To be clear, this is the sale of new vehicles; you won’t need to trade in your current ICE car. It hasn’t been […]

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How do you work out towing weights – real life example, explained

12 July 2022 Robert Pepper

Towing weights are really complex, but unfortunately, you have to know what your limits are and how to operate within them. I recently carried out an electric vehicle vs diesel tow test, and as part of that I had to select a suitable trailer. So I did exactly the same sort of calculations that a […]

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Why “EVs force you to stop every two hours” isn’t a good thing

9 July 2022 Robert Pepper

Electric vehicles require more frequent, and longer stops than ICE vehicles. Many EV advocates suggest this is a positive for EVs as it forces stops and therefore manages fatigue. I disagree, and this is why. The short answer is that EVs tend to force the driver to stop at times, places and for durations that […]

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The electric vehicle tow test with a Hyundai IONIQ5 vs a Ford Ranger, a caravan and a car trailer

6 July 2022 Robert Pepper

I used to start articles with something like “electric vehicles are the future, like it or not” but now I need to change that to “electric vehicles are here now, and taking over”. You’ll have seen all the change; the EU recently banned the sale of petrol/diesel (ICE) vehicles after 2035, carmarker after carmaker is […]

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A 2000km, 3 day roadtrip in an electric vehicle

1 July 2022 Robert Pepper

Electric vehicles are the way of the future, like it or not – the European Union has just mandated zero-emission vehicles from 2035 onwards, other countries are doing the same, and all the carmakers are phasing out petrol/diesel propulsion. So as an automotive journalist I need to understand and report on what’s going on to […]

Why was the McMurtry Automotive Speirling EV so fast at Goodwood?

29 June 2022 Robert Pepper

By now everyone’s seen the amazing McMurtry Speirling electric car blitz the Goodwood Hill Climb record in 39.08 seconds, beating the record set by a F1 car, and driver Max Chilton reckons there’s more in it as he learns how better to drive what is a new type of vehicle. But why is the Speirling […]

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Would Australia’s electricity system be overloaded if everyone bought an electric car tomorrow?

31 May 2022 Robert Pepper

A common worry about electric cars is that it’ll ‘brown out’ or overload the electricity supply. I don’t think that’ll happen, and my reasoning is below, and as usual with any big-picture . I’m yet to see anyone provide their reasonsing as to why there would be a problem. In 2020, Australians bought: 454,701 SUVs […]

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Why powering a trailer won’t be the real answer to EV towing range

19 April 2022 Robert Pepper

Trailers are, literally, a drag to tow. They sap power from the towcar, reduce range, and reduce offroad capability. They are also a big, heavy, potentially dangerous object to have exerting a force on your car. Electric trailers can change a lot of that. The concept is simple; add a battery and motors to the […]

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