What's going to happen to performance and tuning with EVs?
Discussion
An EVs range is affected by weight, so the quest for greater range is very weight dependent. A lighter EV will go further with the same batteries.... so manufacturers are more sensitive to weight than with ICE. Wires that handle more current are much heavier.
So, for reasons of weight and cost, the wiring in an EV will be rated for the power it will use from the factory. If you upgrade just the controller, or just the motors, then unless the manufacturer had over engineered the wiring, then your wiring will get hot and possibly melt. That's a good recipe for a fire.
If manufacturers do over engineer the wiring in EVs then they are adding unnecessary cost and weight, and causing a reduction in range. Not likely.
I expect there will be some safety envelope, where you could nudge a bit more power through the wires with no bad effects... but I would not be surprised to see this being outlawed on public safety grounds. Spontaneously combusting EVs won't be popular, especially if manufacturers can't solve the small issue of batteries being very flammable.
So, for reasons of weight and cost, the wiring in an EV will be rated for the power it will use from the factory. If you upgrade just the controller, or just the motors, then unless the manufacturer had over engineered the wiring, then your wiring will get hot and possibly melt. That's a good recipe for a fire.
If manufacturers do over engineer the wiring in EVs then they are adding unnecessary cost and weight, and causing a reduction in range. Not likely.
I expect there will be some safety envelope, where you could nudge a bit more power through the wires with no bad effects... but I would not be surprised to see this being outlawed on public safety grounds. Spontaneously combusting EVs won't be popular, especially if manufacturers can't solve the small issue of batteries being very flammable.
Who tunes a ICE road car in 2017 anyway? Back in the day, when we weezed around in 70bhp tin boxes, sure, a "Hot motor" say maybe even as much as 150 horse power as a viable thing to do. Today, when you can just buy a faster car from the manufacturer, why would you tune your car? Hatch backs now come with 400 horses, big saloons with 500 or more, and most supercar power outputs start at least with a 6, and sometimes a 7.....
EV's can be tuned, but i just don't think anyone will bother tbh.......
EV's can be tuned, but i just don't think anyone will bother tbh.......
people like to fiddle with things [oh er] to see what happens so the modding will continue, but as battery life increases, size and weight reduces, and required charging times reduce (might not be needed) there will be less need to tweak those. It'll probably be the software hackers that get to play with in car entertainment systems in the same way you get jail breakers for phones today. Any power mods are likely to be restricted to race tracks or drag strips..
It's highly unlikely in 20 years many of us will be allowed to drive on the roads anyway - Take the driver out by making them autonomous with cars essentially collaborating to ensure maximum safety and flow of traffic and all you're left to modify is the aesthetics - and this will have nothing to do with going faster it will be more like changing phone screen saver rather than needing to get the car wrapped, or to custom fit the interior. It'll be a big challenge for car manufacturers to stay relevant: take the bit out of the car that helps them create brand identity e.g. the engine (power delivery, noise, etc) along side the driving characteristics that gives a car its character you basically have an iPhone with wheels....
It's highly unlikely in 20 years many of us will be allowed to drive on the roads anyway - Take the driver out by making them autonomous with cars essentially collaborating to ensure maximum safety and flow of traffic and all you're left to modify is the aesthetics - and this will have nothing to do with going faster it will be more like changing phone screen saver rather than needing to get the car wrapped, or to custom fit the interior. It'll be a big challenge for car manufacturers to stay relevant: take the bit out of the car that helps them create brand identity e.g. the engine (power delivery, noise, etc) along side the driving characteristics that gives a car its character you basically have an iPhone with wheels....
Max_Torque said:
Who tunes a ICE road car in 2017 anyway? Back in the day, when we weezed around in 70bhp tin boxes, sure, a "Hot motor" say maybe even as much as 150 horse power as a viable thing to do. Today, when you can just buy a faster car from the manufacturer, why would you tune your car? Hatch backs now come with 400 horses, big saloons with 500 or more, and most supercar power outputs start at least with a 6, and sometimes a 7.....
EV's can be tuned, but i just don't think anyone will bother tbh.......
there'll still be a market for suckers to put their EV's on a "dyno" so they can enjoy some random made up number with five million zeros all sponsored by HP sauce...EV's can be tuned, but i just don't think anyone will bother tbh.......
The opportunities are legion, especially at the lower end of the market. Just as it is today.
Maybe I'll pick up a Leaf in 2025 for £300. Maybe I'll get one for that price well before then! I don't care about range, I've got a commute of 10 miles. So more power - more motor, bigger power controller, fatter wiring. Battery modification using whatever new tech is available at the time. Better cooling of the battery. Ditch the eco tyres and get some decent rubber for it, tune the suspension handling rather than dullness, and to account for the fact that the battery weighs half as much.
Fun will still be had. It will involve computers and wires more than pistons, but it will actually be far more accessible than it is today.
Maybe I'll pick up a Leaf in 2025 for £300. Maybe I'll get one for that price well before then! I don't care about range, I've got a commute of 10 miles. So more power - more motor, bigger power controller, fatter wiring. Battery modification using whatever new tech is available at the time. Better cooling of the battery. Ditch the eco tyres and get some decent rubber for it, tune the suspension handling rather than dullness, and to account for the fact that the battery weighs half as much.
Fun will still be had. It will involve computers and wires more than pistons, but it will actually be far more accessible than it is today.
Max_Torque said:
Who tunes a ICE road car in 2017 anyway? Back in the day, when we weezed around in 70bhp tin boxes, sure, a "Hot motor" say maybe even as much as 150 horse power as a viable thing to do. Today, when you can just buy a faster car from the manufacturer, why would you tune your car? Hatch backs now come with 400 horses, big saloons with 500 or more, and most supercar power outputs start at least with a 6, and sometimes a 7.....
EV's can be tuned, but i just don't think anyone will bother tbh.......
Mate, I think you typed the wrong URL into your browser, I think you were looking for www.mumsnet.comEV's can be tuned, but i just don't think anyone will bother tbh.......
Will it even matter if we are in fully autonomous vehicles like some people are predicting?
Having said that, it's interesting to note (and quite a relief to be honest) that Hybrid vehicles will not be covered in the ban.
Wonder how they'll get around that. I'll he happy if we're all driving round in the equivalent of A P1/LaFerrari.
Having said that, it's interesting to note (and quite a relief to be honest) that Hybrid vehicles will not be covered in the ban.
Wonder how they'll get around that. I'll he happy if we're all driving round in the equivalent of A P1/LaFerrari.
spookly said:
An EVs range is affected by weight, so the quest for greater range is very weight dependent. A lighter EV will go further with the same batteries.... so manufacturers are more sensitive to weight than with ICE.
Is weight an issue? When a car is being driven at a constant speed energy is only being consumed to overcome rolling resistance, and drag. weight/mass certainly comes into it for acceleration (f=ma) but the energy is converted to kinetic and about 70% is recovered. The greater the mass the greater the kinetic energy.in ICE cars there is no regeneration so all energy used for acceleration is lost to low grade heat, and a heavier car needs a more powerful engine. Powerful ICE engines are less efficient so even at constant speed a powerful engine is bleeding energy. EV's don't suffer that which is why Tesla's don't vary that much in efficiency regardless of which model you get.
Max_Torque said:
Who tunes a ICE road car in 2017 anyway? .
Think you've completely missed the point.The average person who gets their car tuned buys the most expensive car they can afford (unusually something past its prime but great back in the day) and leave £20 in their back pocket to double the power output with. Because the manufacturer deliberately badly designed the engine components to limit power output and I know better it should be easy to increase the power.
Following a bit of further money saving (more than anticipated), scratching of heads and tinkering, and then more tinkering, power is up 1% and noise is up 40%. It doesn't matter, it's all part of the fun and lessons learnt will improve the next project.
This mentality, which I have been guilty of will continue, it's just going to be a steep and probably less rewarding learning curve with electric vehicles.
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