FFE on Ice

[Gigi]

I am very pleased with how well "Effie" drove on my way home yesterday on snow and ice in the Atlanta Snow Jam. Driving in L was a great help to maintain control slowing and stopping.

I wasn't able to make it all the way home on account of cars jammed up behind rear wheel drive vehicles that couldn't make it up a hill caked in ice. I spent over 2 hours going 10 miles, most of that slow moving traffic, but eventually ending in stop and go, moving one car length every few minutes. I decided to just get off the road, park in a neighborhood, and walk the last mile and a half or so home. 620 Watts per mile is what it took to drive and run the defroster to keep the windshield clear of ice. I did start to get concerned about running out of kWh.

This is a great commuter vehicle with great handling in ice and snow, but another couple of hours in stalled traffic with the defroster on would not have been good.

 

[jmueller065]

Wow hats off to you (and everyone else having to go through that mess around Atlanta--the pictures from the Wx channel have just been stunning!). Glad you made it to your home safely.

So far I've been really impressed with the traction control on the FFE: It makes a lot of sense though since the feedback through the traction motor would be closer to instant than an ICE vehicle. An ICE traction control has to wait for the engine to respond, the transmission to shift, etc. Most of the time they just grab the brakes. For the FFE it simply has to reduce the drive speed and its done--no waiting required (note not "drive current" as its an AC synchronous motor).

I've found that at traffic lights here (where there is typically the most ice/snow buildup) you can just punch it and the car will go as fast as conditions allow....until you hit dry pavement then you're off like a rocket! LOL

 

[Richmond72]

I agree... This car handles awesomely in the snow. I was stuck traveling for hours, too. I ended up returning to my work (after the road I needed became blocked) and spent the night there but not before stopping at Walgreens for an hours worth of charging.

 

[Gigi]

So far I've been really impressed with the traction control on the FFE: It makes a lot of sense though since the feedback through the traction motor would be closer to instant than an ICE vehicle. An ICE traction control has to wait for the engine to respond, the transmission to shift, etc. Most of the time they just grab the brakes. For the FFE it simply has to reduce the drive speed and its done--no waiting required

This makes sense.

 

[Gigi]

I agree... This car handles awesomely in the snow. I was stuck traveling for hours, too. I ended up returning to my work (after the road I needed became blocked) and spent the night there but not before stopping at Walgreens for an hours worth of charging.

Did you make it home today, Richmond, or are you still at the office?