GRA
Well-known member
WetEV said:GRA said:I used L1 for a week, and it was severely limiting. Arrived home with a low SoC, and suddenly wanted to go out again.
What size battery?
What percentage used on the commute?
Small, probably 20 or maybe 24 kWh usable. This was in '97 or '98, a pre-production Think City, similar to but earlier than a SMART ED: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think_City#Specifications). The one I drove lacked power steering and badly needed it and a much-improved suspension to deal with potholes, manhole covers, railroad tracks etc., but I thought the plastic body similar to Lexan was brilliant for a city car that would be dealing with shopping carts, carelessly opened doors etc. bumping into it on a regular basis.
But I wasn't using it to commute those days. My commute at that time was about the same distance as now, 4 or 5 miles one-way, and I don't need a car to do that. Both days I'd been out doing something near the limit of its radius (figure typical range of 70 miles) and got home with say 5-10 miles remaining (IIRR no GoM, just a finely graduated analog Voltmeter). Then, friends called and asked me over, but as they lived 10 and 25 miles away L1 simply required too much time to charge. A larger pack would expand the radius before that would be a problem but wouldn't eliminate the issue, as L1 speed wouldn't increase and you'd still have to make up the extra usage.